THE VILLAGE SHOP

(Flo Morgan’s entry for a W.I county competition – 1982)

Ullenhall is a small village but not so long ago, 40-50 years back, we were so well catered for with village shops and services. Now, sadly we are reduced to nothing by comparison and mourn their passing.

We had a baker and general store, a greengrocer, an excellent post office, a small general store which also sold newspapers – these had to be fetched each morning from Danzey Station 2 miles away.

You could get your horse shod and one of my favourite memories is of taking Grandfather’s horse to be shod & playing around with friends while the job was being done. I never forget the pungent smell & the noise.

You could get yourself shod with new shoes or get older ones repaired. The doctor’s surgery was in the village & there was a service provided to keep wireless batteries & accumulators in order, by one of the villagers.

The baker would deliver bread, pies and goodies if required & would also cook your turkey at Christmas & your pork pies in the pig-killing season. There was no butcher but Hawkes of Henley would deliver by horse & trap – beef at 1/6 a lb and mutton at 1/2 !

One of my favourite memories is of playing around outside the post office (safe in the streets in those days!) and being called in by Mr Richards to see if I would deliver a telegram – for the princely sum of 3d! I’d gladly agree because of the prospect of returning to the village to spend the 3d on broken biscuits perhaps or 1d on Gobstoppers or aniseed balls – or perhaps some sherbert.

I shouldn’t like to be a child in Ullenhall nowadays – there’s nowhere to meet your friends & playground & nowhere to spend your pocket money!

Flo Morgan died in October 1989 in Four Acres, Studley.

10/2018