Witham memories
Here are memories of Witham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Witham or a Witham photo.
Chipping Hill Infant School
My name is Janet (nee Smith) McGraw, I was born in Witham, Essex in the year 1942. I also went to Chipping Hill Infant School. I started school April 16th 1947, the day before my 5th birthday. I remember Ann Goodchild very well, I actually have a photograph of her as "The Fairy" in the Christmas play, with me standing beside her as "The Holly and the Ivy". I also went to the Church School. I left Witham in 1963, I've lived in several Countries and various States, now living in North Carolina, USA, for the past 32 years. Chipping Hill Infant School is closing its doors this summer for ever, they will be moving to another location in Witham. However they are looking for former pupils to come forward to share their memories with the children, teachers and parents. So if you have some fond memories, stories, or photgraphs you would be willing to share , they would love to hear from you. I have a copy of... Read more
Chipping Hill And Half Hides Farm
I was delighted to read your comments about Braintree Road and Chipping Hill School. My grandfather was the Farm Bailiff of Half Hides Farm - William Appleton and I spent my very early life living Half Hides Farm. I was born in 1941 and my parents moved to Braintree Road, Number 37 when I was 18 months old. I attended Chipping Hill School and later I went to to the Church School in Guithaven Road. I have lived in North London for many years and have now returned to Essex - to Bocking near Braintree. I returned to Witham to get married in the Church at Chipping Hill in 1972. I also remember Crittalls as a child as my Uncle worked there for 50 years. My name before I got married was Ann Goodchild. I know the pond could not be filled in and is still there. I believe my Grand-mother threw some old candlesticks in there just because she did not like them! I have some photos I want... Read more
Braintree Road
I was born at 38 Braintree Road in 1942 and enjoyed growing up in the area close to Chipping Hill. The old forge was in operation and us kids would spend hours watching My Dorking shoeing horses. I went to the Chipping Hill School from 1947 to 49.
I spent a lot of time at Halfhides Farm which is now long gone under the London overspill estate although the original pond still remains.
I lived a couple of houses from Crittalls factory and could see the sparks from their processes flying when they worked the night shift.
My neighbours were the Revell's and the Pounds and the Banthorpes.
I attended the Church School from age 7 through 11. It's also long gone.
If anyone remembers me I was known as Jim Green.
I now live at Portland Oregon USA.
Witham in The 1800s
My dad and ancestors were born in Witham. Does anyone have any pictures of the early days of Witham, if so they could email me? I would love to hear from anyone who is familiar with the history of Essex. You can email me direct at dorel34@shaw.ca.
Help Required
Does anyone know of Sylvia Eileen Newman, who was living in Witham around 1965? She became Sylvia Eileen Brewer. Any help would be appreciated.
Witham Times
I believe that my Grandfather, Arthur Arnold, was the editor of the Witham Times before and during the second world war and lived in Silver End with his wife Molly, sons Frank and Peter and daughter Elizabeth (Betty). I would appreciate any information that would confirm or deny this well worn family history.
Memories of Essex
A Real English Village
My parents moved to Wickham Bishops in 1948 to help friends run the village Post Office Stores which sold everything - stamps, paraffin (you brought your own can and it was filled from a barrel at the back), vinegar (as for the parafin, it came from a barrel out back), cheese portions cut from huge cheeses wrapped in linen, and loose flour and pulses which even as a five year old I was allowed to put into blue sugar-paper bags to be weighed. Sweets where still rationed and broken biscuits were popular. My mother and her friend went once a year to order skirts, blouses, frocks and underwear from the London warehouses. Toys that came in for Christmas were not in plastic so I got the first go with them! There was a village pantomime every year in which all the local characters took part, glamorous in fish-net tights as Dandini or hideous in wigs and false chests as the ugly sisters. There was also a Christmas party for everyone... Read more
Wickham Bishops Born And Bred
In 1950 I was born on a cold winter's night to my mother Rosemary Jesse, at 'The Black Houses', Kelvedon Road, Wickham Bishops, built by architect, designer and socio-economic theorist Arthur Heygate Macmurdo. I had an older brother Neil and a sister, Christine. My mother had lived her childhood at Goldhanger, another delightfully unique part of Essex, bringing forth many joyful memories of childhood. My father Chris like me was born in Wickham Bishops, his father Joe walked into the village at the tender age of 11 with another lad from who knows where and were taken in and raised by a couple of families in the village, hence no record of our ancestry on that that side of the family.
My mother worked at the local primary school for endless years, firstly as the dinner lady then the dinner and lunchtime playground lady. Luckily for us kids my mum had a wonderful sense of play, the only downfall for me was that from the moment I could sit... Read more
My Granddad Stevens
Years ago my grandad had a small garage and workshop at the side of the Du-Cane Arms. My dad was born there and went to scool at Great Tottom. My grandad is buried in Great Braxted Church and my nanna is there too. In the last few years dad (Anthony Percy Stevens who died in 2005) was buried also in Great Braxted Church, and in 2008 my mum Alfreda Emily Stevens died and she also is burried with my dad in Great Braxted Church. My dad told me that him and his little brother would go into Braxted Park and get mistletoe and sell it on to get themselves a few pennies for Christmas. My eldest sister was christened in Braxted Church. My Aunty Dot and Uncle Cecil Raner lived in Braxted village for years a few doors away from the Du-Cane Arms and they had a green monkey that lived in a large cage in their garden. I would go and stay at my auntie's with one of my... Read more
Pundict Cottage
My grandparents lived in Braxted Park where my grandfather was a gamekeeper. They lived in Pundict Cottage, and having looked at local maps, I am wondering whether the house known as Pundict Lodge is built on the same site. Does anyone know?
Childhood in The Village
I moved to Hatfield Peverel in late 1941, after my family was bombed out in London. My father took the Duke of Wellington pub over, where we lived until 1949. Yes they were good years in the village, but at the beginning we were outcasts as we were Cockneys, but after three months it got really good. ONly my dialect was a bit different and got me into a lot of trouble at school, the local church school. During the raids, at school we had air raid shelters which were in the school playground and when the siren went we would go out there until it was over, but to me they didn't feel safe as they were above the ground and had only one way in, and a little hole at the other end where you would have to crawl out. I made many friendss there - Janet Cleave from the bakery, Edith Brown from Peverel Lodge which was a beautiful house with a brick wall around it, opposite... Read more
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