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This photograph of Victoria Road, Fenny Stratford brings back many happy memories of my childhood in the 1960's. At the bottom of the hill and round to the right, though not visible in the photograph, is Knowles Middle School, formerly Leon School, which I attended. I lived in Albert Street at the time but would walk up this hill everyday, past Jack Parris’ sweet shop to my Nan’s house for dinner. My nan, Kath Pengelly, lived in Denmark Street, the entrance to which can be seen in the bottom left hand corner of the photograph. I’d walk to nan’s house with mixed feelings; looking forward to seeing my nan, who to this day epitomises in my mind the honesty, integrity and hard work of a past era; I’d dread the lumpy mashed potatoes which usually accompanied dinner, but then came those puddings. Spotted dick and custard, jelly and evaporated milk, sticky treacle pudding and hot chocolate sponge. There was only ever one pudding I didn’t like and that was called junket. To this day I don’t know what it was and I don’t think I want to.
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On a Friday I would also go to Denmark Street for tea after school. This was was because I went to cub scouts in the evening at St Martin’s hall, which can be seen in the centre of the photograph at the bottom of the hill. This was the original hall before it was re-built some time later. Derek Denchfield was the Akela and later when I joined 1st Fenny Stratford scouts Mr Dennis was the Skipper. We tied knots, played ‘British bulldog’ and ‘port and starboard’, performed our annual gangshow with the guides and brownies , camped in Brickhill woods and did bob-a-job week. It always seemed to me that we had more fun than the lads who attended Boy’s Brigade at the Baptist church in Aylesbury Street, but I’m sure they’d disagree.
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