Blast From The Past: The River Nene

Posted on | November 11, 2009 | 6 Comments

The following pictures where taken by my Dad sometime in the late 70’s to early 80’s. My best guest considering it is Rex in the picture of it being the 80’s. But I’m sure Mum or Nan will correct me on this one if I am wrong.

Anyway they show something that has not happened on the River Nene since then to my knowledge. That something being the River Nene frozen over.

Winters seemed harsher back in my childhood. But I still enjoyed them, despite the fact I had to walk to and from school each day. But then maybe my generation was the last generation that had those carefree childhoods, where we could play conkers, have snowball fights in the playground. Or even play football in the street, or go on day long bike rides in the countryside without our parents worrying we had been abducted.

In November 1977, due to a high tide backed up by gale-force winds, the River Nene burst it banks and flooded parts of Wisbech. Our home at the time was one of the ones flooded. The thing I remember from walking home from school that night was the wind. I was walking home along the quay/river side in to the gale head on. I was leaning at a forty five degree angle. I’ve not walked in wind that bad since. Even when I’ve been on a mountain ridge or top.

Now growing up in the Fens may not of been like growing up in the hills etc of Scotland. But I think that the mud flats of the Wash, the winds that ravage it’s landscape did a good job of preparing me for some of the conditions I would later on find on those hills.

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Comments

6 Responses to “Blast From The Past: The River Nene”

Fenlander
November 11th, 2009 @ 2:32 pm

Darren,TWO excellent posts, so far as the Nene freezing over, I seem to recall it being ’70’s, but can’t isolate a specific year – I was in too many places around the world at that time.
With regard to your previous post….don’t beat yourself up, either in relation to your own sons nor your father. I would bet there are very few fathers who haven’t and don’t feel the same way about their offspring nor many children who don’t wish ‘if only’ when parents are dead.
I think the important thing to ask yourself is…..’Did I do the best I knew how too at that time and in those circumstance?’ Whatever the answer it’s in the past and wont change.
Cheers,
Fenlander
TTG
November 11th, 2009 @ 5:10 pm

Personally I thinkit must have been in the 70s since I don’t remember a seriously cold winter that would freeze such as river as that. Although I was born early in the 70s I remember things from the late 70s onwards, certainly the interesting things like Sex Pistols on that news channel when they swore and very cold winters. I’d have remembered that winter if it had been in the 80s. We did have one cold winter though but not that cold.

You’re right about us having more freedom. I remember being allowed out of our side street onto the main road and being allowed to roam about 2 miles away. I remember a groups of us riding our bikes to see a pig farm about halfway to the next village. We would have been about 7 or 8 at the time riding on the main road and down busy country lanes (on the main route to the nearest town). Nowadays kids probably have to wait for an adult to drive them there, I’d be a petting farm now and probably shut down due to an E-Coli. scare in a few other petting farms at the other end of the country. There’s not the same getting muddy, making dens in out of the way places and getting lost in the countryside anymore.

I do think I am of the last generation to be carefree and I am heading to 40 as slowly as I can
Darren
November 12th, 2009 @ 5:39 pm

Robin,TTG
thanks for the feedback on trying to guess when the photos where taken. I’m tending towards 79 or 80 at the moment.
Robin, on the other post, thnx I have the comments from everyone have really meant a lot to me.
TTG, I think our kids are missing so much, which includes learning from their own mistakes and how to judge risk. Which I think we are resposible for denying them with our wrapping them in “cotton wool” to protect them from the evil out there.
frank the brother
November 13th, 2009 @ 4:16 pm

if that is rex in the pic then its after 81 as we got rex at princess road
Darren
November 14th, 2009 @ 8:24 am

Frank that is Rex in the picture.
frank the brother
November 14th, 2009 @ 6:32 pm

lol pics so small email me copys of the pics please