On 14th January 2007, Alison St Clair Baker of Newnham had the pleasure of visiting Mrs Nieves at her retirement home in Faversham. Mrs Neaves shared some of her memories of growing up and living in Newnham which are recorded below. Sadly, the lovely Violet Neaves of Rose Cottage, well known to Newnham residents as "Auntie Vi", died in February 2007 at the age of 94. She will be greatly missed by friends and relatives.
I was born in 1910 in Rose Cottage which is next to Newnham Village Hall..
I remember in my school days we played in the road. I went to Doddington school first and then I went to Eastling. I walked to Doddington School when I was five with the other girls - there were about five of us. I also walked to Eastling and back - there were three of us. Most of my school friends moved away from the village. I was very good at school and I got first prize for my garden.
I remember the lovely Baker's shop - the bread smelt lovely as you walked along the street then there was the Post Office. There was also the Blacksmith - I used to go there as a girl and watch the men working. I didn't go much into The George - I'm not a drinker - just water for me!
I used to cycle to Faversham. My sister once took me on the back of her bike to have her hair done!
My husband was an electrician but he never made a lot of money. He used to say he'd do jobs for people and then he'd say that's all right and never charge them.
I looked after my mum and dad - we all lived in Rose Cottage together - my husband and I got married in 1942 and we had two rooms in the cottage.
It wasn't very nice during the war we had those doodlebugs come smashing down. I had a shelter in the garden but we never went in it - we just went under the table. There was a siren in Faversham - we could hear it in Doddington - it was very loud. My husband was in the Forces 6 years - in the Airforce - and he came back which is something. A bomb fell on the house and killed the mum and dad and the three children - not in Newnham but not far away.
Douglas Doughty is my nephew. I looked after him as a baby and used to take him out a lot as they had the butcher's shop in Doddingtonh and were always very busy.