Old Ledbury - Currant Picking

1969 - Place Unknown

From the back Julie FARLEY, Edna RITCHIE, Maureen RITCHIE, Helen RITCHIE, Theresa FARLEY

Photo - Helen KIRKHAM Collection HK1

Lovely photo ... CP

I HATED flipping currant picking...SD

The bucket/tray never seemed to fill and I always had more leaves than currants..CP

Yeah so did Mum and Nan - that's why they sent me when I was older to take the bucket for weighing...HK

Loved Julie FARLEY, I worked with her for years up at The Withers, Mr LEEDS farm ..PP

What a lovely photo. My Auntie Julie, Auntie Edna, the late Maureen, my god daughter Helen and cousin Theresa. Good memories...GB

Thanks for sharing my Aunty Julia and cousin Theresa...JVM

My nephew Ian use to called him Mr WEEDS not LEEDS mind you he was only 4 at the time...KC

This brings back memories, I loved currant picking with my mum when I was young and earning my pocket money...AB

Same here!! Fond memories !!!...JVM

Geraldine HOOPER and myself used to spend most of the summer holidays either at Mr LEEDS farm or Hill Top Fruit Fram picking blackcurrants and strawberries and raspberries then go to Hereford or Worcester on the train for a spending spree. Good Times! ...AB

Great times...PP

Yes, we went to both farms over the years, we picked mostly plums at Hill top...PP

Ohhh those Oxford bags Ann what were we thinking...GH

We use to pick blackcurrants to go to BRAYS for our school uniform blazier when earnt enough for that, the rest we blew on what we wanted, it always seemed hot then, apart from the odd rainy day, perhaps i have my rose tinted specs on again!...KC

Oh and the lads from the Holts home use to come as well and they walked the 4 miles there and back...KC

...

Date Unknown - ROBERTS, Putley

Joanne, Denise and Audrey EDGE, enjoying a working lunch, scrats they wuz

Photo - Nigel ONIONS Collection NO2

Beetroot sandwiches the good old days!!!!...JVM

I remember we had radios on in the rows and when Middle of the Road came on with Chirpy Chirpy Cheap Cheap everyone would turn the radio up and sing along, great memories on the currant patch!!! ...JVM

Burnt to a crisp but keep scratting. No leaves allowed...CP

Mum Audrey was terrible with her leaves, we used to have to clean them out before we took them for weigh in...JVM

We used to catch the old bus to Bronsil from the phonebox at the bottom of the Crescent. Long days but good times...CP

My mum worked there then I followed when I had my kids, very often think couldnt imagine my kids doing it...CP

What was the farmers name at Bronsil then. I remember we used to get fed up and go for a walk up to the Obelisk....CP

Got me going now again, picture them so well, he had really reddish cheeks ah got it MIDDLETONS...CP

Is this the same Mrs MIDDLETON who was a guide leader, I think we went there as Brownies on a treasure hunt or something!! ...JVM

Mrs MIDDLETON was our District Guide Leader. I spoke to her recently in the chemist, she still remembered me, and she has hardly changed a bit...JM

Remember they had an area fenced off where we had to leave our kids, smelly old chemical loo, no running water, a lady called aunty Eileen used to look after them all, lovely lady dont know how she coped, once again couldnt do that today ...CP

I loved the smell of that old Commer bus...CP

Loving the Thermos...BH

Aunty Eileen was lovely and lives just round the corner from me, still a delight with children. I remember the currants, rhubarb, strawberries and for some reason doing gooseberries there. The bus always had a realy smelly name - I thought it was the MIDDLETONS that had Bronsils when I was a kid? ...SP

Sources

1914 Newent Reporter Newspaper - Herefordshire History

1914 - 1919 Ledbury Guardian Newspaper - Herefordshire History

1916 Tilley's Almanack

Photographs are credited to the owners

Comments are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group

Cuttings from Ledbury Reporter newspapers

Ledbury Reporter

The Reporter now has Archive photographs for the years 2005 - 2009 which you can view and order. Select a year then make sure Ledbury is the keyword entered before pressing GO. I have spent many an hour in the Ledbury Library looking through the old Reporters which are on microfiche. Support this great local paper.