Memories of my Alphington childhood 1935–1949 – Chapter 7
Alphin Brook today
Photo by Rowena Jay. Copyright © Rowena Jay.
Footbridge and Ford Alphin Brook
Photo by Rowena Jay. Copyright © Rowena Jay.
Boys will be boys
ukstudentlife
The Alphin Brook and learning to swim
By Philip Miller
A safe village
The village was our playground as well as our home. Parents had no fear of our meeting the 'wrong' people. Almost everyone in the village knew everyone else. It was a time of respect for each other and for our elders. I recall that we were told that if the air raid siren sounded as we were on our way to and fro from school that we should knock on the nearest door. Imagine telling children to do that today!
Late for school
I recall the siren sounding one morning (false alarm) as several of us were passing the playing field on our way to school. We decided to shelter under the bridge over the brook as there were always dry areas in the summer months. We found shoals of minnows and the thought of school and a possible air raid was soon forgotten. We didn't hear the all clear, or so we said, and eventually arrived at school very late. We had to quickly think on our feet and I'm afraid a big white lie was told, fortunately for us nobody asked why our feet were wet!
The Alphin Brook
The Alphin Brook played a big part in our childhood. Many of us learnt to swim in the brook. We had a favourite pool in a bend of the brook that was very deep to us. We couldn't feel the bottom. It was great for swimming and playing pirates. We were given a lorry inner tube from Harry Webb's garage and that made a fine raft. Up until then I couldn't swim but I fell off and had to learn quickly. After that induction I never looked back and swam at every opportunity.
On to the Exeter Canal
We later graduated to the canal where we made a raft from a field gate and oil drums, highly dangerous and we were quickly warned off.
We often met the BP Oil Tanker at Double Locks, the 'Ben Johnson' as it brought oil up the canal to the terminal in Exeter. Once we were given a ride on board and thought we were the 'cats whiskers'.
We then became much more civilised and during the school holidays a large group of Alphington children would descend on the Exeter swimming baths.
Back to the Brook
I wonder if that pool in the Alphin Brook is still there. It was approached from Balls Farm lane. A few yards up the lane from Cowick lane there was a track beside a market garden, now shown as a right angle bend on today's map.
At the end of the short track was a stile. The brook and pool was just across the field. One day during the summer holidays many children had made their way to the pool on their bicycles and had left them by the stile. A herd of steers had broken loose at Exeter cattle market and were being chased by the market hands. They drove the steers down the track, the cattle were in a state of panic and all the bikes were trampled beyond repair. Fortunately thanks to the help of the village Policeman the market management paid up and everyone either had new bikes or the money. That day I had walked so my bike was safely at home.
Philip Miller's memories continue in chapter 8.