1953 Barbara Harmon (Autobiography)

this item is listed in Social Snapshots 1900-1968 inc. under date 1952

written by Barbara Harmon, a regular visitor to Lacey Green in the 1950's

FIRST VISIT TO LACEY GREEN. Our first visit to Lacey Green was in 1952 when my parents, two brothers and I spent our summer holiday in one of Mr Ave’s caravans, both of which occupied sites in a field at Stocken Farm.   I was then eleven and my brothers were nine and five years old.   We lived in London.   We returned for a further visit in 1953 and the following year enjoyed the comforts of a pretty little chalet on the other side of the same field, which was managed by Mrs Hilda West.   In those days we had no car and our cases were taken to the chalet in a cart drawn by one of the farm’s horses. This was greatly appreciated.

FATHER BOUGHT A BUS. While staying in the chalet, my father was surprised to meet a colleague who owned two buses which he was in the process of converting into caravans.   The task was proving to be quite an onerous one and he persuaded my father to take one of the buses and complete its conversion.   My parents were overjoyed at the prospect of spending weekends and holidays in Lacey Green and they were pleased to accept the offer.  The views from our caravan were exceptional.

HELPING ON THE FARM This was a wonderful opportunity for my brothers and me to observe and experience life in the countryside at that time.   Stocken Farm was a mixed farm with sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and horses.  We learned to recognise wheat, oats and barley.  We were allowed to help with all manner of jobs, including stooking, working on a sled behind a baler and bringing bales or sheaves to be stored in the hanger or in the open barn that stood behind the farmhouse.   In autumn, we saw threshing; in spring, the shearing of sheep and at other times, manure was spread across the fields as fertiliser.   The cows were milked by machine in the old cowshed and even, occasionally by hand.

COUNTRY LIFE We were amazed by field mice, wild mushrooms, wild strawberries, the nearby beech woods and the darkness of the night in the absence of street lights.   Our bread came from the bakery in the village and we saw the loaves being pulled from the oven on the premises.   Most of the rest of our food was purchased from the village store and other requirements could usually be found at the post office in Loosley Row.   There were many local events to be enjoyed, such as the Wycombe Show, Aylesbury Fair, the Agricultural Market at Reading, the Cherry Pie Festival and Point-to- point meetings.   There were dances in the old village hall and, in nearby locations, whist drives for which my father had keen enthusiasm.   I was able to attend matins at St John’s Church and was aware that the Harvest Festival there had particular significance for Mr and Mrs Dick West.

P.S. ONLY EXTREME COLD KEPT PARENTS AWAY.  

As the years passed my brothers and I found we were unable to visit Lacey Green as regularly as we should have liked, because of time pressures due to preparations for examination and part-time working.   However, my parents continued to look forward with great pleasure to their weekend breaks in the country.   Only the extreme cold of winter kept them away.   We were most fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit this beautiful part of Buckinghamshire and to have observed a style of country living that was very much of its time.