Great Baddow, White Horse c1965

Can you help?

Does anyone know of Sylvia Eileen Newman who lived in Great Baddow as a domestic servant in the late 1950s or 1960s? She later moved to Witham. Her surname later became Brewer.

Growing up in Great Baddow

I moved to Great Baddow with my parents when I was four and we lived in Gowers Avenue, No. 2. This estate belonged to the Marconi Company and my father worked at Baddow Labs. I used to walk up there to meet him from work when I was older.

When I was about 11 they build on the lovely orchard behind our house, and in the fields above our estate. Before that, we used to walk the dog over the fields and lay in the grass listening to the skylarks. I had a friend called Vivienne who lived opposite, and have lost touch with her. I went back to have a look at the outside of our old house a few years ago and the estate is very much the same as it was, but they have removed some of the trees and shrubs. There were some lovely walks around in the old days but they build on most of the fields before I moved away to go to University in 1976.

Heather Chaplin nee Baker.

Straw hats every Sunday

I was sent to a children's home in Great Baddow when I was about twelve. My memorys are sad and happy ones. Miss May and Miss Abbs ran the home. Miss May I remember had a Boxer dog and many years later I bought one in memory of Great Baddow children's home. We used to go to the local church dressed in our uniforms and little straw hats on our heads, is there anyone out there that remembers 1950/51. I used to tell everyone I was an orphan, it sounded better than not being wanted from the age of 3 yrs and many foster parents, no regrets. I have had, and continue to have, a happy life, not in riches but a good marriage and good health, and sad memories of not being ever to say these two words, mum and dad. I remember running away from the home when I first went there as I needed to find mum and dad.. I never did, Vicky, nee Morrisson.

William Leech, Gun Maker 1796-1948, still trading

William Leech moved from St Martins in the Field, London to 20 Duke Street,  Chelmsford in 1794. There he started up his gun maker's shop. Later he moved to 3 &4 Tindale Street, Chelmesford. Percy Leech, the last family gun maker, trading under W Leech & Sons, sold the business about 1948. The new owners continued to trade from the shop in Tindale Street until 1984. W Leech & Son still continue to trade up to this date from other premises.

The Leech family owned land across the road what they called the gardens, in which they had a range to test the guns that that they made. Also in the gardens was a shed in which they made up the cartridges for the guns.

The Leech family helped to form the Methodist Church in Chelmsford. They, along with other members of the Methodist  Church, held services in their homes, before going on to rent a cottage in Springfield to hold their meetings.