Reference
Z1601
Title
Records of Alfred Richardson, parchment maker, of Potton
Date free text
1953
Production date
From: 1953 To: 1953
Admin/biog history
The following information was provided by Richard Giddings, grandson of Alfred Richardson:
The 'Tanyard' was at the bottom of Royston Street opposite the playing fields (which included a large coal gas storage tank when i was a boy - about 1960 ). On the part that was on the bottom of Bury Hill, but before the "sheepwalk" as the open land here was known, was a slatted and thus open to the elements, large shed where all the skins were hung.
I remember being taken on my grandfather 'Alf's" shoulders to turn on the lunchtime whistles at the tanyard. This was very loud and could be heard over the whole of Potton. There was a 12.55 blast and the men would all gather, mainly on bicycles, at the Braybrook's gates and wait. On the second, 1 pm whistle, they would all rush out and up Royston Street (and other directions) like a peloton in a cycle race. There was 'shouting' if his lunch, hot, was not going on the table as
he came in the door at lunchtime - 42 Oak Crescent.
Alfred was one of the last parchment makers and I was told he hated the cold and wet work.When younger worked and enjoyed factory work in Bedford, which entailed a 12 mile walk each way. He was 'persuaded' to give this up for local work in Potton. He walked very fast, and both the dog and his grandchildren resisted going on a walk with him as you
had to nearly run to keep up and there was no stopping to sniff for the dog !
Alf made pocket money for betting by walking about the Sutton Gault Golf Club and with eagle eyes finding lost golf balls and then selling them back to golfers. This was eventually banned.
His wife Minnie worked as an under the stairs maid in a large house at some point in her life. My mother was thus brought up to do housework in a scheduled manner, ie each job a specific day and time. Drove my mother in later years to a nervous breakdown - she wanted to work in a shop when young but was 'leant on' by Alfred & Minnie (quite Victorian in outlook) to marry and have children.
My father related that when he was young he tried to buy a run down property in Horselow Street, Potton and make it good, either to live in or to sell on. He was 'prevented' with this by pressure from Alfred and Minnie via new wife Doris as not the thing that working class people did ! I have a feeling that we always lived in a rented house in Royston Street.
A story I remember being told - Alf and another man were standing near the deep water pit at work when another worker came along and asked what they were talking about. They made up that they were betting each other to cross the pit in one of the barrels that were floating empty in the water. They encouraged this man to get in the barrel to cross the water, which of course instantly sunk with him in it, much to their amusement.
There were many pubs in Potton and a man would go round selling small parcels to raise some money. He would sell them as 'hard and sharps' - those in the know would not buy them as they were pieces of stone and glass !
Archival history
This item was presented to Alfred by Braybrooks to commemmorate the coronation, and remained within the family until it was transferred to the archives by Alfred's grandson, Richard Giddings, in July 2015.
Level of description
fonds