One topic in particular struck a chord with the community. Jo Adcock posted a series of photographs of the shops in Park Drive next to Hethersett Memorial Playing Field. These were obviously taken in the depths of winter and prompted many memories. Jo posted:
"A couple of pictures of the Near and Handy shop near the park. When my parents used to run it, David Matthews was there before us, and I believe the Skippers used to own it prior to David, the insurance brokers next door used to be run by Dick and John, and is now a funeral directors, before that I can remember it being a laundrette."
The post brought forth over 50 replies.
Some of the responses were: "It will always be called the near and handy! My uncle lived in the flat above at some point in the 80s I think it was."
"I remember Skippers the sweets shop then I thought there was an insurance broker or office thing next door."
"I remember being amazed that crisps came in HUGE boxes out the back and also collecting the green frogs from kinder eggs." 🙂
"God, that takes me back! Then in the early 80's we opened ' Partners' hairdressers, we didn't have it for that long, can't remember what happened after!"
I have been continuing my research into the four servicemen buried in St Remigius Churchyard and trying to establish why one of them is commemorated on the village war memorial whilst three aren't.
I have found a few details about them and have established that Corporal Charles Holmes actually lived in Diss. He was married in 1934 to Olive Myrtle Holmes who came from Hethersett and presumably is the reason he is buried in the village. His address in 1939 was 7, Waveney Road, Diss. He died on 14th April, 1943, aged 33, and was the son of Alfred and Gertrude Holmes. He was a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and, something I find rather confusing, his place of death is given as Epping Forest District. My research goes on as does my efforts to find what connection Lieutenant John Gifford-Brown and Driver Ronald Parry had with the village. I know that Driver Parry was the husband of Winifred Vera Parry who lived in Hethersett and it could be that his interment in the graveyard was for the same reason as that of Corporal Holmes.
I will post some more of my own memory lane photos in my second blog of the day this afternoon/evening.