Remembering our history.

That's a shame. An announcement has been made that a 200 year old brewery in Burton upon Trent is set to close next year. We all grew up surrounded by breweries. Generations of Burtonians were employed in the industry. Everyone knew someone who worked there. Here is a news report. 

Carlsberg Britvic are set to close a nearly 200-year-old brewery in Burton upon Trent with hundreds of jobs at risk. The company said Marston's Brewery could shut its doors for good, including its primary logistics operation at the site. The Horninglow Brewery in Burton upon Trent was established in 1834 and around 310 employees will be impacted by the planned closure.

Burton-upon-Trent's connections with the brewing industry date back centuries, with the firm describing its own history and legacy in the town as "iconic".

However, it said the "stark reality" was that UK cask ale volumes had more than halved in less than a decade and "this trend looks set to continue across the UK".

This has prompted me to search through my vast collection of photographs. I remember this parade of horses came to Burton in the mid 1970's. I was positioned in Derby Street, with my camera, to snap them as they went by. 

Remember when we sent our films away to be developed, and put a postal order in the envelope to pay for it. We waited anxiously for the prints to come back. I sent mine to Tripleprint, You got one large print and two smaller ones back. 

The traditional way of doing things is rapidly diminishing. Will we ever see this many horses dressed in their finery, with their decorated carriages, ever again. Maybe perhaps in the military, but not in our home towns. Times are a changing. 

Goodnight. Toodle pip.   ilona

I was there

 Down memory lane. 

This is why I write a blog. Just a few of my memories. 2022 2023 2024. 

Now it's time to go to Crafty Club. Toodle pip.   ilona

Reflections at Easter.

Dear readers.

This weekend is a time to reflect on Christianity. People go to churches to pray. I was raised with Christian values. My parents never went to church, and neither did I. 

We sang hymns and said prayers every morning at Junior School. It was called Assembly. That's how it was. It was there that I realised that I couldn't see the words on a gigantic song sheet hanging on the wall at the front of the classroom. I was about six or seven. I had to learn all the words by heart. I still remember some of them. I told my mum and she took me to get my eyes tested. Then I had to start wearing glasses. Horrible ugly National Health specs. 

A few years later I started to go to a Methodist Church. It seemed a good idea as my friends were going. I joined the choir. It was friendly and relaxed, and fun. After the service there was a club like atmosphere. I dropped that when I became interested in pop music and fashions. 

And then the Sixties happened. I have never felt compelled to go to church since then. I let go of it, and moved on. My attitude now is that religion should be a private decision for the individual. It should not be used as a battering ram to indoctrinate others, or even exterminate others. 

Religion is something you should feel inside of you. No need to share it at all. 

I wonder what John Lennon would think now, if he was still alive. Nice try John, 55 years later and nothing has changed. Now there are a lot more variable thrown into the mix. Nothing is simple. 

Imagine. 1971. 

 Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion

Imagine no possessions
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday the world will live as one

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Enjoy your Easter break, whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Keeping my head above the water

 Good morning. 

Here we go again, another wet and miserable start to the day. Have they been mucking about with the cloud seeding again. Oh well, I have enough to do to keep me busy.

This is a photo of the swimming baths in Burton upon Trent, taken a long time ago. The building was demolished. It had some awful memories for me, trying to learn how to swim and being shit scared of the water. Once a week we were loaded on the bus and driven five miles to this place of torture. 

It was a Stevensons double decker, just like this one. Who would have thought that years later I would have a job driving them, when I got my PSV, Public Service Vehicle Licence. The baths were long gone by then. I did the school buses, morning and afternoon. 

Inside the baths it was freezing cold. There was an iron spiral staircase to get to the top deck of changing rooms. Quickly get your cozzie on and scramble down without slipping, and walk through the foot bath before getting into the pool. The smell of chlorine was overwhelming and took your breath away. 

I was in the beginners class. Mr Cotton was the teacher. He didn't care what we did, he was easy going. I just jumped up and down and splashed about to give the impression that I was actually trying to swim. I stood by the side rail not daring to let go.

One day as I remember, they swapped teachers about, and we got Miss Rasmussen, who was in fact Mrs Cotton, though we always called her by her maiden name. From that day the swimming lessons became more tortuous for me. She gave us exercises to do, like handstands in the water. There was no way I was going to put my head under the water. I gasped and choked. I tried but I just could not do it. 

Every week when it was baths day I was worrying about it. I told my mum, she asked dad to write an excuse note to say I couldn't go because of ear ache or tummy ache. This got me out of going for a couple of weeks. Dad was not very supportive and stopped writing the notes. So I wrote the notes myself and added his signature. My handwriting was neat and tidy and I could copy his. 

I handed the notes to the teacher at the start of every swimming lesson, and was told to sit in a classroom and read a book. I watched the bus drive out of the school gates with a sigh of relief. This went on every week and eventually Miss Rasmussen just naturally assumed I was not going, so she left me alone.    

I have never learnt how to swim. The thought of my head being underwater frightens me to this day. I need to see, I need to breath, and I need to hear. I will paddle in the sea up to my knees, but that's it.

I went shopping yesterday to the retail park. Spent £80 in the Range on cat supplies, food and litter. Spent £40 in Home Bargains on some cat food, and some food for me. I might go to town this afternoon because there is a new exhibition on at the Arts Centre, and I can pick up a few items from Aldi that I didn't get yesterday.

Have a good weekend everyone. Toodle pip.   ilona

Fond memories.

 Good morning.

My first job upon leaving school in 1964, aged 15, was in a small leather shop in New Street. I have just found this on faceboook. Looks like they closed the business in May 2024

New Street was my first job when I left school in 1964. I only lasted five days. All I did was dusting suitcases and handbags. I didn't like being in a small enclosed space. My pay was £3.10 shillings, half of which I gave to my mum. I then went to Woolys, and Melias, then onto factory work.

Dear All,

For over 100 years Start and Tremayne has been a constant name in the history of the town centre of Burton on Trent. A brand synonymous with quality and great customer service. It is with great sadness therefore, due to very difficult trading conditions and many external influences over the past few years, that we have to say goodbye. We will be closing our store by the end of May.

It was easy to get jobs back then. Just walk into a place and ask. Next stop Woolworths. I was given a yellow overall with matching headband, and put to work on the sweetie counter. Exactly like the picture below. I started as a junior to learn the ropes, then was given the pick n mix section to oversee. Eventually I was made chargehand and had the responsibility of a monthly stocktake upstairs, and putting an order in for new deliveries. 

It was great fun. Every Saturday the store was heaving. Three or four deep at the counter waiting to make their purchases. At the end of the day the counter was looking like a bomb had hit it, and Monday morning was a day to fill it all up again. If you fancied having a sweetie you would bend down pretending to rummage about underneath looking for something, and slip a handful of Smarties in your mouth. No cameras to catch you out then.

I remember this time with fondness. I was just starting to take notice of boys. There was a 'floor walker' a supervisor you could call him, called Howard. He was shy and good looking. I tried my best to chat him up. The nearest I got to having a date with him was to get a group of friends together and have a night at the Bowling Alley. He had a car so I talked him into giving me a lift home. Never managed to get a snog though, had to be content with just a friendship. 

Back to today. Dull and damp outside. Must go to the Post Office to pay my water bill. Must stock up on cat food, either today or tomorrow. Must pay my car insurance in the next couple of days. Might do it on the phone or go to the office. 

Thanks for popping in. See ya later.  Toodle pip.  ilona

1966 and all that.

Hello my little bloggerettes.

The weather has been awful today. Non stop rain. Poor little Billy did not get a walk, because I don't like rain and he doesn't either. So I have been entertaining myself. Making a lovely veggie stir fry, plus a pudding. Half a banana with a generous dollop of fresh cream. Then I had a soak and a scrub in the bath. 

I recorded a video this morning, to cheer myself up. You might like a little titter. 

Extracts from my diary. Memories of a skinny teenager. I was 16. I worked in a grocery store. I hadn't a clue about boyfriends. I lived with my mum. We had no hot running water and I washed my clothes in the kitchen sink, after heating the water on the top of the gas stove. I was into pop music and fashions. It was a simple life. We had nothing but we were happy.

I have almost finished the mandala, just got to sew the back on. It looks pretty chuffing fabulous. I'll take some photo's tomorrow. 

Now I am going to relax and watch some videos. James is near Barrow in Furness, Ruth is on a remote Scottish island learning how to knit, Liam and Janine are touring the US, Emily and Louise have left their cottage in Ireland and are now touring in the van once again.   

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Looking back.

 Good morning.

We have finally arrived at the last day of the year. It is customary to look back over the past twelve months and assess what needs to happen over the next year. I have gone through my desk calendar making notes of what I did in 2025. 

January.

The first two months were cold so I didn't stray too far from home. I had two visitors who dropped by for coffee and a stroll around the village. I have been following Dan and Steve's van life channel, 'Come along Dear'. They are now static for a while in a rental house, but I can see them getting back out on the road in the spring. 

February.

Visiting villages in North East Lincolnshire. Checking out the Old rectory at Claxby. 

March.

Hardsock Priory near Blyth had a Craft Fair. A lovely day out. 

Two days at Harrogate for the Fusion Art Fair, and a Tractor Rally. 

A visit to relatives in Nottingham.

Burton Waters Marina near Lincoln, Walk along the canal to the city centre.

April.

Chesterfield 1940's market. Overnight on the M1 services, and Crich Tramway Museum the next day.

Visit to Bransby Horses Rescue, and Torksey.

Bus to Hull and walk to the Docks.

Crafterama event at Lincoln Showground + plus two villages on the way back.

May.

More visits to Lincolnshire villages. 

A day out at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. 

A visit to Gainsborough.

June.

Visit an Art Event in Howden. Shire Hall Minster.

A Four day holiday in South Wales. 

The Summer Fair in our village. 

July.

Crafting Live event at Doncaster Racecourse.

Heckington Agricultural and village show. One for next year.

Sandtoft Trolley Bus Museum.

August.

Classic Car Show on the north bank of the Humber Bridge.

Custom Car Show at Waters Edge visitor centre at Barton.

Three days. Overnight on the M1 services, Reeth Show North Yorkshire.

September.

September. Art Fair at Doddington Hall near Lincoln. 

Wrawby Mill Open day near Brigg.

Three days away. Car camp at Skipton for the Yarndale Show. Skipton to Grassington walk.

October.

Crafterama event at Lincoln Showground.

Market Rasen, and check out the Old Rectory at Claxby.

Trolley Bus Open Day at Sandtoft. 

Matlock Bath Illuminations. 

November.

Big Craft Event at Lincoln Showground.

Harrogate for the day, the Knit and Stitch Show. 

December.

Christmas Market at the local Park.

Festive Makers Show at the Lincoln Showground.

Elsham Light Show near Brigg

Phew, can I relax now? Until it starts all over again next year. I've already got a date for January. The Quilt and Sewing Show at Newark Showground on the 16th and 17th. 

I have received this comment. 

I would like to nominate you for citizen of the year award for the valuable service you are providing the community, and a very happy new year to you and your little family

Marie Horsham Australia

Thank you for that. I don't expect thanks, I just do the jobs which I think need doing. I see that I have been doing rather a lot of litter picking over the years. I went into the archives of this blog and found this picture.

I received an award in 2010 from North Lincolnshire Council. My friends Julie and Frank came with me for the presentation. Free food was the motivation for this outing. You can read about it here. 

Now I must get some breakfast.

Thanks for popping in. Thanks to everyone who reads my blog and watches my videos. Now I look forward to a busy 2026. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

I remember it well

I've been looking at some old photo's from my trucking years. Three years in particular when I was at Leicester Heavy Haulage. Good memories of a job that I loved. 

Intercity rail carriages. Eight of these were coming into Felixstowe Docks from Italy, every two months. We had eight wagons down there, with trailers stretched to 60 feet. They were craned straight out of the boat and onto the trailers. Easy to fasten down because they had blocks of wood at each end. Two chains, front and back. There was a 10 feet overhang at the back. Overall length 95 feet. The police escorted us out of the docks, then let us go, and West Midlands police met us when we came off the motorway and escorted us to Metro Camel at Birmingham. 

Railway sleepers complete with tracks. I picked these up from Leicestershire and took them to a small railway somewhere in Dorset. Trailer stretched out to 60 feet. This load was overweight because there wasn't any weighing facilities onsite. The next time a similar load was picked up they loaded it to three high. 

Sometimes we didn't need a trailer because the load came with it's own wheels. We just hitched up to it and pulled it out of a quarry. This was heavy and low to the ground, with only one axle at the back. I had to go over a hump back bridge to get out of the quarry. There was a danger of it being grounded. Luckily I had some timbers with me. I ran one side up onto the pavement, and lay the timbers down on the other side to lift it. The bottom just cleared the bridge by a few inches. My vehicle was plated to 75 tonnes on special types. 

 

Another piece of machinery picked up from a quarry. The problem of getting out of a quarry with a heavy load like that is loss of traction on the drive wheels. Some of the units had a lift axle which helped. Sometimes a digger machine had to be summoned to attach a chain to the front of the cab and help pull it up a slippery slope. 

The biggest load I did, 20 feet high and 17 feet wide. Six of us pulled these out from a factory at Snetterton in Norfolk, and took them to Trafford Park in Manchester to a sugar refinery. It took six days with police escorts all the way. A lot of it was done at walking pace. British Telecom came as well to put up the telephone wires we pulled down. 

I can't remember where I picked this up or where I delivered it to. Loaded on a step frame trailer, chained back and front. 

This was a very dodgy load to carry. All the weight is at the top. I had to virtually stop at every junction and roundabout to turn a corner. It was a slow journey as I remember. 

Here I had a low loader trailer to pick up this all-wheel drive tipper demonstrator. With a low loader you can split the neck from the bed, drop it down to the ground, and drive on the vehicle you are picking up. Careful not to slip off the side, the two are exactly the same width. Ratchet straps around the wheels are enough to secure the load. 

And at the end of a days work, and you have a big load, you don't get to choose where you park up. The police drop you off, and send someone from the morning shift to come and pick you up. 

Best thing I ever did was to spend £250 on ten days training to get an HGV licence. It gave me 32 years of work. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Together.

 Good morning. Look what popped up on my faceboook page. It was the annual Ride to the Wall event at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire this weekend. I remember it well from last year. This event is so emotional, remembering those who have fallen. The message is clear, bringing people together is what we need to do now.  

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What a day! We welcomed thousands of ‘Wallers’ on motorcycles to the Arboretum today for Ride To The Wall (RTTW) 2025, a very special and unique Remembrance event that we look forward to every year.

Since 2008, this incredible community has been gathering here each year to remember all those whose names are engraved on the walls of the Armed Forces Memorial, to pay tribute to fallen service personnel who ‘can no longer ride by our side'.

And, since that first ride, the Ride To The Wall community has raised £1.83 million for the Arboretum, helping it to grow into the extraordinary place it is today. We are so grateful for their ongoing support and friendship.

A few of my photo's. What great memories I have.

I am going to the Village Hall this morning to join my friends at the Crafty Club.

I hope you have a good day. Toodle pip.   ilona

The Market

 Good morning. This 1960's picture of Burton on Trent outdoor market brings back happy memories. We lived in Stretton and the highlight of every week was to get the Blue Bus on a Saturday morning to town. We didn't get pocket money from our parents, because there was never any left over from the household budget. I saved up my Birthday and Christmas money to spend mostly at the market.

We moved house to a small terrace house which was closer to town. Some would call it a cottage, but in truth it was in a poor state of repair. Nothing cottagey about it. We could walk to town any time we liked. By this time I had left school and got my first job. It was in a small leather shop which sold bags of all types and sizes. My duties were to go around the shelves with a duster, making sure everything looked spick and span. They were stacked from floor to ceiling so climbing a ladder was involved. After five days of this I decided that it wasn't the job for me. The boss also decided that I wasn't the compliant slave that he envisaged would be an asset to the business. We parted company and he paid me £5 10 shillings. This job turned me off dusting for life. 

Moving on I applied for a job at Woolworths, and was instantly told yes, when can you start. I fondly remember those days when you could walk out of a job and immediately find another one. Working at Woolys was ten times better. The store was buzzing with customers and I worked on the sweetie counter. It was great fun. Wrapped and unwrapped sweets had to be weighed up. I was put in charge of stock checking upstairs in the stockroom, and ordering from the suppliers. 

Now I had a regular wage coming in, albeit very small, I could start to budget my money. Half was given to mum for my board and lodgings. I moaned a bit but it felt right that I should help her out. Mum and dad had separated and she got an allowance. He paid in part of his wages, and mum had to go to the  Police Station every week to collect it. She was doing a part time job in a factory canteen to make ends meet. And as you might know if you have been reading my blog for sometime, the money saving tips she taught me have stayed with me for life.  

Life as a teenager in the sixties was exciting and fun. Going to the market on a Saturday was part of it. I was getting into dressmaking at that time. I bought the fashion magazines, saw a picture of a dress that I liked, and made my own version of it. The market was the cheapest place to buy the fabric. I made mini skirts with one yard of material. They just about covered my bum. My friends asked if I could make one  for them, so I took orders. 

Those were the carefree days of the sixties. Now all memories. Life carries on, we have to make the most of it. Have a good weekend.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Bowl 'em over

 Good morning. This popped up on my Burton on Trent memories page. I remember the Bowling Alley well. When I first tried tenpin bowling I found I was pretty good at it. I was recruited onto the Junior Bowling League. From then on I went every week. It felt good to be mixing with people of all ages, and I was pleased that they thought I was good enough. My first taste of proper grown up life.  

Top Rank Bowling alley, Bargates. Circa 1968.

I still have my badges.

I enjoy bowling but have not been for quite a long time. Perhaps I ought to go again, to see if I can still do it. Careful though, don't want to do my back in. 😨

I did a bus to town and a walk back yesterday, and have managed to lose the photographs. Thought I would take a short cut loading them, now they are gone. Oooops. 

Sunny again today. I have things to do. Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Remembering good times.

Good morning. Crafty Club was a good laugh yesterday. It was Pat's birthday so we celebrated with cake. She was over the moon with her lovely gifts. 

I took along my ongoing project, covering the gilet with scraps of fabric. You can see the progress by comparing the two photographs. I have decided not to cover the whole thing with patchwork. I shall stop just below the armpits, then find one large piece of fabric to cover the rest of it, carrying on with the stitching right to the top.  

I have copied some old photographs. I worked on Blackpool Pleasure Beach. when I was 19 - 20 - 21. 

My younger brother Stephen. I think this was the last time I saw him. He moved to India and came back for a visit. 

Me and the boyfriend camping. We had a tent in the back. He didn't like camping so we went in hotels after one night. 

We toured the south of England. The Eden Project was interesting. About 23 years ago. 

Also went to London. Inside a pod at the London Eye. 

Then we went to the USA, three times. The upside down house. Orlando I think, can't remember. 

I have a lot of good memories, they far outweigh the bad ones. One has to carry on. I am in contact with a boyfriend from way back, 45 years or thereabouts. I remember some of that, it was about the time I was driving buses. I have photographs of him which I won't post on here. I like that someone remembers me from many years ago. 

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona