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Chris Snowdon writes ....
First of all thanks and congratulations for such a wonderful web site.
I
spent boyhood holidays in Winteringham at my Grandmother's house in Low Burgage, next to The Maltkiln. My Grandmother, Gertrude Harrison, was the daughter of Elias William Field and she took over the Ferry Boat from
her mother. My Grandfather was Ralph Harrison - Parish Clerk as one of your sites reminded me. Your mystery picture reminded me, graphically, of an event which took place one summer holiday in the mid to late 50's.
We had gone down to The Haven, as usual, and arrived at the old staithes towards the mouth of The Haven. Two or three men subsequently arrived, in a van, and began cutting up the metal which formed the staithes with
oxy-acetylene torches - which were powered from bottles similar to the one pictured. We stood back to watch them but the wooden parts of the staithes began to catch fire. The men asked us to fetch some
water to douse the flames and offered to pay us a penny (it may have been thruppence but there again it may have been a ha'penny) for each container of water we brought.
Fortunately we had jam jars as we had been fishing for tiddlers. The day's catch was quickly abandoned for more lucrative use. We convinced ourselves that we were about to make a fortune and had just about finished our plans on how to spend it when the men decided that we could supply them with water faster than they could supply us with money - so our trade finished with our pockets only a shilling or so heavier. I realise that it probably isn't your mystery picture as the staithes were higher up from the waterside but thanks for the memory.
Another character brought to mind from those times is Herbert Porkess. Herbert had been gassed in the first world war and, I think, lived rough at one time. My Grandfather arranged for him to get a
house at Whitton but Whitton didn't have a public house so Herbert would walk from Whitton several times a week. along the railway line, call in my grandparents house for a bite to eat and a chat (I could hardly
understand his broad Lincs accent coming from Teesside myself) and thence to The Bay Horse or The Ferry Boat where the Winteringham drinkers would ensure he never went short of a drink. He always made it back to
Whitton. My Father once set off to walk to Whitton to visit Herbert via the railway line but, unfortunately, he took the wrong turning and was heading well on his way to Scunthorpe before realising his mistake
and returning to Winteringham - sorely in need of a drink at The Bay Horse. Herbert is mentioned on Tom Smith's excellent Whitton site as being registered as an elector in 1951. The is also a Porkess
mentioned on your site - a bricklayer, presumably Herbert's father. Thanks once again for your fine efforts, Chris Snowdon,
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