Comments on: Memories Of Little Downham’s ‘Lofts’ Shop

By: Clare Andrews

Clare Andrews — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:44:53 +0000

Wow I love the pictures.

Two anecdotes about the great Lofty’s as we called it:

It must have been early nineties it shut, my best friend Emma moved to the village in summer 1991 and it was still open then. I remember this as her mum bought some washing powder there and there was a competition or save the voucher thing on it and she was going to do it but it had expired in mid 1980’s hehe.

Also once I bought a packet of ‘lovehearts’ sweets in there, on opening they were completely soft. Mum took them back and she swapped for a packet that were perfectly fine. hehe. I must admit from then on we nicknamed it ‘mouldy’s’ but in an affectionate was as we did not stop going there!

By: Karl Bedingfield

Karl Bedingfield — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:33:26 +0000

Ah, that was before my generation. I had forgotten the youth club in Eagles Lane (now allotments) was in fact a school!

I went to Feoffees school from 1968-1974 and do remember being a mischievous child playing in the derelict infants school (now the Village Hall). It was very ghostly and still had remnants of it’s past life - old desks and blackboards in place.

Thanks for clearing that up Duffy.

If anyone has any photos of any of these schools please get in touch as I would love to publish some.

By: Duffy

Duffy — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:57:53 +0000

I was also one of those many infants that took that long walk. The infants school was an old chapel type school down Eagles Lane which after it was used as a school it was a Youth club. There was little heating and not much light. Outside toilets (and I really do mean “outside”) for the boys.

At Dinner-time we all had to walk up to the juniors, which is now the village hall.It reminds me of a scene from “Oliver”. We had to sit on lines of wooden benches in the main hall, with the teachers up on the stage including Mr Ives, who I think was the Headmaster.

This all happened before the new Feoffees school was built, now even that has been knocked down and a new one built on the same spot. Nothing stays the same!

By: Karl Bedingfield

Karl Bedingfield — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:13:38 +0000

How many of you remember the school and the long walk a lunch time from the infants to the juniors?

Are we talking about the same school? Feoffee School in Little Downham was quite small.

By: Jo

Jo — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:44:30 +0000

I to have many memories, I was married in St Leonards in March 1975, there were a few of us married that year. I haven’t been back for many years but how many of you remember the school and the long walk a lunch time from the infants to the juniors. Oh god who can forget those dinners especially the puds. Those were the good old days.

By: Duffy

Duffy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:26:12 +0000

Well done Karl for your memories which matches mine. But forgotten, until I read your account. You done well to get those photos. And there was a wooden seat on the right,and yes it did seem a long walk from Lawns Crescent when your only 8 or 9, to collect your torch batteries which she used to keep loose in a box and test with a small bulb connected to what looked like a small pair of flat dividers.

By: Andrew Hunt

Andrew Hunt — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:57:44 +0000

I used to cycle from Black Bank Road for pear drops and remember the smell of the shop like it was yesterday even though it was 1980! Great photo’s Karl, a real piece of history.

By: M Hobbs

M Hobbs — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:28:07 +0000

Seeing these photographs brought back many happy memories.

The shop is also just how I remember it as well; not shown is what I believe (please will someone correct if I am wrong) was a wooden bench. On this bench were buckets containing seeds like peas being sold in half a pint measures etc.

I can also remember seeing Mrs. Hillen on her bike delivering things.

Also Mr. Moxon who would deliver paraffin in an oil drum which was attached to a hand cart.

One fond memory I have; this being helping him push this hand cart up Ely Road, past what was at that time Mr. Green’s Farm.

One very vivid memory I have of Mr. Lofts amongst many was; watching him grafting mistletoe on to what I believe was an apple tree in his garden.

Quite an apt memory to have; at this time of writing as it is nearly Xmas.

By: emily

emily — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:23:30 +0000

Wow!!!!!!!!! thats my village and the house’s are still the same!!

I am only 15 and that has amazed me thanks!!!!!

By: Michael Fenn

Michael Fenn — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:00:38 +0000

I was a regular at Ben Lofts. I often visited my Aunt Laura at Lawn’s Farm. From there a visit to the shop involved a high speed dash through the churchyard - pretty scary for a little lad on a dark winter’s night. I also remember Mr Loft’s coming to the big football matches in the village (eg Little Downham v Littleport) selling sweets from a tray which hung around his neck.