Names have been added to some of those featured in Kindred Spirits last month featuring the Gainsborough area of Ipswich.
“What a shock, but a lovely surprise to see your pictures taken in the Duke of Gloucester in May 1974. In one of the pictures my father, Edgar (Bill) Hitching, is on the right hand side pointing his finger. Sadly he passed away in October 1975 so seeing him full of life was lovely. I am unsure as to whom the man at the front in the cap was, but to the left of him was David (Diddy) Fairs with Donny Slapp on his left. The photo of the ladies darts match has myself standing in the centre.
A close-up of some of the ladies darts team include Val Last, Glenys Mayne and Phylis Chilcott.
The group behind the bar shows Ruben and Connie Mayne (former landlords) with their son and daughter-in-law Barry and Glenys Mayne, who were then the current landlord/landlady. Another picture shows, from left to right: Will Farthing, John Garwood, Donny Slapp, Harry Farthing, unknown, Diddy Fairs, unknown, Kenny Brunning, Bill Hitching, Connie Mayne and Steve Wicks.
I met my wife Coral in the Duke of Gloucester in June 1974 and we held our engagement party there in December of the same year with Barry and Glenys laying on the sandwiches free of charge.
The pub was so popular in those days and there was often a queue to get in! On Sunday lunchtime we would go to the Buttonhole Club in the bar. This was a Christmas Loan Savings Club where members were required to turn up with a flower (any kind) in their buttonhole or face a fine of 10p!
Thanks again for the wonderful memories.” Lennie (Edgar) Hitching
“As a regular of the Duke of Gloucester I can name a few of the faces. I believe I am in one of the pictures with Kenny Brunning, David Faires and Don Slapp. Horrie Nicholls was also featured. Thank you for the feature it brought back some interesting memories.” Mr R Knights
Canham Street
Ipswich
“The landLord and landlady of ‘The Duke’ were Reuben and Connie Mayne they are with their son Barry and daughter-in-law Glynis.There was also a picture of Horace Nicholls, a Greenwich man.
Reuben was my uncle’s brother, Cyril Mayne, who was brewer at the Tolly Cobbold Brewery for many years. He was a very popular and well known man. My mum worked as a cleaner at the brewery offices for years. I would meet her after work. Sometimes we would see the beautiful Suffolk Punch horses, used by the brewery to pull a dray. They were called Druet and Drummett. The horses were looked after by Mr Henry Brown. I spent a lot of time at my aunties and uncles cottage at the bottom of Cliff Lane with my cousin Pamela. Sadly all have passed away.”
Carol Smith
St John’s Road
Ipswich.
“One of the pictures was of Horace Nichols. The beautiful valley featured had a line of bomb craters where war time ‘planes tried to hit the fuel depot. There were two small streams that finished up in Holywells Park after running under Cliff Lane hill.
Farmer Woods, who was based beside Holywell Park, used to graze his cows in the valley and they would stroll along Dereham Avenue each evening and into the farm.
Happy days.”
Peter Turtill
“I noticed my grandad. His name is Horace Nicholls.”
Daisy Nicholls
Do you remember when the Cobbold’s kept Suffolk Punch horses in the field at the bottom of Cliff Lane, Ipswich, opposite the brewery? Write to Kindred Spirits.
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