Eastrington memories

Last week I was in Eastrington church singing the words 'Ere the winter storms begin' [from the harvest hymn  "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" written in 1844 by Henry Alford].

This took me back to my childhood when St Michael's was decorated for harvest with fruit and flowers, giant onions and marrows and in particular a miniature beautifully made straw stack which stood on the steps of the font. Sometimes my mother played the organ but last week it was my daughter.

But back to the storms and they do seem to be coming one a week. Now they have names - Ophelia, Brian etc - although I cannot help wondering whether they are just normal winter storms and if we did not have TV weather forecasts we would just accept them as they probably did in 1844.

Of course the winds are blowing off the leaves and apples.

Molly loves eating apples and is eying up these Bramleys

Lovely autumn colours in Saltmarshe Park

Molly loves running through the leaves

I have too, in-between taking pictures, been looking at some history. In both my Howden and Goole classes we have been finding out about different trades and occupations. 

Our most recent topic has been joiners, wheelwrights and undertakers. We have looked at the Hill family of Swinefleet, Fletchers undertakers in Goole, Fred White and David Bullement in Howden and my own family, the Nurses of Eastrington.

My grandfather Robert Nurse was, with his brother Clifford, the village joiner, following in the footsteps of their father Robert Thomas Nurse and their grandfather Robert. 

Their joiner's shop was on Station Road, in the yard of what is today called Bramble Cottage, where my great uncle Cliff lived.

Of course I have lots of family stories, including the one where they could not get some new-fangled flock wallpaper to stay on with glue, so they nailed it up! Also the tradition that when a village girl got married my grandfather made  a rolling pin for her. Has anyone still got one in the family?

Freddie Philips of Howden, left and Robert Nurse, my grandfather, right with a good selection of wheels made at Eastrington

Station Road, Eastrington. The large house, end on to the road was built by my 5x gt grandfather George Wise Nurse.