Living in London? Why would you not want to ‘Escape to the Country’ in beautiful Derbyshire?
FOR me maybe the best aspect about currently being an “Old Codger” is the variety of time that has passed and the numerous experiences that have filled that period. My life, and with it the progressive build-up of memories, sometimes makes me dream of going back to start again and relive the times and the enjoyment created.
My life started in Walton, on the outskirts of Peterborough, and also took in many trips and holidays to Leicester close to Victoria Park, where my maternal grandparents lived. Of all that we did, my favourite memory of Leicester was not the Victoria Park, albeit a popular playground, but the major delights for our family of Abbey Park when visiting the City Show during the August Bank Holiday. I missed only one year, when the doctor barred me because I had chicken pox!
Walton had many things to do during my primary school years. A short walk to the end of our road took us through the paddock in front of the farm and on into the open countryside.
My best memories are of the late summer picnic followed by blackberry picking. Blackberry and apple jam and also the pies were a delight then and always have been.
Although my father died when I was just 10 years old, that sadness was replaced with a new life journey in Hertfordshire that was to last 35 years. First I got the engineering job that I had craved since my early life in Peterborough, and there I also met senior management.
They were delightful times in Hertfordshire as we brought up two children who decided they wished to study hard and both move on to university, the youngest just three weeks before we moved into south Derbyshire 32 years ago.
As we were both in our early forties, we soon created many lasting memories as we explored much of the Peak District. We have opted to stay in Derbyshire.
This county provides a superb contrast to both the Peterborough and Hertfordshire periods of our life.
Before starting this column today, I had been watching “Escape to the Country” where a retired couple wanted to move to the Peak District from their current home in Stratford, east London.
I can claim to have enjoyed working in Stratford in the early 60s, but I never got an urge to live there! Now I totally identify with anyone who wishes to move into the delights of Derbyshire.
I know I can ramble on about the excellent memories of where we have lived for the 55 years since we first set up home together. One memory that has stayed in place is the introduction of petrol coupons in 1973. At the time we had queues at the petrol pumps just like this time, albeit due to a fuel supply problem in Saudi Arabia causing a shortage of fuel rather than transport drivers.
The result was the same, as drivers queued to put maybe just a gallon in the tank, just in case. Given there is plenty of fuel in the country, if we accept what the Government have told us, I guess this is what drivers are doing today.
Back in the 70s, the petrol coupons were finally not required and somewhere I have still got mine. Maybe a dose of sanity will arrive and we can again visit the petrol pumps normally rather than a daily panic attack causing long queues!
When the early years of retirement arrived we were asked a fair few times if we planned to move back to the southern counties. We never even contemplated such a move as occasional visits back showed us just how crowded the towns there were, and at that time we certainly preferred the Derbyshire countryside.
That has not changed, but I do now find that the city of Derby has also altered, and not for the better!