Reminiscence

14 total works

The Village Doctor

by Fred Archer

Published September 1986

Hawthorn Farm

by Fred Archer

Published 23 April 1998

An account of the myths and folklore that surrounded the pool at Beckford, near Bredon Hill, where the author lived and worked as farmer. The stories are interwoven with anecdotes of country life.

Fred Archer, Farmer's Son

by Fred Archer

Published 24 May 1984

Lad of Evesham Vale

by Fred Archer

Published 1 November 1972

The Cuckoo Pen

by Fred Archer

Published 26 October 1995

When Fred Archer was a boy, men's voices were deep and mellow as they rang out following the plough, or sang in church on Sundays, a farmer could make a living with a herd of 20 cows, and each village had a blacksmith and wheelwright. Workers days were broken only by the turning rhythm of the seasons and the pleasure of a chat when they stopped for their bait of bread and cheese. This book recreates those days of the 1920s and 30s when life was so different from today.

Muddy Boots and Sunday Suits

by Fred Archer

Published January 1974

Hay Days

by Fred Archer

Published 20 September 2001

This final book from Fred Archer, written just before he died, recreates the hard times and the joys of the year 1924 on Bredon Hill where he farmed. After the sacrifices of the First World War, the villagers gradually come to terms with the loss of their young men, only to find themselves facing the anxiety of the Depression, and the tragedy of foot-and-mouth disease. As grain and stock prices tumble, they have to find other ways of making a living, and so the land begins to reak of sprouts, as farmers turn to market gardening on the rich black soil. But against this bleak background, we are surrounded by the characters Fred met as boy. Fred Chandler the cowman, who sang hymns to his herd as they munched their bait from the manger. Walt, one of the last real ploughmen, whose faithful horses were his world and granted them regular treats of cattle cake. Sam, who somehow created an orchard on the land and sold blood red wallflowers in the markets of the north. And Fred recalls his own first days as a farmer's boy, straight from school, desperately trying not to plough a 'furrow as crooked as a dog's hind leg'!
Alongside the text are his own interesting recollections of how he first came to writing, and a biographical introduction written by a Worcestershire journalist who knew him well.

The Distant Scene

by Fred Archer

Published 1 January 1974

The Distant Scene is another interesting collection of stories from the Worcestershire countryside. Fred Archer's memories are vividly recreated in this heart warming selection of tales from Fred Archer's childhood. In this wonderful collection of tales from the countryside the reader is once again introduced to a vibrant array of characters from Fred Archer's childhood. The reader is introduced to characters such as Auntie Phoebe, renowned for the pop she sold in a pint and a half bottle during the haymaking season and Tom Wheatcroft and Job Barley. Anyone who enjoyed reading Under the Parish Lantern is sure to enjoy The Distant Scene.

Benedict's Pool

by Fred Archer

Published 21 October 1999

Behind the monastery at the foot of Bredon Hill, enclosed by two copices, lies Benedict's Pool. Few villagers fish from the dark pond, nor will they visit it on moonlit nights, for it is said to be haunted. Fred Archer recalls the folklore and myths which surround the pool at Beckford, and the life of the surrounding villages where Fred lived and worked as a farmer. The history of Bredon Hill provides a colourful background to the local mythology: the remains of an Iron Age camp on the summit; Roman coins and pottery turned up by the plough; and mutilated skeletons - evidence of a bloody battle before the Roman invasion. The spirits of the ancient soldiers - Briton, Roman and Saxon - are thought to live on in the beech trees, and the sound of men marching has been heard from under the soil. The mysterious lady in white also haunts the pool. Interwoven with the stories of ancient folklore are anecdotes of country life during the early part of the 20th century up to the end of World War I - haymaking, the Boxing Day Meet and excursions to Weston-super-Mare.

When Village Bells Were Silent

by Fred Archer

Published 1 November 1975

The Village of My Childhood

by Fred Archer

Published June 1989

The Tibblestone Hundred

by Fred Archer

Published 1 September 2001

In this work, Fred Archer traces the history of the Tibblestone Hundred, from its beginnings. An ancient land with ancient traditions, families living in the Hundred had grazing rights for their cattle, and the filed names still recall traditional uses - Rope Ground, Calves Gore, the Promised Land. In telling the story of the changes wrought by the years in Tibblestone, Fred Archer also tells his own story, from the time when his father and others hoed by hand, to his early life on the farm, ploughing Thurness field with the clay coming up like bacon rashers, to today's agricultural practices, with less labour and more intensive rearing. Archer recreates the changing tenor of farming and village life over the centuries. Illustrated with black and white photographs, this book should appeal to all those with an enduring interest in English country life.

The Secrets of Bredon Hill

by Fred Archer

Published 1 January 1974

Village Door

by Fred Archer

Published December 1998