Peggy Glover (nee Coles)- Kingston Way (about 75-80 years old)
Remembers a water pump near Fleur De Lys and by the Old School.
There was a Blacksmith in the Fleur De Lys, who came daily from Wennington village.
Also in Fleur De Lys, was the undertakers business, lovely hearse used to be parked there.
Charlie Buddles parents ran the Plough Pub.
The Sheilings was the local Shop and Petrol Pump and Post Office, which sold everything.
The other shop that closed only few years back, used to be run by Mrs Gifford, sold only certain items.
No electric in village till 1951/52.
Mr Harrison the vicar lived in the Rectory on his own.
Nick Peacocks dad was the local Special Constable.
John Green’s house by back of old Plough pub was the site of the local bowling green, which proved very popular.
There was a Wistow Football team for men in the village.
Had a Street Party for the Queens Coronation in 1952.
The Village Hall used to be the Chapel, which had Lantern Shows on there when Peggy a girl.
Peggy used to live in some cottages on land which is now the 3 Horseshoes Pub Car Park.
The Gartons used to live in a house on the left past the Bridge half way up the hill to the Toll.
Bridge Street often got flooded completely.
Opposite the Allotment Field, there used to be searchlight in the 2nd world war manned by soldiers.
Lots of evacuees in the village in the war, many stayed in the Fleur De Lys.
Girl Guides and Boy Scouts groups used to meet in the Village hall.
The young men of the village used to congregate outside the Plough Pub on the corner.
Mrs Buddle used to arrange several coach trips from the village, men went to Ascot annually, and there was a ladies club outing as well.
Peggy’s husband, Mr Glover used to volunteer to cut the grass in the churchyard.
Kit Garton lived in Vine Cottages on the left going towards the Bance’s farmhouse.
There is a small photo which the History Society has in its possession, which was of the May Day celebrations held every year in Miss De La Pryme’s place (called the Lodge)
On the 19th June or so annually, was held the Wistow feast, on Mrs Foster’s lawn (property called the Tellings). A fair was also held there.
There was also a Promenade dance held every year, which stopped in the 1950’s.
There was a Dance Hall on the land at the back of Porch House, the RAF men went as well during the war, Panto’s were also held there.
During the war, bombs landed at the end of Harris Lane.
Used to be a proper track leading to Upwood via Kingsland Farm
Win Robson did the costumes for the Panto’s, lived in a cottage in Manor Street.
Old family names, Gartons, Buddles, Litchfields, Coles (the Coles lived in the village for three generations), Abrahams, Sansums, Elmores, Lindsells, Peacocks, Bishs, Moulds and Burtons.
The Fosters family were large landowners in the village.
Dorringtons lived in large farmhouse on Bance’s old farmhouse land, which got burnt down.
Sansums lived in Old Schoolhouse, had one room as a school with a curtain across it, to separate younger and older children.
School closed in 1945 roughly.
Miss Geeson and Mrs Howes were two teachers.
Used to be dairy at Porch House, they used to deliver milk etc. daily on a bike.
Opposite Porch House was a bakery, Bertie Hales brought bread round to the village people.
Windmill was outside the village on the left on way to Kings Ripton before dip (called Huntingdon Road)
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David Titmarsh
Interview 2009
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