Tunstead & Sco-Ruston

As told by Mervyn York

The making of the plough: “First I got all the pieces made up – the bits on the front came from a telegraph pole that came from Sloley. The front is all in one piece. I drilled it and filed it. The piece on top is how you alter the height of the plough – you alter it so it’s ploughing a nice straight, clean furrow. It’s a scale model, and it’s like my father’s plough, with 5 spokes in the wheel. The holes in the handles are where the cat chewed it!

Once the ploughman got his plough set, you could let go of the handles and walk next to it. When you get to the end, you lift the plough and steer the horses round and off you go again. (more…)

Harold Gayfer’s account of life near Coltishall airport and working on the farm

I came to Tunstead when I was 15 and worked for Mr Jones. I came because of my father – he was a farm worker and we both worked for Mr Jones at Fir Tree farm at Anchor Street. I did enjoy it, in a funny sort of way. It was near the aerodrome so I was able to cycle over to see the aircraft take off and land. (more…)

Ethnie Christmas’s account of growing-up in Tunstead.

Ethnie produced her Christening gown which is exceptionally well preserved for a gown over 100 years old. “My mother made it for the christening, but I was one of the last, so it’s a lot older than 90 years. We were all christened. Our mothers were very strict with us. (more…)

Derek Kirk’s account of growing-up in Tunstead.

I was born in 1939, in a bungalow in Anchor Street, which has since been demolished to make way for what is now Bracken View.

I was too young to remember very much about the Second World War, although I have a vivid memory of being in the garden with my mother, who was picking raspberries, when a German bomber flew very low over the house.  It dropped three or four bombs a couple of fields away, before crashing over towards Wroxham. (more…)