Historical Documents

Memoirs of a Village Childhood

Charles Clarke says ‘I began recording these early memories on my 64th birthday. I guess the Beatles must have considered this quite old when they sung “Will you still love me when I'm 64?”.
‘My life has centred around two Suffolk villages - the first 25 years in Rushmere St Andrew . . . and it is those years growing up in Rushmere St Andrew that are the subject of my book and of the events which I will try to recall with as much accuracy as possible.
‘So with these memories in mind I turn back the clock to 1949 and see just what can be recalled.'

We are grateful to Charles Clarke for allowing us to publish his book.

View the book - but it is a large download and might take a bit of time coming through.

Picture of a Parish

You can view and print this little booklet, printed and published in 1981.
It gives a history of the parish of Rushmere St Andrew up to 1981

Memories of Rushmere Village in the 20's and 30's by Don Lewis and Walter Turner

Thanks to Linda Douglas who provided us with this copy. View this truly remarkable resource giving an insight into the people and customs of the time. (pdf) 

Other Documents:

Another find by Linda Douglas, we are not quite sure of the date of this piece, but you can view it. It does contain some interesting information. 

Found by one of parish councillors in a bookshop in Felixstowe you can view it. We think this was written in 1930 by Teresa Chevallier sister of Clement Chevallier who served in WW1. Teresa never married and lived in the village for most of her life and died in 1978.