Debden
Debden maps (2 available)
Map of Essex
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Debden books (15 available)
- 1 photos on Debden appear in 1 Frith books - View photos of Debden
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Debden and Essex
Debden memories
Read and share memories of Debden and Essex inspired by Frith photos
Wartime Watering Hole
More than likely The Fox was a popular watering hole for the pilots, mechanics and WAAFs at Debden Aerodrome during the war.
Contributed by DYLAN RIVIS
The Summer of '42
Another view of The Fox, one of 5 local 'hostelries' which was frequented by the Debden Royal Airforce crowd, including, most likely, my dear mother, Elma Rivis,a WAAF.
Contributed by DYLAN RIVIS
Picturing My Mother
I have no doubt that my lovely young, 23 year old mother, Elma , a WAAF stationed at Debden fighter aerodrome, during WW2, cycled this lovely lane at some point.
It was around here, in the summer of 1942, that my life began when my mother and still unknown father 'sparked' me into life. He apparently named John, according to one source, guarded a radio transmitter from a small hut out in the Essex countryside, safely away from the aerodrome. A perfect place for my beginning, I imagine !
The unfortunate part for Elma was that she had to leave the WAAF and travel home to Kirkbymoorside in Yorkshire to have her first child. She died in 1947, when ...read more here
Contributed by DYLAN RIVIS
Essex memories
The Summer of '42
Another view of The Fox, one of 5 local 'hostelries' which was frequented by the Debden Royal Airforce crowd, including, most likely, my dear mother, Elma Rivis,a WAAF.
A memory of Debden contributed by DYLAN RIVIS
Extracts From Debden & Essex books
This was The Fox, one of five
hostelries serving Debden in the
1950s. The area to the right is
the edge of Debden Park - the
grounds of Debden Hall that
were landscaped in the late 18th
century, possibly by the mighty
Humphrey Repton. The Hall
itself was demolished in 1935.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".
The Friends’ School, a Quaker boarding school, moved to Saffron Walden from Croydon in 1879. It was built on land given by George Stacey Gibson, and was designed by Edward Burgess. It is a fine building of red brick, and stands in a commanding position.
An extract from from"Saffron Walden Town and City Memories".
The Hospital opened in 1866 and was designed by William Beck. It was built on land given by the 5th Lord Braybrooke of Audley End House, and cost £5,504 to build.
An extract from from"Saffron Walden Town and City Memories".
The Baptist Church was built 1878-9. The memorial stone was set up on 3 June 1879; tea was served in the body of the chapel, while a choir of 200 children sang from the gallery. The building opened for worship on 15 October 1879. The War Memorial stands outside the Baptist Church. On the other side of the road is the lamp-post which was first in the Market Square, with its black-painted cast iron base. On the left, behind the tiled building, is all that remained of one of the many malting kilns - there were over 30 in the town in the 19th century.
An extract from from"Saffron Walden Town and City Memories".
The fine, wide street has 19th-century houses on the left; on the right are commercial buildings, filling the ground floors of older timber-framed houses. On the right we can make out Marjorie Jolland, wools and art needlework, next to Goddard’s, electrical engineers, and then a stone archway with YMCA. Further down the hill is De Barr’s shoe shop. The large brick-faced building on the corner of George Street announces A V Britton, cars and coaches for hire.
An extract from from"Saffron Walden Town and City Memories".