Mrs. Addicott (Interview by Alan Gray)
Mrs. Addicott lived at No. 14 Maynard Terrace, from 1934 until 2003.
I was born on September 28th 1909. My Grandmother took me, when I was about three years old, to live with her as my father and mother were going to South Wales to work in the mine.
There were pits here [in Clutton] but they had been closed. Greyfield, Cuckoo, Virtue, Rudges and Frys Bottom. My Grandfather lost his arm at Greyfields Colliery; he had it torn off in the machine. There was no compensation in those days and he was taken to Bath Hospital in a horse and cart. Later years he worked at Clutton as an underground pump man and always worked down the pit. We lived at Greyfield and I went to school in Clutton with Mr. and Mrs. Pullen the head teachers, Mrs. Seymoor, Mrs. Read, Mrs. Bromch, Miss Brookman, Miss Yiley and Miss Cook being the teachers. We had a good strict teaching, and it was a good school. Mr. Brookman, the attendance officer, who frightened everybody to death and Miss Collinson who came to take photographs. I went to the old school for cookery. When I was at school a boy whose name was Albert Parsons ran out of school to Prichard’s Yard and was killed by the Sentinels. I think in about 1923.
I went to Sunday School and Chapel in Clutton, there being three Chapels and the Church. At Whitsun the Chapels and Church all met and we marched with Clutton Brass Band around the Village. We then went back to the Wesleyan Chapel for tea and then into Gastons for sports and swings.
I left school at 15, having many a ride in “Daisy” the engine which went from Clutton to Greyfield, the driver was Mr. Collins, he also had another train called “Emily”; the line ran at the back of Maynard Terrace.
They used to have a shoot in Greyfield Woods. The gentry then came to shoot the pheasants that had been reared at the house in the wood, now a farm.
The shops in Clutton were Baker Dando, later Baker Long. The Old Post Office, a new one was later built on Cooks Hill. Mr. Parttington with sweets and papers at the top of Gastons and it is said that John Wesley stayed here and preached in the little house. Dando and Rogers Grocers, Miss Church, Granny Marsh and Hunts Supply Store and Bakery, with lovely warm dough cakes, and I have had many a bag of biscuits for 2d. Luther Edwards came around with bread by horse and cart. Miss Attwood with books and papers, always up for the miners going to work early mornings and she would always get what you wanted if she did not have it.
Butcher Tucker and I have watched many a pig killed in the yard and then the skin being burned. A Cycle shop at North End.
The building of the old Berbery on the top road, and later a Coal Yard for Maggs Brothers. There were many amusing people in Clutton.
Granny Marsh where, for a penny, you could get a gob stopper, a length of licorice, a sherbet and a bag of pop corns. She always went to sleep at dinner time so we used to tap on the window. There was Sally Seiway, Laurel Gardner and Elsie Haddon who went along the station to get the papers, and you could always get a Western Daily Press. Farmer Gibbons who lived in Church Farm and went around the Village on Horseback. Mr. Yiley the Blacksmith who could sing very good. Mr. Parittington who could tap dance.
Well times got hard as there was no work; the dole and means test one shilling a week for a child and after so long a food ticket for seven and sixpence. All the Miners marched into Cam— brook House and were given Bread and Cheese and Cocoa.
I decided I would go into service and went away for about three years.
When I came back things were a little better. There was still the Clutton Flower Show which was a show you did not have to miss. There were Roundabouts Swings, Stalls, the old man selling quack medicine, Bounty Bouts and you could get you teeth pulled out. Sports Bicycle riding and dancing in the evening to the band, and one time a special train ran for the show. The old YMCA hut which is in Bromilow’s Yard now where there was dancing and the six penny hop.
I met my husband who came from Temple Cloud and after a while his mother got me a job at Cambrook House. It was hard work, scrubbing, cleaning and working in the laundry. The pay was five and a half pence an hour and for 42 hours it was one pound one and sixpence. At this time casuals came to Cambrook House walking from Bath to Wells or Bristol, they stayed in for a night, the men to work in the Garden and the women in the Laundry When they left they were given a food ticket to get meat at Butcher Chivers in Temple Cloud. I worked there, until we married and came to live at 14 Maynard Terrace. I used to go from Clutton to Temple Green on the bus for one penny.
My four children were all born here and went to Clutton School and later Timsbury. This was the Earl of Warwick Estate and the houses were built for the Miners in about 1903 so I have been told. Two houses were kept for the Gangers who worked on the Railway. The Earl of Warwick brought his bride to Church farm and had tea with the Miners.
My children as they grew up belonged to various things in the Village: St Johns, Scouts, Guides and Football and Cricket Clubs. Michael the eldest joined the Air Force and got to Sergeant. He got a Queens commendation for saving a mans life. Trevor did National service and later went into the Air Force and is now in management at Lincoln Hospital. Joy trained at St Martins hospital [Bath], got her SEN and now works at St Teresa’s Nursing Home and Roger is at home, my main stay.
Meanwhile my husband worked in Temple Cloud Quarries and lost all “wet time” [Quarry men were not paid on days when it rained because they could not work] and things got very hard for us. He got a job at Avonmouth in the Docks, he used to cycle from Clutton, for just about £5 per week. He joined the Home Guards and there was a Fire Station in Clutton.
During the War there was a Search Light up the road and they shot a German Plane, and it came down in a field at Clutton Hill. We also had a Search Light up by the woods and many German planes went over here when a raid was on. The war ended and the children left home. I kept working at Cambrook House and Greenacres, Midsomer Norton, and ended as an attendant after 25 years for Somerset Council.
Clutton was a lively Village years ago, friendly and kind people, and good neighbors. All that has gone because strangers have come and tried to take over and do good to the Village.
We now have Good Companions of which I am Secretary and have been for about 10 years in the Village Hall.
When we came to Maynard Terrace nearly all the men who lived here kept pigeons which they raced. They were sent away on a Friday evening by train and on Saturday you dare not walk down the backs [back lane].
The Clutton Brass Band was the light of the Village; mostly Miners, but good men.
The children had the old Rec to play in and they always went to Mr. Frances to get their hair cut for one shilling.
The milk came round in horse and cart in the churn — Charley Sage, Mr. Dagger and Mr. Dando.
There was a train run at Easter from Bristol called “The Primrose Train”. People went up in the woods and returned about 5 o’ clock.
The pubs in Clutton - Warwick Arms, The Railway and the Cross Keys where the Miners went.
The Children growing up all did a little job - paper round up the bakery and in school holidays went to Dobsons, picking fruit to earn their pocket money.
Saturday nights we went up the old school to Mr. Wheeler for pictures, it was our treat and the rail trips to Weymouth and Barry Island. You could go to Frome and Bristol on the Train.
I can remember an accident of shooting down in the Gully, one man shot another. A man cut his throat in the cottage opposite The Railway.
A man going down a well.
I still live at Maynard Terrace, living here for nearly 60 years; my husband died four years ago.
At one time I knew everyone in Clutton, but I don’t know any one now.