There Was No Smith

A Memory of Woodford Green.

This is the title of my memoirs that I published in 2010.
I was born in Woodside Nursing Home, Woodford Wells on 30.11.30. My father was Dr.David H Smith, a local G.P. and we lived at 22 Primrose Road, S.Woodford until 1938. We moved to Vicarage Rd. Woodford Bridge, off Roding Lane, where we lived at St.Breock, through the war years (with many never-to-be forgoten experiences- especially the Battle of Britain), until the mid 50's, with siblings Pauline, Howard, Edwin and Christine, all of whom are still alive (Howard & Jill in N.Z.) Our parents then moved to Loughton and Frinton-on-Sea, Essex,in retirement. I was at Brooklands School, Churchfields before going to the then relatively new Buckhurst Hill County High School, Chigwell. We loved cycling in Epping Forest, and I was a keen L.T bus spotter and LNER Train spotter. Woodford holds many wonderful memories for me of the first twenty five years of my life and it was a great experience last year to return to the 50th anniversary of the 'new' Latchett Hall, meeting up with many ex-members, especially of The Covenanters (a christian boys' movement. that produced many fine youth and ordained leaders) I did my National Service in the RAF Medical Branch, and on demob worked for thirteen years in NHS Laboratories, mainly in the London area, obtaining my FIMLT. After marriage to Gill Williamson, we had Naomi, Andrew and Julian. I was ordained to the C.of E. Ministry and served my curacy at the famous 'Oranges and Lemons' Parish Church of Shoreditch, before spending nine memorable years in Chile with our three youngsters. Later on I was vicar of Castle Hedingham, Essex; St.Philip's, Cambridge,; Chaplain of Ibiza, and then back to Liverpool, Ely, Chelmsford (Frinton-on-Sea) and York Dioceses, now retired in Scarborough.