Blacksmiths: A memory of Earls Colne

Blacksmiths

A Memory of Earls Colne.

I attended the grammar school 1936-9. Whilst waiting for buses home I used to talk to the local blacksmith. I said to him ,"My granddad uised to be a smith"
When I told him my surname was `King` he asked "Was he Tom King ?" I did not know as my relative had died when I was two but asked "Why?" I was told "All smiths named King were `Tom` Many years later checking the family tree I found it was correct ,three generations of smiths all surnamed King were either named or nicknamed `Tom`.The first was at Aingers Green Gt.Bentley. I then wondered was Dick Turpin`s partner in crime,Tom King a forebear of mine ? It seems NO, it was only a nickname ,his real name was Matthew !

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Added 05 February 2008

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Thank you for your comments Peter. My uncle, St John Edwards, was a pupil at Earls Colne Grammar School at about the same time as you were. He must have been born in about 1929 or 1930, so he might have arrived just as you had left. I was later a pupil there from 1971 until the school closed in 1975. I was sorry to miss the last meeting of the Old Colonian Association, but if anyone can put me in touch with the person who used to run it, I would be grateful. My e-mail is robert.pigott@googlemail.com Talking of Kings, I lived in Great Tey, where King was a common name, and was taught maths by Martyn King, formerly of Colcheter United FC. I would love to be put in touch with Martyn King, who was a very good teacher, and memorably, for a 11/12 year old, drove a Volvo sports car. St John Edwards went on to be an Anglican clergyman, moved to Australia where he was Dean of Grafton among other appointments. He died in 2014.

By robert.pigott on Sat Oct 6th 2018, at 12:02 pm

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