A WOODEN box in the chip shop so children could see over the cooking range to order “two penn'orth of chips and scraps”.Dad's vegetable plot on the Yarmouth Road allotment being blown up by a German bomb and games of football and cricket in the street.

AWOODEN box in the chip shop so children could see over the cooking range to order “two penn'orth of chips and scraps”.

Dad's vegetable plot on the Yarmouth Road allotment being blown up by a German bomb and games of football and cricket in the street.

Memories of the Bramford Road area of Ipswich, which I featured recently in Kindred Spirits, have come from all parts of the globe.

Jenny Laughlin.

(nee Bardwell) of Fraser Road, Bramford, said.

“I have great memories of Bramford Road School and the nearby streets, Prospect Road, Sirdar Road, Victoria Street and Mason Street.

“I was born in Mason Street a few days after the 1939 flood.

My mother said the water came to the back door and front door at the same time.

It was January 26.” “We moved into Prospect Road when I was a year old.

We lived at number 11 and the rear of the house faced the rear of those in Victoria Street.

“I remember Mr Phillips who kept the shop featured in the photograph of Victoria Street.

On the corner of Victoria Street with Bramford Road the fish shop was then run by the Garners, same people who had the little shop in Mason Street.

“The counter was rather high for us kids so they had a small wooden box at the end for us to stand on.

We'd ask for “two penn'orth of chips please, with scraps, salt and vinegar”.

“We always got the same reply, 'you don't want much for your tuppence, do you!' We nearly always got more scraps of batter than chips, but we didn't care as it was a treat.” “On the other corner of the street was Robinsons paper shop where, when we got older, several of us had a paper round.

The sisters, Lily and Olive Roberts, kept a grocery shop on the corner of Prospect Road, and Bramford Road, and little glass dishes would be in the window with a few sweets in them.

They weighed sugar etcetera and put it in dark blue bags that were cone shaped made by twisting round their hand and turning the corners up.” “Opposite my home were the back ways of Sirdar Road and at number 11 was a dear old white haired man Mr Balaam who did wonderful wood carvings in his shed.

He made lovely caravans and painted them.

On top of his shed was a carved weather vane.” “As kids, the roads and the rubbish dump at the bottom of Sirdar Road was our playing ground - hopscotch, allies in the gutter, skipping, if you could borrow someone's linen line, and of course football and cricket, the gas light being the wicket and someone's front paling of a fence for a bat, more often than not Mr Marks' fence, as he was out to work.

We always put it back so he didn't know!” “They put a large concrete tank in our front garden during the Second World War.

It was full of water in case of fire; my mother hated it as her windows were often splashed with water, kids being kids thought it fun.” “It was a happy community to live in, and as others have written in and said, no one locked their doors.

Remembering some of the families there, the Cardens, Garnhams (five boys), Lucases, Bryants, Henders, Scurrells, Vinces, Parkers.

All good childhood memories.” “I went to Bramford Road School from the age of four.

The 1950 photograph published in Kindred Spirits, was taken just before we all left to go our different ways to the 'big schools', Westbourne, Tower Ramparts, Christchurch or if you passed your eleven plus exam, Northgate Grammar School.

At Bramford Road School we had big open fires in the corner of the room, with milk being warmed in the winter.

We lined up every day for malt or maltaline, running up and down Gatacre Road to train for sports day and walking to Broomhill Swimming Pool to learn to swim as soon as it opened in May, whether it was cold or not!” “I recall Mr Gosling, a strict headmaster, Mrs Butcher, Mr Bates and Miss Pollard who was also very strict and took the final year class.

Exams were held in the hall.

We had desks with lift up lids and ink wells.”

“Thank you for Kindred Spirits.

It's so good to see the old photos and read people's memories, especially as dear old Prospect Road and a large part of Victoria Street were all pulled down in the early 60s.

Many families had been in those homes for years and it was the end of an era.

“We will never forget our time there.

Although we were all glad to have all mod cons after years of cold water taps, outside toilets and small rooms.

No one had much, but we all mucked in together and enjoyed ourselves as much as we could.”

KEN Barker, originally of 45 Bulwer Road, Ipswich, contacted me from his home in the United States.

Ken said “My lifelong friend John Rumble of Ipswich sent me a copy of Kindred Spirits featuring the Bramford Road area of Ipswich.

“I attended Bramford Road School from 1944 to 1951 and from there to Northgate Grammar School until December 1952, when my family emigrated to the US.

I can remember some of the names from my class at Bramford Road, Ken Elden, Rita McCrow, Marion Wright and Anthony Thurlow.

I do remember Mr Gosling, headmaster.

And Miss Pollard, I know, left an indelible memory in many of us with her ruler used to smack our legs.” “My fondest memory is of a teacher, Mr Bateman.

He had a great influence on my life.

He was the best teacher I've ever known as well as a great human being.

At a business meeting I attended a few years ago we were asked who our heroes were.

For me there was no hesitation, number one was Mr Bateman.

Mr Bateman did what he loved, teaching and caring about children.

When he read to us the characters came to life, you could visualise them.

He sometimes dropped by our home to talk to my parents with me present, it was always praise and encouragement.

“Before our exams at age 11 he took some of us on a Saturday to visit a retired lady teacher.

We spent some time discussing the exams.

It was no wonder that many of us went on to Northgate Grammar School.

“I remember once drawing a picture of a golden retriever and showing it to Mr Bateman - he asked if he could keep it.

I was proud to give it to him.

I regret never making contact with him on my visits.

I have the greatest respect for him, and he is still my hero.” “For those of you who might remember me, you might well run into me in Ipswich on my next visit in May 2007.

If so, stop me and say hello.”

KEN Hender, who emigrated to Australia in 1971 with his family, read memories of Bramford Road School in Kindred Spirits while enjoying a holiday in Stowmarket.

Ken said “The memories of the Bramford Road area of Ipswich bring back memories for me going back to 1939.

“The Hender family moved to Sirdar Road in 1942 from Portman Street, which was off Princes Street, not far from Ipswich Town Football ground.” “I was only four years old, but can remember the floods of 1939, the water was just below the ceiling in our small terrace house.

Like everyone else in the area we were stranded upstairs and the fireman came round in boats bringing us jugs of tea and cake.” “Some of my brothers and I went to Bramford Road School.

Miss Barnard was headmistress and we had sports days in Gatacre Road.

We also used to go to St Matthew's Baths for swimming lessons.” “My father had an allotment off Yarmouth Road.

After a bombing raid, in which houses in Surrey Road were hit and destroyed, my father was called on by police, when we went to the allotment it was just a large crater, the police and army were collecting large pieces of shrapnel.” “On Bramford Road was Bickers the cycle shop.

In 1950 when I started work at W S Cowell earning one pound nine shilling and two pence per week (about £1.50), I bought my first bike, paying five shillings a week.

We were football mad in those days, playing in the street with a tennis ball, then down the “rec” in Alderman Road in all weathers, sometimes 15-a-side.

Cricket was played in the street with a lamppost as the wickets.

Broomhill swimming pool was the place to go in the summer.” “Melvyn and Keith Leeks were good friends.

Also the Bryants Brooks, Pecks, Garnhams, Scurrells, Cardens, Mayes, Welhams, Templeys, Pooleys, Wrights and Lucases were all friends who stuck together.” “Most of us went to Westbourne School.

I still have a copy of the school magazine from 1947/48.

I am staying with my daughter in Combs, Stowmarket until October.