Little Leighs
Little Leighs maps (2 available)
Map of Essex
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Little Leighs books (13 available)
Little Leighs memories
Read and share memories of Little Leighs and Essex inspired by Frith photos
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Essex memories
LITTLE WALTHAM
I lived three miles from Little Waltham from 1956 till I moved out about 1965. I lived in a cottage near Domsey Lane and we had no buses, only to the village, so when we went out to Chelmsford we had to catch the last bus to the village and then we had a three mile walk in the dark to get home and it was scary as there were no lights. When I moved out, my mother moved down to the village to live. My memories of the village are Amos the bakers, he used to deliver lovely bread and cakes to us. The surgery with Dr Bassett,and the little wooden shop run by the sisters. I think they were ...read more here
A memory of Little Waltham contributed by victoria manning
Born In Gt Waltham 1953
My father Eric Grubb was one of three sons and two daughters of George Grubb. (who lived until he was 100 years old). We lived in Six Bells Cottages until we were rehoused in Cherry Garden Road. My mum Gertrude worked in Snows the butchers, pictured above, making sausages! I remember Mr Butcher the policeman - Mr Moore the poacher was a family friend! I attended the village school and Broomfield Secondary. My father died aged 43 in 1966 and my mother remarried Eric Rickman whose family lived in Barrack Road. My husband and I married in Gt Waltham in 1973 - the Rev. Duke was still there.
A memory of Great Waltham contributed by Sally-Ann Gilbert
Village policeman
In the late 1950's I was the village policeman at Great Waltham. The police house was the last two-storied house at the Barrack Land end of Cherry Garden Road with my 'office'being in the kitchen and the tsble there was my desk. Next door to us was a lovely old lady - Mrs Woods and on the other side the Hornsby family, daughter's name Jenny. My duties in those days were not very onerous consisting mainly of attending motor accidents, moving on camping gypsies and paying occasional visits to the local pubs in Great and Little Walthams, Howe Street and Mashbury. My means of getting around was on a bicycle although about one a month a police car from Chelmsford ...read more here
A memory of Great Waltham contributed by First name Last name
My roots
Hi i've just found out that my family originate from Great Waltham...the name is 'Hornsby'...I found this out through the ancestry website and looking at old census records...i'm hoping to come along and visit Great Waltham with my father who is a 'Hornsby' and discover where they used to live on..'Broads Green'
A memory of Great Waltham contributed by lisa mcdonald
Extracts From Little Leighs & Essex books
Prior to 1935, all that would have been seen from in front of
the church would have been the top of the church spire. In the
foreground would have been a collection of dilapidated shops, and
a large wooden maltings out of shot to the right. In 1935 the
buildings, including the maltings, were demolished as part of a
road improvement scheme.
An extract from from"Braintree Town and City Memories".
One of the features of the gardens is the way in which the visitor is met with different views and layouts, from open spaces to densely planted areas, or along wide pathways with narrow winding pathways off to the sides.
An extract from from"Braintree Town and City Memories".
Continuing the development of houses along the main Dunmow to Colchester Road, these
fine houses, dating from the turn of the 20th century, were also built for the growing middle
class. They were known locally as ‘The Villas’. Mr Leonard Alden, who ran a tailor and
outfitter’s business, had one of these houses.
An extract from from"Braintree Town and City Memories".
This road runs between Coggeshall Road and Bradford Street; it replaced the old road,
which ran 30 or 40 metres back from the left-hand side of this picture, when Sydney
Courtauld built Bocking Place in 1885. Houses started to be built on the right-hand side of
the road from the turn of the 20th century, and provided housing for the up-and-coming
professional and business people.
An extract from from"Braintree Town and City Memories".
The large weather-boarded buildings on the
left are the silk mills of Warner & Sons, who
had taken over the business of Walters & Co
in 1894. Daniel Walters came to the town
in 1822, and these mills were built in 1856.
Behind these is another range of buildings
constructed in 1869. Both firms produced
silk products for the royal family, and Warners
have woven velvet for every coronation since
that of Edward VII.
An extract from from"Braintree Town and City Memories".