The Archives have just acquired a copy of an article written by J.G. Watson of Pate’s Farm in 1961 about the creation of the Rec. My next two postings will reproduce extracts.
‘It is many years ago now since Mr. Henry Badcock looked vainly round the village for a field for the children and young people to play on without being chased off by an irate farmer or landowner.
…He left his money in the hands of trustees with verbal instructions that the money was to be used for this purpose. They … managed to purchase a small field, about half the size of the present rec.
…Messrs. Chivers and Sons … said they would give the adjoining field to the trustees on condition that the two fields together were used as a recreation ground in perpetuity. I can still remember Messrs. Chivers’ steam ploughing engines ripping up the intervening hedge….
Many readers will doubtless have in their possession a photograph of the unveiling of the monument on the rec. I was one of the small boys in peaked caps who stood round the rails when Dr. Young performed this ceremony’.
More next month.