I remember some of the old characters like little Walter Leigh who could out drink anyone in the village, Storky, who lived down California in a caravan – he had only one leg; he used to bike everywhere.

I have a few more stories to tell when I can remember them, memories going, getting old.

Yes, I live in British Columbia – unfortunately my brother died in January of this year. I’ve lived in many places since I left the village in 64 but I can’t think of a better place to grow up than Little Downham.

Good old Downham Swifts: The local derby Littleport Football Club big. Sam Murfitt, who could forget, him great bloke and Fid Hall who could handle himself – not many people tried to take him on. Geoff Suddell, is he still a plasterer?

One more thing I would to say enjoyed my days at Witchford Secondary Modern.

Hello, ive read your read your message and im also looking into my family history. i also have the surname BELEWSKI.
My name is Lesley Belewski, im 44 years old. My father was called Jerzey Belewski. He came over to England during the second world war. All i know is that his parents and youngest sister were tortured in the war. I have a cousin born 1st April 1959 name im not sure. ( Jerzy Belewski’s father was a priest ) This is all i know.

Please get in touch with me at LBELEWSKI@AOL.COM

Love Lesley.

Prackatan

Good to see Geof Suddal still about he was a good player he was strong and good in the air but let his temper get the better of him.

hope to hear from geof.

cheers Fid

Nice to hear from you Fid. Maybe someone should start an archive for Little Downham Swifts. Does anyone know much about the history of the club? When did it start? I’ve seen a photo from the 1920s (?) with my Uncle Ernie (Saberton). The Swifts were a great part of my life when I was a kid. I started going in the 50s when my Uncle Keith (Fenn) was playing. I don’t remember much from that time, I remember John Casbon was in goal and the man who kept the Red White and Blue played (I think). Later I remember old men watching on the touchline who were said to be “stars from the past”. One man made us kids laugh because he stood watching with his bicycle and used to swing it in the air when the game got exciting. I believe his name was Elias. I think the era when you Fid and Roger Saberton, Brian Cox, Mick Dewsbury and the Pearsons etc played must have been one of the best ones in the club’s history.

Good to see you remember the old Downham Swifts , I take my dog for a walk down North Fen every day and I go past where your cottage used to stand wondered where you were let me know a little about your life.

Cheers Fid

A photograph of Little Downham Football Club

Mike, do you think you could email me a copy of that photograph? karl@bedingfield.biz

We were very lucky to have our own village bobby but I think I am right in saying he died from a heart attack
None of us who could ever forget the Lofts shop, the visiting fair and the church fetes.

I too remember the sunday school in the cosy kitchen in the rectory and I went on to be the sunday school teacher. Do you remember the stamp books we collected for attendance and following the annual christmas party we were given books.What about the outings to the seaside, most I went on were with the methodist church in 2nd Drove.

I left in 1970 to start a career in nursing and came back to marry in 1975 and live now in the south of England. I come back several times a year but reconize very few people

Why not publish before and after photos?

Why not use this site to find out what we have all be doing since those days.

I was very good friends with both Linda and Tyrone Butcher who were tragically killed on the Seven Sisters corner – opposite side of the same corner where Susan Cockerton lost her life. I was also good friends with Stephanie and would certainly like to make contact again.

You refer to garden fetes on the Rectory lawn, can you also remember Little Downham Feast when a small fair used to be set up each year in the small field to the right of the drive that leads up to Lawn Farm? There is a relatively new dwelling now in that small field.

Stephen Gilbert

I usually stooped and bought a “Bubbly” or two, or if i was really flush a quarter of pineapple cubes.

I always remember that there were displays in other windows that never changed, and the fact that some days it would take Nora (i think that was her name), a good two or three minutes to appear behind the counter once you had entered the shop.

Have lost contact with a lot of the “old” village people that I used to know and go about with as a youngster but would like to make contact again.Recently spent a day with Michael Fenn and have had contact with Christine Crane now in Menorca.

Have a photo that we had taken on a youth club trip to Yarmouth – in it is Keith Scott and Gillian Cooper , Lynn Jarrod and I forget his name but I still beleive he works for Crown garage in Soham (I believe we knew him as Josh and would it be Reynolds??) and me with Stephanie Bedingfield. We are all being photographed with small monkeys!!

Would be interested to know how and where Stephanie is these days.

Regards
Stephen Gilbert (Formerly of Park Lane)

Mike’s my Dad. I will let him know you spoke of him.

I also remember going from the church service every Sunday morning to the rectory with Canon Atkinson’s wife. I also remember something called the Coral League run by Mrs Parr and Mrs Stow in a hut in the rectory grounds.

As far as Ben Loft’s shop is concerned I still have pictures of football teams from around 1958 that were free with bubble gum I bought there. I also remember ice poles for some reason. Mr Loft’s had a strange turn of phrase when you paid him, something like “I’s thanking you”.

Finally interesting to see that an old friend from that time (50s and 60s) Geoff Suddell has also posted some memories here. Hope you’re well Geoff!

Michael Fenn

PS Remember the Bedingfield’s well. Stephanie was one or two years below me at school and I played with Mike in the Swifts

Is there anywhere that does B/B in the village it would be nice to come back for a visit. I have been away for over fourty years apart from when I came back
to get married, have been living for some time abroad.

Let me know if you find the photos and I will scan them for you.

Thanks, Karl

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!

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.

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!

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

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.

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