Day 3: Tour de Childhood

The day started with a walk to the next village, Smalley, at sunrise. It’s fresh and clear, and lovely to see blackberries growing on the side of the road. I also headed past the house my Grandparents lived in when I was born… many childhood memories of Christmas and family times.

Today was allocated to the ‘Tour de Childhood’. My whole world was in this little pocket of the planet until we moved to Australia. It always feels strange to have all my early memories in one place and then abruptly cut off. Everything is seen through a child’s eyes, and never progressed.

Starting at the beginning… Mum and Dad met in Heanor, with Dad always claiming that they shook rattles at each other. They married at St Patrick’s Church, Nuthall – a beautiful old ‘Norman’ church that was established around 1200. One of my favourite photos of all time is of my Mum and Dad’s bridal party outside the church. Mum in a mini length wedding dress, with a pill-box hat. Always the epitome of style!

I was born at Heanor Maternity Home (now a vet) across the road from the Mundy Street primary school where Dad had spent his early years. We lived at 24 Horsendale Ave, Horsendale and attended school up the street. Visiting this space brought back memories walking up the icy road to school in my wellies, 1p lollies at Walter’s shop across the road, and one Saturday morning that Rachel and I decided to redecorate ‘Incredible Hulk’ style, while my Dad nursed a hangover. I’m certain it was Rachel’s idea! I love that Mum can also remember the names of the neighbours and their kids.

When I was about 5 or 6, Mum and Dad decided to build a new house in Nuthall, on the land that my Mum’s parents owned. She and her 5 siblings had grown up in ‘The Old Lodge’ which was knocked down and replaced with ‘The New Lodge’, and then years later ‘Yew Lodge’ when my Grandmother decided to downsize. Mum’s brother built a house beside us which meant some of our cousins lived on one side, Grandparents on the other, and every Sunday afternoon the whole family would come together at Nuthall. There are many memories of my Grandmother making all the girls matching dresses out of scratchy wool, and dinner parties where she would teach us how to navigate a table setting and propose toasts to each other!

I also distinctly remember making daisy chains with Rachel in the backyard, being terrified as we navigated the long scary driveway, and barbeques in summer out the front of my grandmothers. Childhood memories frozen in time are the best in many ways.

Meanwhile, the Methodist Church where I did Girls Brigade was 50m one way, the house that we’d rented during the build and my Dad’s favourite pub ‘The Three Ponds’ was about 50m the other way. We had to stop in for the Scampi and Chips that I’ve been dreaming of – they absolutely met my (rather low) expectations 🙂 Life seemed so big, and yet was so ridiculously compact.

We popped into Nottingham and wandered the familiar streets. The Council building, shopping centres, and theatres remain, albeit tired and a little run down after the City Council declared itself bankrupt in 2023.

Final stop for the day was The Dewdrop, a ‘must-do’ for any tourist according to my Uncle Richard. It’s a great old, newly renovated pub next door to Ilkeston station. It lays claim to the ‘Famous Cheese and Onion Roll’ that people come from all over England to experience… infamous maybe…

A big day of reflection and childhood memories. Remembering friends and family, laughing at little-girl antics, and the weird things your memory (and English pubs!) serve up.

Love M & BBx