Dr James Townley and family

Dr James Townley was my much-loved step-father. He ran the surgery from our house; Campions, London Road, Harston and then later on in the village itself. He had two sons and a daughter from his marriage to my mother. Alison, the eldest, became a professional violinist (originally taught by Amy Parker in Hauxton) and Nick became a French teacher and Chris an IT expert. I went to school in Great Shelford before going on to the Perse School for Girls in Cambridge. I used to catch the 108 bus into Cambridge and loved earwigging elderly ladies discussing Dad and saying what a great doctor he was. I felt so proud!
I remember our life in Harston with great pleasure. Everybody was friendly and I remember the local vicar cycling down to us for a cuppa. You could see the top of his hat as he cycled past on the other side of the beech hedge. Long gone are the days when the butcher’s boy delivered meat by bicycle. It had a large basket in the front and there was always a bone for the dog!
In the summer, I remember going to early morning communion in the lovely little Hauxton church with the sound of pigeons cooing in the rafters and sunshine streaming in through the open doors. I also remember sneaking into the village shop to buy sweets although I was meant to be having a healthy bike ride. After school, I trained as a nurse in Guy’s Hospital in London before moving first to Dublin and then to Nigeria. I now work as a writer and voice-over artist.
I now live in County Wexford in Ireland. Sadly, as I am now 81, I have forgotten so many names but if anyone would like to make contact, my website address is www.nicolalindsay.ie It has my contact details.