Felsted memories
Here are memories of Felsted and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Felsted or a Felsted photo.
Living at The Mill
My father bought the mill in the 1960s and we moved in 1976 to South Africa. During the years living at the mill we all have plenty of memories spent living there. The most memorable was the first time we encounted the ghost of the mill. My mother called my two brothers and sister and myself into the hallway and demanded to know who had been playing the grand piano in the main lounge. We were not allowed in there so she was not impressed that we had broken the rules. We all looked at each other in amazement. Suddenly we heard the piano music again. Mother armed with a brass poker stick in hand went with all of us into the main lounge, to our surprise no one was in there. It was a bit creepy at first but after a while we all got used to hearing the music. It was a woman who used to play on the grand piano and it was beautiful soothing music that... Read more
Ghosts at The Mill
I lived in the mill from 1978 to 1982 with my parents, brother and sister. I was only five when I left but I have memories of seeing a lady and man both dressed in very old fashioned clothes around the mill pond. and nobody ever saw them except me. I'm sure they were looking after me and making sure I didn't fall in the water.
It was a very creepy house and I remember our dog Polly would go mad in the hall at night. When we left the mill my mum went back one day and saw some builders inside doing the house up, my mum asked to look around but they told her to hurry as they don't stay in the dark, my mum asked why and they said because they heard children screaming and a huge bang as if someone had fallen down the stairs in the hall... They went outside thinking some children might be in the drive but there was nobody around. I'm... Read more
The Shop in The Picture.
My father, Peter Mansfield, owned this shop from c1955. He was an electrician and refrigeration engineer. I can remember filling cans with paraffin for my father to deliver. My future husband says he only married me because my father had petrol pumps and he could get cheap petrol. As a child we lived with my granadparents Lilian and Frank Mansfield up Bakers Lane. My brother David died earlier this year. My grandparents had Jersey cows, Large White pigs, 6 goats and assorted fowl. I had a great childhood round the animals and travelled to market in Braintree in a Wolsley car with the boot full of produce from the stock.
Ancestors of Felsted Mill
My great-great-great-grandmother was Rose Baker, daughter of Amos Baker and Charlotte Broom, I have a photo of them all standing outside Mill Cottage and a photo of workers outside the Mill, one of which I believe is Amos. I shall be visiting the area soon and hope to see where they lived, having lived in Braintree for many years from 1975 to 1983 and not realising my ancestry, it seems strange to have been so close! Moira Smith, Kent
Mill House Felsted
Does anyone remember Jack and Barbara Mahon who lived at Mill House, and had a small pig farm for a very short time, c 1934 to 1936?
Felsted, my Village
I was born & bred in Felsted, living in the area until 1965 when I emigrated to New Zealand. These photographs of Felsted Mill remind me of the many hours spent on the wall below the water wheel race, fishing for roach and chub, and walking our girlfriends down by the river. The Felsted school with church in background, reminds me of Sunday school with the Reverend Vick together with the schoolmaster Dewey Jones. I also played cricket for the village on the public school grounds. Felsted Rovers football team played behind the Memorial Hall. I still meet some of the lads when making a trip back "Home" who played in the years 1954 onwards. We never miss visiting the village & retracing our earlier years with the vivid memories these visits bring back.
Felstead Mill 1891
In the 1891 and 1901 one of my ancestors, George Mott, was a miller at Felstead Mill. He had 3 daughters and 1 son. His wife Althea died in 1898. Perhaps she played the piano, and is the ghost!! George later married Naomi Boreham, who had been a cook at the mill.
The Old School House
In the early 60's the Old School House was used as the school art room. The sign on the right of the photograph belongs to a cafe known to pupils as "The Hags". When we had pocket money it was a treat to go to the Hags for hot buttered toast.
The Mill at Felsted
I went to school at Felsted from 1960 to 1963. We had to do physical exercise every afternoon and because I was no good at sports I usually had to go for a run. This mill was a favourite destination. It took about 15 minutes to run here from the school. We would lean on the fence on the right of the photograph for a few minutes before going back.
Memories of Essex
1966-1982
Ford End is now a shell of its former self, almost like the UK. When I was a child in the village, growing up, there was no better place to be. There was a shop, two pubs, the Spread Eagle at the top of the village and the Swan at the bottom of the hill, a dairy, post office, village hall, cricket pavilion and not forgetting the C of E primary school that I attended from 1970 to 1977 before going on to my secondary school in Great Dunmow. As children we used to race home-made go-karts down the hill in Back Lane, sometimes even down Brook Hill (the main road) without any injury or major incident. We had fields, streams, ponds, trees to climb and the River Chelmer was only a short walk for a bit of fishing or, in the summer, swimming. Happy days that I will never forget.
Rayne in 1950/1960
I was born in Rayne and in the 1950s.I have fond memories of being able to play various sports in the road at School Road with my brother Peter and friend Richard Dodd, gaining a few more players as word got around! We used to mark the Tennis Court on the road with chalk and played many games, sometimes having to vacate to allow the occasional vehicle to pass. Chief Inspector Baker of Braintree was often passing by in his Ford 10 car with a wry smile on his face. Cricket was also played with an old drum for the stumps, for the game to be disturbed by a vehicle was a bit more involved as the drum had to be moved as well as us! Hopscotch was also marked with chalk and enjoyed by many. I would dare anyone to play on School Road as it is now with speeding traffic. At that time Rayne played football on Drapers field alongside Mill Road in the North Essex League which involved villages from... Read more
My Childhood Years in Stebbing
My Grandparents, Harry and Hannah Young lived in the first cottage on the left as you enter the village. I spent most of my school holidays there with them and my Mother and I were evacuated to live with them during W.W.2 for a period of time. I attended Stebbing school for about 3 weeks, then was moved from there to a small village or church hall in the road behind the now Bowls club (my great great Grandparents lived in one of the cottages there which was destroyed by a land mine).
My memories of Stebbing were all formulated as a child. Church was a great part of that as my Grandfather was the Verger for many years, grave digger, clock winder etc. on many occasions taking me up the tower with him to wind the clock!
Early mornings, lighting the fires under the floor gratings to "central heat" the building. I last visited the village about 2 years ago. There are many new buildings, but most of the... Read more
Childhood Memories of my Granny
My grandmother, Ellen Crow lived next to the Lindsell shop in the village. During the summer holidays Mum and I would go on the 12 o'clock bus from Chelmsford to visit her. I had many relatives in the village and surrounding area. Granny had 13 children. I was the youngest grandchild. I have such fond memories of the village. I visited there about 3 years ago. it has not changed at all. I now live in the suburbs of Chicago. Judy Pitt (nee Burr).
Living at 5 New St Great Dunmow
I lived at this address from when I was about 11 years old, my mother (Charlotte (Lottie) married Charlie Childs around that time, he was the village baker and I have wonderful memories of him teaching me the business, and also eating his wonderful bread, especially the 'Huffers', a kind of roll, and of course the cottage loaves. After Charlie died the actual bakery was transformed into another house, my sister Madeline and her husband lived there for years until they both died. I have wonderful memories there, and I am sure everyone who knew Charlie's Bread was sad to see him go the way he did, he was in his 90's and one morning down in the kitchen he put the kettle on for a 'cup of tea' when his sleeve caught fire on the gas ring, it was an awful way for that wonderful old man to go. I live in Victoria Canada B C now with my family, but my daughter who is married to an American... Read more
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