Continuing our look at life in the village of Sydling St Nicholas in 1947, these images and annotations tell us of the excellent relationship with the County Medical Officer’s team of health visitors.
The health visitors would give advice to expectant and mothers of young children and would undertake health checks on the little ones. Methods of weighing a baby have changed somewhat since then, as here we can see a baby being weighed in what looks like a string shopping bag and probably the equivalent to a modern day personal luggage weighing scale! Baby Terence looks perfectly comfortable and mum, Mrs E. M. Swain, is clearly happy!
The District Nurse was also involved in the Village Fete, and can be seen here weighing 6 month old Barry Wilkinson who was an entrant, and went on to win the baby show.
The village held an annual Harvest Festival, and the villagers produce would be arranged inside the Church; following the festival, the fruit and vegetables were generously donated to the Dorchester Hospitals.
Continuing the topic of growing, the village also had a Produce Association, which according to the information provided with the above photograph was “formed to encourage home-growing of produce, [and] has 60 members in Sydling”. Each villager would pay a subscription for which they would receive seeds and seed potatoes at a reduced price. Here we can see a van being loaded with the produce in preparation for the Produce Associations’ annual competition, which took place in Weymouth. Does anyone remember this? Is there still a Produce Association today?
Sydling St. Nicolas was clearly busy, bustling village, belying the quiet scene portrayed by the ladies taking an evening walk through the village, and the beautiful stream that runs through, which was used regularly for watering cattle and to keep milk churns cool overnight.
Does anyone have any memories or stories to share of life in the village? We would love to hear them!