You are in [Themes] [Reminiscences] [Oral History - Audio Archives] [Donald & Joan Macey with Pam Haseltine and Karen Sperrey, 1992]


Joan Macey (nee Macklin) lived all her life at 100 High Street. Col Donald Macey came to Hungerford in 1939, and developed a deep and lasting love of Hungerford, and talking together they add greatly to our knowledge of life in Hungerford in the early 20th century.

This page includes recordings of interviews Pam Haseltine as part of her research for "Reminiscences of Twentieth Century Hungerford", published in 1993.


This is Part 1 of 9:
- Nee Macklin - born in Hungerford
- At school in Hungerford - Council School - and Newbury - left 1939
- Back lanes
- Macklin hay field, and barley on land later Atherton Crescent
- Roads before tarmac - water carts in summer
- Horse trough on Common
- Electricity - "the first in Hungerford"? Circa 1927


This is Part 2 of 9:
- Mains drainage, old well
- Headmaster Maj Attewell
- Volunteer Fire Brigade
- Mr Camburn - First head at Council School
- Football, cricket, net ball, rounders, "stool-ball"
- Swimming in river Kennet (at "the bathing pool")
- Contemporaries (Betty Munford)


This is Part 3 of 9:
- Water sports in the canal, swimming, greasy pole
- Maypole dancing on the vicarage lawn (at church fete)
- Free Foresters Sports, horse racing on the "new" Common. Special trains
- Tops, hoops, five-stones, skipping, jumping, in road, and old (National) school yard
- Old National School used as annexe for woodwork and cooking
- Miss Richens school
- Canal - frozen in winter, not navigable


This is Part 4 of 9:
- Swimming by Marsh lock Freeman's Marsh, and at Ash pool
- Occupations - agriculture, forge, brewery, policemen
- Libraries - Library Cottage Church Lane, old National School, WH Smith, Miss Barnard's
- Shops - Alexander's, Gingell's, Higgs, Killicks, two chemists - Bingham's and Taylor's, Nicol's


This is Part 5 of 9:
- Forges - Caswell's and Eddington
- Shops - Red Stores
- Sport - football (inc six-a-side on Easter Monday) and cricket teams
- Cinema - Corn Exchange then Regent
- Railway
- Carriers - Giles
- Churches


This is Part 6 of 9:
- Water stand-pipes in the street
- Denford Mill
- Burials and cremations
- St Saviour's Church; Rev Denning; Westfield House School; Denford Church


This is Part 7 of 9:
- Workhouse
- "Salisbury" beer at harvest time
- Harvest festivals
- Tutti Day - visiting the workhouse
- Toc H - met at the old library
- Croft croquet lawn, bowls
- Tennis club (non-conformist) in Priory Road


This is Part 8 of 9:
- Cricket Club
- 9-hole golf course on Common
- Use of Common rights
- Neate's Wednesday auction market in Corn Exchange (produce, plants, flowers - livestock outside) - later in Church Street
- Thursday - early closing day (and Newbury market day) - travel by wagonette
- Fire-bell (used to summon office-holders to Court leet)
- Volunteer Fire Brigade during the Second World War
- Steam fire engine used in First World War for Zeppelins
- Michaelmas Fairs in High Street, Whitsun fairs
- Carnivals
- Lanterns used for carnivals


This is Part 9 of 9:
- The Hayward on the Common ("Floppy" New)
- Penny for a mole tail!
- Horses and cattle on the Common
- Wildflowers, Savernake Forest
- Sunday School anniversaries (esp non-conformist churches)