Feering, Essex

Public House (Coach Stop)

During the 1960s I was a representative for a world known vermouth manufacturer and remember calling regularly on this large pub on the main road to Colchester and the Essex coast. The licensee John, and his wife, Marion, became good friends and I spent many happy hours just talking and joking away the hours. The coaches rolled in and were accommodated in a very large room attached to the side of the pub, this mainly served teas and light refreshments in large quantities. Any passengers that required stronger sustenance would wander into the welcoming bars.
The  intervening years have affected my memory and I just cannot remember the pub's or the licensee's names and wonder if anyone can supply the answers. I believe Marion moved to a licensed outlet in Suffolk sometime in the 1970s.
Ken Cramer

Homes Boy

I entered White's Children's Home and Mission (known as CH&M) in June of 1945 having come from Surbiton, Surrey. I was 9 years old. The home was situated in Church Rd opposite "The Pond", it is now a CO-OP supermarket.  There was a large Georgian house named "The Grove" and a Hall with other buildings, we had a large field to play in, there was also a farm there. There were about 56 children there then, boys and girls. We went to Tiptree Heath School, and the Congregrational Church in (I think) Chapel Rd, now the Reformed Church. We used to be marched two-by-two to school and church.  The home was founded in 1899 by Mr Herbert White at South Woodford.  Tiptree was the holiday premises and because of the war they had to stay at Tiptree from September 1939 till Easter 1947, when most of the children were moved back to South Woodford. The premises were sold in 1954. When I was there Mr White and his wife with some of his family and "Helpers" ran the Home. Generally we were not allowed to leave the premises , and if you went walkabout and got caught you got the cane. Some of the older children used to help with the fruit picking for Wilkins Jam Factory. There was an orchard at the back of the school where we used to go scrumping, if you got caught you know what you got! (I think there were mainly pears in this orchard).
The "Grove" used to be part of the "Mill Estate". If my memory serves me right I think there used to be a cinema where Bright's electrical shop is now.  But we were not allowed to go there.      Alan Clifford Scott.

My Granddad Stevens

Years ago my grandad had a small garage and workshop at the side of the Du-Cane Arms. My dad was born there and went to scool at Great Tottom. My grandad is buried in Great Braxted Church and my nanna is there too. In the last few years dad  (Anthony Percy Stevens who died in 2005) was buried also in Great Braxted Church, and in 2008 my mum Alfreda Emily Stevens died and she also is burried with my dad in Great Braxted Church. My dad told me that him and his little brother would go into Braxted Park and get mistletoe and sell it on to get themselves a few pennies for Christmas. My eldest sister was christened in Braxted Church. My Aunty Dot and Uncle Cecil Raner lived in Braxted village for years a few doors away from the Du-Cane Arms and they had a green monkey that lived in a large cage in their garden. I would go and stay at my auntie's with one of my sisters for our school summer holidays, and we did have fun. We would ride our bikes with my aunty to Goldhanger, spend some time there and then ride home again. We would go and see the Frosts up the road in High Ridge and when one of my sisters married one of their sons they became my sisters-in-law. Margaret and Reg Frost were their names and their ashes are laid to rest in Braxted churchyard. Keith Frost still lives in the same house as he has done since he was a small boy and where he was born. It would be nice if anyone is still around that knew my grandad or maybe whose family has passed on words or photos of my granddad, he was the village wheelwright and he ran the litte garage. The house my dad was born in I believe was knocked down years ago. I go to my dad'sand mum's grave quite reguarly and sometimes I come from the A12 or sometimes I come up to Blue Mills into Wickam Bishops as my sister that married Malcolm Frost from Braked lives there with their family. Then I come into Braxted past the pub through the village to top of the road, turn left down Braxted Road to Great Braxted Church. I wish I had found this site before my dad and mum had passed away because I could have found out more. I have loads in my head, the problem is just trying to get it down in order, but as you can see I can't do that. I still see my Uncle Richard, my dad's little brother, and speak to a couple of my aunties, but they don't say a lot about my dad. My uncle tells me the most but he had a tumour removed some years ago so he has trouble to remember things. I will have to try and find out more about my grandad and nanna when they had the little 2 up and 2 down house in Braxted village. I know they had to get water from the village pump which is still up the road by the playing field. Oh yes, when I stayed with my auntie in the village we would have to go to the village shop and get our weekly sweets but Auntie Dot would make us put them in a jar or a tin and we could only have a few at a time. Well, must go, so if anyone knows anything about my grandparents or my dad etc it would be lovely to hear their stories. Well time has run out for today so I must go. My maiden name was Stevens, I was the fourth eldst of 10 children. Thank you for reading this, hopefuly I will be back with some more if I can remember, from days passed with my dad and mum.

Help required

Does anyone know of Sylvia Eileen Newman, who was living in Witham around 1965? She became Sylvia Eileen Brewer. Any help would be appreciated.