Reginald  Howling (1929-2011) Reg was a New Buckenham boy who went to New Buckenham School then Old Buckenham Area School until he was 14. He left on a Friday and started work at 5am on Monday, walking a mare from the Winter Paddocks in Wilby to Eccles Station. He became the Paddocks' stallion man, exercising the horses 12 hours a day. One of his stallions was Rising Light, owned by the Queen and winner of many races. He once met Her Majesty at the Doncaster Yearling Sales. At various times he was gardener, groom and general handyman at The Grange for Mr and Mrs Donald Steward of the family brewing company Steward & Patterson, while being captain and greenkeeper of the Palace Bowls Club in the gardens of The Grange. Reg also went into building and maintenance, becoming an accomplished carpenter and joiner. Some residents may remember seeing the horse-drawn wedding carriage which he converted from a funeral bier - did the happy couples know? He also made snooker tables for clubs in Norwich and throughout Norfolk. While running his smallholding at was is now Holly Farm he was employed driving the County Council road sweeper.  He played a full part in New Buckenham life, especially the old village hall’s maintenance and equipment. Jean Howling, née Sturman  (1931-2024)    Jean was born and brought up in Old Buckenham with her elder brother Ronnie. The midwife had told her parents that she ‘looked like an olive’ so she was named Olive Jean, but was always known as Jean. After school she trained as a hairdresser in Attleborough. She met Reg at a local dance and on marriage in 1953 they settled at New Buckenham in a cottage next to the then school. She travelled by bus to Norwich to continue hairdressing, she and her friends being asked by the conductor on many occasions to ‘keep the noise down’. Moving to Beech Cottage she opened her own hairdressers in what is now a beauty salon that in the past had been a butcher’s shop run by Reg’s grandfather. Their daughter was born in 1957. As a family they moved to various properties around New Buckenham, including Grange Cottage near the church, then King Street. They were briefly in a mobile home under the conker trees by Green Point while building a bungalow and running a smallholding in Haugh Road, now Holly Farm. They finally settled at Hill View where Jean continued hairdressing "in the kitchen" for her many friends for several years. Jean never did learn to drive; Reg tried to teach her but both their daughter and the dog wanted to get out of the car. During a lesson with a driving instructor she didn't know whether to knock her uncle Jack off his bike or hit the combine coming in the other direction. Jean headed home and gave up. At different times Jean worked as a shop assistant in all three of the village grocery shops. Reg and Angela kept ponies. Jean enjoyed watching from a distance and continued to show great interest in family members who still keep horses. After her daught5er married in 1979 four grandsons came along who, in turn, provided six great grandchildren. Jean was always involved in village life in fundraising for play equipment on the common, running discos, revamping the old village hall and helping at the annual village fête to name but a few. For the Methodist Chapel Jean helped organise flower festivals and many other events for its upkeep. She wrote frequently in Parish News and was an active committee member of the Good Companions helping to organise parties and coach trips. Later in life she joined Reg playing bowls and helping at the East Harling club. After Reg died Jean moved into No.3 Almshouses to be closer to the shops and neighbours. Four years of gradually fading health then led Jean to move to Fairland House, a care home in Attleborough. Here she made new friends and joined in the many activities including her love of flower arranging and bingo sessions where she was too quick for the other residents and won most of the prizes. She loved to sing along and have a cuddle with the "Elvis" impersonator on his visits. Jean passed away peacefully aged 92 on 15th April 2024, having led a very active, fulfilling and purposeful life. Her ashes are in New Buckenham’s cemetery, with Reg.