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Latimer
Latimer maps
Historic maps of Latimer and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Latimer maps
Latimer area books
Displaying 1 of 7 books about Latimer and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Latimer
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Latimer.
There are 11 shared memories to read.
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Idyllic Time
My army father was posted to the staff college in Latimer after his 3 years in the Korean war. One of the happier parts of my childhood in a lovely little rented cottage adjoining a farm with a big barn where we could play, there were chickens and horses for us to enjoy. Think it was on the road out of Chesham? School was called Longmeadow, and we often went to Chesham to feed the ducks and I also remember the model village at Beaconsfield and shopping in Amersham. It was a safe and stress free time for my family, after my dad's 2 years as a POW. Sadly, we soon had to move on to the next place.....and the next......constant upheaval and change was the norm for us Army kids. But I always remember the idyllic time in Latimer. We drove past there today and it is still beautiful, unspoilt and peaceful. Lovely memories of my dear parents.
Happy Memories
I joined the WRAC and was posted to JSSC in the beautiful village of Latimer in 1953, what a wonderful time that was. There were two of us arriving at JSSC on that April day and the first place we went to was the NAAFI. Up on the stage, were two soldiers playing music and one of them was the man I was to marry. I was accommodated in Latimer House right at the top with other WRAC personnel, we all got on famously. The only thing I had problems with were the bats that would sometimes fly out, I was terrified of them. I have photos of us girls up on the roof which was easy to get to. The village of Latimer had everything we needed outside of the camp - a friendly local pub, fish and chip cafe and shops, a cinema, what more could we ask for! Jim and I would love to know how our army friends are getting on.... Read more
Officer's Batman
I was posted to the J.S.S.C., Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire from my regiment in Germany {15/19 Hussars} and I was there for two years {1966-8}. I still have vivid memories of my time there; the officers houses' I worked at, the picket room, the N.A.A.F.I., the barracks, and the many officers 'do's' in which most of the time I had the job as glass-washer. There were thousands of them! And we never got finished til the 'wee hours'... I honestly can't say I enjoyed my stay there at the J.S.S.C. but I liked it a bit better than the regiment as I was continually home-sick, something you couldn't tell your nice, sweet sergeant-major!{ ha}. When I wasn't on telephone orderly duty at the weekends I used to hitch-hike on Friday evening all the way to my home in Northumberland via Watford, and get the train back on the Sunday night. Some of the lads stationed there like me also hitch-hiked. I've often thought was it worth it to spend a few hours... Read more
My Time 1952
I have some lovely nostalgic memories of the J.S.S.C Latimer, where I was stationed in 1952. Most of the period I was a provost policeman. There were 3 of us and a provost corporal, cpl Burrows, [I believe came from Wiltshire]. There was no R.S.M, but a warrent officer, [I forgot his name], also a camp commondant colonol Ackland, under him, major Hickey. The food was wonderful, the guys and gals terrific. My sleeping quarters was in the rear of the guardroom. (Does anyone have any pics of the guardroom or that area?) We had a cinema on site and a small snooker room. On one occasion I did some 'waiting' on at an officers gathering and got p---ed stupid, but I could hold my ale and no one could tell. Wonderful days, would anyone like to elaborate?. Best wishes to all.
Phil.
Fond Memories of JSSC And Lattimer House And Old Friends
I was posted to Latimer in 1954 from Hadrians Camp, Carlisle, and after walking from Little Chalfont Station with full kit it was great to walk into the guardroom and have someone stick a mug of tea in my hand, Corpral Homer MM. I also remember CSM Wacky Jones Major "DEBBIE " Renolds and many others from all services including WRAC, it was a great posting. I met my wife to be at one of the Officers Mess Balls, I was wine waiter, she was ladies cloak room attendant. We married November 1955 and were together 55 years. I wonder how many of the old gang are still around and if they ever get together down at the Queens Arms in Chesham. I remember one of the WRAC girls named Louise who met and married a local farmer around the time that my Joy and I got together, also Chris Kyvernites, Phil Lewis, Paddy Mcaffrey and Charlie Bailey whose mate carried him back from a Christmas Dance only to drop him down... Read more
Happy Days In Latimer
It was only two years or so, from 1959-61, aged 6-8, but it still seems as if the happiest period of my childhood in Latimer was one long, endless, glorious summer. My dad was in the army, in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, attached to the Joint Services Staff College there, now Latimer House, the conference centre. I don't know what my dad's job was, but his office, behind the married quarters and since demolished, was later (fortunately after we'd moved to Scotland) bombed by the IRA. Dad's secretary, Aunty Edna as we knew her (wife of Chick Allen), was injured in the blast. Chick and Edna had a grey alsation called Smokey. She seemed gigantic to us kids and would let us ride on her or rest our heads on her flank as she lay in the sun. She followed us when we played, and guarded us, nudging us off the road when a rare motor vehicle came along. Talking of 'aunties' - my brother Peter (2 years younger) and I... Read more
My Ancesters!
My memories are not of my own associations with Latimer, but I still feel a great affection for the place. When my grandparents got married in 1897 they went for a brief honeymoon in Latimer. My grandfather's aunt, Elizabeth Amanda Smith, had married the school master, Edward Stevens, and the family lived in the old school house. They invited my grandparents to spend their honeymoon there and I am told they had fond memories of the beautiful little village - as it was then!
Many years later, probably in the 1950s, my father and I visited Latimer and found the old school house probably looking much as it did in my grandparents days. What a beautiful district! I wonder if there are any records surviving from the school, listing it's teachers, and if Edward Stevens name is recorded there. I do not know where they are buried. I wonder if anyone can tell me if they are in the local churchyard? I would dearly love to have... Read more
JSSC Latimer
When I arrived at Latimer I went to find the guard room, only to find they did not have one, only a picket room. I was then asked if I was married, and told that if not I would be by the time I left the camp, they were right. I think the chap in the picket room was called Chicko. I had a great time at the MT section, the WRAC girls were nice. I was asked by an officer at nearby RAF Holton why I was driving an army staff car with a Commander of the Royal Navy as a passenger, during my time at Latimer I collected Members of Parliament and people like Sir Richard Crossman, they gave lectures at Latimer. David
