Childhood

Miss Sarah Giddings

[First Time Visitor Guide: this page is taken from "Orwell Memories" within the "People" category. The category includes items such as Obituaries, Profiles/Biographies and Wills. Also, remember that you can often "click" on the photographs to open up a larger version.]

In the 1880’s we played marbles, tops, jinks, skipping, rounders and ball games, and all the little girls wore pinafores. We went to Band of Hope meetings at the Chapel. There was a fine Salvation Army band in the village, that used to practice in a shed behind 59 High Street, and the Night School lads had a drum and fife band. The village was very lively in them days. On Valentine’s  Day we children used to run around  singing:

‘Good Morning Valentine

Curl your locks as I do mine

The children of Colbatch Charity School, 1890-1910

Two before and two behind

Good Morning Valentine

We would receive apples and an orange each from the houses we sang at, and we were given a packet of sugar candy from the Rectory kitchen window. On Good Friday every child was given a Hot Cross Bun.

When I was ten I was allowed to walk to Eversden to pick gooseberries for a Mr Morris and earned two shillings a week(10p).