Waltham Cross memories
Here are memories of Waltham Cross and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Waltham Cross or a Waltham Cross photo.
Memories of Childhood
Our family moved out of Tottenham to the green fields of Waltham Cross in 1951. In those days that was where the trolley buses turned around to go back into London and where the countryside began. There was greenhouses everywhere and a large Italian immigrant population that worked in them. As it was so soon after the Second World War the living conditions were a great improvement to what we had seen in our lives thus far. A brand new three bedroom flat in Kenworth Close, inside toilet and a radiator in one bedroom. Just as important was what was outside, all we had to do was walk across the road, across the railway line and we were in Theobalds Park. Those lions and tiger in the glass cases were fearsome for us kids, and from there it was only a short hop across the Great Canbridge Road and into the woods. Each day was an adventure, walking up Tup'ney Tube across Oylers Farm and onto the New River. Many's... Read more
Sweet Shop
Hi My parents owned a confectioners at 5 High Street Cheshunt in 1959 known as R.A Press. I had been born in 1955 at 16 Sidney Road in Waltham Cross, a house my parents purchased in 1950, and my grandparents lived at 55 Northfield Road. They were John & Margaret Press. My mum and dad Ronald Arthur Press and Irene Elsie Crow married 17th Dec 1949 at the Holy Trinity Church. I think my grandparents had moved to Waltham Cross in the 1930s and John Howard Press, my grandfather, died there in 1964. A few years ago I went back for a visit and went into the Wheatsheaf public house, you can imagine the shock I had when I noticed a photo of my grandad still hanging on the wall, it was the darts team in 1952. The landord told me the pub had been refurbished and they decided to hang the picture back up. My grandmother Margaret Press was still living at Northfield Road until her death in 1973 and my... Read more
Childhood in Waltham Cross
I was born in Waltham Cross in 1941, right in the middle of an air raid. My dad was yelling up at the planes saying "Not tonight Adolf, not tonight!"
Waltham Cross back then was a wonderful village to grow up in. Sunday mornings only the sweet shop would be open at the top of Trinity Lane, named Foyles. You could walk up the High St and come across sheep being herded in the middle of the road, and all the traffic, well what there was of it, would come to a halt and await the shepherd and his flock.
The High Street was full of hustle and bustle on a Saturday morning and I would have to go into the Co-op furniture shop and pay on my mum's weekly HP for the furniture she had bought. I would then go across the road to Collins grocers and butchers and give them a shopping list my mum had given me and wait for the merchandise to be packaged. Friday nights... Read more
Memories of Hertfordshire
Morning Service at St Mary's in The 1960s
Like many young folks of the 1960s who grew up in Cheshunt churchgate area, when the time came to marry you almost always chose St Mary's as the place to have your wedding. It is a lovely old church. I also have happy memories of going to church on Wednesday mornings as I was a student, or pupil as we were called back in those days, at St Mary's School which was (and still is for a little longer before it is pulled down to make way for a bigger school further on up the road) - part of the school life for those of us at St Mary's, and it made a welcome break from practical maths and English lessons. If I cast my mind back to school days of the 1960s I can still taste that high church incense that would be used during the morning sevice and also hear dear old Mr Stan Mansfield snoring at the back of the church. Such happy days.
The Old Pond
On a visit back to the area after a long time away living in Australia. I was dismayed that what was the old triangle with the Old Pond pub in the middle and then changed to a roundabout with a fountain, the area was still known as the old pond because another pub opposite Ripleys was named The Old Pond. I now see that this has been changed to R J s or something and is up for lease. So now there seems to be nothing to indicate that the area is the old pond, other that a tiny sign at the top of Windmill lane that reads "20 Old Pond" how does anyone know that the area within 150 metres of the fountain is the Old Pond.
St Mary's Church
Re: St Mary's wednesday morning church service at Dewhurst Secondary as it was known in those days, I remember Stan Mathews falling asleep on his knees as in prayer. My mother now lives in the alms house next to the church, so every time i go back to visit it breaks my heart to see how much it's changing. I say for the worse, I mean you have only got to look at Broomer Cottage. It had a wonderfull garden, now it's houses, very sad, although Churchgate is supposed to be a historic area I have fond memories of Whithern Park with all the grass and pathways kept to great degree of tidyness. I remember being chased off the grass by the Parky as we called him, I think his name was Brian, then when I went to the park last September 2010, what avdifference, the grass trodden on the paths, not what they used to be, even the bowling green looks a bit 3rd rate.
Mill Lane Cottages, Mill Lane, Turnford, Herts
Hi, I am trying to research my family tree, family name is Sipthorp. I have obtained various birth certificates for my father and uncle. They were born in these pretty little cottages, the family consisted of mum, dad and 5 children, my, what a squash! My grandfather worked at the powder mills which I can only assume to be The Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock. If anyone out there could perhaps help me with this unusual surname, which by the way is a very old Cheshunt name, I would be very grateful for any further information.
Lotus Factory
I remember back in the early 1960s walking along Dalaware Road and looking into the open doors of the Lotus factory while they were assembling Lotus Cortinas. This meant nothing to me then, but now I am a petrol head and like cars.
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