DATA BASE REF: 1 1051

John and Gina Hill of Marholm

John Cyril Hill lives at 2 The Cottages, Stamford Road, Marholm. He was born in Marholm 13 August 1936. His wife Gina nee Dytham is the Verger of Marholm Church

Family:

Parents: Parents:

Cyril(Tom) Hill m Edith Bailey dau of Frederick Dytham m Nellie Sauntson

Jim Bailey of Marholm

Children: 1.Ray 1.Margaret(Dec)

2.John Cyril 2.Fred(Alwyn)(dec) wife is Pat Brown of Castor)

3.Don 3.Lilian M Colin (Jagger) Jarvis of Marholm

4.Michael m Sandra, lives Etton 4. Thomas

5. Gina

6. Charles

7. Colin (dec)

8. Noel

9. May(dec)

Early Life:

John Cyril Hill and Gina Dytham married 19 March 1960 at Yarwell, where Gina’s family lived. They have two children Trevor Hill b 15 May 1964 ( grandchildren are Alice b 11 June 1991 and Thomas b 7 Jul 1993) and Susan b 6 Aug 1970. John and Gina live ina house that is on the site of the house John was born in. There were originally two thatched cottages, closer to the Stamford Road, which Milton had pulled down and replaced with the present two houses in 1960. john’s parents lived at first at the bungalow now in the Milton Woodyard, then in Tim Sansby’s old cottage, 1 Stamford Road Marholm, then 7 Walton Road Marholm, then lastly 10 Walton Road Marholm. Gina’s family lived at Yarwell, but her father was Keeper to Commander Hopkinson of The Grange Sutton, and to Jack Button of Sutton Manor Farm. Home included a tin bath and a primrose path.

John’s father Cyril (Tom) was the Horseman at Manor Farm Marholm; the tenants of the farm were the Waterworths. He used to do the ploughing with the horses, then latterly the horses were used for carting, corn and hay. John remembers riding in the wagons pulled by the horses. John went to Marholm School, along with Stan and Peter Jarvis, the Winterton boys, those from Belsize. At age 11, John left Marholm School, and went to Walton School for two years, then to Glinton School, which his year group was the first to attend. John was expected to help his father gardening or running errands, who was quite strict. Once he was 12, more was expected. They would go up to Home Farm to help round up sheep that had got out, setting off in a cart; going up to the fields for the harvest, taking the tea. Every third Sunday, the children would go to the barn at Home Farm, where Mr Jim Coles, the Horseman for the farm would cut their hair.. they would sit on the sawing-bench, and he would say “shut your eyes,” and their fringes were cut off. They gave him three-penny bit, and he would give them back a penny. In those days, Tom Hornsby had the Blacksmith forge next door (now converted into a house). The Neals lived at Gatehouse Farm. There was also a farm at Ramshill then, farmed by Graham Longfoot and then Gordon Jarvis. John always got up at half-past-five am and still does. The only day he has a lie-in is Christmas Day.

Church:

They had to go to Sunday School at 9am. They would all go and Tom Adler (the Rector) took the register. His mother played a large roll in Church life, being on the PCC and so on. There were services at 11am and 6pm. John was confirmed in the Cathedral when he was about 12.

Working Life:

When John left school he went to work for the Waterworths at Manor Farm. He did everything there, including shepherding in later years. In those days they employed 14 or 15 people at the farm. John did his National Service, with the County Regiment, the Northamptonshire Regiment, from 1955-1957. He served in Hong Kong and Singapore, then returned to Manor Farm. His work moved to Woodcroft when John Waterworth went there to farm; then he worked part-time for the Jarvis family. John and Gina moved into their present house 2 The Cottages after they married. These houses were built by Milton to replace the thatched cottages that were on the same site, and they had all mod cons! The house went with Manor Farm. John played football, for Yarwell, Nassington, the YMCA, and had trials for Bristol City.

Country Life:

John has hardly missed a Shoot Day since 1957. He often used to go out shooting fallow deer in Castor Hanglands at night, with the Milton keeper Wally Walker. Sometimes they would come in 6am for breakfast, then go out again all day. He was also asked for trials by George Sunden, manager of the POSH. He played for the battalion while in the army. He played centre-half, and could play with both feet! He watched Man U lose 3-1 to Aston Villa in the ’58 Cup Final. He also played cricket, a batsman his highest score was 120 in a company match.

Life has changed slowly, but it has changed. There are more houses and less young people. There is no WI added Gina, nor a Wives’ fellowship. The pub – the Green Man- is no longer a local, but a restaurant for visitors and passers by. They were good days in the village. He was born in a decent era, compared with today. You made your own entertainment. You could not even go the The Green Man until you were 18, for everybody knew your age, including Mrs Gutteridge, the land-lady, and you rarely went out of the village.

Notes by WB 27 Aug 2003.