Croxley Green Memories (1 of 3)
The following memories were collecting between 1994- 2000 and were written by individual residents living in the area or in some cases had moved away. They have been typed up for the website but any reference to the contributors has been removed. At the time a website was not envisaged .but approval to publish them was agreed at the time they were written.
They are presented in the way the contributor submitted their memories including spellings etc. Each person’s contribution is separated by a scroll. Where the information is not clear extra information has been added as an aid in brackets
They are presented in the way the contributor submitted their memories including spellings etc. Each person’s contribution is separated by a scroll. Where the information is not clear extra information has been added as an aid in brackets
I was born in New Road, but we moved to Cherry Cottages, Scots Hill, when I was about four years old. I remember happy days when I was young. My mother used to take my sister and I up on the green and we loved rolling down the dell at the top of the green. We enjoyed having picnics and taking our dolls pram and dolls. We moved to Bateman Rd and I went to York Road School and I remember when the landmine landed in the woods we had our French windows blown out so we went to the shelter in Harvey Road School. I remember we had a Morrison table and we all slept there at night. My father was a full time warden during the War.
Cherry pickers in the orchard c1915
I was with Percy Graver, Keith Wallis and one or two more and we were up on The Green under the big elm on the corner of New Road and we found a handkerchief with 4d in it. We bought potatoes from Ellement’s shop on the corner of Yorke Road and a box of matches.
We went to the top of The Green – ‘Parrots (farm) dell side’ top left-hand corner and lit a fire to roast the potatoes. The whole hedge caught alight and burnt the whole hedge down. We had to have the fire brigade, I think it may have been John Dickinson’s.
My father made me go down to PC Haggar as the bottom of New Road. He was coming out of his gate and he clipped me around the ear with his gloves and that was the end of it. I thought I would have to go to prison. This was about 1920. I was about 9 years.
Neggie Wilson ( had an assistant called Mr. Wallace an Irish man and during the winter he would pour water in the play ground for us to slide over. We used to collect acorns for Mr. Saunders pigs 1d a sack. He lived in a little stone cottage on the corner of New Road. He had a small holding in the Winton Approach where he kept pigs.
His house had ivy up the wall and the bat catchers came once a year because the bats went up under his roof. Two men with 10ft poles and a net used to bang the wall and catch the bats as they flew out.
We used to get walnuts from The Green, there were about 5 trees – one by the church on the corner, one by the Artichoke at front and one at the back, one at Parsons (Little Gillions) one at the Mr. Stone’s gate that let into his cherry orchard. When they turned black they would fall and on a windy night many would fall off. The cherry pickers would come to Croxley and started at the orchard belonging to the Artichoke. They had big ladders with splade feet. They would go from there to the orchard next to the stables (blacksmiths) Mr. Fry’s House stood nearby. Then to the Coach and Horses orchard. There was a footpath here leading to a football ground where Arthur Woodward played as an amateur for Watford Football then as a professional footballer. Mr. Tanburn, a diamond merchant from America, bought the piece of land on the corner plot opposite the cottages and built the house (now Copthorne House).He took the football pitch and made a small golf course for himself (Copthorne Close).The cherry pickers would cross the Green to Stone’s.
Hollow Tree House once belonged to the two Miss Tates (Sugar people).
The Filberts nuts in Stone’s were there when I was a boy.
Mr. Sears lived in Lovatts cottage. He had a herd of cows. I drove them down the left-hand side of The Green to the church, then up The Green on the other side. It would take all morning as they had to keep on the move. I think there was a law that they could nibble the grass but had to keep on the move. I got a bag of apples or something. There were about a dozen or so and they kept wandering off.
Mr. Stone had a cowman called Black Joe who had a big black beard and we were terrified of him. My father pulled the Berean cottages down. In one of the cottages my father found lots of wooden collection boxes painted green, some with coins in.
Where the Rickmansworth School is, the two Miss Barkers lived. It had a huge Mulberry tree.
My dad was a handyman. He started the first bicycle shop just below the Fox & Hounds and also a Gramophone shop. He had His Master Voice -the big model dog – outside; the gramophones all had big horns. We had an open truck in the yard and Dad put benches in the back and we would go out for the day to Common Wood, Chipperfield – all the family.
We use to have a cricket fixture at school with Chipperfield – it took all day. We would go to Neggie’s house – his sister would have the bread ready in a tin bath. We used to butter it and take turns to carry it to Chipperfield for our tea. One year, having walked all that way, only me and Bill Partington got a knock up because they couldn’t get us out. They walked all that way and never got a bat.
In front of Croxley House there were horse chestnuts where we used to get our conkers. The pond on the corner of Loudwater House we skated on. My father got a pair of old skates and fixed them on a pair of boots for me. There used to be ducks on this pond and Little Green Pond. They used to walk from Little Green down the Green to 5 New Road, and we would feed them. My father used to be very fond of animals and nature and would take apples up to the horses in Sear’s field at the top of the Green. On the footpath to the Chess there used to be a wild plum tree – bullaces.
We went to the top of The Green – ‘Parrots (farm) dell side’ top left-hand corner and lit a fire to roast the potatoes. The whole hedge caught alight and burnt the whole hedge down. We had to have the fire brigade, I think it may have been John Dickinson’s.
My father made me go down to PC Haggar as the bottom of New Road. He was coming out of his gate and he clipped me around the ear with his gloves and that was the end of it. I thought I would have to go to prison. This was about 1920. I was about 9 years.
Neggie Wilson ( had an assistant called Mr. Wallace an Irish man and during the winter he would pour water in the play ground for us to slide over. We used to collect acorns for Mr. Saunders pigs 1d a sack. He lived in a little stone cottage on the corner of New Road. He had a small holding in the Winton Approach where he kept pigs.
His house had ivy up the wall and the bat catchers came once a year because the bats went up under his roof. Two men with 10ft poles and a net used to bang the wall and catch the bats as they flew out.
We used to get walnuts from The Green, there were about 5 trees – one by the church on the corner, one by the Artichoke at front and one at the back, one at Parsons (Little Gillions) one at the Mr. Stone’s gate that let into his cherry orchard. When they turned black they would fall and on a windy night many would fall off. The cherry pickers would come to Croxley and started at the orchard belonging to the Artichoke. They had big ladders with splade feet. They would go from there to the orchard next to the stables (blacksmiths) Mr. Fry’s House stood nearby. Then to the Coach and Horses orchard. There was a footpath here leading to a football ground where Arthur Woodward played as an amateur for Watford Football then as a professional footballer. Mr. Tanburn, a diamond merchant from America, bought the piece of land on the corner plot opposite the cottages and built the house (now Copthorne House).He took the football pitch and made a small golf course for himself (Copthorne Close).The cherry pickers would cross the Green to Stone’s.
Hollow Tree House once belonged to the two Miss Tates (Sugar people).
The Filberts nuts in Stone’s were there when I was a boy.
Mr. Sears lived in Lovatts cottage. He had a herd of cows. I drove them down the left-hand side of The Green to the church, then up The Green on the other side. It would take all morning as they had to keep on the move. I think there was a law that they could nibble the grass but had to keep on the move. I got a bag of apples or something. There were about a dozen or so and they kept wandering off.
Mr. Stone had a cowman called Black Joe who had a big black beard and we were terrified of him. My father pulled the Berean cottages down. In one of the cottages my father found lots of wooden collection boxes painted green, some with coins in.
Where the Rickmansworth School is, the two Miss Barkers lived. It had a huge Mulberry tree.
My dad was a handyman. He started the first bicycle shop just below the Fox & Hounds and also a Gramophone shop. He had His Master Voice -the big model dog – outside; the gramophones all had big horns. We had an open truck in the yard and Dad put benches in the back and we would go out for the day to Common Wood, Chipperfield – all the family.
We use to have a cricket fixture at school with Chipperfield – it took all day. We would go to Neggie’s house – his sister would have the bread ready in a tin bath. We used to butter it and take turns to carry it to Chipperfield for our tea. One year, having walked all that way, only me and Bill Partington got a knock up because they couldn’t get us out. They walked all that way and never got a bat.
In front of Croxley House there were horse chestnuts where we used to get our conkers. The pond on the corner of Loudwater House we skated on. My father got a pair of old skates and fixed them on a pair of boots for me. There used to be ducks on this pond and Little Green Pond. They used to walk from Little Green down the Green to 5 New Road, and we would feed them. My father used to be very fond of animals and nature and would take apples up to the horses in Sear’s field at the top of the Green. On the footpath to the Chess there used to be a wild plum tree – bullaces.
I was born in No. 4 Berean Cottages, one room up and one room down. There was a communal wash house and a row of toilets outside. I remember Mr.Druce the bakers, opposite, would cook people’s Sunday joint for them in his ovens, especially at Christmas. I was a slave in King George V Jubilee parade and a geisha girl at the Coronation of George VI. All the processions came down New Road with the Croxley Harmonica Band at the front and it was headed by Jack Tandy.
My mother worked at Dugdales when she was 14 years old and my father was a telegraph boy down at Benny Wards Post Office, now All Sorts. We used to hang on the back of Jesse Stone’s coal lorry when he came round Gonville Avenue.
When the Church Hall was opened my Dad and Mr. Harriman, who lived in a wooden bungalow at the bottom of Harvey Road in the woods on the right, sang a song together. His bungalow got burnt down in the mid-30s.
When I was 5 yrs old I was taught by Miss Harvey at Yorke Road School, who married Mr. Graver. In the juniors we had a school mother who was an older girl who looked after us if we fell over and cut ourselves. They would look after us. Mary Harriman was my school mother. I had Miss Cooper for my teacher then. They used the Dickinson Institute during the War for the evacuees so some days we were at Harvey Road in the morning and would alternate with them and some times we would go to the Institute.
When I left school I was going into service at Water Dell House. Mrs. Forbes owned it then, as a Tweeny maid. My Mum took me, “You will scrub this step every morning and clean the brass knobs and knockers and live in for 30/- a month. You can have the use of the bike to ride home.” she said. All my bags were packed – caps, aprons, afternoon aprons. Mr. Kinch, the local milkman was going to take my bag up on his milk float. Two days before I had dreadful Tonsillitis and couldn’t go. She wouldn’t wait for me. I’ll always remember it was January 9th.
I started at Dickinson instead and worked there for 25 years starting in the Stationery Dept and then in the Canteen. We used the blanket that was used on the machines for the paper to go round, to make all sorts of things. We dyed it and made coats. My Mum dyed some red and made a carpet when we lived at the Berean Cottages.
During the 1926 General Strike at a special meeting at Apsley my Dad proposed a motto “A light to the end of the road”. It was adopted by John Dickinson for their logo.
Every Monday we had to go to Mill End School – we had a bus pass. We used to go in assembly and they always sang “All people that on earth do dwell”. We stayed for the day and took our packed lunch.
I used to take 2 dinners to John Dickinson during my dinner time when I went home. My Mum sometimes made a milk pudding – thick so it wouldn’t spill in the basket. It was taken to the Time Office. I took my Dad’s and George Chapman’s. I got 6d a week. I only did it when he was on day shift. (I’ve still got the basket in the shed.) I used to run to the foot bridge, down by the Chess - lay on it and pick out the big stones and take off the Caddis worms that were stuck to the stones, and take them home for my Dad’s bait.
School
We had an old tree trunk with a metal ring on it and used this to play netball. We had coloured teams with a coloured band we wore.
There used to be lovely big open fires in the classrooms and in the winter we stood the milk bottles round it to warm up. (1930’s) They were about ½d each and sometimes Mum couldn’t afford it so I didn’t have one. They had cardboard tops on the milk and we used to save them to make woollen bobbles or we used to cover them with silver paper threaded string through and made a whizzer! We used to flip them round and pull them to unwind and they looked very pretty and made a whirring noise.
We made the bobbles with two milk tops and kept winding wool round till the hole was filled and then tied them through the two tops. These were made for anyone having a baby. They hung from the pram hood.
In the Co-op they had little cups where they put the money in, screwed it down, put it up, screwed it to the top – pulled a handle and it shot off to the cashier to the desk.
My Grandfather worked on the crusher down by the canal and there he was a night watchman on Simmonds & Pitkins builder on Barton Way, etc.
He always smoked a clay pipe. My mum took me to Ridgeway’s in Ricky to get my hair cut and Mr. Ridgeway always gave us a clay pipe to use as a bubble pipe but we had to give it to Grandad as he could use it to smoke with.
John Dickinson
They had a big case about the pollution of the R. Gade and my dad had to do a lot of fishing to prove it was not killing the fish. Mr. MacNaughton was the mill manager then and he asked my dad to go up to the Old Bailey (early 1930s) as a witness for John Dickinson.
We always had the hat man come round twice a year from Luton – Spring and Autumn. They used to be about 2/6d or 5/- and Mum always had a new hat. They used to bring them in great big cardboard boxes. They would come to the door and you could try all the hats on. We used to dress up on Sunday’s after tea and put our hats on and go for a walk round the woods or along the canal.
We always seemed to end up at one of the pubs and have a Ginger beer or, if Dad was well off, a packet of crisps.
Next door to Dimmocks (there was always a chair to sit down while your order was being made up) were two cottages, Mr. & Mrs Eggleton (nee Flo Element) they had a little drapers in the front room. Mr. Eggleton used to go round the village with a case selling the things from the shop. My Mum used to buy her cross-over apron from the shop. Next door was Canvin the coal merchant.
My mother worked at Dugdales when she was 14 years old and my father was a telegraph boy down at Benny Wards Post Office, now All Sorts. We used to hang on the back of Jesse Stone’s coal lorry when he came round Gonville Avenue.
When the Church Hall was opened my Dad and Mr. Harriman, who lived in a wooden bungalow at the bottom of Harvey Road in the woods on the right, sang a song together. His bungalow got burnt down in the mid-30s.
When I was 5 yrs old I was taught by Miss Harvey at Yorke Road School, who married Mr. Graver. In the juniors we had a school mother who was an older girl who looked after us if we fell over and cut ourselves. They would look after us. Mary Harriman was my school mother. I had Miss Cooper for my teacher then. They used the Dickinson Institute during the War for the evacuees so some days we were at Harvey Road in the morning and would alternate with them and some times we would go to the Institute.
When I left school I was going into service at Water Dell House. Mrs. Forbes owned it then, as a Tweeny maid. My Mum took me, “You will scrub this step every morning and clean the brass knobs and knockers and live in for 30/- a month. You can have the use of the bike to ride home.” she said. All my bags were packed – caps, aprons, afternoon aprons. Mr. Kinch, the local milkman was going to take my bag up on his milk float. Two days before I had dreadful Tonsillitis and couldn’t go. She wouldn’t wait for me. I’ll always remember it was January 9th.
I started at Dickinson instead and worked there for 25 years starting in the Stationery Dept and then in the Canteen. We used the blanket that was used on the machines for the paper to go round, to make all sorts of things. We dyed it and made coats. My Mum dyed some red and made a carpet when we lived at the Berean Cottages.
During the 1926 General Strike at a special meeting at Apsley my Dad proposed a motto “A light to the end of the road”. It was adopted by John Dickinson for their logo.
Every Monday we had to go to Mill End School – we had a bus pass. We used to go in assembly and they always sang “All people that on earth do dwell”. We stayed for the day and took our packed lunch.
I used to take 2 dinners to John Dickinson during my dinner time when I went home. My Mum sometimes made a milk pudding – thick so it wouldn’t spill in the basket. It was taken to the Time Office. I took my Dad’s and George Chapman’s. I got 6d a week. I only did it when he was on day shift. (I’ve still got the basket in the shed.) I used to run to the foot bridge, down by the Chess - lay on it and pick out the big stones and take off the Caddis worms that were stuck to the stones, and take them home for my Dad’s bait.
School
We had an old tree trunk with a metal ring on it and used this to play netball. We had coloured teams with a coloured band we wore.
There used to be lovely big open fires in the classrooms and in the winter we stood the milk bottles round it to warm up. (1930’s) They were about ½d each and sometimes Mum couldn’t afford it so I didn’t have one. They had cardboard tops on the milk and we used to save them to make woollen bobbles or we used to cover them with silver paper threaded string through and made a whizzer! We used to flip them round and pull them to unwind and they looked very pretty and made a whirring noise.
We made the bobbles with two milk tops and kept winding wool round till the hole was filled and then tied them through the two tops. These were made for anyone having a baby. They hung from the pram hood.
In the Co-op they had little cups where they put the money in, screwed it down, put it up, screwed it to the top – pulled a handle and it shot off to the cashier to the desk.
My Grandfather worked on the crusher down by the canal and there he was a night watchman on Simmonds & Pitkins builder on Barton Way, etc.
He always smoked a clay pipe. My mum took me to Ridgeway’s in Ricky to get my hair cut and Mr. Ridgeway always gave us a clay pipe to use as a bubble pipe but we had to give it to Grandad as he could use it to smoke with.
John Dickinson
They had a big case about the pollution of the R. Gade and my dad had to do a lot of fishing to prove it was not killing the fish. Mr. MacNaughton was the mill manager then and he asked my dad to go up to the Old Bailey (early 1930s) as a witness for John Dickinson.
We always had the hat man come round twice a year from Luton – Spring and Autumn. They used to be about 2/6d or 5/- and Mum always had a new hat. They used to bring them in great big cardboard boxes. They would come to the door and you could try all the hats on. We used to dress up on Sunday’s after tea and put our hats on and go for a walk round the woods or along the canal.
We always seemed to end up at one of the pubs and have a Ginger beer or, if Dad was well off, a packet of crisps.
Next door to Dimmocks (there was always a chair to sit down while your order was being made up) were two cottages, Mr. & Mrs Eggleton (nee Flo Element) they had a little drapers in the front room. Mr. Eggleton used to go round the village with a case selling the things from the shop. My Mum used to buy her cross-over apron from the shop. Next door was Canvin the coal merchant.
I remember when New Road was just a village street with open country on either side. Every one knew each other and half the village was related by marriage – my family included. We had two bombs on Scots Hill, the first was the one that destroyed the Gospel Hall – now rebuilt as the Fuller Hall.
I was on fire watching duty that night. We were in the New Road, near the Red House. It was a brilliant moonlight night; the plane came right over our heads – quite low. We could see it clearly, we watched it go towards the direction of the woods and after a few seconds we heard a loud crump and a shower of red hot sparks flew up into the sky.
I went to All Saints Church school in Yorke Rd until I was eleven when I “passed the scholarship” as it was called then and went to Watford. Although it was only a village school we had a very good education and before I left at age eleven, I had read Shakespeare and Dickens, the Greek fables and learned poetry. We were also taught good manners and respect for our elders.
I was on fire watching duty that night. We were in the New Road, near the Red House. It was a brilliant moonlight night; the plane came right over our heads – quite low. We could see it clearly, we watched it go towards the direction of the woods and after a few seconds we heard a loud crump and a shower of red hot sparks flew up into the sky.
I went to All Saints Church school in Yorke Rd until I was eleven when I “passed the scholarship” as it was called then and went to Watford. Although it was only a village school we had a very good education and before I left at age eleven, I had read Shakespeare and Dickens, the Greek fables and learned poetry. We were also taught good manners and respect for our elders.
Chandlers Cross Chapel 2005
I remember the infants and “ Big Girls School” in Yorke Rd the “Big Boys” school in Watford Rd. Sunday school outings, walking in the woods and fields to the tiny Mission Hall opposite the Clarendon Arms. Our high tea consisted of a drink and a sticky bun.
There was always some school revelling on the Green on “May Day” usually just dancing around the May Pole but also a procession with the May Queen being crowned. The Mummers were also involved.
Slide shows held at the Church Hall. Great excitement over this.
The scout show held at the Guildhouse. “Stosher” Green always doing his bit to wreck it at the end. He was a Russian gentleman and very funny. He had a very elegant wife called Olga.
I remember the houses in Frankland Rd being built and weekly Saturday fights between the labourers who had too much to drink at the Red House. The chemist always stayed open late to patch them up.
There was always some school revelling on the Green on “May Day” usually just dancing around the May Pole but also a procession with the May Queen being crowned. The Mummers were also involved.
Slide shows held at the Church Hall. Great excitement over this.
The scout show held at the Guildhouse. “Stosher” Green always doing his bit to wreck it at the end. He was a Russian gentleman and very funny. He had a very elegant wife called Olga.
I remember the houses in Frankland Rd being built and weekly Saturday fights between the labourers who had too much to drink at the Red House. The chemist always stayed open late to patch them up.
My memories of Croxley during wartime is mainly the YANKS. My family lived on the main Watford Road and before D-Day there were endless convoys of military equipment passing our house. A jeep bearing a flag would lead the convoy and there would be tanks, aircraft carriers with whole aircraft folded up like butterflies on their trailers. Then would come the troop carriers and being at Harvey Road School at the time, I would hitch a lift to school in the back of one of the lorries and jump off with the help of a friendly Yank, when we reached school. During the journey we would be given “gum-chum” and small wooden crates filled with candies of all sorts. They seemed to like us kids; parents seemed to enjoy the goodies we brought home. Just imagine this happening today, our parents would have a fit. Mind you had I been at senior school the story of our lifts to school might have been different and our parents not so pleased with the “goodies”.
Another memory of the Yanks was cycling over to Bovingdon from Croxley Green to the PX, where we could obtain all sorts of goods if we had somebody in the know. The PX being the American shopping mall of the 1940’s.
I believe it was an American tank that actually crashed into the wall on Scots Hill and left a dent in the flints for many years. They offered to pay for the damage and straighten out the hill but the council must have refused because it has only been straightened out in recent years. What an amount of money would have been saved had we allowed them to carry out this work.
Another memory is of watching my “Dad’s Army” practising defending our area, with manoeuvres in the undulating contours of the Croxley Moor amongst the cows and “mad Albert”. The Home Guard was made up from all walks of life and they really were a mixed bunch in my Dad’s section. Every Saturday I had to polish all the brass buttons on his uniform, and can still smell the metal polish and grumble about my hands being filthy. They really took it very seriously, puffing and blowing, crawling and charging red faces towards the imaginary enemy. Goodness knows what would have happened had we been invaded.
Dickinson’s Mills hooter summoned the workers to the paper mills and hundreds of men and women went down the mill hill to work. The barges along the canal – another happy memory. It was here I experienced the first “doodle-bug” which actually crashed at Sarratt. My uncle and I crouched down by the wall of the lock and watched it go overhead and watched with horror as the engine stopped, we walked in anticipation for it to land on the moor but luckily it carried on and we were safe. A very frightening experience.
The canal also supplied us with the beautiful majestic shire horses straining at the harness to pull the large esparto grass barges along at walking pace. We used to feed them apples and carrots and these quite, gentle creatures never ever turned on any of us kids in anger because some of us would climb on their backs and hitch a ride. Also the motorised barges were a sight to see on the canal and again we could hitch a lift from Croxley lock to Rickmansworth lock. On Sunday evening walks my parents would take us along the tow path to Rickmansworth and we would watch the barge horses enjoy their supper after a long day’s work, because many of them were stabled at Rickmansworth, Every boat was so colourful and most of the people running them so friendly.
On the banks of the canal by the timber yard we could pick a large box of wild strawberries and believe me there is no taste like a wild strawberry. All have long since gone along with the timber. Whatever happened to seasoned timber?
What about the good old British Restaurant, what food? They did their best we know but custard made with water and semolina with water – ugh! Mashed potato was like wadding and the green vegetables were no longer green, a lovely shade of ochre would best describe them. But the entertainment was quite good talent shows etc. and of course it made a change to eat out from time to time.
Another memory was the Canadian Soldiers in their sax blue suits, who hailed from Mount Vernon Hospital and who we had to give up our seats to on the buses, not that we minded.
My Dad had a marvellous allotment where the Kebbell House now stands and he grew everything from vegetables, fruit and flowers. I have spent many a long hour picking off caterpillars and snails from the produce and wondering what to do with them once they were in the bucket. There were no chemical sprays etc. in those days, you just had to put up with all the pests and get rid of them best way you could.
Pig bins are another memory of wartime, chained to each lamp post we would sneak out at night and put all our leftovers (not many of them) into the bins and they would be collected for the pig farms, which were quite numerous in those days. Recycling must have started in wartime. In fact, when the bombs landed on Scots Hill my Dad, who was an ARP warden, actually jumped into a bin for protection.
Gas masks what a claustrophobic experience. I dreaded having to pull on my Mickey Mouse one, the smell of the rubber reminded me of having my tonsils out when the rubber mask was forced over my face. My baby sister had to go into a large sort of cardboard box with a cellophane window and we would promptly set up beds under the stairs of the house when the air raid warning went. The all-clear was such a welcome sound although we hardly saw any action at all. We used to watch the glow over London from our bedroom window when the blitz was on and really sympathise with all those poor people who were suffering.
There are just a few memories which stick in my mind. No doubt other people will have duplicated but maybe one or two of these recollections will be of some use.
Another memory of the Yanks was cycling over to Bovingdon from Croxley Green to the PX, where we could obtain all sorts of goods if we had somebody in the know. The PX being the American shopping mall of the 1940’s.
I believe it was an American tank that actually crashed into the wall on Scots Hill and left a dent in the flints for many years. They offered to pay for the damage and straighten out the hill but the council must have refused because it has only been straightened out in recent years. What an amount of money would have been saved had we allowed them to carry out this work.
Another memory is of watching my “Dad’s Army” practising defending our area, with manoeuvres in the undulating contours of the Croxley Moor amongst the cows and “mad Albert”. The Home Guard was made up from all walks of life and they really were a mixed bunch in my Dad’s section. Every Saturday I had to polish all the brass buttons on his uniform, and can still smell the metal polish and grumble about my hands being filthy. They really took it very seriously, puffing and blowing, crawling and charging red faces towards the imaginary enemy. Goodness knows what would have happened had we been invaded.
Dickinson’s Mills hooter summoned the workers to the paper mills and hundreds of men and women went down the mill hill to work. The barges along the canal – another happy memory. It was here I experienced the first “doodle-bug” which actually crashed at Sarratt. My uncle and I crouched down by the wall of the lock and watched it go overhead and watched with horror as the engine stopped, we walked in anticipation for it to land on the moor but luckily it carried on and we were safe. A very frightening experience.
The canal also supplied us with the beautiful majestic shire horses straining at the harness to pull the large esparto grass barges along at walking pace. We used to feed them apples and carrots and these quite, gentle creatures never ever turned on any of us kids in anger because some of us would climb on their backs and hitch a ride. Also the motorised barges were a sight to see on the canal and again we could hitch a lift from Croxley lock to Rickmansworth lock. On Sunday evening walks my parents would take us along the tow path to Rickmansworth and we would watch the barge horses enjoy their supper after a long day’s work, because many of them were stabled at Rickmansworth, Every boat was so colourful and most of the people running them so friendly.
On the banks of the canal by the timber yard we could pick a large box of wild strawberries and believe me there is no taste like a wild strawberry. All have long since gone along with the timber. Whatever happened to seasoned timber?
What about the good old British Restaurant, what food? They did their best we know but custard made with water and semolina with water – ugh! Mashed potato was like wadding and the green vegetables were no longer green, a lovely shade of ochre would best describe them. But the entertainment was quite good talent shows etc. and of course it made a change to eat out from time to time.
Another memory was the Canadian Soldiers in their sax blue suits, who hailed from Mount Vernon Hospital and who we had to give up our seats to on the buses, not that we minded.
My Dad had a marvellous allotment where the Kebbell House now stands and he grew everything from vegetables, fruit and flowers. I have spent many a long hour picking off caterpillars and snails from the produce and wondering what to do with them once they were in the bucket. There were no chemical sprays etc. in those days, you just had to put up with all the pests and get rid of them best way you could.
Pig bins are another memory of wartime, chained to each lamp post we would sneak out at night and put all our leftovers (not many of them) into the bins and they would be collected for the pig farms, which were quite numerous in those days. Recycling must have started in wartime. In fact, when the bombs landed on Scots Hill my Dad, who was an ARP warden, actually jumped into a bin for protection.
Gas masks what a claustrophobic experience. I dreaded having to pull on my Mickey Mouse one, the smell of the rubber reminded me of having my tonsils out when the rubber mask was forced over my face. My baby sister had to go into a large sort of cardboard box with a cellophane window and we would promptly set up beds under the stairs of the house when the air raid warning went. The all-clear was such a welcome sound although we hardly saw any action at all. We used to watch the glow over London from our bedroom window when the blitz was on and really sympathise with all those poor people who were suffering.
There are just a few memories which stick in my mind. No doubt other people will have duplicated but maybe one or two of these recollections will be of some use.
The Co-op: In the 1930’s for many Croxley residents, life revolved around the Co-op in New Road on its present site. The shop had two floors of merchandise, offices, and a sizeable hall which was used for local meetings, weddings, etc. Every customer had an individual ‘Co-op Number’ which was quoted every time a purchase was made, so that it would qualify for a ‘dividend’. It is strange how that ‘number’ became imprinted on ones mind and even today residents can recall their family’s ‘Co-op Number’.
On one side of the shop was a long marble counter, where sides of bacon were cut and sliced – butter was cut in wedges from a large block and patted with wooden pats into the customer’s required size. Large cheeses were cut with a wire cutter, and weighed as required. Home cooked ham was sliced from the bone with great precision. A grocery counter ran the length of the opposite length of the shop where sugar and tea was weighed to individual’s needs. Pots of jam (sold in jars which could be redeemed on return empty for a farthing), cocoa, Sunlight Soap, Carbolic Soap, Persil, Rinso, Blue bags all lined the shelves. Biscuits were sold loose and displayed in the boxes with glass lids.
Assistants all wore white cover-up overalls, and were courteous to customers, overseen by the Department Manager. Purchases were entered in the Members Book, and payment was made at a separate cash desk. Home deliveries were made on large weekly orders.
Upstairs was the Drapery Department where everything from net curtains, towels, stockings (tights were not invented), Ladies corsets, material, ribbon and haberdashery were displayed. A gents section was also sited selling socks, pants, caps, trilby hats and gentlemen could be measured for a tailor-made suit for about £3. The assistants were very smart in dark dresses or suits. There was also a shoe department.
‘DIVI DAY’ was a special occasion. Each Member went along to the shop, and according to the amount spent over a period, received a rebate in cash. This made a great outing for the ladies of the village and the children, who would meet in the shop in a very happy mood and promptly purchase a little treat for themselves and the children from the ‘divi.
Once a year the Co-op Sports Day would be held in Dickinson’s Sport Field. The whole family would go along and meet up with friends and neighbours. The children were given a paper bag with Buns and Cakes, and would participate in Egg and Spoon Races, Sack Races, Running Races, Obstacle Courses, etc.
Sometimes an entertainer would be hired. The adults would get a cup of tea. Very few people travelled far from the village except on the bus to Rickmansworth or Watford, so residents confined their recreation to the local social activities.
The Co-op Hall provided the venue for ladies meetings, and local socials and weekly Whist Drives. A Christmas party for members children was also held every year, when a conjuror or magician would be hired, and each child would go home with a balloon and a bag of sweets.
WHAT HAPPY MEMORIES THE CO-OP PROVIDED!!
On one side of the shop was a long marble counter, where sides of bacon were cut and sliced – butter was cut in wedges from a large block and patted with wooden pats into the customer’s required size. Large cheeses were cut with a wire cutter, and weighed as required. Home cooked ham was sliced from the bone with great precision. A grocery counter ran the length of the opposite length of the shop where sugar and tea was weighed to individual’s needs. Pots of jam (sold in jars which could be redeemed on return empty for a farthing), cocoa, Sunlight Soap, Carbolic Soap, Persil, Rinso, Blue bags all lined the shelves. Biscuits were sold loose and displayed in the boxes with glass lids.
Assistants all wore white cover-up overalls, and were courteous to customers, overseen by the Department Manager. Purchases were entered in the Members Book, and payment was made at a separate cash desk. Home deliveries were made on large weekly orders.
Upstairs was the Drapery Department where everything from net curtains, towels, stockings (tights were not invented), Ladies corsets, material, ribbon and haberdashery were displayed. A gents section was also sited selling socks, pants, caps, trilby hats and gentlemen could be measured for a tailor-made suit for about £3. The assistants were very smart in dark dresses or suits. There was also a shoe department.
‘DIVI DAY’ was a special occasion. Each Member went along to the shop, and according to the amount spent over a period, received a rebate in cash. This made a great outing for the ladies of the village and the children, who would meet in the shop in a very happy mood and promptly purchase a little treat for themselves and the children from the ‘divi.
Once a year the Co-op Sports Day would be held in Dickinson’s Sport Field. The whole family would go along and meet up with friends and neighbours. The children were given a paper bag with Buns and Cakes, and would participate in Egg and Spoon Races, Sack Races, Running Races, Obstacle Courses, etc.
Sometimes an entertainer would be hired. The adults would get a cup of tea. Very few people travelled far from the village except on the bus to Rickmansworth or Watford, so residents confined their recreation to the local social activities.
The Co-op Hall provided the venue for ladies meetings, and local socials and weekly Whist Drives. A Christmas party for members children was also held every year, when a conjuror or magician would be hired, and each child would go home with a balloon and a bag of sweets.
WHAT HAPPY MEMORIES THE CO-OP PROVIDED!!
Grandfather H.F. Randall’s name is on the War Memorial, 1914-18 War.
My parents, Vi and Bill Tyson, were licensees for the Fox & Hounds, New Road 1946-79. My parents now deceased. My mother’s eldest sister Lydia Horwood (nee Randall) was six weeks old when brought to Croxley Green. She went to Yorke Road School 1913 and remembers processions around the village on Empire Day, cherry picking and the cherry fair on the Green; bonfire night courtesy of Dickinson’s on the Green.
Girl Guides run by Miss Barton Smith. Mothers Day celebrated at Dickinson’s Institute – all school children in fancy dress, had to perform and take part
During the 1914-18 War the Institute was used as a hospital for Canadians. Children were allowed to visit them.
She worked in Croxley Laundry. Remembers Croxley station being built and too much to write here.
261 New Road as I remember it, around 1946 my Grandma, Mrs. Alice Randall, rented this 2 up- 2 down cottage from around 1913 and she died in 1965. She raised 6 children on her own, as she lost her husband in 1914-1918 War. She was one of only two married women in Croxley Green who were widowed in 1914-1918, and left with children to raise. She took in washing, cleaned the Greengrocers shop for Mrs. Palmer (Palmers) a little further down New Road, and later she worked in the Red House Public House, so that she could feed her children.
Electricity was finally installed in cottage in 1950 / 51 (approx).
My parents took over the License of The Fox & Hounds, New Road in 1946. Beer was still rationed. There was no hot water system therefore no bathroom. A water pump out back from an underground well. Also a stables and Cart Shed. An old kitchen range for heating water. Also an old skittle alley upstairs. They ran the pub for 33 years.
My parents, Vi and Bill Tyson, were licensees for the Fox & Hounds, New Road 1946-79. My parents now deceased. My mother’s eldest sister Lydia Horwood (nee Randall) was six weeks old when brought to Croxley Green. She went to Yorke Road School 1913 and remembers processions around the village on Empire Day, cherry picking and the cherry fair on the Green; bonfire night courtesy of Dickinson’s on the Green.
Girl Guides run by Miss Barton Smith. Mothers Day celebrated at Dickinson’s Institute – all school children in fancy dress, had to perform and take part
During the 1914-18 War the Institute was used as a hospital for Canadians. Children were allowed to visit them.
She worked in Croxley Laundry. Remembers Croxley station being built and too much to write here.
261 New Road as I remember it, around 1946 my Grandma, Mrs. Alice Randall, rented this 2 up- 2 down cottage from around 1913 and she died in 1965. She raised 6 children on her own, as she lost her husband in 1914-1918 War. She was one of only two married women in Croxley Green who were widowed in 1914-1918, and left with children to raise. She took in washing, cleaned the Greengrocers shop for Mrs. Palmer (Palmers) a little further down New Road, and later she worked in the Red House Public House, so that she could feed her children.
Electricity was finally installed in cottage in 1950 / 51 (approx).
My parents took over the License of The Fox & Hounds, New Road in 1946. Beer was still rationed. There was no hot water system therefore no bathroom. A water pump out back from an underground well. Also a stables and Cart Shed. An old kitchen range for heating water. Also an old skittle alley upstairs. They ran the pub for 33 years.
Grandma’s cottage
Grandma’s was a special place
Now a place within my heart
A blazing hearth,
An old tin bath,
And a kettle singing black.
The scullery with concrete floor;
An oil lamp on the table,
Whitewashed walls,
Hung with cooking tools, a washboard,
And a mangle out the back.
A cold marble slab always so cool,
Where food stood crowded,
Beneath white muslin shrouded,
The flies to fool.
A copper for the washing,
With a copper stick so white,
Worn with pounding and squashing,
Till the clothes were clean and bright.
The kitchen range with cheerful fire
Black leaded every day,
Where shining tongs and poker lay.
A toasting fork,
Beneath a metal shelf,
A mirror and a clock.
On the wall a gas lamp,
That lit up with a pop.
Upon the shelf at either side,
Two tall tins,
Full of bits and pieces,
Favourite childhood hours I spent
Sifting through those treasures,
Of buttons and beads,
Ribbons and string,
A bunch of safety pins.
All sorts of useful things.
Up to bed, oil lamp in hand,
A hot brick wrapped in flannelette,
My feet for warming.
A feather bed to sleep upon;
We shook it every morning.
In the corner, a wash-hand stand,
With a china jug and basin
All these things and Grandma now are gone
But warm memories live on
And on….
Grandma’s was a special place
Now a place within my heart
A blazing hearth,
An old tin bath,
And a kettle singing black.
The scullery with concrete floor;
An oil lamp on the table,
Whitewashed walls,
Hung with cooking tools, a washboard,
And a mangle out the back.
A cold marble slab always so cool,
Where food stood crowded,
Beneath white muslin shrouded,
The flies to fool.
A copper for the washing,
With a copper stick so white,
Worn with pounding and squashing,
Till the clothes were clean and bright.
The kitchen range with cheerful fire
Black leaded every day,
Where shining tongs and poker lay.
A toasting fork,
Beneath a metal shelf,
A mirror and a clock.
On the wall a gas lamp,
That lit up with a pop.
Upon the shelf at either side,
Two tall tins,
Full of bits and pieces,
Favourite childhood hours I spent
Sifting through those treasures,
Of buttons and beads,
Ribbons and string,
A bunch of safety pins.
All sorts of useful things.
Up to bed, oil lamp in hand,
A hot brick wrapped in flannelette,
My feet for warming.
A feather bed to sleep upon;
We shook it every morning.
In the corner, a wash-hand stand,
With a china jug and basin
All these things and Grandma now are gone
But warm memories live on
And on….
A few memories of a blacksmith’s son – from the late 1920’s
We lived next door to the blacksmith’s shop and so I spent quite a lot of time above the yard there watching and helping my father and uncles in their various activities – repairing vehicles (especially wheels), painting and sign writing – shoeing horses, etc. Making the shoes and fitting them to the horses was very fascinating, but the most spectacular was fitting new iron tyres to cart wheels. This was done in front of the building (now New Road Garage). A fire of wood was built round the tyres to be fitted until they were red hot. They were then dragged out of the fire and lifted over the wheel laying on a big disc of steel – the tyre was then pressed down into place with what were called “dog irons” and finally sledge hammers. They cooled rapidly with water to shrink them tight. This event always attracted quite a few spectators especially from the children of the area. Another event was when Mr. Canvin (coal merchant) brought a horse for shoeing and it was finished at midday. When I was ready to go back to school, Dad would put me upon the horse and it would set off up New Road, down Yorke Road and along to the Duke of York, where Mr. Canvin had his yard – and into its stable, stopping to let me get off just outside.
School day memories from the late 1920’s – they were happy days for me. A few of the highlights each year were:-
Empire Day – May 24th
All the boys and girls would march behind the flags of the Empire, along Watford Road, through Dickinson Square, along New Road to the Green. The infants would join at Yorke Road. On the Green outside Elmcote there was the ceremony of each country flag being called forward and we would all sing its national anthem.
Armistice Day Nov. 11th
A similar parade along the same route but with ropes spliced with laurel leaves – a girl and a boy to each rope. On arrival at the War Memorial, these ropes were hung on the railing which then surrounded the Memorial, followed by a Service – reading of the names and the Last Post.
Christmas Carol
Each year on the last four Friday afternoons before Christmas, the two top classes would assemble and Neggy, Mr. Wilson the headmaster, would read the story complete with expressions.
Cricket
We used to spend hours on the cricket pitch at the top of the Green – mowing, rolling and keeping the weeds down.
Once a year, about Whitsun, we would assemble at the top of New Road, walk to Chipperfield Common for a day’s cricket with the school there. We took our own lunch and were given tea there before walking home again.
We lived next door to the blacksmith’s shop and so I spent quite a lot of time above the yard there watching and helping my father and uncles in their various activities – repairing vehicles (especially wheels), painting and sign writing – shoeing horses, etc. Making the shoes and fitting them to the horses was very fascinating, but the most spectacular was fitting new iron tyres to cart wheels. This was done in front of the building (now New Road Garage). A fire of wood was built round the tyres to be fitted until they were red hot. They were then dragged out of the fire and lifted over the wheel laying on a big disc of steel – the tyre was then pressed down into place with what were called “dog irons” and finally sledge hammers. They cooled rapidly with water to shrink them tight. This event always attracted quite a few spectators especially from the children of the area. Another event was when Mr. Canvin (coal merchant) brought a horse for shoeing and it was finished at midday. When I was ready to go back to school, Dad would put me upon the horse and it would set off up New Road, down Yorke Road and along to the Duke of York, where Mr. Canvin had his yard – and into its stable, stopping to let me get off just outside.
School day memories from the late 1920’s – they were happy days for me. A few of the highlights each year were:-
Empire Day – May 24th
All the boys and girls would march behind the flags of the Empire, along Watford Road, through Dickinson Square, along New Road to the Green. The infants would join at Yorke Road. On the Green outside Elmcote there was the ceremony of each country flag being called forward and we would all sing its national anthem.
Armistice Day Nov. 11th
A similar parade along the same route but with ropes spliced with laurel leaves – a girl and a boy to each rope. On arrival at the War Memorial, these ropes were hung on the railing which then surrounded the Memorial, followed by a Service – reading of the names and the Last Post.
Christmas Carol
Each year on the last four Friday afternoons before Christmas, the two top classes would assemble and Neggy, Mr. Wilson the headmaster, would read the story complete with expressions.
Cricket
We used to spend hours on the cricket pitch at the top of the Green – mowing, rolling and keeping the weeds down.
Once a year, about Whitsun, we would assemble at the top of New Road, walk to Chipperfield Common for a day’s cricket with the school there. We took our own lunch and were given tea there before walking home again.
Two land army girls, Marion Wright,nee Nobbs with 'Charlie'(right) and Vera Beaument with 'Dolly'(left)standing in a field which is now part of Rickmansworth School and just off Scots Hill. Both girls worked for Nabby Sears during WW2
When I was twenty years old I had already spent 2 years in the Land Army. I then went to work for Nabby Sears at Lovetts. He had a paddock along the Sarratt Lane and we would drive his cows down the Green to the milking sheds behind Hunts (now Allsorts) and down the alleyway between Hunts and Beaumonts (Fruit and Veg) (now Jewellery). I worked for him until just after the War.
I used to wash the bottles and crate them up in the dairy in the morning. We would fill them with milk in the afternoon and leave them overnight. In the morning we would go and fetch the horses, bring them into the yard, shut them into the carts and take the carts round to the front and load them up. We then used to do the milk round. My horse was a pony called Charlie and if I whistled through my fingers he used to come to me. He grazed in the field where Rickmansworth School is now.
When the ‘Second Front’ used to come up Scots Hill – sometimes Churchill Tanks – others Whippets – they would usually go along the Watford Road. Charlie used to bolt if they passed him by – he was so frightened.
We delivered to Harvey Road, Nuttfield Close, Frankland Road, Frankland Close.
When Nabbie Sears was young he used to get 10d a week for scaring crows.
I used to help with haymaking and harvesting. Nabby’s wife was a good cook and used to provide us with lovely cakes.
The West Herts Golf Club was a hostel for Land Army girls. I was allowed to stay at home.
I used to wash the bottles and crate them up in the dairy in the morning. We would fill them with milk in the afternoon and leave them overnight. In the morning we would go and fetch the horses, bring them into the yard, shut them into the carts and take the carts round to the front and load them up. We then used to do the milk round. My horse was a pony called Charlie and if I whistled through my fingers he used to come to me. He grazed in the field where Rickmansworth School is now.
When the ‘Second Front’ used to come up Scots Hill – sometimes Churchill Tanks – others Whippets – they would usually go along the Watford Road. Charlie used to bolt if they passed him by – he was so frightened.
We delivered to Harvey Road, Nuttfield Close, Frankland Road, Frankland Close.
When Nabbie Sears was young he used to get 10d a week for scaring crows.
I used to help with haymaking and harvesting. Nabby’s wife was a good cook and used to provide us with lovely cakes.
The West Herts Golf Club was a hostel for Land Army girls. I was allowed to stay at home.
I remember –
The Artesian water tank in Barton Way Rec. Put there for emergency water supplies in the event of fire caused by enemy action.
I also remember vividly the day the tank was drained and cut up.
I ventured too close, despite many warnings, and as a consequence the back of both of my legs were very badly torn. I was taken to the Peace Hospital. This happened in front of a very large crowd of children. I still have the scars.
I think the tank was dismantled by P.O.W.s.
I remember my father, Sgd. Hanscomb, taking the very heavy glass-cased accumulator to Doug Toms, the electrician in New Road, to be re-charged for our wireless. My father bought our home in Barton Way when first built.
The fishmonger, Mr. Mead, who traded from the side of his house in New Road (I think it was No.181). I shall always remember the long queue stretching from the rear door to the street,
Flanagan’s Fun Fare used the land opposite the Sportsman, now part of the school grounds. Mr. Grillo, the ice cream man who used to stand outside the Met Site on Sundays (Be there quick because he always used to run out!)
During the week he delivered vegetables to homes in Croxley.
People hurrying along Barton Way past our house with bedding to the air
raid shelters in the recreation ground.
The colourful character known as Albert Sarratt, or just plain ‘Sarratt’, His real name was Albert Hudson and he came from Sarratt originally. He lived with his Mother and older brother next to the railway crossing on Croxley Moor, in a caravan.
He used to ride a bike sometimes without tyres!! He would drink in the Fox & Hounds and would rope his bike to the rustic seats that stood outside!
My wife remembers being chased as a little girl, across the moor, because her friends went too close to his caravan. (I think he lived in a converted railway carriage before this.) I can remember my mother taking me the very next day to view the bomb damage at the top of Scots Hill.
The POWs building, Malvern Way School. My mother felt sorry for them and would on occasions, five them fresh eggs (we kept chickens in our garden). I remember spending some of our lessons in the Airaid shelters in Harvey Road School playground. The only lighting was supplied by a large wooden cased lamp. ( I wonder what happened to this.) I think our teacher at this time was Miss Bull?
The fire at Dickinson Guildhouse – I took a very short piece of live film in colour which I still have. The British Restaurant, that stood in Winton Drive, very near the Winton Crescent. I can definitely say that the Restaurant was sited as plan:
Concerning the P.O.W.s and the building of Malvern School, I feel sure that the prisoners were camped when not working at the bottom of Scots Hill where the tennis courts and playing fields are on the right hand side.
Mad Albert was the man I mentioned earlier, who lived with his mother and older brother by the side of the Moor Lane railway crossing. He wasn’t really mad, just simple! The Guildhouse fire (which I have a short cine file shot taken at the time) happened on a Sunday afternoon, I can’t remember year or date.
The Artesian water tank in Barton Way Rec. Put there for emergency water supplies in the event of fire caused by enemy action.
I also remember vividly the day the tank was drained and cut up.
I ventured too close, despite many warnings, and as a consequence the back of both of my legs were very badly torn. I was taken to the Peace Hospital. This happened in front of a very large crowd of children. I still have the scars.
I think the tank was dismantled by P.O.W.s.
I remember my father, Sgd. Hanscomb, taking the very heavy glass-cased accumulator to Doug Toms, the electrician in New Road, to be re-charged for our wireless. My father bought our home in Barton Way when first built.
The fishmonger, Mr. Mead, who traded from the side of his house in New Road (I think it was No.181). I shall always remember the long queue stretching from the rear door to the street,
Flanagan’s Fun Fare used the land opposite the Sportsman, now part of the school grounds. Mr. Grillo, the ice cream man who used to stand outside the Met Site on Sundays (Be there quick because he always used to run out!)
During the week he delivered vegetables to homes in Croxley.
People hurrying along Barton Way past our house with bedding to the air
raid shelters in the recreation ground.
The colourful character known as Albert Sarratt, or just plain ‘Sarratt’, His real name was Albert Hudson and he came from Sarratt originally. He lived with his Mother and older brother next to the railway crossing on Croxley Moor, in a caravan.
He used to ride a bike sometimes without tyres!! He would drink in the Fox & Hounds and would rope his bike to the rustic seats that stood outside!
My wife remembers being chased as a little girl, across the moor, because her friends went too close to his caravan. (I think he lived in a converted railway carriage before this.) I can remember my mother taking me the very next day to view the bomb damage at the top of Scots Hill.
The POWs building, Malvern Way School. My mother felt sorry for them and would on occasions, five them fresh eggs (we kept chickens in our garden). I remember spending some of our lessons in the Airaid shelters in Harvey Road School playground. The only lighting was supplied by a large wooden cased lamp. ( I wonder what happened to this.) I think our teacher at this time was Miss Bull?
The fire at Dickinson Guildhouse – I took a very short piece of live film in colour which I still have. The British Restaurant, that stood in Winton Drive, very near the Winton Crescent. I can definitely say that the Restaurant was sited as plan:
Concerning the P.O.W.s and the building of Malvern School, I feel sure that the prisoners were camped when not working at the bottom of Scots Hill where the tennis courts and playing fields are on the right hand side.
Mad Albert was the man I mentioned earlier, who lived with his mother and older brother by the side of the Moor Lane railway crossing. He wasn’t really mad, just simple! The Guildhouse fire (which I have a short cine file shot taken at the time) happened on a Sunday afternoon, I can’t remember year or date.
I remember catching the train to Grammar School, back to Croxley to lunch and back again for afternoon, dashing off train before it stopped and down the steps two at a time! There were no houses at back of Winton Drive to Baldwins Lane and gypsies tethering their horses at the back of our garden.
When Baldwins Lane was widened we had a load of soil and found baby frogs hopping about all over our garden.
There were sports on the Green in 1937 and I wore a wrist watch.
The train track was single line from the meeting point of Croxley and Ricky Lines. Driver had to take key or ring from signalman.
When my son was born it was at least a weekly jaunt to see barges on the canal and the engine at Dickinson’s Mill.
When Baldwins Lane was widened we had a load of soil and found baby frogs hopping about all over our garden.
There were sports on the Green in 1937 and I wore a wrist watch.
The train track was single line from the meeting point of Croxley and Ricky Lines. Driver had to take key or ring from signalman.
When my son was born it was at least a weekly jaunt to see barges on the canal and the engine at Dickinson’s Mill.
1962 A pair of working boats leaving the mill in Common Moor
Do not live in Croxley Green at present but many members of my family do. I lived at 2 Ludlow Way all my life until moving at 23 years old. I attended St. Oswald’s School before Malvern Way was completed, then Little Green and finally Durrants.
I have many happy memories of school days at each school and attended Durrants dinner reunion several years ago.
Also Maypole Dancing at the Croxley Green Revels. Playground when older was Croxley Manor (i.e. Durrants Club now). The milk was delivered by horse and cart. Ice creams on a bicycle! New Road was the prime shopping area. Barbers – now where library is situated, and fresh fish was from a cottage nearby. Busy Bee in New Road was the local tuck shop. Child Welfare clinic was held in St. Oswald’s. Library was a small shop in Watford Rd. Wonderful playground with Whippendell Woods, Park, Green, Croxley Manor – itself nearby. ‘Barkers’ was the travelling grocers. Bill the Greengrocer, bread, coal, meat, etc. was all delivered to door. Could go on for ever!
I have many happy memories of school days at each school and attended Durrants dinner reunion several years ago.
Also Maypole Dancing at the Croxley Green Revels. Playground when older was Croxley Manor (i.e. Durrants Club now). The milk was delivered by horse and cart. Ice creams on a bicycle! New Road was the prime shopping area. Barbers – now where library is situated, and fresh fish was from a cottage nearby. Busy Bee in New Road was the local tuck shop. Child Welfare clinic was held in St. Oswald’s. Library was a small shop in Watford Rd. Wonderful playground with Whippendell Woods, Park, Green, Croxley Manor – itself nearby. ‘Barkers’ was the travelling grocers. Bill the Greengrocer, bread, coal, meat, etc. was all delivered to door. Could go on for ever!
Mr & Mrs Toms sweet shop - New Road
One of my earliest memories is going up New Road to buy shoes with my mother at Wrights shop where a lady in a black belted dress, white collar and red bow used to serve us, surrounded by shoe boxes piled high brimming over with tissue paper.
Then there was Toms the sweet shop where I fondly remember buying spearmint pips and Tom Thumb drops to take to choir practice. I belonged to Croxley Co-operative Choir run by Mrs. Fenton. We met once a week in an upstairs room of a building adjacent to the Co-operative Stores and we used to rehearse by singing songs such as – Trade Winds – and Cargoes – in readiness for competing with opposition such as the notorious Luton Girls Choir. It was always fun travelling in Mr Sealey’s coach with our parents to such events.
Whilst at Harvey Road School during break my friends and I used to swap beads, most of which I bought from the Bead Shop, a long low wooden building situated where the flats now stand opposite the Red House. I loved Harvey Road School and as well as being fortunate in having Mrs Fenton as a teacher I had Mr. Tidder in my last year. As a treat he used to take us to London to see various ballets such as Coppelia.
I remember the old Croxley Library along the Watford Road where the Librarian used to read stories to us in an upstairs room and silence was definitely the rule then. The wool shop I found fascinating and I used to save my pocket money to buy rainbow wool and plastic knitting needles to make clothes for my dolls and teddies.
As a teenager I attended All Saints Church Youth Club and along with friends I went to 8am Communion led by the Reverend Conway, after which we would enjoy Club Breakfast in the Church Hall, a cup of tea, cornflakes and an egg all for the price of 6d.
The Youth Club was run principally by Derek Wakefield and we enjoyed many evenings learning about make-up or listening to records. I remember Keith Fordyce and Kenny Lunch visiting once in order to promote the new record ‘Up on the roof’. It was here I met my future husband, a local boy and when we became married in 1968 at All Saints Church, Derek was there and he was thrilled that we first met at the Youth Club.
Then there was Toms the sweet shop where I fondly remember buying spearmint pips and Tom Thumb drops to take to choir practice. I belonged to Croxley Co-operative Choir run by Mrs. Fenton. We met once a week in an upstairs room of a building adjacent to the Co-operative Stores and we used to rehearse by singing songs such as – Trade Winds – and Cargoes – in readiness for competing with opposition such as the notorious Luton Girls Choir. It was always fun travelling in Mr Sealey’s coach with our parents to such events.
Whilst at Harvey Road School during break my friends and I used to swap beads, most of which I bought from the Bead Shop, a long low wooden building situated where the flats now stand opposite the Red House. I loved Harvey Road School and as well as being fortunate in having Mrs Fenton as a teacher I had Mr. Tidder in my last year. As a treat he used to take us to London to see various ballets such as Coppelia.
I remember the old Croxley Library along the Watford Road where the Librarian used to read stories to us in an upstairs room and silence was definitely the rule then. The wool shop I found fascinating and I used to save my pocket money to buy rainbow wool and plastic knitting needles to make clothes for my dolls and teddies.
As a teenager I attended All Saints Church Youth Club and along with friends I went to 8am Communion led by the Reverend Conway, after which we would enjoy Club Breakfast in the Church Hall, a cup of tea, cornflakes and an egg all for the price of 6d.
The Youth Club was run principally by Derek Wakefield and we enjoyed many evenings learning about make-up or listening to records. I remember Keith Fordyce and Kenny Lunch visiting once in order to promote the new record ‘Up on the roof’. It was here I met my future husband, a local boy and when we became married in 1968 at All Saints Church, Derek was there and he was thrilled that we first met at the Youth Club.
I was in the public air raid shelter on the Green beside the Church when the parachute bomb damaged the Church.
I attended Harvey Road School and lived at 25 Scots Hill at the time. My grandparents, aunt and cousin lived at No. 34 and another aunt at No. 50.
After the bomb fell many more people came rushing into the shelter telling us how our home had been damaged. It seemed a very long night waiting until it was light enough to return out and see for ourselves. When we walked past the Church the small wooden fence that used to surround it plus a lot of other rubble was scattered all over the road. Our house had all the windows broken and the ceilings down and it was 3 weeks before repairs were completed and we could move in again.
The next time bombs fell, later in the War they dropped in the garden of the house on the end of our row. We were not so lucky this time and we were out of our house for 2 years before it was decided to rebuild it and we moved in again.
I attended Harvey Road School and lived at 25 Scots Hill at the time. My grandparents, aunt and cousin lived at No. 34 and another aunt at No. 50.
After the bomb fell many more people came rushing into the shelter telling us how our home had been damaged. It seemed a very long night waiting until it was light enough to return out and see for ourselves. When we walked past the Church the small wooden fence that used to surround it plus a lot of other rubble was scattered all over the road. Our house had all the windows broken and the ceilings down and it was 3 weeks before repairs were completed and we could move in again.
The next time bombs fell, later in the War they dropped in the garden of the house on the end of our row. We were not so lucky this time and we were out of our house for 2 years before it was decided to rebuild it and we moved in again.
My Dad built a shelter in our garden, half underground and half above. It was made of brick and had a chimney. We used to play in it.
My Dad had a cockle and whelk stall outside the Red House Saturday eve and Sunday lunch time. He would catch the 5 o’clock train in the morning up to Billings Gate fish market in London to get the shell fish. They were still in their shells and we used to sit on the doorstep and take the cockles and whelks out of the shells. My Dad made a coffin on wheels painted white and a table on one side and long handles. We would push it up to the Red House and set up our stall.
My Dad had a cockle and whelk stall outside the Red House Saturday eve and Sunday lunch time. He would catch the 5 o’clock train in the morning up to Billings Gate fish market in London to get the shell fish. They were still in their shells and we used to sit on the doorstep and take the cockles and whelks out of the shells. My Dad made a coffin on wheels painted white and a table on one side and long handles. We would push it up to the Red House and set up our stall.
Having first watched the Boat Race on television my memory wandered back many years.
My friends and I used to wait eagerly for the result of the boat race, proudly wearing the Oxford or Cambridge colours. We then went into the garden where we lived in New Road, waiting for the dark or light blue flag to be hoisted in Mr. Barton Smith's garden in the Watford Road, informing us of the result of the Boat race. What excitement in those days when we were very young.
My friends and I used to wait eagerly for the result of the boat race, proudly wearing the Oxford or Cambridge colours. We then went into the garden where we lived in New Road, waiting for the dark or light blue flag to be hoisted in Mr. Barton Smith's garden in the Watford Road, informing us of the result of the Boat race. What excitement in those days when we were very young.
I came to Croxley Green in 1917 with my mother and sister, to get away from the Zeppelin raids. I went to Yorke Road School. My teachers name was Miss Mildred Stamford. She lived in Dickinson Ave. Later I started work at Croxley Mills. It was the only employment apart from service. I remember one afternoon when we were told we would be getting a weeks holiday with pay! Everybody was so excited planning where they would go. Most seem to favour Margate or Hastings. Nor very ambitious but it was a start.
The Saturday night dances in the Institute were very popular also the Whist Drives in the Science Room. The many little shops on Scots Hill, Benny Ward and Nellie and Violet Sears in their grocer’s store. It is no longer the little village I came to so long ago, but it is still a nice place to live.
The Saturday night dances in the Institute were very popular also the Whist Drives in the Science Room. The many little shops on Scots Hill, Benny Ward and Nellie and Violet Sears in their grocer’s store. It is no longer the little village I came to so long ago, but it is still a nice place to live.
School time
The earliest memory I have is going to York Rd School at the age of 5, Miss Bridges being the Headmistress and I recall being given at Halloween time a large pumpkin to take home. From there we went to Old Boys School in Watford Road. Mrs. Watson was the Headmistress. Whilst there we would all go in single file to Harvey Rd School with an oval Hessian mat tucked under our arms for our weekly Gym/P.E. lesson. The next school I went to was Harvey Road School, Miss Cooper was the Headmistress. One of the highlights for me was the weekly swimming lessons at the Ebury Road, Rickmansworth Swimming Pool. We would all go in a coach and instructors were there to teach us to swim, never successful in my case, and afterwards we would be hollered at to get dressed as speedily as possible for the return journey on the coach back to school. I remember with horror one boy having to be taken away by car because he had ring-worm in his scalp. How I enjoyed playing ball games up against the walls of the school.
War time
I do recall the sound of the sirens, mostly when I was going off to sleep, and many times all of us going in to the cupboard under the stairs when the planes went over with their bombs on board. My father said there was an underground shelter in the Barton Way recreation ground to which we all trouped one night, but my mother hated the confined atmosphere in it so we never went again. My father was a part time warden at this time.
Dickinson Institute
My father was a member of the above, he called it the “Tute” and we attended the annual party held there. I recall standing on the stage and singing “Bless this House”. I was 6 years old then (1944). Mrs. Swainson would produce lovely shows to be performed and we would have costumes provided by Miss Barton - Smith in New Road. One act I remember was “Don Ben Eddy” – 3 chaps who really made us laugh, and also George Hunt singing “When the Old Man Died” and “Grandma had left me her old armchair”.
Later on in my teens I joined the “Croxley Theatre Club” run by Mr. Lawrence Beckford and his wife. The plays were performed to packed houses in “The Tute” and I have in my possession the articles written in the Watford Observer complimenting us on our performance, naming us all, also I have photographs of us in the plays.
Also I went there once a week as I was in the 2nd Croxley Brownie Pack, later on going in to the 2nd Girl Guide Pack. Joyce Newton was my pack leader. The highlight for me was every Good Friday, weather permitting we would hike to Latimer, paddling our feet in the stream all of us sitting on the bridge for a photo which I also have in my possession.
I was also a member of Mrs. Fenton’s Girls Choir and we sang in various parts of the County in front of adjudicators who assessed our ability as a Choir. We did very well in most competitions.
The Revels
The Revels stand out as a highlight of the Summer. Of course I was involved in dancing round the Maypole. I do recall later on Mrs. Woodhouse coming with her dog Juno the Gt Dane who had appeared in films.
The Summers
I will never forget Cherry time on the Green when people came from miles around to buy their cherries from Stones Orchard. The Green would be packed with people.
The canal was a favourite place during school holidays for splashing about in the little waterfall and stream. One day a boy fell in to the deep part of the canal and was in difficulty, and appeared to be drowning so my eldest brother did a very brave thing and jumped in and rescued him.
The Shops
The shops in New Road I recall are “Thoms” and all in the provision shop. Down from him was the fish merchant with all his wares for people to see displayed outside. Jacksons the Butchers, and also the Co-op where one could buy buns for 1d. Durrants the Clock/Watchmaker. Mr. Thompson had an Ironmongery shop and of course Wrights Shoe Shop, Mrs. Watson seeing to all our footwear needs.
On the way to the Green, Elements had a Fruit and Veg Shop with Mr. Toms next door mending all the radios etc. The little Haberdashers with front door chimes. I also recall being fascinated with the Blacksmiths place in New Road. Danny Gibbs was the man who shoed the horses.
Fêtes / Fairs
Another memory I have is of the Conservative Fete held at Parrotts on the Green where there was a huge Banjo Band for our enjoyment. Last but not least on the site of Rickmansworth School a Fun Fair would come every year – I think it was Flannagans, and I remember particularly the “Wall of Death”.
This is just a smattering of things I remember from my childhood. I know it was a very happy time, and having lived here for 58 years I have seen many changes, but I feel it has still retained to a certain extent that “village atmosphere” that endears me to remain here for some time yet.
The earliest memory I have is going to York Rd School at the age of 5, Miss Bridges being the Headmistress and I recall being given at Halloween time a large pumpkin to take home. From there we went to Old Boys School in Watford Road. Mrs. Watson was the Headmistress. Whilst there we would all go in single file to Harvey Rd School with an oval Hessian mat tucked under our arms for our weekly Gym/P.E. lesson. The next school I went to was Harvey Road School, Miss Cooper was the Headmistress. One of the highlights for me was the weekly swimming lessons at the Ebury Road, Rickmansworth Swimming Pool. We would all go in a coach and instructors were there to teach us to swim, never successful in my case, and afterwards we would be hollered at to get dressed as speedily as possible for the return journey on the coach back to school. I remember with horror one boy having to be taken away by car because he had ring-worm in his scalp. How I enjoyed playing ball games up against the walls of the school.
War time
I do recall the sound of the sirens, mostly when I was going off to sleep, and many times all of us going in to the cupboard under the stairs when the planes went over with their bombs on board. My father said there was an underground shelter in the Barton Way recreation ground to which we all trouped one night, but my mother hated the confined atmosphere in it so we never went again. My father was a part time warden at this time.
Dickinson Institute
My father was a member of the above, he called it the “Tute” and we attended the annual party held there. I recall standing on the stage and singing “Bless this House”. I was 6 years old then (1944). Mrs. Swainson would produce lovely shows to be performed and we would have costumes provided by Miss Barton - Smith in New Road. One act I remember was “Don Ben Eddy” – 3 chaps who really made us laugh, and also George Hunt singing “When the Old Man Died” and “Grandma had left me her old armchair”.
Later on in my teens I joined the “Croxley Theatre Club” run by Mr. Lawrence Beckford and his wife. The plays were performed to packed houses in “The Tute” and I have in my possession the articles written in the Watford Observer complimenting us on our performance, naming us all, also I have photographs of us in the plays.
Also I went there once a week as I was in the 2nd Croxley Brownie Pack, later on going in to the 2nd Girl Guide Pack. Joyce Newton was my pack leader. The highlight for me was every Good Friday, weather permitting we would hike to Latimer, paddling our feet in the stream all of us sitting on the bridge for a photo which I also have in my possession.
I was also a member of Mrs. Fenton’s Girls Choir and we sang in various parts of the County in front of adjudicators who assessed our ability as a Choir. We did very well in most competitions.
The Revels
The Revels stand out as a highlight of the Summer. Of course I was involved in dancing round the Maypole. I do recall later on Mrs. Woodhouse coming with her dog Juno the Gt Dane who had appeared in films.
The Summers
I will never forget Cherry time on the Green when people came from miles around to buy their cherries from Stones Orchard. The Green would be packed with people.
The canal was a favourite place during school holidays for splashing about in the little waterfall and stream. One day a boy fell in to the deep part of the canal and was in difficulty, and appeared to be drowning so my eldest brother did a very brave thing and jumped in and rescued him.
The Shops
The shops in New Road I recall are “Thoms” and all in the provision shop. Down from him was the fish merchant with all his wares for people to see displayed outside. Jacksons the Butchers, and also the Co-op where one could buy buns for 1d. Durrants the Clock/Watchmaker. Mr. Thompson had an Ironmongery shop and of course Wrights Shoe Shop, Mrs. Watson seeing to all our footwear needs.
On the way to the Green, Elements had a Fruit and Veg Shop with Mr. Toms next door mending all the radios etc. The little Haberdashers with front door chimes. I also recall being fascinated with the Blacksmiths place in New Road. Danny Gibbs was the man who shoed the horses.
Fêtes / Fairs
Another memory I have is of the Conservative Fete held at Parrotts on the Green where there was a huge Banjo Band for our enjoyment. Last but not least on the site of Rickmansworth School a Fun Fair would come every year – I think it was Flannagans, and I remember particularly the “Wall of Death”.
This is just a smattering of things I remember from my childhood. I know it was a very happy time, and having lived here for 58 years I have seen many changes, but I feel it has still retained to a certain extent that “village atmosphere” that endears me to remain here for some time yet.
I went to Dickinson Mill when I was 15 years old and did a bit of everything but was called a Sheeter.
I met my husband there. He was the foreman – I was also the tea girl and used to take the tea to all the men, 10am and 4pm, in a big jug and pour it into their cups on the end of their benches.
My husband and I had been “courting” for a few years and one day my future husband said Mr. Wilson wanted to see us and he asked us if we wanted to get married and have his flat at the top of his house on the Green called the “Orchard”. He had an invalid sister who was quite old and he wanted me to look after her as she was in her poor health. Unfortunately she died whilst we were on holiday but Mr. Wilson said “go on with the plans and come and look after me”. We stayed there for 2 years and his niece from Australia came over so we bought a house in Dickinson Square which we’ve been here ever since (50 years). But I looked after him when she was away.
Mr. Wilson fell down an escalator when he went up to London to a Health Store (he was a vegetarian) and the fall resulted in Mr. Wilson dying – I looked after him until he died.
His other sister married – she was married to Mr. Fry. Their daughter lived in Rose Cottage for a time (on The Green).
I met my husband there. He was the foreman – I was also the tea girl and used to take the tea to all the men, 10am and 4pm, in a big jug and pour it into their cups on the end of their benches.
My husband and I had been “courting” for a few years and one day my future husband said Mr. Wilson wanted to see us and he asked us if we wanted to get married and have his flat at the top of his house on the Green called the “Orchard”. He had an invalid sister who was quite old and he wanted me to look after her as she was in her poor health. Unfortunately she died whilst we were on holiday but Mr. Wilson said “go on with the plans and come and look after me”. We stayed there for 2 years and his niece from Australia came over so we bought a house in Dickinson Square which we’ve been here ever since (50 years). But I looked after him when she was away.
Mr. Wilson fell down an escalator when he went up to London to a Health Store (he was a vegetarian) and the fall resulted in Mr. Wilson dying – I looked after him until he died.
His other sister married – she was married to Mr. Fry. Their daughter lived in Rose Cottage for a time (on The Green).
I came to Croxley when I married George Samuels in 1935 in Frankland Road. This used to be a cornfield. We used to walk along here. Frankland Close looked like a grassy glade. The top of Watford Road by Winton Approach to the two Bridges was sometimes called Station Hill – Miss Dixon (nurse) used to refer it as this.
The footpath behind Frankland Road used to be an old cart track that came out to Harvey Road and came out to the Watford Road near Nuttfield.
There was an old caravan in the woods and an old man lived down there called Old Man Sarratt.
Stegasaurus 1935 Silver Jubilee Pageant May 6th. Ancient Britons, 5 or 6, pulled it along. It was built over a car, 1924 Singer, made with wire and probably covered with sacking and painted. Mammoth 1937 Coronation built in Parrotts Farm and when it was taken out it got stuck in one of the ruts. I helped to make the tusks for this.
The children had races and we had a bonfire at the end of the evening.
In spring 1935 Neggie Wilson returned back, they had a retirement party for him at the Old Boys School and part of his speech he used many incidents to recall boys memories, he would call out e.g. Where is the boy who brought his sir sirsificate (certificate).
We moved to Hawthorne in 1955 for 20 years.
We had a 100 years exhibition 1974 in Yorke Road.
Some girls had pieces of cloth tied pinned to their dresses as handkerchief, the boys used their cuffs.
My husband used to paint the backdrops for films studios, first at Denham and then Shepperton. He once painted the inside of the Tithe Barn for a back piece for All Saints Harvest Supper. People would dress up and perform.
Frank Paddick, Stan Lyons, George Samuels, Fred Randall, Ted Collis, Bill Samuels perform Uncle Tom Cobberly.
Mummers
There is a book called ‘The Book of Days’ and Neggie Wilson used this for the words for the Play. Sometimes they kept the same parts and sometimes they swapped roles.They started at the Vicarage and then to Elmcote, Firs, Thirlwood, Parrotts etc. and ended up at Barton-Smith.
The footpath behind Frankland Road used to be an old cart track that came out to Harvey Road and came out to the Watford Road near Nuttfield.
There was an old caravan in the woods and an old man lived down there called Old Man Sarratt.
Stegasaurus 1935 Silver Jubilee Pageant May 6th. Ancient Britons, 5 or 6, pulled it along. It was built over a car, 1924 Singer, made with wire and probably covered with sacking and painted. Mammoth 1937 Coronation built in Parrotts Farm and when it was taken out it got stuck in one of the ruts. I helped to make the tusks for this.
The children had races and we had a bonfire at the end of the evening.
In spring 1935 Neggie Wilson returned back, they had a retirement party for him at the Old Boys School and part of his speech he used many incidents to recall boys memories, he would call out e.g. Where is the boy who brought his sir sirsificate (certificate).
We moved to Hawthorne in 1955 for 20 years.
We had a 100 years exhibition 1974 in Yorke Road.
Some girls had pieces of cloth tied pinned to their dresses as handkerchief, the boys used their cuffs.
My husband used to paint the backdrops for films studios, first at Denham and then Shepperton. He once painted the inside of the Tithe Barn for a back piece for All Saints Harvest Supper. People would dress up and perform.
Frank Paddick, Stan Lyons, George Samuels, Fred Randall, Ted Collis, Bill Samuels perform Uncle Tom Cobberly.
Mummers
There is a book called ‘The Book of Days’ and Neggie Wilson used this for the words for the Play. Sometimes they kept the same parts and sometimes they swapped roles.They started at the Vicarage and then to Elmcote, Firs, Thirlwood, Parrotts etc. and ended up at Barton-Smith.
I was born in Claremont Crescent in 1939, just six weeks before the outbreak of World War II. My first school in 1944 was in Scouts Hut in Watford Road, where the only teacher was Miss Curtis. I can always remember her keeping in her cupboard a long, cream coloured tube box containing sweets, which if I remember correctly, was sent to her from Canada by a relative. As a reward, she would give us a sweet from the container, which was always a great treat. Miss Curtis was always a very kind and gentle teacher. I do not remember exactly how long was spent at my early schools.
The second being the Guild House in New Road. Our classroom was at the end of the big hall, with a screen across the centre, the other side being the playground – not much fresh air at playtime there.
My third school was the Old Boys in Watford Road. In winter time the metal milk crate was lifted up on to the coke burning stove in the classroom. During the morning the ice on top of the little milk bottles would gradually rise up, lifting the tops off with it.
My fourth school was Harvey Road where Miss Cooper was Headmistress. I remained there till 1949 when Little Green Lane, a brand new school, was opened. I was now almost 10 years old, and had one year there with Mr. Broadhurst as class teacher and Mr. Worthy, Headmaster.
I then went to Durrants until I was fifteen. Mr. Jefferies was Headmaster. Sadly, the school no longer stands at the top of Manor Way. I went to six different Croxley Schools. The two I didn’t get to were Yorke Road and St. Oswald’s Church, which was also used as a school during the war.
During the school holidays in the summer, we played ‘Rounders’ in the Barton Way Recreation Ground and tried to catch grasshoppers in our hands! I remember doing needlework and playing “Hospitals” in the underground shelter in our back garden. My Dad and Granddad built it, and it had a rockery on top. We ran ‘’mini-marathons’ round the block, Claremont Crescent, Girton Way and Winton Drive. Other memories include playing games in the road. ‘Please Mr. Fisherman, may I cross the water?’. ‘Omm, pom, pom said the butcher boy’ and ‘What’s the time Mr. Wolf’ (I can give details of these three children’s games if you wish.)
Also watching the boys on their pushbikes with hankies tied round their mouths to keep out the dust, as they rode around the make believe ‘Speedway Track’, where Norwich Way joins Little Green Lane. This was before the house, which my husband Mick (also a Croxley lad) and I have lived in for the past thirty years, was built.
The second being the Guild House in New Road. Our classroom was at the end of the big hall, with a screen across the centre, the other side being the playground – not much fresh air at playtime there.
My third school was the Old Boys in Watford Road. In winter time the metal milk crate was lifted up on to the coke burning stove in the classroom. During the morning the ice on top of the little milk bottles would gradually rise up, lifting the tops off with it.
My fourth school was Harvey Road where Miss Cooper was Headmistress. I remained there till 1949 when Little Green Lane, a brand new school, was opened. I was now almost 10 years old, and had one year there with Mr. Broadhurst as class teacher and Mr. Worthy, Headmaster.
I then went to Durrants until I was fifteen. Mr. Jefferies was Headmaster. Sadly, the school no longer stands at the top of Manor Way. I went to six different Croxley Schools. The two I didn’t get to were Yorke Road and St. Oswald’s Church, which was also used as a school during the war.
During the school holidays in the summer, we played ‘Rounders’ in the Barton Way Recreation Ground and tried to catch grasshoppers in our hands! I remember doing needlework and playing “Hospitals” in the underground shelter in our back garden. My Dad and Granddad built it, and it had a rockery on top. We ran ‘’mini-marathons’ round the block, Claremont Crescent, Girton Way and Winton Drive. Other memories include playing games in the road. ‘Please Mr. Fisherman, may I cross the water?’. ‘Omm, pom, pom said the butcher boy’ and ‘What’s the time Mr. Wolf’ (I can give details of these three children’s games if you wish.)
Also watching the boys on their pushbikes with hankies tied round their mouths to keep out the dust, as they rode around the make believe ‘Speedway Track’, where Norwich Way joins Little Green Lane. This was before the house, which my husband Mick (also a Croxley lad) and I have lived in for the past thirty years, was built.
While on night shift at Dickinson’s Mill the house I was born in and was still my home, Church cottage, between Mr. James the verger and Lawrence’s, the bakers alongside Flint cottages, was destroyed, the Church damaged as was houses behind the church by a German land mine dropped from a plane. The shops along there were bakers, Masons general store, he was a shoe repairer. The Sportsman the pub Trotts, the dairy, Beaumont’s, the greengrocer, the lane up to the windmill Holloways lived at the house then. Benny Wards, the grocers. Up the lane Mr. Sears (Nabby) used to drive his cows to milk them. After being bombed we lived at my grandparents, a row of cottages by the Met. Station, but only for a week – a bomb was dropped in the back garden, putting an end to that. So being eighteen I thought the safest thing was to join the Royal Navy. My first ship was a cruiser on Arctic Patrols Russian convoys. My grandfather, Mr. Crick, was butler to Mr. Adams at “Elmcote” – the house is still there. I see the horse trough still there and prettily tended. I often used to take the horses a knob of sugar. A row of small cottages was then knocked down for the Church Hall. I see the War Memorial, containing names of some schoolmates (1939 War) and my Uncle Cecil (1914 War), has been renovated. Don’t forget , Mr. H.T. Wilson (Neggie),both my father’s and my headmaster, a wonderful man for HIS boys and the village who said his main task was to teach us CHARACTER.
My parents, Betty and Percy Dracott, moved to Croxley Green from Watford in 1935 to the house that I still live in today. I was a year old at the time and my earliest memory of the village was my first day at the lovely old village infants school in Yorke Road. My first day coincided with that of Miss Bridge who was my class teacher and much later on became Headmistress of York Mead. My days at Yorke Road were extremely happy ones. Memories of roaring open fires in the classrooms in the winter with the daily bottles of “school milk” lined up round the hearth to warm. There were only 3 classes in Yorke Road in those days. Miss Harvey who married while I was there I believe and became Mrs. Graver took the 2nd class and Miss Walker the top class. Miss Coney was the headmistress and had an office at the side of the school. The only bad memory was the outside toilets which regularly froze up every winter!! When I moved up to Harvey Road in 1940 I can still remember thinking how lovely it was to have inside toilets that could be used all the year round with no problems.
Harvey Road had only been in existence about 2 years when I started and was really only a “long shed” with classrooms all down one side of a long corridor with cloakrooms and toilets at either end. The Headmistress, Miss Cooper, with a one-eyed dog called Tinker, which used to follow her everywhere, had an office by the front door. I went to 50th Anniversary of Harvey Road School in 1988 and it’s hardly changed.
Again very happy school day memories in spite of the War and the regular visits to the Air Raid shelter built into the grounds. When we went down during the raids we used to sing songs. There’s a hole in my bucket - comes to mind. My teachers at Harvey Road were: Mrs. Watson – class 6, Mrs. Tracy (the school dragon) – class 5, Miss Lineham – Class 3. I remember getting a smack on the legs from her for some misdemeanour's, and finally Miss Lodge – class 1.
In 1944 I passed the then 11 plus exam. And moved on to the Watford Girls Grammar School leaving behind my very happy school days in Croxley Green.
Harvey Road had only been in existence about 2 years when I started and was really only a “long shed” with classrooms all down one side of a long corridor with cloakrooms and toilets at either end. The Headmistress, Miss Cooper, with a one-eyed dog called Tinker, which used to follow her everywhere, had an office by the front door. I went to 50th Anniversary of Harvey Road School in 1988 and it’s hardly changed.
Again very happy school day memories in spite of the War and the regular visits to the Air Raid shelter built into the grounds. When we went down during the raids we used to sing songs. There’s a hole in my bucket - comes to mind. My teachers at Harvey Road were: Mrs. Watson – class 6, Mrs. Tracy (the school dragon) – class 5, Miss Lineham – Class 3. I remember getting a smack on the legs from her for some misdemeanour's, and finally Miss Lodge – class 1.
In 1944 I passed the then 11 plus exam. And moved on to the Watford Girls Grammar School leaving behind my very happy school days in Croxley Green.
