We were passed these photos by Frances Barbour who we met in the library when we were there for a meeting not directly related to the archive, so we did not have our archive hat on. She said she had some photos of the old bungalows over 60 acres and did we want them. Yes we said. She dropped them off at the library for us. Not only old bungalows over 60 acres but many more. Some of places no longer standing and others with changes. These will be published over the coming weeks.
These are a set of four old bungalow photos unfortunately none have names attached. All we know is they are from 60 acres c1980s. If anyone recognise any of them please comment below.
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This posting brings back a memory from the 1960’s. When the subterranean methane tanks were being constructed, the contractors clearly recruited labour from Ireland. Some of these workers were accommodated in unoccupied isolated bungalows along Wintergardens. Of an evening, these workers would visit various hostelries on the Island, including the Haystack, where, at that time, I worked and socialised.
One of these Irish workers that comes to mind was a young lad named Willy. From memory, Willy hailed from the west of Ireland and had left, probably from a farm, to earn in the UK to help his family back home.
At the time, one of my best friends was John, the son of the Haystack landlord Jack Plunkett. Naturally, a Maguire and a Plunkett had some affinity with Irish people!
Willy didn’t appear to own much more than he stood up in; and what he stood up in, just about all the time, was a pair of Wellington boots.
It was clear, speaking to Willy, that he was very homesick and, particularly, missed his mother. I asked him if he was writing to her and he admitted to being quite illiterate. I was quite touched by his predicament and so went back to his digs and took down his dictated letter to his mother. I added some comments explaining who I was and attempting to reassure her that her son was doing OK and the following day, posted the letter.
If the first photo above is not the bungalow where Willy was staying, it was very similar and in an equivalent state of repair.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what became of Willy.
Oh
Ok this is very good
Thank u
I will show my parents
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