THIS week, the News received a letter in response to Barbara Walker’s memories of Ilminster Carnival from Susanne Brown.

She said: I would like to reply to Mrs Walker’s article in the Chard and Ilminster News on 23/2/2016, about carnival memories.

Both my late mother-in-law and I were both Carnival Queens in Ilminster.

My mother-in-law was queen in 1938, her name was Maud Dinham.

I was queen in 1967, my name is Susanne Brown (nee Crouch) I would also like to tell you I grew up three doors away from your parents. My family came to Ilminster in 1953, I was four years old, and we lived at 80 Black Down View.

My parents were Ron and Margaret Crouch. Your parents lived at 77.

I have good memories of your parents who were very kind to us, as they let us watch TV with them as we did not have a TV.

Your mother always made us tea.

I lived in Ilminster for 22 years at Blackdown View, then at Winterhay Lane. I moved to Ilton in 1972 and we stayed until 2008 when we moved to Horton.

I have two sons, aged 35-40, my youngest son was in Gemini Carnival Club for many years.

Susanne Brown, nee Crouch

If you want to share your memories of Ilminster Carnival, or Chard Carnival, please send them in to newsdesk@chardandilminsternews.co.uk or write to Letters, Chard and Ilminster News, 44 St James Street, Taunton, TA1 4JR