Today in Highworth there are not many old characters like there was when I was a child; one in particular was Ernest Wheeler, who lived in The Elms, and was quite an old man when I knew him. Everyone called him ‘Slink’ and the kids used to shout names after him, sometimes shouting “Hang him on a rusty nail”. Why this I never knew. One day when my brother and I were going to the Rec to play football my brother called him some names; we both ran away laughing, with him shouting “I’ll get you, you young varmits”. Well, you might have guessed, he was waiting for us on our way home, “Yes, and he smacked my brother across the back of his bare legs”, which really stung. We ran like mad for home frightened that he would tell dad about us, because every time he went past our house in Sheep Street, he used to shout “Good night Jack Archer”. I remember he used to wear a frock tailed coat, corduroy trousers, hob nailed boots, a greasy black bowler hat, and a red and white spotted neckerchief. What a character in today’s world.
Another one was “Fodge” Ackling who always stood on the Fox or Wise’s corner with his friend George Warren. One of his favourite sayings was ‘Only fools work’. Of course we mustn’t miss out Ted Boots, who as far as I know never did any work. If the wind was coming from the south west Ted was always on Wise’s corner, if it was from the north or east he was on the Fox corner. These we called the Highworth watchmen. Not far from where we lived in Sheep Street was a row of old stone cottages in Vicarage Lane. Tiny Gorton lived in the first one, and was an old man when we knew him. He always wore hob nailed boots and walked to work every day to Stanton House where he worked on the estate. Next door lived Mrs Ackling who cleaned the church tower stairs in her younger days; she was a kind homely person. Living with her was her son Frank ‘Cherry’ Ackling who had a large powerful motorbike with a fish tailed exhaust pipe. His bike was black and silver chrome, and when he was cleaning his bike he let us watch him. I think he used to enjoy showing it off to us youngsters. In the next cottage down was Mrs Ackling’s daughter Rose, and her husband Joe Woodward. The next house down was called ‘Prospect Villa’ where Mr and Mrs Tommy Routledge lived; next door was Mr and Mrs Charlie Ely who had a small farm and a milk round in the town. Next to them was Mr and Mrs Frank Higgs; Frank Higgs served on H.M.S. Warrior at the Battle of Jutland, and then as a submariner in the First World War. He was something of a hero to us youngsters in those days. The two remaining houses in Vicarage Lane was the Vicarage, where the Rev. and Mrs Webb lived, and the small stone built cottage which joined on to the church room; this had a very small garden in front with the entrance just opposite Tiny Gorton’s gateway. This is where Mr and Mrs Newman lived with their son Jack who worked at the Mat Factory. Jack was a very kind and gentle person and well liked by everyone.
When we were in our later years at school we were old enough to go to the Young Mens Institute, (where the Town Council Offices are now) to play billiards or snooker. Jack Silk was in charge of the ‘Stute’ at that time, and when the lights went out over the tables due to our money running out, he used to relight them with no payment. I think he liked our company because he always said he would otherwise have been on his own all evening. Jack Silk was a good friend to the youngsters of Highworth at that time. In the late 1940’s early 50’s Highworth Wolves cycle speedway team was formed, and had their track in the Welcome Home Field. My brother Roy rode for them and won several trophies during that time. I always travelled to away meetings with him. For the home meetings crowds of several thousand people; young and old alike; turned out to watch, with the Wolves nearly always winning. Everyone eagerly waited for each meeting to come round, and I must say that this period of my childhood was very enjoyable.
In 1952 my childhood ended in Sheep Street when the Archer family moved to a new house on the Market Gardens, Station Road, Highworth.
The Archer Family Tree 