The Cock And Bell c1960, High Easter
The Cock And Bell c1960, High Easter Ref: H175010
Memories of The Cock And Bell c1960, High Easter
Fond Holiday Memories
In the summer of 1963 my Dad took my sister (11), brother (4) and me (6) to stay with my Auntie Marie. She lived in the house adjoining the pub. I think it had a name like Penryn and appeared on the front cover of Country Life in the early 70's. I remember sleeping in the bedroom over the archway and waking up screaming in the middle of the night as I thought I had seen a gentleman dressed in black wearing a top hat walking across the room at the foot of my bed. Looking back I think I was probably woken by the noise of the pub turning out and a passing car probably caused a shadow across the wall. At the back of the property was a small apple orchard with a swing chair and we walked through grass that came up over our knees to have a swing. There was also lots of horse-radish growing and I think of my late Auntie every time I open... Read more
High Easter & local memories
Read and share memories of High Easter and Essex inspired by Frith photos.
WAR WAS TOUGH
Having been evacuated in 1942 to High Easter from the war torn East London, staying with my Aunty Hilda was a dream that I never wanted to end. Our local school was a delight, even Sunday School at St Marys was enjoyable, and play time in the local fields on all the farm equipment was an adventure beyond belief. Highlight of the week was a trip to Chelmsford in a Joe Lodge coach driven by Sid Perry, a family I shared happy memories with: the Perry children, our treat was a bottle of Vimto drank outside the Punch Bowl or the Cock & Bell, and with luck, depending how much was drunk by the adults, both Pubs. During 1942 we never had much in the way of material enjoyment, but made everything magical by our imagination, which was endless. Now at 73, just retired, I have time to reflect on those happy days,and when in the area, I stop and pay my respects to my Aunty Hilda, and Uncle Fred... Read more
My Great Grandmother Mary Eve
Mary Ann Eve was from this area. She was my great-grandmother and joined her husband Robert Chilvers in South Africa after the Boer War. she died when I was sixteen years of age and I knew her very well. A feisty little Victorian type lady. I still have her family Bible and sewing machine and other nick nacks, my mother has always been meticulous with family history. In fact my great grandparents were my godparents. My Aunt Eleanor (in SA) has a beautiful framed picture of Mary Ann Eve as a single woman posing in her dress with a beautiful bustle. Mary Ann was an amazing cook and apparently worked in one of the great houses in the area as a very young girl. My mother joined her husband who was away in Germany with the RAF in England just before the end of the Second World War. She was 18 years old when she left S Africa, newly married, and travelled alone all the way on one of the Castle... Read more
