I'm Fred, Alf Taylors brother,as my brother said it was the best years of our lives & when it came to going back to london we didn't want to because we were so happy in Brent Pelham.I stayed with Mr & Mrs Bailey she was like a second mother to me & their 3 daughters Janet, Violet & Daphne.Does anyone know what became of them? Are they still living in the Village? I remember Squire Barclay on our way to church he would say "come on lads"I used to pump the organ when I was older for a couple of pennies.
I remember the Italian prisoners living in the village one in perticular he made me a ring from aeroplane glass with colour bits, wrapped it in tissue paper &
gave it to me I never forgot him.
Looking at the site has brought back many happy memories for me.
I was wandering if there are any school photos around that were taken in the war years?

I don`t know what happened to the Bailey`s daughters. I will make enquiries. I remember Sid Bailey and his wife who lived in one of the Pump Hill cottages. He used to drive the estate lorries. One of these was a Thames cattle truck and the other an Austin ex military 3tonner vintage 1942, but I am talking about the 1950s through till the mid 1960s.
When Sid died his widow moved to part of Bridge Cottage opposite the Black Horse. She died at a very advanced age, I believe 98. I assume that these were the Baileys that you stayed with.
As regards Italian Prisoners some lived in Down Hall Farmhouse and some I think in the thatched barn there.
Some three years ago my sister, Diana, went to
a wedding in Leicestershire. One of the other guests was an elderly Italian gentleman who spoke very good English but with a hint of a Hertfordshire accent. Diana asked where he had learnt his English. He replied that he had spent several years in England as a POW."Whereabouts were you?" Diana asked." Oh, a little place that you will never have heard of called Brent Pelham" he said . "Wherabouts in Brent Pelham?". "Oh,it was called Down Hall Farm, and they were the best days of my life". My sister was able to reply,"I know it well, I live in that same house". It`s a small world and getting smaller.

Hi Ted,Thanks for your message,I really enjoyed reading it.It would be nice to know what happened to Mrs Baileys daughters.I did come back a couple of times after the war, but then I went into the Army ( Royal West Kents) & when I came out I married, had three children & now I regret not keeping in touch.It would be nice if anyone had photos of the people that lived in the village at that time.Has the village changed much over the years, is it still a village?I remember the blacksmith, we kids were fasinated to watch him shoe the horses.I earned pocket money collecting milk from the farm, straight from the cows.Living in the country was a complete change from London(a good one)
It was nice to read that you had met a Italian p.o.w. at a wedding & he had good memories of Brent Pelham.it certainly is a small world & Brent Pelham a very special place.

I told you that it was a great place to live.
Regards to all,Alf Taylor.

Hi Fred. My name is Lesley Talbot and I am Violet Bailey's granddaughter. She is now living in Saffron Walden where she has been living for many years. Janet and Daphne also moved away from Brent Pelham. If you would like to send me any messages that you would like me to pass on for you then I will, and I will also forward any messages to you that they wish to send. Love to hear from you. Lesley.

Hi Lesley
I was so pleased to receive your message,
I would love to hear from your Grandmother, & her sisters.I am now married (45years ) have three children, grown up & a lovely wife & two grandsons.
I would love to know how their lives have turned out.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Fred

Hi everyone,
I want to thank Denis for this very good & interesting website & Ted for answering my first message(evacuee)I never dreamt that I would have been able after 60 years to get in contact with Mrs Baileys daughters.
I am now in contact with her grandaughter Lesley & looking forward to hearing from them, its all very exciting & we have a lot of catching up.
Fred

Here's a picture of Fred 60 years on

Hi everyone,
Just to let you know I received a phone call from Violet the other night,I was almost lost for words.
IT was so nice to hear her voice after 60 years. We had so much to say, so much catching up.It was great
We are going to keep in touch & hopfully we will meet up in the future.
I am now looking foreward to speaking to her sisters.
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas.
Fred

Hi everyone,
The Baileys are very popular.My brother Alf was reading the discussions & he spotted someone was reserching thier family tree ( the baileys of the Pelhams) We contacted Violets granddaughter Lesley & to cut a long story short, they are related & now in contact.
Great isn't it! What a great site.
fred