Memories of Arlesey

My Dad, Dennis

Hello. My dad was born in Arlesey 1926 at 77 High Street, his name is Dennis James Saunderson. His mother was Ada Lillian Saunderson and his father was Arthur Taleyson Jones, they married in Biggleswade registry office December 24th 1924. My grandfather disappered after 1926, and his mother went back to her maiden name. I would be grateful if anyone out there has family who lived there at that time, could tell me why or where or what happened at that time? Thank you so much. 77 High Street was where they all lived with Ada's grandparents, Hannah and Charles Saunderson. Thank you, I have been looking for information for over 13 years and haven't got any family alive now that can tell me. From Mrs Denise Saunderson-Charter.

Arlesey, Bedfordshire

When my dad was demobbed after the war in 1946, we had to move back to London because of his job. We had all our funiture put on a lorry, and the local publican, a Ted Bland, delivered us to a requestioned place over a shop in Hornsey Road, Holloway, Islington, London. This became the second phase in my wonderful childhood, but it took some time to get used to the locals, at the finish they turned out to be the best people you could ever meet, but while we tried to settle in we were pining for Arlesey, and could not wait to go for a visit to my gran, grandad and cousin Terry, we idolised him. My eldest brother Ted was always his biggest fan. We would go to Kings Cross and pick up the Birch Brothers coach, and sit back and enjoy the wonderful scenic route through the countryside, eventually arriving at the Henlow crossroads two hours later. We stayed with them at 40 Stofold Road. Next door to them lived a family I believe called Aylott, who had a small market garden, they had part of my grandad's garden. I had got used to the lights of London because when they turned the lights off I was frightened it was so black, never-the-less the days were great. It was all fields around us, we used go into the field opposite and play rounders for hours, and all the grownups would join all the aunts and uncles who came down. Some days we used to go over what was called the Bunny Hills which was near the big lake, which was a clay pit originally. Apparently our great-grand father Aaron Gibbs lived in the house near to the lake, he was quite well known, and our gran would tell us about the times when he used to ferry them around in a pony and trap. We used to love the uncles and aunts arriving, because the would give us money for icecream, and we would run up to Chadwicks, who sold the best you ever tasted, and if you felt like it you would go for a walk up to the Arlesey house, stopping off at Maud Suttles and old Mrs Ketch (I think that's the right name) to maybe buy an apple, the shop had a beautiful smell of apples I can still remember it now sixty years later. Alas our holiday would be ending soon. That was the only time I hated the sound of those lovely bells ringing at St Peter's Church were my gran and grandad now rest in peace.

WONDERFUL CHILDHOOD IN ARLESEY HOUSE 19401946

I was born in Arlesey in 1940 in the large house next to St Peter's church, it was a lovely old place. My mother took my brother Ted and sister Marion to Arlesey when things started to get bad in Islington, London. I was born November 14th 1940, the night the Germans bombed Coventry. They said the bombers were flying over Arlesey all night, my dad said some were so low you could almost throw a stone at them. My gran lived in no 40 Stofold Road. After the war we spent many a happy summer holiday with her and my grandad and cousin Terry, it was lovely. My first memory was fighting with my sister Marion who was to ring the bell to let my Aunt Mary and her children know it was dinner time. We had rooms on the ground floor in Arlesey House, she and her three children lived upstairs. The summers seemed to always be sunny, none more so when my brother Frank was born on May 24th 1944. Those days were great for us kids, and when my dad was called up in the begining of the war our families helped each other, and shared what they had, including meals and the preparations. It might have been war time but us kids never knew much about it, now and again you would get a American lorry come through, and we would shout 'Got any gum chum?', and they often would oblige. I was born in Arlesey, my brother Frank was born and bred there, so the war was kind to us in a way.
As the days went by we eventually started going to school, I think the name was Madam Balonge or something similar. I remember they had a band and I was given a triangle to play. One time I contracted impetigo and the woman teacher took me to the doctor then took me home, only to be told by my mum that she could not afford the doctor's bill, I think it was half crown, which was a lot of money in them days, I don't ever remember going back to the school again. We gained a lot of friends at Arlesey House, none more so than the Standons, they had a son Michael about the same age as me, we became great mates and went everywhere together. I believe they moved to Peterborough. Their dad looked a bit like Frank Sinatra.