Happiest Early Days

A Memory of Elmstead.

I grew up in Elmstead Market moving there when I was 18 months old and left in 1965 when I was 8. I went to Elmstead School where Vera Norfolk was my first teacher and the headteacher was Mr Clegg. Vera's sister Muriel ran the village shop and they lived in a little cottage at the crossroads on School Road/Colchester Road. Roy and Frances Lee (with Frances' sister Iris, daughters June, Carol, Betty) lived on the other side of Colchester Road were very close friends of my parents Helen and Derek Moore, I was their eldest daughter Debbie. Dad built our bungalow on Church Road opposite the cricket ground next to the old Rectory. Mrs Gertie Hart, widow of the village blacksmith, also lived on Church Road and I spent many happy hours playing in her house, fascinated with the solid irons she heated up on her range to do the weekly ironing. Why so happy? Because I could roam freely all day long in the countryside safe and well and Mum knew everyone in the village would keep an eye out for me. Dad played wicket keeper for the local team and Mum made the cucumber sandwiches for the refreshments.