Morley Cottage

A Memory of Wareside.

I remember Wareside so well. I lived at Morley Cottage just outside the village. I went there in 1937 with my parents - my father Jim McGowan and Mother Elizabeth.They both worked at Fanhams Hall for Lady Brocket. My mother then worked for Mrs. Baird at Reeves Green in the 1940's and then went as a dinner lady at Wareside C of E school - where I went until 1947 then onto Ware Grammar School. I have many memories of Whist Drives in the Village and dances and happy memories of VE Day in the village.I see that some else mentions the Temperance Hall and my parents knew the family well who lived there - their name was Godley. We too used to go to Hogham Wood to pick primroses and bluebells (not allowed now!) and then of course the railway line was still in action. In fact I used to catch the train from Mardock Station to London in the 50's to go to work in the city. I well remember the shop and post office - the post office run by Mr.and Mrs. Webb and the shop by Mr.& Mrs Parrot - the ladies were sisters. Also there was another shop in the village called The Red Lion (obviously a pub in a previous life!) this was run by a Mr. and Mrs.Wisbey .I was married at Wareside Church in 1958 to Michael Bunce whose parents lived at Ashdene just up from the railway station.The Head teacher at Wareside school initially was Mr.Robinson - he then left and the post was taken over by Mrs. Kay.Mrs. Butler taught the middle class and Mrs. Pottle the infants. I also remember the many evacuees that came to the school, including the Newell children, some of whom remained in the village after war. My parents remained at Morley until 1981 when they moved to Derbyshire to be near me. I occasionally go back to Wareside and visit Morley which really hasn't changed - which is very refreshing in this day and age.