It is difficult to remember all that when on during the time I was a Choirboy. I must have been 11 or 12 at that time. I lived then at 8 Frederick Place which of course is now long gone. This was very convenient as I could get to church by going through the back gate of the public house (The Anchor) and climbing the wall into the cemetery.

My brother Barry was also in the choir before me. We used to do small chores to help around the church. We once built a model of the church from wood and cardboard it even got a mention in the Lynn News and Advertiser. Then there were the pranks that we would play, our favorite was on Sundays after the midday service. The Organist would be playing as the congregation was leaving, he would usually play something rousing, we would wait till he reached a particularly loud piece then turn off the electricity this of course took all the wind from the organ. We would be long gone before he could get to the vestry. This would be followed by a stern lecture from Fr Bridge.  The choir would perform at weddings and funerals. I could never understand why we were paid more for a funeral than a wedding. I clearly remember Fr Bridge, as I recall,  was a big man and I can see him now riding his bicycle around the parish to visit his parishioners and scowling at anyone he thought was up to no good.

Christmas brings back fond memories. We would go out in all weathers to sing carols at people’s houses and they would actually stand at the front door to listen. Of course there were not too many televisions in those days and we would usually get Mince Pies or Sausage Rolls, Fr Bridge would get a glass of Sherry (‘not fair’ we used to say).

I remember the local shops in the area, the butcher who was on the corner of the lane leading to the church, his name was Arrowsmith, and the local corner shop, Laws and Francis, at the corner of Valinger’s Road and Valingers Place was the local bakery where my Mother would send us to fetch hot bread rolls and jam donuts, the thought of these is making my mouth water. In closing my mother (Agnes) was a land worker for many years and my father (George) was a postman. I left King’s Lynn in 1962 to go to London, from there I went to Peterborough. From 1979, I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia until 2000. I now live in Washington State in the U.S.A. on an Island. The Island is called Whidbey after one of Captain Vancouver’s fellow seamen.