Walking…
After the war, the Parkins were able to travel around more than they had been during the war years. However, as they did not have a car, they were still fairly limited in terms of where they could travel. They relied a great deal on walking and cycling. Places they walked included the 44 Steps, the forest and the Quarries. The location of these places is discussed in Chapter 31. In May 1948, mum noted walking home from Newstead after anniversary practice.
…And Cycling
However, most journeys of any distance were by bike. Sometimes mum and grandad went to places together. Sometimes they went separately. Places they went on their bikes included Alfreton, Bestwood, Blackwell, Calverton, Clipstone, Edwinstowe, Epperstone, Gibbet Dale, Huthwaite, Jubilee Hill (see box note 1), Linby (see box note 2), Longdale, Mansfield (including Mansfield Reservoir), Mansfield Woodhouse, Mill Lane, Moorgreen, Newstead, Ollerton, Oxton, Papplewick, Pinxton, Pleasley, Pleasley Vale, Pye Bridge, Selston, Sutton, Teversal and Underwood.
| [1] Jubilee Hill appears to be a hill in the area of Selston and Jacksdale. Mum refers to it in relation to a ride to Pinxton. It is mentioned in Chapter 36 in relation to the different perspectives in the different diaries. [2] One of mum’s favoured routes was to Linby and Papplewick. It was 11.3 miles and merited its own abbreviation (L&P) in mum’s list of abbreviations. |
An Eight-Mile Radius
Most of these places are within a radius of around eight miles. Some of the places they cycled to were further than this, e.g. Epperstone, Ollerton, Calverton and Oxton. Grandad often recorded the distance of particular rides. So, one through Moorgreen, Hucknall, Papplewick and Mansfield was 22½ miles. Another one to Ollerton and Edwinstowe via Longdale was 37 miles. The fact that mum could now cycle further reflected that mum was bigger and older but also that she had a better (three-gear) bike. This was a green Raleigh that she got in 1947 and for which grandad paid £20 (see Chapter 37). Grandma did also have a bike although I am not sure how much she used it.
Travelling by Train
When mum and grandma went places together, it was often by train, including to and from Nottingham. On the occasion that grandma and mum went to visit the Lofthouses in April 1949, they went by train. When the Parkins went to Skegness in August 1949, they went by train. In September 1949, mum, grandma, Eileen and John (Fawthrop) all went to Trent Bridge on the train. They went to the Pleasure Park and the next day, they went to Mansfield Meadows which, I believe is a reference to Titchfield Park. I found references to Titchfield Park being called the Meadows on the Our Mansfield and Area website.
Travelling by Bus
Grandad also noted that sometimes he went into Nottingham by bus, e.g. to meet mum after a party or to buy some tool or other! Mum and grandma also sometimes went into Nottingham by bus. Other places the Parkins visited by bus included Chesterfield and Matlock. Chapel outings were often by bus. In June 1949, when mum went with a ladies’ trip to Chester, she managed to trap her arm in the bus!
Boat trips
The family also had occasional boat trips, e.g. on the River Trent. In May 1948, on a trip to Derby, mum noted rowing on the River Derwent with Hazel Munns.
Fewer Restrictions on Private Motoring
Also, with the relaxation of restrictions on using petrol for private motoring, particularly from June 1948, the family were able to travel more widely by car with those who had access to one, including Bert, Frank and Len. Places they travelled included Bolsover Castle, Doncaster, Grantham (see box note 1), Hardwick Hall, Mablethorpe (see box note 2), Nottingham (see box note 3) and Trusthorpe (see Chapter 40).
| [1] In September 1946, grandad noted going to Grantham in Bert’s car so that grandma could go on to Hartlepool to collect mum from visiting the Lofthouses. [2] I have assumed the trip to Mablethorpe was by car although it is not explicitly stated. [3] In August 1949, mum noted going into Nottingham with Lynne and Kath in a car. |