Wingey Proctor
So called because when he was young he thought he could fly and jumped from a barn window.
Pel is short for Pellets as apparently he used to to play cards for money with others which was illegal until the 1960’s They would go up Cross Edge where he could see all around for the local bobby. Apparently he had an air gun which he took with him as an excuse as to why they were out up the fields in case the bobby came for him. I think the story that he shot a policeman’s hat off with his pellet gun is apocryphal.
He lived in Short Street opposite the Lump of Coal and had a reputation of being awkward or colywessun as we say in Brown Edge I was always admonished by my father as “that’s the Pel in you” if I was being awkward or naughty (Pel was my Great Uncle)
Apart from once embarrassingly calling him Mr Bacca, I have several memories of this character. He lived at the top of Fiddlers Bank and was the grandfather of my friend Alan Adderly and I remember him showing us how to make both Puss nets and long nets (to catch rabbits in) He told us stories of how he and others would traipse all over the fields to catch rabbits in his younger days. He also told us how to catch hare, (which is a fair skill) call rabbits and foxes. While sitting and telling us these things he could spit into the fire between a kettle and pan that were warming there. As a boy I was impressed with this skill! I wish I could remember all the stories!
I think my first memory of him was at someone’s funeral or memorial service (i think it was my Great uncle Bill Tomkinsons) he was sitting on a Tombstone dressed in old fashioned black clothes with a hat just like off the front of the quaker oat box! My dad asked him if he was coming in and he said “nay ar onner goin in theyre, its dooas thee see not dooas thee doo in theyr” which roughly translated means that The Church Of England was always saying what you should do rather than setting an example itself!
I think i am right in saying that his sister ran off to join Buffalo Bills Circus! I ought to mention his wife who was a slight woman who always seemed to be working hard washing clothes etc and dashing around the village.
Kiteing was a Brown Edge boys favorite pastime and every boy knew how to make a kite. “If thee kate goos up an dine theyts got too much teelins an if its goinn from seyd t seyd theyasne gotenuf”. The more skillful having a piece of string so long that it needed several kites to keep it in the air. I remember my Uncle Edwin Turner telling me of a time when he and Sam had a a kite string so long that it stretched from Highest Point across to the Rocks over the Hollow (St Anne’s Vale) unfortunately the string broke and they had to bike up to Smallthorne to get it where it got stuck on some lines.
Another story involving Sam Bang was a habit of his to place a clod on the chimneys of the houses down St Anne’s Vale now called Rose Cottage, and to wait until the owners would come out coughing and choking.
Sam Bangs real name was Sam Willott he lived on Bank End and then down Norton Green
Jimmy and Billy Cud
Two old Brown Edgers brothers who were great Poachers. They both lived to a good age and were practically blind. One incident I remember was when i was a boy Paul Santrean took over from our old village barber Tommy Moore and Billy Cud and came in for a haircut. Paul was a little confused as Billy asked for a short back and sides as he was practically bald! The conversation went something like this.
“Eh up lad arve cum futaircut. Oo at enyrood.”
“I’m Paul Santrean”
“thcobblers lad?”
Yes Mr Cud thats me.
“narthen cost do me air”.
“Mr Cud you are practically bald”
“Arnow lad thats cuz i av meair cut every wake, just do it lark tummy did wut”.
“whatever you say Mr Cud”.
Most people called him Mr Cud although this was his knickname as his real name was Hancock.
Another tale was told to me about how the night before they had been given a laxitive in the Miners Arms and as they both were famed on their poaching and tracking abilities they were the but of several jokes the next day by fellow villagers who said they had no problem in tracking their way home because of the trail they left behind!