Shona

Report by Rosemary Mortham, friend and next door neighbour.

Hearing that a plot of land with the foundations of a bungalow already on it had been bought by Dell Bros Builders in Kiln Lane, Lacey Green, John & Joyce Delnevo came to look at the site. It was snowing as their Vespa scooter struggled up from Wycombe. Nothing daunted they purchased the site and Dell Bros built their bungalow.

John had a printing business in Wycombe and the Vespa struggled with the steep hills. In 1961 their daughter, Louise was born and they managed to get a car.

Kiln Lane was a very quiet road. Not many houses. A semi detached flint and brick pair at the top of the lane, a pair of farm workers houses further down on the other side built in 1937 next to `Malmesmead` one of the oldest houses in the village. There was a simple bungalow next door to the plot and a couple of bungalows right at the bottom and a house even further on.

The pair at the top of the lane were lived in by Mr and Mrs Toms (George & Elsie Toms) and Mr and Mrs Williams and son Edwin (Arthur & Lilian Williams). It was these two women that welcomed Joyce. Mrs Williams introduced her to The Womens Institute with which she soon became involved.

Mrs.Toms had a large cottage garden from which she would gather a huge bunch for anyone who needed flowers. How much? Half a crown (12.5p). Their friendships would be for life. Baby Louise was sixteen when Mrs Toms died, but she remembered her in her will with a £100 bequest for being the first baby girl born in Kiln Lane for fifty years.

The village shop, with Bert & May Dell was the place to meet other villagers. Usually there would be someone in there with news to tell and if you had the time simply going for a loaf of bread could take absolutely ages.