Marshland, Howden and Goole Grammar sports

Looking out of the window it is a lovely bright, sunny day but once outside it is obvious that there is a cold northerly wind - one of those lazy ones which goes straight through you. So back to winter coats. As for the garden I think growth has stopped as plants adapt to a coating of hail. So it's a good time to cook a lamb stew in the slow cooker and catch up with inside jobs.

Last night I gave a talk to the Marshland Local History group who meet in Swinefleet village hall. They are good friends and so the atmosphere was relaxed. I talked about Howden and was fascinated to listen to the memories of a 90 year old lady who had been brought up in the town.

She remembered living down Thorpe Road, taking an old pram to the Co-op down Churchside first thing in the morning to collect her mother's groceries [her mother always shopped at the Co-op so she could get her 'divi'] and then walking home. She then walked to school which was where the health centre is now, walked home again for her dinner, back to school and then home again after school.

Later, when the family moved into the middle of Howden, it was her job in wartime to deliver the Hull Daily Mail to the many evacuees from Hull who lived in the rooms above the shops in Market Place. They wanted to read the lists of names of those killed in the bombing the previous night - hoping not to see names of friends and relatives.

I bought a copy of the Marshland group's latest publication on the history of Ousefleet. It is very interesting.

The Howden Heritage centre is now open and we are beginning to accept donations. We have ordered copies of the Monumental inscriptions for the local churchyards. I know I get a lot of queries in summer as visitors visit local churchyards looking for ancestors.

Finally I am sorting my old pictures and wondered if anyone could identify these pupils who are pictured in the field at the rear of what was then Goole Grammar School.