Knebworth, Hertfordshire

Heaven

This is simply my most favourite place in the whole world! No words can describe the peace and tranquility I feel when I walk along The Avenue with my family and dogs. The autumn months are my favourite! The range of colours in the trees, the conkers falling to the ground, and the sound of the branches swaying in the wind.... [more]

Childhood Memories

I remember when I was just a young teenager... you could roam around the village and just about everyone knew you.

I loved to wander down to Mill Stream Lane with my jam jar and fishing net and walk along the stream searching for stickle backs and anything else I could catch. The fields behind us would whisper in the... [more]

The Place I was Born

I was born in Ayot St Peter - March 22nd 1932. My father was farm bailiff at the Frith estate. My mother told me she would take me for walks in my pram and would ofter meet George Bernard Shaw out for his walk, and they would chat for a minute or two. I am proud to have the name of... [more]

The Silk Farm

A delightful place to work if only for six months. We would lunch at the Brocket Arms or take a picnic into the grounds by the swimming pool. We did work as well; caring for the silk worms in the mornings and showing visitors around in the afternoons. My favourite task would be to walk the grounds collecting... [more]

The Walkern Weir

Last year, as part of a two month trip from New Zealand, in mid September, my wife and I made a pilgrimage to Walkern, the place of my paternal ancestors. During the war I was taken by my mother and grandfather to Clay End, near Walkern where we stayed for a few days to avoid the bombing in London. I don't... [more]

Hollybush Lane

When I was a child in the early 1950s Hollybush Lane, from Woodhall Lane to Great Ley, was quite literally a lane. On one side the council had built houses, but on the other were the farm cottages that were built around the turn of the century or earlier and were a part of the Hatfield estate. I recall that the... [more]

Stonehills WGC

This view is looking north from the west side of Stonehills towards the Cherry Tree Public House. Just out of view on the left was the old Police Station (the site of which has still not been developed) whilst across the road on the right is National Provincial Bank (now Nat West Bank) . Further along from the bank is Williams... [more]

Welwyn Garden City, Sweet Briar

This view is from the west side of Sweet Briar looking south down the hill towards Cole Green Lane (out of view). To the left is the entrance to Heronswood School (since closed, now a modern housing area).
I understood that the area was once very wooded, borne out by the many well established trees still lining the road and verge... [more]