News

AGM - KEMERTON VILLAGE HALL

THE AGM will take place in the village hall on APRIL 2nd at 8.00pm (straight after the Parish council AGM).

The village hall is a vital part of our community. It’s great to see it being well used by various groups plus individuals organising fun events which are essential to support its upkeep.

Please come and hear how the funds are being spent and discuss any new ideas you may have.

If you would like information about joining the small friendly committee please contact Rowan 0788 7552701

We look forward to seeing you in April.

Memories of Kemerton

Memories of Kemerton - from information obtained from the daughter of Fred and Minnie Morris, who lived in Kemerton in 1945/46 for many years.

Fred was a gardener at Overbury Court, where Minnie worked as a cook until they married. Fred carried on working there until his retirement.

Fred kept a piece of the allotment where he grew vegetables to sell at Pershore Vegetable Market. He also kept pigs and chickens, and was a member of the Gloucester Old Spot Pig Association, and served for many years on the Kemerton Parish Council. Minnie was a keen member of the Mother's Union and the WI, and her bike was often seen propped up outside various houses in the village when she dropped in to see other Kemerton ladies for a cup of tea and a natter.

In those days, the Post Office was next door to the Kemerton Coffee House. You had to go up a little alley and the counter was in Miss Cook's private house. When she retired, it moved across the road to the small shop owned by Mr and Mrs Church, and later to what is now the Kemerton Coffee House.

Mr Long's general store was also a bakery, and there was a shoe repair shop.

Brownies and Girl Guides were run by Mrs Healing of the Priory. The meetings were held in a room above the stables and they had to climb a ladder to access the room! Mrs Healing's husband Peter owned Healings Mill in Tewkesbury.

There was a youth club held in the village hall.

The village doctor was Dr Margaret Wilkinson. The surgery was in Brasenose, near the war memorial. The waiting room was a large shed at the back of the house. When it was your turn to be seen, you would need to walk down a wobbly path to get to the house. There were no appointments, you just had to wait your turn, and God help you if you tried to jump the queue! When Dr Margaret retired, the surgery was sold to Dr Breeze Stringfellow and it moved a little bit further down the road.

There were hand operated petrol pumps at Miss Himpkins house near the war memorial.

In addition to The Crown Inn, there was a pub called the Horse and Wagon near St Benets Church.

Princess Margaret used to visit the village and stay at Bells Castle, as she was friends with a member of the Holland-Martin family. She could be seen walking down to the village with her friend and a body guard. Apparently she would often call into the village shop, grab a bottle of gin, ask the shop keeper to 'charge it to the house' and then leave.