Teddy Ratcliffe

This, as many Stony Stratford people will tell you, is Teddy Ratcliffe, his cart and his famous donkey.

Teddy was a real character. He lived in lodgings at Potterspury and operated as a carrier between the village and Stony Stratford six days a week. The seventh day, he pumped the organ at Potterspury church services.

Teddy had a charge list in his carrier's business: "penny for small parcels, 2d for big ones." He would remember most of his orders, but occasionally made notes on scraps of paper to jog his memory.

Each day he left Pury at 11.30, placed his orders in shops at Stony for collection between two and four in the afternoon. This regular service went on until the late 1930s, and of course many were the tales told about Teddy, his orders and his donkey.

Mr Peter Philpotts, whose family has been associated with local chemist Cox & Robinsons for many years, recalls that one day the long-suffering donkey lay down in York Road and refused to get up. Teddy went into the chemist's shop and asked Mr Maclean if he could see what was the matter.

After examining the donkey, Mr Maclean explained, "I'm afraid it's dead, Teddy."

Teddy looked thoughtful and then quietly replied - "That's funny - he's never done that before!"

But because he was held in such esteem and affection throughout the district, the tradesmen on Stony Stratford paid for a handtruck to be made by Mr Ted Yates, and Teddy continued as a carrier until ill-health caused him to retire.