An Ode to Dads everywhere – our Father’s Day

 

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Settle down for a few moments to read personal stories of stickleback fishing, Sunday walks in the countryside, or simply spending time together with Dad. . “My father would take me for walks on Sundays when the weather was good, which it seemed to be most of the time, we would walk up the common which was then all countryside. We would climb over the stile in the photo and turn up the hill towards the wood, known as the Cally Wood, it was private with no public access. So we we would take another stile which would take us across the fields towards Cot Lane. This was the exciting bit for a six year old as the path crossed the sand pits by a metal footbridge high above the workings, which was often a few feet deep in water. We then joined Cot Lane and back to Wordsley, perhaps for a Vimto and packet of crisps at the Raven, where they had a bowling green at the back.” We thank G Lowe for sharing his memory with us. The photo is Wordsley, the Common c1955. “I have wonderful memories of the Ponds, I would go stickleback fishing with my Dad armed with a jam jar and fishing net on the end of a bamboo stick. Bread for the ducks was always good too, half for me and half for them!” We thank M Beller for sharing her memory with us. The photo is of All Saints Church and Pond, Carshalton c1955. “My father, Edward Wyatt, spent every spare moment he could flying his glider at Denham airfield. We lived in Higher Denham and used to get taken to the airfield many a Sunday. I was 6 in 1953, and I recall the taste of the soup that was served in the canteen, and of course, the flights themselves. My brother, sister, and I were strapped into the back seat of the glider and off we would go, my father often insisting we take the controls. I remember the winch letting go as we would soar up to what seemed like the heavens. My dad also had a small plane, and would take us flying to high altitudes to help alleviate whooping cough (I think). We looped the loop and felt sure we would fall out of the open cockpit…..fond memories!!” We thank J Schinkel for sharing her memory with us. The photo is of the airfield at Denham c1965.