This was written by the late Mr Stanlev Oakes in 2002 who moved to Reepham with his daughter, having lived in Cawston for over 90 years. 

One of the most important places in the village, apart from the Church and two chapels, was the school, which is now turned into a dwelling. The head teacher was Mr. Chaffey and his wife was head mistress. He was a very talented man, his workshop overlooked our playground which was walled in. The Girls played in the road, and he would allow us to watch him carving the eagle lectern which is now in the church.                                                             Related Link: Church

 

Every Christmas, a huge Christmas tree would be given to the school, by Mr. Cheatham, the Lord of the Manor, and there would be a present for every boy and girl tied on the tree. There was one fireplace in each room and in the bad winters it was like sitting in a fridge.


All the toilets were outside, and were emptied once a week by Billy Keeler with his night cart, which was a tank on two wheels.

Opposite the school door lived an old lady, Mrs. Yallop, who kept a sweet shop, all the sweets were counted out so many for a halfpenny (old money) a liquorice lace for a farthing.
 

If a scholar died we would have to go to the funeral; that would mean taking the school organ to the cemetery, and singing hymns.

Further up the Aylsham Road, was Marshall Howard's brick kiln, each brick was moulded in a wooden mould and moulded in each brick was Marshall Howard's initials M.D.H. The bricks were made by Arthur Yallop and Billy Keeler. The clay was dug from a pit near by, Noah Betts was in charge of burning, and when the wind was in the east, clouds of black smoke would come into the village like black fog, much to the anger of the ladies on wash day.                                                                   
                                                                                                           Related Link:-Past Businesses, Howard.

During the first World War, the field where the Gayford Road now stands was used as an artillery training ground. Coming to the Market Hill was the Farm house and farm owned by the Gayford family for many years and then taken over by the Office family. They were staunch Methodists, and at one time there was a Welsh regiment stationed here. Mr. Office would bring out a wagon and the soldiers would sit round it and sing every Sunday afternoon.                                                                       
                                                                                                            Related Link:- War Times Index

Every Saturday Mrs. Office, and her son Billy, would go to Norwich in a horse and cart with eggs, butter and cream cheese and vegetables. They owned a few cottages, and the rent would be two and six pence (old money) per week.

Next door was a bakery and small general shop owned by Robert Long. Further down the street at Oak House was a butcher's shop, owned by Samuel Green. Joining this was the Bell Pub, the landlord was Mr. Thrower, who also owned a threshing tackle, this was the engine, drum and elevator, these were kept in the Pub yard; it was amazing how he got them in there one at a time. Next to the Pub was another blacksmith, worked by Ezra Ottway. Further down was a sadler's shop, owned by Mr. White. Opposite this on the other side of the street was the village Chemist. Major Maude, one of his daughters was a suffragette. Next to this,. coming up the street, was the Post Office and general stores owned by Mr. Rivett.

One character, I almost forgot, was Mr Ernie Wilkinson, he worked on the roads at Attlebridge about four miles away. He would start very early in the morning and walk there, doing a hard days work and then walk home again at night, but he was always very cheerful, showing the grit and dedication of a
Norfolk labourer.

On the Market Hill was the Kings Head Pub, joining this was a derelict garage, where the village cobbler worked, he would allow us to go in and watch him work, his name was Tom Pitchers and his work was second to none. A little further into Chapel Street, was Miss Lotty Carman, who was a dress maker.
A little further along was the Village Tailor, Mr Bob Geary. Many years ago this row of houses were occupied by weavers, hence the very tall buildings to the the large looms.

Further up Chapel Street, was a grocer's shop, the keeper was Mr Tom Hammond, he would bring out a lot of his wares into the road to show, he would bring out a hundred weight (cwt) (112lb). bag of sugar, and some large dog biscuits, dogs would come and visit the bag of sugar and help themselves to a biscuit.

Opposite the shop was a small bakery owned by Mr  Doddy High, round the corner into Prince of Wales Road ( as it was then called) on the right hand side, lived Mr Tom Gaff, who used to sell bags of tea on a tricycle; he was also a bass singer in the choir. Next door was the village reading room where Mr Ghaffey used to teach us boys to play. Joining this was Mr. William Bush who was a carpenter, wheel rite and blacksmith

Further along was Mr. William Wilson who was a farmer, wholesale and. retail butcher. In the early hours of the morning three or four days a week, three large carts loaded with meat would go to Norwich.                     
                                                             Related Link:- Past Businesses, Wilson.

In the Station Yard was a granary hired by Barclay Pallet from Aylsham. It was quite common to see their steam wagon bringing corn etc. to the granary. The granary was managed by Tom Dewing, he would deliver coal and corn round the village and use the horse to shunt the trucks on the railway where they were needed.

At Sygate we come to the two mills owned by my grandfather, and two uncles, Stackwood, farmers around would bring corn to be ground, they were coal merchants too.

My cousins and I would often play in the mills when they were working, we would go to the top but saw no danger, but one uncle did, there was a chain running to the top, inside to pull the sacks of corn to the floors above. One day he called us into the bottom of the mill, and he said the devil is up there, and when I flick this chain he will flick it back, and naturally a wave went up, and when it touched the top it sent a wave back that was enough for us. I don't remember who was out of the door first.           
                                                                                                                                   Related Link:- Mills Sygate

My grandfather was a local preacher, and used to ride a donkey to the villages around; There was a good deal of superstition among the older people, some claiming to seeing a ghost on the Sygate Road, and the famous old Shuck, which was a black dog without a head, was a favourite one.

Joining the mill property was a basket maker, his name was Billy Spinks, he had about half an acre of land where he grew the Osiers (a variety of willow) for making his baskets, and seeds for fanners. The farm opposite was occupied by the Godfrey family.

Back now to Norwich Road, there was a small paddock where Mr. Marsham's house and garage now stands. Two or three times a year Gray's Fair would take up position there, which was a highlight for the village.

There was a garage where Mrs. Hutton' s butchers shop was, run by Mr. Kybird, round the corner into New Street, on the right was Marshall Howard's builders yard, he employed about 30 men of different trades. On the left were Mr. and Mrs. Sally Hill, who were cattle drovers, they would walk driving cattle to Norwich and bring back those that were sold at the sale, arriving at Horsford giving the animals a rest, arriving at Cawston in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A little further. on was Mr. Isaac Dent's general stores.

. Opposite this was Mr. Billy Wrights barber shop, two pence to cut a boy's hair, three pence for an adult. A little further down was a bakery, managed by Mr. Pull and his wife. Next door was the village sweep Mr. Brett.

On the other side was the Lamb Pub. Milk was brought into the village by Mr Tom Barrett (farmer) of Swanington, by house and cart, with a large churn, and a two gallon carrying can, with two metal measures hanging inside. I used to do part of the village before school and Saturday evenings. I would serve Goosepie, the last call would be the sergeants mess, which was the last house on the left. After I had served them they would make me sit down to a plate of two large slices of roast beef, or mutton, they saved all the jam jars for me, for which I got a half pence each.

 There was a Zeppelin raid one night which dropped an incendiary bomb a little way down the Salle Road, and a high explosive one near the Manor, which was a Red Cross Hospital, but it fell near the lake, so no harm was done.                                                          Related Link: War times Index

  Each year there would be a band contest and a fruit, flower and vegetable show, with sports and side shows, on Mr William Payne's homestead, who was then a farmer. The village band (of which I was a member) assisted the Chapel Anniversaries by marching round the village, and playing on the Market Hill in the evening. Christmas Eve, we would cycle round to the large houses in the area, and Boxing Day we would play round the village.

  Harvest time was a great time for us boys and girls, we would spend all day in the fields, but it was very hard work for the farm labourers. It was common to see a gang of men mowing a field of corn with scythes, and another gang coming behind tying up the sheaves, and putting them in stacks to dry. Then the sheaves were stacked, this was a work of art, then they would be thatched and threshed in the months to come. At night we would go round the stacks with torches and sticks , and killed the rats that ran along the sides of the stack. The police would give us one penny for each tail.

In the early days the Church and Chapels were very well attended, but sadly this is not so today; the Sunday schools were very strong too. We used to have a Sunday school treat at Sygate on Mr. Godfrey's meadow, with swings and games. Drinks, cakes and sandwiches, then some one would come along with a bag of mixed nuts for a scramble. When the funds increased we were taken to Yarmouth by train. Just before the train came in we were lined up on the platform and Mr. Howard would come along and give us each sixpence . We were given a tea in Yarmouth, cakes, drinks and believe it or not, bread and butter and shrimps.

It would be difficult for this young generation to know what it was like to have an oil lamp on the table, and going to bed with a candle in a candle stick, and a stone hot water bottle in the bed. When electricity was brought into the village, many of the older people refused it, they were afraid of it, but it made life a lot easier for the housewife. Bath night was a hip bath, or bungalow bath in front of the fire, the water was heated in a brick copper, baking was in an oven built into the wall, cooking was on a hob stove, with soot dropping down the chimney.

My brother and I bought a two valve wireless set, which was the first in Cawston, the nearest to us was at Horsford. We fixed it up in a back bedroom, with two sets of earphones, which we split up so that four could listen at a time. Our friends would pass many happy hours listening to 2.L.O. London, which was the only station we could get.

At one time during the first world war there was a London regiment stationed here, the Quarter masters store was in the cottage joining the Oak House, High Street, and a young soldier got very wrong with an officer, and he took a loaded rifle up to the room above, and waited at the open window for him to come up the street, but he didn't come, so he shot himself instead. On another occasion, two army horses bolted down High Street, with an army wagon, but failed to turn the bend at the bottom of the street, and crashed through the building in front of them, they were so badly injured they were shot where they lay -
                                                                                                                Related Link:- War Times Index
This building , was Marshall Howard's lime house, where his mortar was mixed up, this was a heap of grey Heydon lime, mixed with sand, and lightly sprinkled with water, to slake. This would make the lime hot, and the lumps would crumble to powder, then a sack full of bullocks hair was put on the floor and beaten with sticks until the hair was separated from the tufts, and then mixed with the lime and sand, this was to strengthen the mortar. Close by was another heap of white lime, which was slaked in the same way, then mixed with a little water, until it was like cream cheese; this would be rendered over the mortar on the walls, to form a surface ready for decorating.  Related Link:- Past Businesses, Howard.

Two officer's horses were stabled close to my home, there was one groom to each horse, and being near them I spent a lot of time with them and sometimes they would ask me to go to Mr. Wilson's butcher shop and get three large rump steaks, one for each of them, and one for my mother for cooking them, the price was one shilling and sixpence per pound (old money).                                                 
                                                                                                                          Related Link:- War Times Index

One notable character was Mr. Ted Wells, he was a well sinker, one of the finest craftsmen of his trade, in the county at that time. He would lay a straight tree trunk, dead level, on trestles, and with a long auger about twelve feet long, again dead level, with a long handle, he and another man would bore a three or four inch hole right through the trunk, this would be fixed down the well, and another length fixed on top with a short piece of metal tube, the pump was then fixed on the top, and the well domed over. Close by was a saw pit shed, this was a long pit, over which was placed a whole tree trunk, cut unto slabs about four inches thick, by two men, with a huge crosscut saw. One man in the pit pulling it down, the other standing on the tree, pulling it up.
 

There was a mole catcher, Mr. Slabby Keeler, who it was said, if he just walked on a field, there would be no more moles on that field (be that as it may). Sometimes a rag and bone merchant would come round buying rags, bones, metal and rabbit skins, jam jars etc. with a horse and cart.

The first passenger bus in Cawston was owned by Mr. John Cooper, he was a general carrier, his garage was in a corner of the brick yard on the Aylsham Road, he had one private car and a bus carrying ten passengers.

There was no resident Doctor, the nearest were Drs. Perry and Berry, of Reepham. The district nurse used to come round in a pony and trap.

On Wednesday, which was early closing in Cawston, all telegrams were received at Reepham, and had to be delivered to the Cawston area by cycle; the same thing happened on Thursday, which was early closing at Reepham, these had to be delivered to Cawston and area, by the same method.

All the roads were maintained by length men, meaning, each man had a certain length of road to maintain. When the snow was very bad, two horses would pull a huge snow plough and the people who could not get to work were paid to dig through the drifts, and open up the roads where the plough could not get through .                   

                                                                                                Photo:-Snow Plough at Sygate 2006

Tramps were often seen walking from one workhouse to another, begging money, food and drink, as they went. At the workhouse, they would be given a bed for one night, and a piece of bread and cheese in the morning, and sent on their way.

And so we come to the end of the Lane - I hope the readers have enjoyed reading this, as much as
I have in writing it.
                                  The late Mr Stanley Oakes,   1903-2002

Thanks to Mrs Jane Fuller, (daughter of Mr Oakes) for her permission to reproduce Down Memory Lane in Cawston which was in the Village Magazine 2002.