The Resident Number 153 - 1987
Croxley Green Residents Association
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CHURCH ARCHIVES
In December of last year I was appointed Archivist of All Saints' Church, Croxley Green. In the not too distant future it is intended to arrange a small exhibition of photographs of the Church to highlight the appeal in connection with repairs to the steeple and restoration of the organ. This will be staged in the Library, Barton Way. Many of you are aware that the history of Croxley Green is tied up with John Dickinson's Croxley Mill which opened in 1830. Then, as the population had increased to approximately 1,000 and the nearest church was St. Mary's Rickmansworth, a meeting was held in October, 1868 chaired by Lord Ebury and a decision was reached that a Church should be built in Croxley Green. Many further meetings were held and it was finally agreed that it should be built at the south end of the Green. Funds were raised by voluntary subscriptions and Lord Ebury laid the foundation stone September 27th 1870. Then on June 25th the consecration of the finished Church was held by the Bishop of Rochester, in whose diocese the Church was at that date. The first Vicar was the Rev.Ashley Roberts who had been Curate of St Mary's Rickmansworth. The Archives contain many interesting documents and we have quite a number relating to Croxley, we would be pleased and interested to see any photographs, documents, newspaper cuttings, etc. relating to the Church and district. N. Spring | ||
The Resident Number 154 - 1987
Croxley Green Residents Association
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POLICE COLUMN - I know a lot of you have seen a policewoman either walking or cycling round the Croxley Green area and thought to yourselves 'Who's that?' (some people have even asked the officer) Well it's me! I'm Alison Begley and I've been Steve Steddy's partner up here since March. I've settled down quite happily, and those of you I have met have made me feel welcome. So if you do see me wandering around apparently aimlessly (or wearily, more like), do come up and have a chat- I don't bite!
1986 1987 BURGLARY (Dwelling Houses) 22 7 BURGLARY 10 16 (Not Dwelling Houses) THEFT 38 29 (Not Motor Vehicle Related) THEFT 41 46 (Motor Vehicle Related) OTHER CRIME 10 41 (Motor Vehicle Related) OTHER CRIME 44 55 | ||
The Resident Number 155 - 1988
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RED CROSS CENTRE CROXLEY GREEN - 21 years ago the building at the back of the Library was built and opened as the Red Cross Centre, coordinating all Red Cross services in S.W. Hertfordshire. Excellent training courses in First Aid and Practical Home Nursing are given here, the trained members can be called on to give First Aid cover at local and national events as well as at any major disaster -Domiciliary Nursing Care is given at the request of Doctors and District Nurses. Our Youth members also train here (age 11 - 15 years). The knowledge they gain enables them to cope with accidents, illness in their own homes, and instil in others as well as themselves understanding and importance of health education. The Welcome Club offers membership to all of retirement age in Croxley Green. It is 30 years since it was founded by George Wilcox and 25 years since it became part of the Red Cross.
HARVEY ROAD SCHOOL'S GOLDEN JUBILEE - In the summer we shall celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Harvey Road School on 5th September 1938. Who would have imagined that our temporary "wooden shed" would have lasted so long? And its life is far from finished yet!! The fact that the buildings have lasted so well that the school can still thrive in almost its original state is attribute to the many people, teachers, caretakers, cleaning and ancillary staff, and, of course, children and parents who, over the past 50 years, have treated the school with such care, respect and affection. | ||
The Resident Number 156 - 1988
Croxley Green Residents Association
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THE PEST HOUSE AND THE DORROFIELDS - When I recently mentioned the Pest House at a Meeting it was met with some incredibility. Where is this place I was asked and so,with the help of Bert Dorrofield who knows more about the River Chess and its surroundings than most, I will tell you. If you had lived in Croxley Green for as long as me, you would have walked down Copthorne Road, then little more than a track bounded by bushes of pink dog roses, climb over the stile into the fields, abundant with wild flowers, on the way to Loudwater and down the hill to the River Chess looking down from the hill one would have seen a gaunt squarish, chimney alongside the River and Watercress beds - all that remained of the Pest House. Legend has it that during the Great Plague people were brought here to recover - or die. The chimney has crumbled away and only the legend is left. Believe it or not - but bricks are still turned up in the adjoining field which "they" say were part of the old Pest House. The Dorrofield family have been associated with those Watercress Beds for many years. About 200 years ago, Bert's forbears built "Fishery Cottage" there and stables were added to the old original building. About 65 years ago there was a spectacular fire and the stables were burnt down. Bert's father and uncle continued the business of Watercress Growers, sending deliveries to Covent Garden by rail from Rickmansworth Station. Kay Raggett
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The Resident Number 157 - 1989
Croxley Green Residents Association
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OUR GREEN
Our Green used to be a pleasant place, people could enjoy a walk, mothers could happily let their children run and play on the grass. Alas! this is no longer so. Why? Because it has become a dogs' lavatory. It is not unusual to see a car pull up, out trips Fido to take his short constitutional, a short time later back he jumps into the car and home. Now dear Fido I have no wish to stop you and your canine friends from coming for your walks, but it would be nice, if your owner does not already do so, to carry a scoop and clean up after you. MA Fry £13,000 REDECORATION - All Saints Church urgently require £13,000 for redecoration. A Flower Festival will be held in the Church from 24- 26th June (inc) coinciding with the Revels. The proceeds of the Festival will go towards the redecoration fund and your support will be greatly appreciated. During this week-end there will be an exhibition in the Church Hall, consisting of photographs of the Church and other items of local interest. Refreshments will be available. "Wassail! Wassail! Over the town Our toast it is white, our ale it is brown! Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree With our wassailing bowl we drink to thee. Come, butler, bring us a bowl of the best. And we hope your soul in heaven may rest. But if you do draw us a bowl of the small Then down will go butler, bowl and all." | ||
The Resident Number 158 - 1989
Croxley Green Residents Association
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Dear Sir, The Resident is sent to me in Australia by my mother, its a great way to remember my old home Croxley, and what memories came flooding back after reading the Mummers article. My father, Jim Samuels often told me stories of the performances he and the others put on at Christmas and other special occasions. There was one performance put on I think for the coronation celebrations, and I watched in awe as dad who this time was to play St. George repainted the silver shield and polished the ex firemans brass hat which represents his St. George's helmet. St. George was well armed for his battles with the giant, dragon and other foes. There was this very large and very real sword which fortunately, for the future generations of Croxley was worn in his belt and only used for show, a wooden one was actually used for the play. Atop his magnificent horse even though it only had two legs, he looked fantastic and what a show they put on those Mummers that day. Several years later, some friends of mine and I were approached to revise the Mummers for the Croxley Green Revels. Dad was very enthusiastic and wanted to help. We found some of the original costumes under the church hall stage and with papier mache and paint we were able to make repairs. I being the tallest was given the part of the giant and his head also found in the church hall was easily repaired. We even found the original giants club. For costume, an old sack dyed green in mother's kitchen sink, made a wonderful shirt. A pair of pyjama trousers with sacking wrapped around my feet, I looked the part........
Yours sincerely Alan James Samuels | ||
The Resident Number 159 - 1990
Croxley Green Residents Association
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FARMERS OF CROXLEY GREEN - In the autumn, at Harvest time, when the tractors with their trailers laden with corn make their way along the Green,1 am apt to become nostalgic. I look back to the days when Croxley Green was a rural village with a strong farming community. Watford Road was a country road bounded by fields, and only a handful of houses fronting it. Springfield Close was partly a wood - a home for many pheasants. Killingdown Farm, on the Green, now the property of joe Foster was originally farmed by Johnny Coxhill. The Farm covered a wide area. The Foster family moved to Killingdown in 1924 and Johnny Coxhill retired and went to live in Fernlea Villa on the Green. The Foster family had previously lived in New Road and from there farmed about 200 acres around Micklefield and Copthorne. They also had a Dairy; and two milk rounds in Watford. Joe Foster who is well known to us all went to Watford Grammar School. He was a keen footballer. In 1932 he married Lucy Dickins, from Croxley Hall Farm. He has, all his life played an active part in village life here and still assists with the book-work on his Farm. His great grandfather was born at The Sportsman P.H. which his family kept until 1880. In those days a coach ran from Slough to St. Albans and The Sportsman was the halfway house where the two horses were changed on the outward and return journeys. It was also the base for the chain horses. A charge of 2d. was made for pulling a vehicle up Scots Hill. ..
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The Resident Number 160 - 1990
Croxley Green Residents Association
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CHERRY SUNDAYS - I have been asked to write about Croxley Green's Cherry Sundays. I cannot recall these occasions but I have been asking around. What I do remember is how beautiful the green looked in the Spring surrounded by Cherry Orchards with the trees in full bloom, Parts of the Green were carpeted with Harebells, Trefoil, Thyme and Yellow Bedstraw. The flowers have gradually disappeared and they are unlikely to come back as cows and sheep no longer graze there, and we are dependant on mechanical cutting. However, buttercups and dandelions have replaced them, making a brave show. I am sometimes concemed when I hear all the talk of "conserving the acid grass" and "do not walk on the triangle at the top of the Green" as I fear that we are in danger of losing our natural beautiful green to a neat Park, which some would seem to prefer. Returning to my subject of Cherry Sundays I have been speaking to some friends who have lived by the green for most of their lives - Mrs. Grace Brown, and Mrs. Doris Woods granddaughter of Wally Stone who was the chief purveyor of Cherries on the green. He had splendid orchards and sold several varieties of cherries at Rose Cottage where the family lived. There were actually three Cherry Sundays, the second, third and fourth Sundays in July. There was no formal organisation but a great many people congregated on the Green.
Kay Raggett. | ||
The Resident Number 161 - 1991
Croxley Green Residents Association
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PARISH COUNCIL - It is 5 years since the Parish Council came into being - the first meeting, following the elections on 13th March 1986, took place on 3rd April in the Library. 62 full Council meetings have since been held there, interspersed with more than 200 committee meetings and the annual Open Meetings. The case for the establishment of a Parish Council in Croxley rested on the need for a
tier of local government in closer touch with the special character and needs of our community, the argument being that the District Council's responsibility for Three Rivers as a whole would benefit from a stronger expression of the views of local people, and the direct assumption of responsibility at the lower level for some matters. The creation of a new Parish Council is not such a common occurrence as to provide a comprehensive "do-it-yourself" guide on how to set about it. Of course, the practices of other Parish Councils in the area can be examined as possible models, but each is geared to the special demands of the areas they serve. We were extremely grateful for the help we received in the early days, but we had to do it our way and leam by experience. The special feature of the newly elected Croxley Council was that all 16 Councillors had stood as independent candidates sponsored by the Residents' Association. There were no political party labels or policies to give instant groupings within the Council. | ||
The Resident Number 162 - 1991
Croxley Green Residents Association
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CHURCH ARCHIVES - You may remember that in the Resident published in the Autumn 1990, I listed a number of names from the Kelly's Directory and among these was George Ricketts, Tortoiseshell Worker New Road. Now soon after that appeared I learnt that his Grandson lived in Watford and made arrangements to meet him. Enjoyed a long conversation with him and his wife and learnt that Comb makers used Turtle Shell rather than Tortoise Shell and though he carried on his business till the late 20's it was somewhat curtailed when Ladies cut their hair shorter when fashion decreed. He also loaned me his Grandfather's Birth Certificate which records his birth on 16th July 1838. His fathers profession was given as Comb Maker. He was born at home, 21, Nassua Place, Commercial Road. Also his marriage certificate which records his Marriage to Ann Foreman on March 10th 1880 at St. Mary Stratford Bow. His profession was given as Fancy Slide Maker. Also let me have two photo's of him planting a tree in the Recreation Ground Barton Way on the occasion of his 100th Birthday. These I copied together with a tribute to his daughter May I displayed at an exhibition held at the Church Hall on Revels Day in June. I already had photo's of the building of the Met Line, showing the line through Croxley Woods, the building of the Bridge at Harvey Road and the construction of the viaduct crossing Baldwins Lane the Canal and the Gade.
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The Resident Number 163 - 1992
Croxley Green Residents Association
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THE RICKMANSWORTH WATERWAYS TRUST - Although we live within a District called Three Rivers and the topography of the area is dominated by the rivers, canal and many lakes there is little recognition of the benefits that these facilities should be providing for the local community. It is against this background that a group of interested people came together in mid-1991 to create The Rickmansworth Waterways Trust. The trust is being centred at Batchworth Lock, where an information centre has already been established, but is taking a keen interest in the whole of the watercourses of the area, in particular the length of the Grand Union Canal from Cassio Basin to Harefield. The Trust has been established as a Limited Liability Company with charitable status "to promote the canal and its environs for recreational, leisure and educational purposes for the benefit of the area." The main activities of the Trust will include: a) create public awareness and interest in the canal, local waterways and their environment through appropriate means; b) provide educational resources relating to the canal, its history and its current and future uses; c) organise working parties to improve the environment around the canal; d) monitor planning applications and Statutory and Advisory Plans as they affect the canal, local waterways and their environs; e) organise a Festival in Rickmansworth in 1993 to celebrate the bicentenary of the Grand Union Canal.
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The Resident Number 164 -1992
Croxley Green Residents Association
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REVELS '92 - The 20th June was a date not to be missed by the community of Croxley Green. It was the annual Revels day, where most of the residents gathered on the Green to see floats, stalls and arena shows. The day started off with the crowning of the Princess and the opening ceremony, the princess being Michelle Crilly of Yorke Mead School accompanied by Lana Fabb, Clare Macintosh and David Whitby. The crowning ceremony was performed by Sue Durham, our new librarian, and many thanks go to her for doing so. The procession left the Green at about the same time as the arena events and stalls
commenced, this was just after 2.00pm. As some of you may have noticed we changed the procession route slightly. The procession as usual was very well turned out with many spectators. The floats ranged from buses to Slimmers in Wonderland with the Pied Piper of Hamelin and many, many more plus music from the Boys Brigade and Watford Hospital Radio. As usual the British Red Cross provided the first aid for the afternoon and, as far as I know, there were no major accidents with which they had to deal. But many thanks go to them for dealing with the minor incidents. Between watching the procession and strolling round the stalls, many people went to watch the arena events. A few of these events were music from the Joan of Arc Jazz Band. Maypole dancing from the Brownies as well as Medieval dancing. | ||
The Resident Number 165 - 1993
Croxley Green Residents Association
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VILLAGE MAP PROJECT - The Parish Council has agreed to sponsor and underwrite the costs of producing a Village Map for Croxley Green and work began in November 1992. First of all 500 letters and questionnaires were distributed, across a broad section of people and places, asking what features should be included on the map. An example of a Village Map was also displayed in the Library. Response to the questionnaires were collated during December. Not surprisingly, the most popular places were the Green, Croxley Hall Woods, the Canal, All Saints Church and the older houses such as Providence Hall. Hollow Tree House, cottages and Public Houses on the Green and Killingdown Farm. Buildings which have disappeared were also mentioned e.g. Durrants School and the Guildhouse. People's favourite clubs and organisations were also listed. Local animals, birds and wild flowers were also mentioned. We have two local water colour artists Daphne Simmons and Jan Wesson, who are busy making pictures of as many of the above features that we can fit in and which will form an outer framework for the map. Norma Stubbington from the Library, is researching some of the background information regarding statistics and dates. We will be including footpaths and rights of way. We have received some very encouraging comments about the map and offers of help, we are very grateful for this support.
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The Resident Number 166 - 1993
Croxley Green Residents Association
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CROXLEY RAIL LINK REVIVED - Many residents will have noticed that London Underground has now revived its plans for building the Croxley Rail Link so that the Metropolitan Line trains can run into central Watford. Although presentations were made to the local authorities in the late spring, public consultation only began in late July. However, we have been very pleased with the response that we have received with the whole range of issues brought out in discussions at the Baldwin's Lane, Cassiobridge playground, Tolpits Lane and the Harlequin Centre venues. Over 400 serious, face-to-face conversations were held and a new mailing list compiled for future contacts. Turning to specific matters, as many residentswill know, we have decided to revisit the earlier London Underground decision to locate the viaduct at the roundabout near the 'Two Bridges' public house and add another alignment option. The original is now called the southern alignment. The alternative northern route would pass over the existing Baldwin's Lane Metropolitan Line bridge, cross over the land belonging to Cinnamond, over the A412 dual carriageway, the land at the rear of the playground, over the canal to the existing Croxley Green branch. Many parties we met preferred the northern alignment, although of those people expressing a preference, a number did not want the link built at all.
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