17 September 2024
For our return to indoor meetings in September, we held a second “Village Memories” event, following a successful first session in 2022. Once again, we welcomed long-term residents of our two villages to join us for an informal conversation under the gentle guidance of our chair, Sylvia Cole. They shared recollections about how life here was different in the past, which enlightened and entertained the other audience members, as well as providing a slice of oral history for the Society’s archives.
The annual carnival was fondly remembered as a highlight of the summer. Many of the farmers dressed up as women for the procession, which ended either at the football ground or at Hunter’s Green (now the site of the Wallis Close). There were also memories of at least one garden party held by the Bryan family at Thurcaston House during the 1960s. Their grounds used to occupy most of the land between the Memorial Hall and Rectory Lane and included tennis courts and a much-missed row of horse chestnut trees along Anstey Lane.
The 77th Leicester Bradgate Scouts were very active and held fantastic dances in the Village Hall. Mrs Haddon ran the 1st Thurcaston & Cropston Girl Guides for many years and the work she put into organizing camps and other activities was highly appreciated – at least with hindsight! There was also a cub pack and a short-lived Boys’ Brigade, which mostly seems to have involved marching round the hall. Cropston Chapel once had a thriving Sunday School and its youth club, run by Paul Webster, continued until only about 10 years ago. However, most of the time children roamed the countryside making their own entertainment, such as collecting tadpoles or building rafts to sail on the brook – and often falling into it!
There were few cars on the roads but bicycles and horses were commonly used for transport, not just recreation. Gypsies and other travellers regularly stopped in the villages for a few days to help with the harvest at busy periods on the farms. (Locals could earn a few extra shillings by doing the same.) Several people remembered a charming tramp known as “White Eyes”.
Other intriguing recollections included Mr & Mrs Bent, who ran a “tea room” off Reservoir Road but only served home-made nettle tea; and the occupants of the Thatch, who kept a badger as an indoor pet. There must be many more such tales to be uncovered.