The Choules are the longest continuous family line to have lived in Easton village in recent memory. The first of the dynasty, George, moved here from East Grafton in 1855 when he married a local girl Elizabeth Stevens and they had three boys – William, John and Thomas. Their middle son, John, was born in 1861. He earned a living by making and repairing boots for the villagers and slaughtering their pigs.

In 1907 John married Jessie, the daughter of the village policeman, Aaron Harper, who from 1883 had lived in no 73, the police house on the road to Ram Alley and after his retirement moved to one of the Breach cottages. John and Jessie started their married life in No 30 where all four of their sons were born - their first child, Alec, arrived in 1908.

No 30 is one of a pair of cottages, similar to the police house, representing the Victorian era of Savernake estate building in the village, constructed of distinctive estate made bricks with buff brick dressings and a Welsh slate roof over projecting eaves and a wide verge.

From a young age, Alec Choules worked before and after school as a house boy on Collins’ farm, fetching coal, cleaning boots, washing out buckets. He won a place to Marlborough Grammar School but was unable to go as he was required by his parents to leave school at the age of fourteen and work to help support the family. Alec’s earnings, however, did allow younger brother Ernest later to take up a place at the Grammar.

Alec first joined Rex White, a Pewsey builder and then Chivers of Devizes as a master bricklayer, spending most of his time at Larkhill and Perham Down building army quarters and the Larkhill Catholic church. During the war, bricklaying was a reserved occupation and Alec initially worked on building Chiseldon army camp. When he was called up, he joined the Royal Artillery Coastal Defence stationed at the Citadel in Plymouth and Bembridge on the Isle of Wight.

In 1940, Alec married Hilda Blanchard and she joined the family in No 30 to help look after his father John and brothers Ernest and George when they came back on leave from the war. The other brother Reginald had already married and left home. During those wartime years, a son Raymond was born.

Hilda was an Easton girl, born in 1915 in No 55 opposite where the chapel was built. She had a twin brother, Hector and nine older siblings. Her father Harry Blanchard was a ganger on the Midland and South Western Junction Railway at Grafton. Tragically their mother Kate died when the twins were five years old. Their sister Winifred returned from service to look after them and another sister Elsie who was ill with rheumatoid arthritis.

Hilda was fourteen when Winifred left home to be married. She took over the running of the home and caring for her father Harry, Elsie and those brothers who were still living there. When eleven years later, sister Ivy returned home from service, Hilda was able to marry Alec and move to No 30.

Alec’s skills as a builder were well utilised round the village, particularly in the construction of the village hall and bus shelter He was chairman of the Parish Council for many years and took a particular interest in keeping open the footpaths.  Alec recorded memories of life in the village which he dedicated to his three grandsons, Glyn, Colin and Martin – extracts from his recollections are to be found in this book.

Hilda’s passions were cooking and gardening – she won many prizes at the Easton and Milton W.I. for her cakes and needlework. Alec looked after the vegetable garden and allotment, whilst Hilda always had a wonderful display of flowers which she grew from seed. Their gardening legacy is the Alec and Hilda Choules Cup for the Best Adult Score in Show awarded at the annual Easton Royal Produce Show.

When John Chandler interviewed the couple for his book on the Vale of Pewsey, Hilda told him she thought nothing of walking to Pewsey and back to get a hair cut or visit the doctor. She admitted she ‘never really cottoned on to Burbage’ which was closer but viewed with suspicion by Easton folk. Teams of men from the two villages would play against each other in a game of ‘hurkey’ – a kind of flamboyant hockey. It seems that one particular match ended in a violent free-for-all and for years afterwards it was risky for Easton lads to be seen in Burbage.

Described by their family as ‘down to earth Wiltshire folk’, Alec and Hilda were married for fifty-three years, all spent at No 30. When Alec died in 1993 aged 85, and after living in the village for 79 years, Hilda moved first to Seymour Court, Burbage and later to Combe End, Marlborough where she died on her 102nd birthday. Both Alec and Hilda were cremated and their ashes scattered over Easton Clump.

A fourth generation of the Choules family in Easton – Raymond and his wife Carole - continued to live at No 30.

ALEC AND HILDA CHOULES

Alec and Hilda Choules at their Golden Wedding

No 30 on right nearest camera

Reg and George Choules