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High Cross

High Cross maps

Historic maps of High Cross and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all High Cross maps

High Cross area books

Displaying 1 of 8 books about High Cross and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of High Cross

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Hertfordshire memories

1954 And 1955

I was stationed here for the year above. Last time I visited was maybe 1972 or so. The headquarters company there had been torn down and nothing left but the foundation. The English folks were VERY gracious to the American servicemen although sometimes we did not deserve it. I recall Albert Tayler (of Puckeridge) just up the road. He had his VW bus and took us various places of neet as a taxi service. I did see Albert on that trip back in the early 70's.

HAPPY DAYS NEAR COLLIERS END

My family bought property between Colliers End & High Cross - about 5 acres. My dad used to stop there for tea after having biked from London to Cambridge and stopped on his way back to London. The acreage comprised a lovely two-storey house, a poultry farm, barn and woodland, restaurant with gazebos & other buildings for teas and dinners. The house stood on its own down in a dell. You could just see the chimney from the road. This was in 1938 when I was a young girl. We did a very good trade, mostly on Sundays. As soon as WW2 began, petrol was rationed and that was the end of that. We moved back to London. Now I live in Sacramento, California - a far cry from the charm of the English countryside, Colliers End and its environs. They were very special days! My best friend was Gwen; she lived in High Cross. I attended elementary school in... Read more

Evacuation During WW2

I was a student at the Norwood Technical Institute which was evacuated to Coles Hill House, Westmill. The house itself belonged to a military officer, and I guess it was taken over for evacuees. At the time I was there, there were 48 girls, a Head mistress, and I think about 4 teachers, a Matron and an Assistant Matron. Being during the war, we were all allocated our rations and the schooling consisted of our lessons, which were - cookery, our meals, housework, general upkeep of the house, gardening, growing vegetables, etc. We also kept chickens, rabbits and a goat (for milk) This experience was invaluable in later life as the staff were quite strict that everything should be done "properly". I understand that the N.T.A. is no longer in existence, now called South London College. I often think of those days and the companionship of the other students. Each year we used to host a Garden Party for the... Read more

Morley Cottage

The Village c1955
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I remember Wareside so well. I lived at Morley Cottage just outside the village. I went there in 1937 with my parents - my father Jim McGowan and Mother Elizabeth.They both worked at Fanhams Hall for Lady Brocket. My mother then worked for Mrs. Baird at Reeves Green in the 1940's and then went as a dinner lady at Wareside C of E school - where I went until 1947 then onto Ware Grammar School. I have many memories of Whist Drives in the Village and dances and happy memories of VE Day in the village.I see that some else mentions the Temperance Hall and my parents knew the family well who lived there - their name was Godley. We too used to go to Hogham Wood to pick primroses and bluebells (not allowed now!) and then of course the railway line was still in action. In fact I used to catch the train from Mardock Station to London in the 50's to go to work in the... Read more

Mardock(s) Station

The Village c1955
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I came to live in the Station House at Mardock in 1950 as my father, Alan Dinmore was the Station Master. I was 5 years old and went to Wareside School. The infants' teacher was Mrs Pottle, and later, I believe, Mrs Chalkley. The headteacher was Mrs Norah Kay. I remember a Christopher Bunce living just up the hill from the railway. The village Hall was the scene of such events as the School Play and various entertainments - folk could really sing, then. Whist drives were popular, and my Dad won many a prize which we treasured for ages, but I was sad when Margaret Godley's father won the knitting set, which I would have loved! Across the road from us was Mardock Mill where the Grazebrook's lived. Mr Grazebrook was one of the two commuters from the station, the other being Sheila McGowan. My mother Marjorie belonged to the Womens' Institute. I remember a parade from the village to the War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday. It was impressive.... Read more

Visits to Wareside 1964 - Present

My dad was born at Hillside Cottages in Wareside in 1929 (I think). I remember visiting my Grandmother there up until she moved to Ware round about 1978/9. She lived in the house with the "Hillside Cottages" sign on the front. I remember going to visit every Saturday afternoon. The front garden was a typical cottage garden where I would collect seeds in summer from the flowers and there was a huge apple tree in the back garden that dad would prune and we 3 children would climb to collect apples. There was also a well on one side that we were always told to say away from. One of my favourite pastimes was making "mud pies" using the earth from the dug over vegetable patches at the back. We would also go for walks over to "Hogham". Not sure if this is it's real name but it's the coppice of trees you can see from the front of the house, straight ahead in the distance. This would involve crossing... Read more

Memories of The Red Lion

I was born in 1966 and lived in the Red Lion. My dad and mum were married in 1961. My dad lived in the village all his life, moving to the Red Lion on his marriage. My dad was formerly of Temperance Hall, down the road from the village stores.
Mum and Dad lived in the Red Lion in one room for several months before Dad had renovated it to be liveable. The Red Lion has a circular stair case which runs from the celler to the lounge then on to the second floor then on to the attic which was renovated in 1978ish when Dad also rebuilt the chimney on the back of the property, adding a twist to it.
There was three of us, myself and a brother and a sister. We played in the ditch which ran through the Red Lion property and the surrounding fields. We used to go to Jacob's Ladder which is on the way to Bakers End if you follow the ditch north.... Read more

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