More events featured in photographs have been remembered by our readers

Re: Hadleigh Carnival, May 1981

The picture you published on Monday, November 25 of the group of lively adult schoolchildren was part of the combined Hadleigh and District Round Table and Ladies’ Circle entry for the fancy dress procession in the first Hadleigh Primary Schools’ carnival in May 1981.

They represented Billy Bunter’s Skool Band and St Trinians and are (from the left): John Byham, Robin Baldwin, Jenny Denny, Marian Leach, Rodney Rolfe and Lionel Denny.

I remember it as if it were yesterday as that year I was chairman of Hadleigh and District Round Table.

Michael Woods,

Upper Layham, Hadleigh.

I have the names of those on the photograph. From left to right: John Byham, Robin Baldwin, Jenny Denny, Marion Leach, Rodney Rolfe and Lionel Denny.

This group were ‘Billy Bunter’s Skool Band aided by St Trinians Girls’ all of whom were Round Tablers and Ladies Circle in 1981.

John Byham,

Layham,

Ipswich.

Re: Donkey drinking a pint, Red Lion, Great Bricett

Reference the picture of the donkey drinking a pint at the Red Lion, Great Bricett.

The landlord holding the pint is Jim Olds and the donkey was called Pedro.

Suzanne Squirrel, by email.

Re. Iain Hunter’s recollections

I knew Iain’s late parents who lived in Great Bricett after their RAF service.

The landlord’s name was Jim Old. He was an avid card player and the stories of this activity were numerous.

The Olds retired a few years after I arrived in Great Bricett and went back to Middleton, Suffolk, which was Ruby’s home village. I met them on a few occasions in the Bell Pub, their local in Middleton. They are now both deceased.

A landlord who came to the Red Lion after the Olds had been gone for a few years was Lt Col Bernard Rourke, who also inherited ownership of the drinking donkey Pedro and the other pet, Larry the lamb!

I have a copy of the photo from the The Mercury Newspaper dated December 2, 1983 and again Pedro was drinking a pint provided by the landlord of the day, Bernard.

Bernard was another of the unique landlords we have had here at the Red Lion.

He spent most of his 23 years service in the Army based in Hong Kong because he was a fluent Chinese Mandarin speaker. Unusually for a publican he was also teetotal!

Bernard and his wife Veronica retired

some years ago to Spain and any day now their annual Christmas greeting will come through our front door and so we are still in contact.

Tony & Wendy Logue,

Great Bricett.

Re: Schoolchildren delivering Christmas parcels

You asked for information regarding the picture of schoolchildren delivering the Christmas parcels and who they were.

Well, that’s me at the back on the left. There is also David Fraser, Amy Struggles, Nicola Ridge, Claire (or Charlotte) Richardson (identical twins), the girl front right was only about for a year, I think her name was Laura and back right is, I believe, Kirsty Beevis.

The picture was taken at the flats near the police station.

Andy Nolan, by email.