Pictures by MC Barratt

[Richard]

thanks to Maurice for providing these

[stuart]

How nice to see that Newport Pagnell does not seemed to have changed greatly regarding the High Street over the years.

Ah ''THE Cannon'' spent many an hour (and a few bob too) when I was younger,First landord I remember was ''Geoff Goodwin'' when he left I didn't use the place much ,however it came back into favour with me when Neill and Wendy Eccles were the landlords (The Florist is theirs now I think).I met my ex wife there(The Cannon) possibly not the best event in our lives as it turned out.still we both got freedom from each other , I often wonder what happened to her when I see broomsticks on the horizon!!

The Dolphin,I well remember the place used it a bit tragically when Dave Brandon was the landlord I was friendly with the son David Brandon who as I recall died in a tragic accident in Spain.

Was the green building ''Coles the Bakers'' ? I think possibly the next building going towards The ''Coach- makers Arms'' was a taxi office as I recall from some 25 years or so back.

I note the old Lloyds Bank where i had an account is now the HSBC bank.The manager at Lloyds in my time was I think a chap called Mr.Fulford,many a battle he and I had in trying to manage my financial affairs !!.

Happy days but the days now are happier to me

[M C Barratt]

Hi Stuart. Pleased my photos brought back a few memories.

The green building ( 103 High St) was I believe a cafe in the 1970s owned by an old friend Dave King the Trumpet player, He was also a friend of Dave Brandon who by the way is not to good at this mement in time. Dave now lives in St Margarets Close Tickford St.
Coles the Bakers was just around the corner facing the Coach Makers.
The Taxi (Raffles?) was at 95 High St four houses along.
Both green and pink buildings are now Indian restaurants.

The Bank which is HSBC was the old Midland Bank. I believe I'm right in saying Lloyds was alway in St John Street, opposite the old Cinema, now called the Tickford Arcade.

If you would like to see more photos of the Town go to Google Earth where I have shown the place in more detail.
Regards: - Maurice

[Baileco]

Ah the lovley Wendy Eccles & her plungeline cleavege!!!!

Saxon Cars was the name of the Taxi Firm when I had shares in it,

Old Nobby Clarke who owned the Greengrocers in the corner of Picture 1 sadly passed away last year.

Have you seen what they are goung to do with the Shell Petrol Station...BLIMEY!!!

[M C Barratt]

Hello Baileco.
Yes it was Saxon Cars. I had a feeling it was incorrect hence the question mark, thanks for the reminder.
I don't remember Wendy Eccles, but by your description I surely should have.

On reading this week about the new Shell garage on woad corner, it has just been granted planning permission. Having a - "1950s filling station, a Classic car showroom, shops selling classic motor parts, and a restaurant". All the inspiration of Newport resident Mick Pacey which was shown at Goodwood last year. Mick was then asked to replicate the idea in: - Japan. Italy. France. Germany. and the U S A Making Woad Corner the prototype.

This situated in our historic Town regarding car manufacture.
Starting from the Salmons "Tickford" vehicles. The first car body being built by Salmons was in 1898 for the M P Walter Carlile, through to the Tickford site producing: - Aston Martin luxury Car's.

On completion of this new Garage it will then hopefully brighten up the nothern end of town.
There was talk of a Hotel too ??

Have taken photos before; and hopefully after, when it is finished.

Maurice.

[stuart]

What can one say ?

Indeed at 62 (a bit younger than Maurice and a bit older than Bailco) my memory although working well fails to retrieve the finer details of my younger days .

Having read the description and indeed the places in question were as described,yes it was a cafe,the green grocers being next door,the taxi office was as said at no.95 and of course Coles the Bakers was around the corner .

Sad to hear David Brandon is not well indeed his life has not been an easy one to say the least a dammed hard worker who should be reaping the benefits of his past efforts in a nicer fashion .

Wendy's cleavage,indeed a sight to behold as I recall !! I fear that Maurice and I are at a difficult age.Too old to be ''Toy Boys" but too young to be ''Dirty old Men ''

Can anyone remember Black Rose Motors owned by Anthony (Sach) Coyne ? Also what happened to W.J. Cooper, Rands the ironmongers,anyone rcall the Mazzone family,so many memories come to mind .

[M C Barratt]

I've not seen Dave Brandon since the summer of last year. Lol beard who does a few jobs for Dave, told me two or three months ago he was not too well.
I often saw Dave on a walking frame going up to see his wifes grave, at the Tickford St cemetery.
As you said stuart, a great bloke and a worker who deserves better.

Sach is still around, I think I'm right in saying they have just pulled down the site of Black Rose Motors and all of the industrial buildings to Taylors?
Sach started engineering as a Wolverton Works apprentice as did I. We were both in the B R Training school around 1959. I ended up as an Electrician. later moving to electronics due to health reasons, working then at Sogenique's and later working for the Plessey Company.
We all remember sach starting a cycle shop? I think before the Coles bakery shop opposite to Church House. (Which by the way Stuart, is now a Hotel or Lodging House) He then after finishing at Black Rose Motors? took on Odells when it first turned into a restaurant, later selling it on.
I'm not sure what he's up to now?

WJ Cooper's and sons Ltd are now at "Bridge St in Buckingham"
Looking up the Cooper history the original Mr Cooper came from Gayhurst and were farmers, he started the Newport Phoenix works in 1924.

Rands the Iron Mongers became Thresher's the Wine Merchants. It now stands Empty waiting for the next venture.
Can you remember Dave Child's dad working there

The Mazzones are still around, Pete lives in Wolverton Rd. Ralph is the Choir Master at the Parish Church and young Tony lives in Tickford St.
I can still taste their Ice Cream 'in my imagination' ( I know its an age thing )

Going back; having said that I could not remember Neil and Wendy (another age thing) they gave up the Florist some years ago. I saw Neil in the High St a few weeks ago.

And finally; Stuarts fine description of us both made me laugh. I can only speak for myself, the body may not perform as it should, but the eyes can still appreciate the beauty around us, whether this makes me a dirty old man I'm not sure. I'm certainly not going there after two divorces.
Lesson learned and all that!!

[Baileco]

I used to serve Pete Mazzone in the BP Petrol Station in Tickford Street when I had shares in it, think he was working at Aston Martin in the 90's?

One of my old next door neighbours Furdi Rotundo worked at Soginique.

It's very sad walking around Tickford Cemetary, so many Names I know that are no longer with us & quite a few younger than me.

I had a Sports Teacher named Dave Childs & his wife was a teacher at Portfields School.

Spent the best 7 years of my life..so far living & working at Tyringham Clinic & spent my formative years living down Little Linford Lane & Linford Avenue & also spent time living in Priory Street & Petersham Close.

Oddly enough the Gal I'm with now was born in the Westbury like me but we met in Bedford.

Maurice, I often visit My Dad who still lives in Town so maybe when the weather's good we could meet up?, Is that your article in one of the Parish Magazines?

[Richard]

heres some more pictures sent to me by Maurice

[M C Barratt]

Baileco.
Thanks for the reply. Its a small world I am also a Priory Street lad having lived in the old street all my young life untill my first marriage. I'm still close to it, living now in Milton Drive.

I don't believe your Dave Childs is the same one, my Dave childs also worked at Sogenique.
He now I believe lives down Lakes Lane.
Dave on retireing had a little job delivering the tablets for Jardines the chemist. He no longer does this any more.
His wife has for many years worked at Sommerfield.

I have not seen Pete Mazzone since having my accident in 2004. He used to frequent the Unionist Club on occassions. He must be in his eighties now.

Again I don't seem to remember Furdi Rotundo.
I still see some of the old employees around Town and will ask to try and jog my memory?
My first wife also worked at Sogeniques, I often see one of her Sogenique office colleagues, she will remember. We were only talking about Sogenique a few days ago.

I know what you meen about the cemetary both my parents and many old schoolfriends are there.

Another coincidence: - My second wife was a Bedford girl, and we obviously met in Bedford.
We have a son together.

It would be nice to meet up some time, and yes The NPFlyer. that is my sad effort to try and put a little humour in too the local history, whenever the opportunity arises. It gives me something to do now I'm disabled.

The new photos attached: - I thought Stuart might like to see the new footbridge linking Castle Meadow to Ouse bank street. This is one big change having taken place within the Town.
This can also be seen on Google Earth.
Sorry about the photo showing Roy Pinks it's rubbish really but shows the area as seen today.
Regards - Maurice

[Baileco]

Milton Drive, know of a few families in that area. Dated a Lynda Wood for a while, good Friend Mark Lombardo & Big Steve Dews & further up the hill Sandy & Brenda & Phil Barron.

[stuart]

Sorry for the delay in my reply,it is the end of our school year and it is a somewhat frantic time for us as a result however what passes for sanity here in Bangkok appears to have returned and I shall see if my old memories can ignite other memories.

Can any one remember ''Freddy Fridays shop which stood about opposite Bob Leaths shop or opposite dear old Perce the Hearse (Masons the undertakers) establishment.There now stand a row of terrace houses where Freddy Fridays shop was,as I recall Woolworths was next door to said terrace and was it Friths T.V. shop then ?

Over the road was the chip shop and the The Swan Revived Hotel (The Mucky Duck amongst we local lads) I used to occasionally have a pint in ''The Swan and indeed one would meet dear old Percy Mason in there his son Roy Mason is hopefully still alive.Then it was ''The Co-op as I recall and I think a shoe shop perhaps.

Going back to ''The Cannon'' I remember Joe Barron of ox roasting fame, dear old Tommy Lyons an Irishman with a wonderful gift of the Blarney who lived in riverside terrace cottages next to Johnny O'Neill, a wonderful pair of characters they were too.

I lived when married to Susan in Caldecote Street next to Percy Herring (the local Del boy of his time was Percy) I remember his tea wagon catching fire in the car park opposite the old Newport Pagnell Council offices and the gas bottles going off with spectacular results too.

Clive Mazzone was an aquaintance Paul Hagan who I shared a house with upon escaping wedded un bliss!!

Mick Huffer lived along the way, he was the fire chief at Cranfield airfield as I recall.. Trevor Smith kept ''The Bull'' on Tickford street and I was a regular there during his tenure,Wendell Bex was the manager of the pub opposite ''The Bull forgotten its name though.

So a few blasts from the past lets see if it lights a few more old memories up for us all.

[Richard]

the pub opposite the Bull on tickford street is this one

[Baileco]

I knew a Paul Hagan, had 2 Daughters & a stunning wife & was dating a Co Worker of mine named Linda back in the very early 90's?

[stuart]

Bailco.

That was Paul indeed his wife or ex wife at that time was stunning indeed,two beautiful daughters as well,I seem to remember a Linda from some earlier years Paul was at one time a retained fireman and didn't have a great deal of hair either !!

Does anyone rememberI wonder Susan Voyde (Susie) lived on the estate that you entered from ''The Kings Arms'' ?

Susy had a sandwich round that covered the local industrial estates in the mid to late 1980's.She was an old flame and a great girl too.She lived next to a chap called Ron Howe who was if I worked O/T was my shift manager at Nacanco the can makers next to the Coca Cola filling plant ,my own shift manager was a chap called Phil Reeves who lived on the road that went to the old water tower.

To think I held down a full time well paid job (shift work) and completed a Masters degree in Education as a O.U. student,mind you took a bit longer than most to do like about 6 years.!!

Finally,Bailco: thanks for the picture of ''The Kings Arms'' the place certainly does not seem to have changed much over the years either unlike me !!