Mrs Smith was born the youngest of several children at one of the four stone cottages in a yard leading off the Olney Road, later moving into Olney Road with her Parents, and has lived in Lavendon all her life. At the time of her birth and for a large part of her life ‘Mod Cons’ were unknown in the village. Water came from wells in a bucket. (Mrs Smith and Mrs Haylor could remember the location of about 6 wells). As for sewage, the ‘cart’ came around once a week after dark. There were as many as seven shops in the village.   Mrs Smith’s father (Mr Ward) walked to and from work at Hydes Farm, Olney, everyday. The families never knew what time the men would be home from work – no 9-5 hours then. Mrs Ward made lace as was common then and Mrs Smith stayed at home to help her mother when she left school. The lace was collected by a gentleman who had been introduced by Mrs Smith’s uncle. Mrs Smith well remembers that her mother wouldn’t take more than the going rate for her work in spite of her Uncle’s efforts to get more for his sister. Mr Ward would often say that his wife “never went to bed the same day she got up”. Mrs Haylor added that she remembers the lace makers using a bottle of water between the lamp or candle to intensify the light and direct it onto the lace pillow. Mrs Smith can remember earning two shillings and sixpence for lace to border one handkerchief.   The children often started school at the age of 4 but Mrs Smith went at the age of 5. Girls usually wore pinafores over their dresses and preferred to wear shoes rather than boots, but they were only allowed to wear shoes in fine weather. Discipline was strict but not oppressive, parents insisted on good behaviour. Mrs Smith’s brother George was quite clever at school and was well thought of by the Headmaster. He very much enjoyed helping the younger children with their school work. Later he became groom at a house in Olney and would ride home on one of the horses much to the delight of his younger brothers and sisters. At this time there was a Headmaster and three teachers at the school, names remembered were: Mr Freestone, Mr Bristow, Mr Barnard, Miss Paybody, Mrs Mathias and a Miss Woodward who lodged with the Blacksmith and his wife in Olney Road during the week, going home to New Bradwell at weekends. The boys often worked on farms after school and sometimes their sisters would go with them but occasionally the girls would look after babies and help with household chores. Mrs Haylor remembered a Mrs Chapple who gave private lessons to children.    Mrs Smith together with her brothers and sisters all went to Sunday School from the age of 5. Rev G P Soames was rector at that time (from 1875-1918). His wife and daughter helped with the Sunday School and other church work. The children had to be of good behaviour under threat of a note being sent to their parents. “We never saw a note come home” added Mrs Smith.   Mrs Haylor recalls the first ‘bus service which operated from the village by a Mr Davis. Firstly from a place next to The George public house and later from where Mr Miller now lives. At that time the fare to Olney was two pence. Mrs Haylor’s grandfather, Mr Parris, had the new chapel built on Mr Osborne’s land with stones collected from fields in Lavendon, mainly from an area known as Boulmer Leys. The old chapel was a building near the factory in Olney Road. Mrs Haylor also remembers how her mother used to make a 100lb batch of butter twice a week.   Finally we were told of one rector, Rev J H S Davis (from 1918-1928) who died in the belfry whilst winding the church clock.   Prepared by: Lesley Barrett & Lynn Stokes The Memories of Mrs May Smith The following memories were collected from a conversation in August 1982 between Mrs May Smith, Mrs Ruth Haylor, Mrs Lynn Stokes and Mrs Lesley Barrett, as part of a WI project. Below:  Lavendon School probably pictured sometime between 1915 and 1921 when Sam Freestone, shown far left and mentioned above, was Headmaster. This photo also shows the pinafore dresses mentioned by Mrs Smith.