Page 8 - Phonebox Magazine December 2012

Maurice Thomas Kitchener (1894-1969)
Newport Pagnell Photographer
A BIOGRAPHY by Peter Kitchener
PART EIGHT: CAMPING ON “THE ISLAND MEADOW” NEAR LAVENDON MILL
This is the final part of a series of short articles written for the Phonebox of the biography Peter Kitchener is writing (together with Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre) of his grandfather, Maurice Kitchener.
Camping on “The Island Meadow” near Lavendon Mill
Maurice loved camping as a small boy; a love that continued throughout his life and took him to many European countries. His last camping trip was in North Norfolk with me, his grandson, in about 1968. He cooked while I went bird-watching!
Camping on “The Island Meadow” near Lavendon Mill was a family past-time for several years as Joe, Maurice’s nephew recalled:-
“In 1926, we started our family camps in the meadows near Lavendon Mill, and they continued until 1934. Some Olney friends of Herby Berrill, the water bailiff, had an old ex-army bell-tent. Dad (Ralph) bought a similar one. By going in turns, both parties could use both tents, and transport costs (an old lorry) could be shared. At first we camped on ‘the island meadow’ between ‘The Broad’ and ‘The Back Brooks’ – in later years in the meadow just over the footbridge at Lavendon Mill. The bailiff lent us his punt which was useful for ferrying people and goods across the river and for fetching buckets of drinking water from the farmhouse at the Mill (thanks to the Coney family). The farmer, Mr. Davies of Clifton, gave us a very kind welcome and our families kept in friendly touch for many years afterwards.
The camping was great fun for boys of all ages – but not for our dear Mother (Nellie). She was not ‘into’ fishing or swimming; she hated the discomforts of ‘roughing it’, especially when the weather was cold or wet, and she had to bear the brunt of the catering. Cooking was done on Primus stoves. For bigger jobs we built an open fire, with cross bars, fuelled with gathered dead wood. I remember a very successful leg-of-lamb stewed in a cast-iron pot, with peas. At least we boys were able to help with the stoves and fires.
What Mother did enjoy, were the happy picnics when friends and relatives came out from Olney, Wolverton, Newport Pagnell etc, often bringing cakes! It was fortunate that an excellent bus service passed Lavendon Mill on the Stony Stratford-Olney-Bedford route. The Davies children often walked down the lane from Clifton and spent the day with us; they became dear friends.
In sunny weather bathing in ‘The Broad’ was indicated, but however hot the day, the river was never comfortably warm, so it was wise to plunge in at once and get going. One of my cousins used to stand shivering on the bank for quarter of an hour before finding enough courage. (I suspect this was my father, Basil, who never enjoyed swimming!)
Over the years, to borrow words from Blake’s ‘Jerusalem’, I’ve walked with great pleasure on some of ‘England’s mountains green’ and I have many of ‘England’s pleasant pastures seen’, but none now seem quite as magical as those woods, pastures, river banks and limestone walls of old Olney – so indelibly engraved in a boy’s memory.”
If any reader has any further information about any aspect of my grandfather’s life I would be very grateful if they would forward it to me via Phonebox.
Peter Kitchener
8 Phonebox Magazine
Smart campers on “The Island Meadow” near Lavendon Mill. Photo taken in August 1928 by Maurice Kitchener
Tom Ruff Ralph Kitchener Joseph Gilman Kitchener Charlie Hoddle
Tom Ruffʼs wife Nellie Kitchener Elizabeth Ann Kitchener Ethel Hoddle (? name) (nee Helen Hoddle) (nee Coles) (nee Ruff)
Basic Kitchener Joseph Alfred Kitchener Donald Kitchener
Joseph Gilman and Elizabeth had three sons, Ralph, Cyril and Maurice. Ralph and Nellie had two sons, Joseph and Donald.
Donald died in 1941 following an accident in a munitions factory. Maurice had two sons, Basil and David
Charlie and Helen Hoddle were two of nine children of Hoddles, the butcherʼs shop, Market Place, Olney, next to Cowperʼs House. Charlie took over the business in about 1921, after the death of his father, Alfred.
Charlie married Ethel Ruff, a farmerʼs daughter from Hanslope.
Peter is hoping that some readers may be able to provide further information which may then be incorporated into the definitive joint publication with MKCDC. If any reader has any further information about any aspect of his grandfather’s life he would be very grateful if they would kindly forward it to him via