大象传媒

The bridge in this photograph is a folly on Major Harcourt Webb鈥檚 estate at Spring Grove at Bewdley. It used to be on the edge of the pool. It didn鈥檛 go anywhere, and when I was between 5 and 7 year old, I should say, I used to sit on the middle of the bridge and watch my father fish the pool. Father became friends with the gamekeeper, or the bailiff, and was talking to him one day when Major Harcourt Webb came round on this big horse. So my father got talking to him, and he gave my father written permission, there and then, to fish the pools. As a young boy I used to sit there, and Trixie, the black and white dog, used to sit with my father, while he was fishing. When I saw it (the bridge) in such a dilapidated situation it did bring a bit of a tear and I often wonder if the descendants of Major Harcourt Webb realise that this bridge is still intact and is still stood. It brought back such wonderful memories.

It was due to my father being friends with the gamekeeper that we were invited to the big house. Because once a year Major Harcourt Webb used to open up the house for the tide cottages round the estate, and their families, to come to the big house; and the servants and Major Harcourt Webb and his family used to serve tea, sandwiches and cakes. He also had the place opened at the same time for the wounded, the chaps that were convalescent. The first time I went there I couldn鈥檛 understand why these men were walking round in pyjamas. My sister said it was the uniform they wore, it was light blue, and just to let them know they were war wounded and convalescent. And then we had tea and sandwiches.

Recently I saw the photo of the house, Spring Grove. I saw it in the paper, and I could still see Major Harcourt Webb and his wife coming down with these trays, followed by the servants. It was remarkable, remarkable. I was about six or seven then, but it鈥檚 surprising how the memory can click in.

There was also a magical place on Major Harcourt Webb鈥檚 estate. There was a spinney, a small wood, and we were going through this wood and we found this extraordinary place. It was some steps going down, carved between two pieces of rock; steps going down and it was like as if it was a tomb with a bed in it, a bed that you could lie on, on either side. We often wondered what it was. It鈥檚 probably still there now.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Joe Taylor for the CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Hereford and Worcester on behalf of Ben Jenkins and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

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