Did you guess the location of last week’s Mystery Photograph? We’ve been trying to make them a little more difficult of late. We were, infact, in Oakhill.

Well done to those who guessed correctly: Paul Hancock, Terry Reakes, Jonathan Griffin, Sally Bown, Les Box, Hannah Selway, Don Deverill, Ken Cottle, Dan Clark and the Thursday Night Club at Sun Chemical!

Thank you to Terry Reakes, who got in touch. He said: “The Mystery photo brings many memories back to me. I attended The British School, now demolished. My family lived in the school house; my mother, Gwaldys Reakes, was school caretaker.

“One of her tasks was scrubbing the school floors on her hands and knees, plus the herculean task of stoking a coke boiler which heated the school, a chore that would have made strong men struggle. All this, and more for a mere pittance and a house that left much to be desired.

“Oakhill was an idyllic village in many ways, still is. But the house we lived in had an outside tap, outside lavatory. In winter, damp would raise through flagstones and ooze through walls as rain came through cracks in roof tiles.

“When we moved into a council house at Suunymead, Little London, we were overjoyed, all our Christmases had come at once. Electric light instead of oil lamps, a bathroom and a lavatory that actually flushed! And a electric cooker, taking the place of a black-lead grate and a big garden. Joy upon joy.”

If you think you know where this week’s ‘Then’ photograph may have been taken and would like a mention, email: [email protected] or send your answer to us via Facebook: @MNRJournal.

Answer next week!

This week’s photograph is courtesy of Radstock Museum, who have recently launched a new initiative, ‘Memories over Elevenses’. For a small cost to include tea, coffee and snacks, visitors can come along on the first Friday of the month from 10.30 a.m. until 12 noon, bringing old photographs, objects, documents and your stories, sharing your own local history knowledge with the team and making new friends. Everyone is very welcome. For details, contact: 01761 437722.