Ingatestone, High Street 1925

Mountnessing School

I was at school in the 1940s. I remember a teacher there, I believe he was a Mr Davis. I remember the annual sports, these were held on a field just a short walk from the school. The days of the great snow fall in 1947, living at Padhams Green it was a mile walk down to the village and the snow filled the road from bank to bank and we had to walk along in a field (I think I skipped school that day). I also was in the church choir, I think until I left school in 1953. We used to have some happy times in the summer going to see Mr Tom Morgan at his little shop, buying sweets and drinks (non alcoholic). I now live in Birmingham and have done for the past almost 50 years but take regular trips down to Mountnessing.

Bariff's Farm

My Great Grandfather, George Collyer, farmed at Bariff's Farm, Mountnessing in the 1870's and early 1880's. He farmed 40 acres with his son Richard and a boy. Does anyone know the location of Bariff's Farm?

Part of my early schooldays

I remember fragments about living at Hutton - I lived in Lilian Crescent, in a new bungalow, having moved from Hawskmoor Green. I learnt to ride a Fairy cycle - as little 2 wheelers were called then - by pushing myself along with the aid of a low brick wall.
I remember my first day at school, saying prayers, and how I ran away - all down Hanging Hill Lane, back home - maybe I didn't like it! Mum had to take me back again on the back of her bike.  We had a chicken house (quite large), in the back garden with 3 pullets, Sally, Hoppy and Perky, and my sister, Pauline hid in it at the tender age of 2.

I had friends who were twins who lived just across the road by the surname of Grimm and their dad always reminded me of Bing Crosby (though I didn't know that at the time).

I can remember going to Brentwood on a Saturday morning with my mother, and having a currant bun and orange juice, in some teashop - a big treat.

We then moved to Stansted Mountfitchet , when I was around 7, to a new house.

Charles Arthur Samphier born12/5/1937 wyatts green

My parents bought Wyatts Stores in about 1936 and moved from West Ham, E.London., with my two sisters. Dad kept about 300 chickens in the back field. I was born on Coronation Day at Wyatts Stores . We lived there fore 3 years before my fathers work took him to St Albans where we moved in 1940. We often visited Doddinghurst and spent many happy holidays there, being only too glad to get away from the war problems in St Albans. The shop was rented out and Dad also had bought Upton and Portway which were so named after the Lane and house they used to live in at West Ham, and they were let to the Pyners and McDonalds families. We used to stay in the bungalow at the back of White ? Farm. Kate Stallwood owned the Bungalow up the field and Fred London owned the farm. At the shopw we had no mains water then but the standpipe was just opposite Wyatts Green Lane, although we had a pump in the kitchen at the shop. There was no electric and I can still recall the smell of parrafin we sold in the shop. I stll have the takings book of the shop from the early days. Very little traffic came down the lane and the bus which we caught by Watsons cafe used to sound its horn as it went to turn at Allens Corner so we had time to catch it on the way back. I always remember Mrs Speller as she had lots of apple trees. And Mr & Mrs Gray whose house was wired for electric all ready for when it came to the village. Mr Danbury owned the barn at Doddinghurst, and held dances there from time to time. Mr & Mrs Britt lived in a very small house in Wyatts Green Lane, and Mr & Mrs Marsden had a large garden with railway carriage along the lane opposite. It was up there that a bomb landed and exploded down a well. They had a son Freddie. well thats all for now. My home here in Devon is called Plovers Barron