Richard & Pat Leftwich

Richard Leftwich born 1938 was the son of Richard & Margaret Leftwich

Patricia 'Pat' B Mcmenamin was from Princes Risborugh

Richard and Pat married in 1960 at St Teresa's Church in Princes Risborough.

Richard had come to Lacey Green about 1940 with his parents and two older sisters. They lived in Graham Cottage no 1, Main Road, next to Stocken Farm

Richard 'Richie' sent his memories of life in Lacey Green as follows :-

I started spending time at Stocken Farm when I was very young, playing with John and getting into all sorts of scrapes.

Climbing trees and making camps in trees. (Gerald Bedford came to the resce once when I got stuck up a tree).

Most memorable was making fireworks - looking back now it was very dangerous.

As we got a bit older we were abe to help with various jobs. One of my regular jobs was to sweep the path by the back door and to mow the front lawn.

In summer we used to follow the binder and make up the stooks of wheat, oats and barley. The hay, corn lift was initially powered by a horse going round and round but later was driven by a Petter engine.

I also remember planting a new hedge with several hundred hawthorn quicks across the airfield and it is still there today.

We used to feed baby lambs and runt pigs which were kept warm in a box in the kitchen by the Aga and we built a pigsty for Alice, which was the first pig on the farm.

Chopping up mangolds in a machine, bagging them up with chaff to feed the animals

Preparing sheep for Risborough Show.

Helping John thatch hayricks.

Riding on the wing of the old Fordson tractor with spikes on the wheels which was replaced with a new Fordson Major tractor.

Taking the horse to the blacksmith at Gt. Hampden for new shoes.

Watching TV on a 9ins screen. It was one of the first in the village.

A highlight of the year was John's birthday party. Mrs West made wonderful cakes and ice creams.

Mr Crook had a leg problem and frequently said he wanted a new leg so we made him a small wooden one with moving knee and foot joint. It made him laugh and thought it was wonderful.