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Stanstead Abbotts memories

Here are memories of Stanstead Abbotts and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Stanstead Abbotts or a Stanstead Abbotts photo.

Re. Betty Hills

View From Cats Hill c1960
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I am looking for my sister Betty Hills, taken to Easneye Childern's Home in approximately 1952, later to be adopted by Cyril William Groom and his wife Eileen Mary Groom, her birth mother was Grace Florence Hills [Dec]. Betty was last heard of living in Bognor Regis in Sussex under the name of Ruth Grimshaw. I have not been able to find any information so far, if anyone has any news of Betty ie. Ruth please email me, thankyou: janet.tinklin@hotmail.co.uk

My Husband Also Went to Easneye in Approx 1959

View From Cats Hill c1960
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Hello, I am trying to find people that went to Easneye in approximately 1959/60. My husband went there and remembers a lady by the name of Lorna, he remembers her quite clearly. I would love to locate Lorna for him as she is the closest he has ever had to a mother. I believe she was about 19/24 with black bobbed hair and a fringe, he was only 3/4 at the time. Can anybody help me?

Jennie Wren

Easneye Drive c1960
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My Godmother, Jennie Wren, lived in the Easneye Gatehouse, as shown, at around this time, possibly slightly later. This gateway was also used in one of the St Trinian's films, which featured a racehorse which was being hidden at the school. Easneye House may also have been featured as the school, and other parts of this road were used in another St Trinian's film.

St Margaretsbury Nursery, Stansted Abbots

View From Cats Hill c1960
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I and my brother went to St Margaretsbury Nursery in 13.5.1971 aged 2 years. I would love to know more and the place of the nursery. Thank you, Peter

Many

View From Cats Hill c1960
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I would be pleased to hear from anyone with connections or memories of the village --- I was born & grew up there.

Feel free to e-mail me on --- greenviewpark&yahoo.co.uk

Leslie

St Andrew's Church

St Andrews Church 1929
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Wow, I have many fun memories about St Andrew's Church, living next door for many years and being a member in my younger years. To me it was like my second home. Does anyone remember Skipp? He was a lovely man, I got many a telling off for ringing the church bells, which I did on most days ,driving the neighbours crazy until they put new doors on. Not because of me, but things got stolen inside the church, so my bell ringing stopped, and sadly so did the trust for people to visit inside as it sadly had to be locked. Thank you, thieves. I have a lot of love for this church and very happy memories, and remember clearly to this day Mr Stevens the old vicar, who witnesses my first kiss, and said he would book me in for a wedding. I was only nine, bless him.  I will say to this day as I drive by the church  I look up and smile cheekily.

Netherfield House

View From Cats Hill c1960
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Netherfield House is now up for sale, the estate agent lists it beautifully, I have photos of the house as it was, and am glad to see that the current owners kept it beautifully as a house of that age should be

Easneye Children's Home

View From Cats Hill c1960
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I have a sketchy memory of my childhood in Easneye, between the ages of around 3-5 years old. I remember my mother dropping me off and being terrified. She said I was having a holiday but never came back for me.  All I can remember of my time was the dormitory, just a row of unfriendly beds, and the "farm" with the white wood swing gate that we kids got told off for climbing on. I don't remember much more than having to eat spinach because I got painful leg boils! Apparently this was common in undernourished children of that time. I still hate all vegetables to this day. Does anyone know what this building might have been called? The Mansion house looks very familiar. I now live in Australia. I look forward to any replies.

What Was at The Top of The Hill?

View From Cats Hill c1960
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At the top of Cats Hill were three large houses, one was called Netherfield House and had been donated by the Booth family to the Salvation Army.  My father ran the house as a residential home for 29 gentlemen, and I worked with him for several years.  The house now, I believe has been converted into luxury apartments, and I would love to have some pictures of it, any of the past and some of it now.  The family next door and opposite were called Prior.  My father was called Harold Finney, I remember our cook and gardener, Mr and Mrs Barnes, lived in the village, and I also remember another lady who lived in a cottage in the High Street, May Woodcock, who always had a spaniel dog.  I also remember Mrs Odell who ran the paint shop in the High Street.

S. Margaret's Road

I was 3 when my family moved to 94 St Margaret's Road, Stanstead Abbotts and I continued living there until 1996. I would love to hear from anyone who lived in the same road or had friends or relatives who did.

Memories of Hertfordshire

The Crown Inn

Not really a memory - rather a request for information. My grandfather, Alfred Pain, was licensee of the Crown Inn from possibly the late 1920s through to the middle 1930s. If anyone has any memories/information/photos of the public house and/or my grandfather's time there, I would be most grateful to hear them.

Incidentally, my mother, Doris Bird, used to live in Hoddesdon Road and it was through working at the Crown that she met my father. Any memories of her or her parents, Florence and Arthur Bird would also be gratefully received

Rush Green Farm, Litteln Amwell

Appreciate any information. George Abraham Akers used to own/ farm Rush Green Farm in Little Amwell in the 1800s and I would appreciate any information, letters or pictures of the farm and George if possible. Many thanks

Nineteen Years Pleasurable Living in Great Amell.

My family of four childen, my husband and I, moved into part of a large country house known as 'Ravenscourt', standing in 3 acres of land: we named our semi "Little Ravenscourt'. Within our back garden stood a beautiful large 'Indian Bean Tree' (catelpa), which the children loved to climb on: in the spring it was covered in small orchid-like scented flowers which attracted many bees ~ some of which would fall drunk onto the lawn. The flowers were the forerunner of long bean-like growths: hence its name. Opposite the house was a narrow lane, which led to a thickly grown bluebell wood. Near to the village Church (where one of our daughters was married) was Amwell Pool, a part of the New River with an attractive island at its centre: once each year they held a pagent there for all to enjoy. Our 19 years in Great Amwell will be remembered as among the happiest of our lives.

Glen Faba

Oh what lovely memories come flooding back, my mum and I would walk the winding river towpath from Glen Faba, where we lived, to Dobbs Weir, fish and minnow watching as we went along our way. In the summer my mum would get a hire row boat out from the man in the Fish and Eels pub garden, oh it was always sooo exciting - being so careful not to fall in the water, as we climbed into the boat, and then we were off, taking it in turns to row and not hit or get hit by the bigger boats along the river. We would row all the way to the lock at Glen Faba, near the power station, and back again, taking in all the sights and smells along the way. The fish, so clearly visable beside the boat, although my hands were never fast enough to catch one! And the wonderful array of fowl, moorhens, mallards, and of course the majestic swans, the reeds, the bullrushes and... Read more

The Flicks

The Pavilion c1950
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This is the first cinema I ever went to! I even went to see 'The Circus of Horrors' X-rated film here, I was smuggled in by my mum and her friend Long Lil (Lillian Smith), it's ok, I''ve had no real side effects from it, ha ha. I think I was between 6-8 years old. I remember I had to hide under Lil's coat (it had a flare type bottom) and Mum and Lil walked in from the ticket booth arm in arm, into the darkened cinema. How funny it must have been, you couldn;t get away with it now. Ahhh, the good ol' days. I would love to live from anyone who lived or stayed at the Glen Faba or Riverside.

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