I HAVE enjoyed a lifetime love affair with Tetbury but is it now over?

Moving to Trull in the mid 1950s but remaining as a pupil at Cirencester Grammar School made Tetbury a town of mystery.

Every young person of my age attended Sir William Romney’s School and I was at first a stranger with so much that was new to explore.

Tetbury had riches indeed.

First of all it had a cinema. There I saw Rock Around The Clock. No seats were ripped up!

Also enjoyed was the Student Prince with the voice of Mario Lanza but the body of Edmund Purdom.

There was a marvellous ironmongers run by a stout old gentleman, Mr Witchell.

We called Munday and Fowler ‘Tuesday and Chicken House’ and haircuts were at Mr Kinch, the Long Street barber.

Caber tossing dentist Paddy Donald was firmly established in The Talbot.

His assistant was Jane Bracey from The Trouble House.

Meeting her fifty years later at Stroud Rotary Club was a delight, she was the charming and gracious Jane Tiley.

There were two legendary doctors Braybrooke and Hardie and a long serving head teacher named Woodward.

Was his nickname ‘The Bub’?

The football team was first class, playing Forest Green on equal terms and being two divisions above Cirencester.

Derek Eldridge, Barry Sturgess and Mick Bray were dashing youngsters and Tommy O’Loughlin as well as Trevor March lent seniority.

Two Gloucestershire cricketers Sam Cook and David Carpenter lived in the town and later it was home to Brian Trubshaw who flew Concord.

To live a level three miles away was a joy. But what of Tetbury now?

Approach from Cirencester and you will see the new growth.

The town now starts at the hamlet of Ilsom, and is spreading westwards towards Highgrove.

Happily the centre remains the same, and the spirit of the lively town remains.

Yes I am still in love with the wonderful place but for so many different reasons.

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