Memories of Radlett

Radlett Park Estate Help

Hello, I am a Radlett Resident and I am desperate for any knowledge you may have of the Radlett Park Estate and its development in the early 1900s. Please call me as soon as you can - 01923 856754. Thanks. Nov/2009

family history

I was born in Borehamwood but moved to Radlett when I was two weeks old. My father came from Radlett, his name was Peter Cole. His father was Charley Cole who owned the electrical shop in the high street, C&R COLE. My father played for the local football team. He also used to work for his father driving around Radlett doing electrical jobs. There was a time you could walk down the high street and know a lot of people but today it has changed and I think not for the better.

Growing up in Radlett

I was born in the King Street Nursing Home in Watford and spent the first few years of my life with my parents and Grandparents in Radlett on Gills Hill Lane.  I went to the Infant School and then the Girl's School at the bottom of Loom Lane.  When I was 4, we moved to some prefabs in Phillimore Place (which is now apartment blocks).  The family name is Ward.  I remember what fun I had swimming up at Aldenham Lodge and playing in the Rec field.  What a scare it was walking down Gills Hill Lane at night (Murder Lane) - nobody liked that very much.  I used to go to Sunday School at the Congregational Church, shopping at the Co-Op with my mother, the library, the fishmongers (Ted & Ron Humphreys), and the first movie I saw was Peter Pan with my mother (standing room only) at the Radlett cinema.  I used to keep my bus money for home from school and spend it at the bakery on some treat or other.  I had friends who lived in the Station Road area - the Hedges.  
The last time I went for a drive around Radlett was in 2000.  I would love to go back again and do some walking along some remembered streets.  I understand Radlett is now a very "up and coming place" to live with the commuter set.

School Days

I am not quite sure of the year, but I attended Radlett Girls School which was at the bottom of Loom and the A5.  I used to walk to and from school, sometimes through the village and up Aldenham Road.  I passed shops and old Mr Allen who was a cobbler would be sitting in the window mending shoes and would wave to me.  My birth family have lived in Radlett for over a hundred years the surname is Picton and all but one have moved away.  I love visiting Radlett as it brings back many memories, like balancing on the tiny wall outside the Post Office and on a Saturday buying a pennies worth of stale cakes from Freestones. They made my wedding cake, after I had been to the library, generally getting a big book about Marmalade the cat. I worked in Olney's the shoe shop on The Terrace from 1966 to 1969 and my boss taught me all I needed to know about shoe fitting. I enjoyed my job and only left because my husband lived in Essex and that was too far to commute but Radlett will always hold a place in my heart.