Hatfield Heath in Verse by David Brown

HATFIELD HEATH

h/IEIVIORIES

IN VERSE

BY

DAVID BROWN

BACK IN THE DAY

E E Hockley were builders of some repute
Over the road a library and institute
Cricket Club president was HTR Pyle
That's a name around for a while

Frank Trundle on crutches worked in leather
Next door to him a woman called Heather
Dalton-\tr/hite was the rest of her name
At point to points she won her fame

ln the Stag they later discovered well
Nearby in the White Horse people did dwell
Down the Mill for meal and corn
Up at the church people to mourn

Mr Ralph Dix was head of the school
With him in charge you didn't act the fool
Ted was manager at a shop called Bucks
The pond in Pond Lane full of ducks.

E E Hackley were local builders before and after the war working from
the house and yard of Stonedash they employed many villagers on
their staff and were bought out by Sarbir in the 1960s.around Guy
Fawkes time we would borrow their large builders carts to collect
wood and anything suitable for the November Sttr honfire
H T R Pyle (Howard) Iived at Bentleys on the Matching Road,he was
general manager at Walter Lawrence at SawbridgewCIrth another
source of local employment, Horruard was a great benefactor and

rnemkr af both the football and cricket clubs and it was his father

who provided the funds for the huilding of the vitlage lnstitute
The mill ceased operating as a mill by 1-960and has had many uses
since.my memory is as a child iwould bike there on a saturday
morning to collect either a bag of corn or a hag of mealfor fathers
chickens.
Ralph Dix {TOADY) was probably ane of the rnost influencial people
on the village for several decades apart from being headmaster for
many years he was a majar force in many village organisations and a
more than useful batsman for the cricket team
Heather Daltcn-\fl/frite lived across the green next to the Cobblers
later Footprint she was a very .accomplished horsewoman who won
races at the local point to point races

FEB 2A2L

Newman and Pinder both are Barry's
Grainger and Crome a couple of Harry's

Eardley family too many to name
The Bentley clan about the same

Margaret Griffin and Ann Kent
Peacock's dealt with letters sent
April , Richard and Steve made three
All names on the Foster family tree

Bill Bayford and Bill King
Need a barman give Wobbley a ring
Joan Roberts,Helen Dix,a couple of teachers

Tm Potter,Sidney Wheale both were preachers

Froggy Jones worked on Fryers Farm
Doctor Gilchrist see you carne to no harm

Peter Wilson worked with thatch
Up the Cressent a family called Blatch

Barry Pinder taok on the shop that is stilt called Bueks Stores
by many of the senior locals. he was probably the first orruner to
try tCI develop it as a more modern concern until it was finally

updated by the co -op

Peacocks shop !1ns apened around the times sf the second
world war ,it was run by the Peacock family as a post office
grocery and haberdashery and operated as such with them until
about 1960 when it was bought by Harry Wckerson who had
also purchased Bucks,it had various owners until in the early

2000s in changed to the Village Tea Rooms.
Harry Crome was the first caretaker of the new village hall built
around 1970 , Harry was very protective of the hall and would
always be there to see it was left tidy and vacated on time even
being there when dances and discos ended around midnight.

Peter Wson {TUG) was the local thatcher.

Joan Robefis was the teacher of the infants class at the school
for many years and her husband John was one of the many that
worked for Hockleys builders. Helen Dix was one af Ralphs
daughters she progressed from the Heath Primary ta be
headmistress at Birchanger for many years,
Steve Foster is the most well known locally of the three Foster
children ,he has an elder sister April and brother Richard
Anthany (apparently so named as to give lrim the initials RAF
After his fathers service in that branch of the services) Steve as
well as being a bricklayer of high repute has been a leading light
in the Heath Players for many productions.

March 21

Delivering post was Florrie Rook
Dorothy Search was a cook

Valerie Richardson cleaned the school
Bill Pleasance in charge at the hall

Workers went near and far
Women at Spirella made a bra
Down at Walter Lawrence they made a door
EE Hockley builders laid a floor

Jack and Jim Gunn tidied the streets
Reed and Calver walked the beats
Jim Deards delivered bread

Reverend Smythe prayed for the dead

Barry and Shelley a spell at the pub
Countryman for a nice plate of grub
Some were taught by Helen Dixs

Over at Friths a car he would fix

Dorothy Search was the head cook at the school when it was the
central canteen for other schoals in the area ,the meals would be

delivered to other schools by Tip Long and Fred Bruty
Spirella was a factory in Harlow that manufactured womens
undenarear ,they sent a bus round local villages to pick up their

workforce

Jim and Jack Gunn not related were two roadmen working for the
local council keeping the roadsides verges and ditches in good
order.

Sergeant Calver and P C Reed were the first occupants of the
newly erected police houses some time in the mid 1950's
Jim Deards was the bread delivery driver for Browns the bakers
he was later caretaker at the school for many years
Barry and Shelley Shuriety were mine hosts at the Fox far about
five years in the late1980s Shelley was a typical Londoner and
had a job to get a Urasp on the village way of lite

FAMILIES

Hackett,Clayden Lines as well
Rebuilt the hall before it fell
Jessie Adams, Florrie Rook

Kathleen Roberts would lend you a book

Sergeant Calver P,C Reid
Norman Woodford and Bill Gleed
Both John Smith's lived up Blocks

Barry and Shelley ran the Fox

Foster,Jordan tVr Dix
Button and Trundle shoes would fix

Jim and Doris,Brian and Jan
ln the Stag Sid Woskett was your man

Chubby,Toffee,Sugar Perry
Fruit and veg sold by Terry
Bruty, Brown the family Search
Reverend Symthe he ran the church

Bloxsome,Garton Michael Hockley
The Post Office was run b Mr Lockley
Names from the village we care about

lf I've missed you, give me a shout.

Hackett Clayden and Peter Lines were the driving forces
behind raising money and the running of the new village hall
in 1970 and before it was to raise funds for this building was
the creation of the village festival

Kathleen Robers who was hdr Dix's daughter ran a library in
the end roorn of the Institute

Barry and Shelley were the landlords of the Fox and Hounds
for a few years in the early 1980's a London couple Shelley
never quite grasped the concept of village life
Jimmy Button ran his shop from the thatched cottage that is
now part of Beehive Court . He repaired leather goods .sold
ironmongery and had a round delivering paraffin.
Sid Woskett \Aras the licensee of the Stag after Eric Halls

his wife Peggy had a brother Noel who was blind but was a

very capable piano player.

Richard Bloxsome ran a small farm frorn Peggerels on the
Sheering road ,he was also the master of the Essex Hunt for
a spell in the nineteen fifties.

FOOTBALL BOYS

Sugar,Pudding,Lurch and Icker

Even the first captain was a vicar
Nobby Howard and Andy Lines
A couple of useful number nines

Between the sticks was Stan Barker
John Deamer doing lines with his marker

Briscoe and Bruty a couple of Micks
Garrard and Griffiths a pair of Dicks

Howard, Roger, David Pyle

Bob Jerrard at the club for quite while
Wobbley,Brains and not forgetting Rabbit

ln the fifties winning cups quite a habit

Billy Bayford Billy Dean
Brusher on the line often seen
Fred played and ran the flag

Celebrations in the Stag

Funds were raised at the Flower Show and Fete
They even charged at the gate

Over the years many celebration dinners
To play for the Heath were all winners.

Sugar Perry probabty devoted many hours to the foetball cluh as
a player and then official ,Pudding Janes was a nonsense wing
half who took no prisoners
Stan Barker was a fearless goalkeeper who despite breaking his
teg twice still played with great bravery
Mick Bruty was one in the line of a family who had served the
club with distinction far many decades
Brusher lldilson was a regular supporter of the club although
short sighted he followed the team with great passien
Back in the fifties you had to pay to get admission to the ground.
Bob Jerrard played the most games for the club in its history he
numbered over 500 appearances.

MATES

Village stalwarts Sandra and Mick
"Slippery" Garrard known as Dick
Diane,Richard Michael and Brains
Brusher Wilson Buffer Staines

Arthur Wilkinson local ltdilko
Nicholls family had a dog called Bilko
Brian and Janice ran a pub
The lnstitute was a working men's club

Val and Ricky cleaned the school
Dave Redgewell played the fool
John White used many a tool
Peter Hermitage in the pub on a stool

Terry had a time selling veg
Barry Newman might cut your hedge
Selling cars was Henry Broad
Down by the chapel lived Miss Ward

Not related Bill and Dick Dean
ln the Trinity Hall a film could be seen
Fred Read with Peggy on the till
Tim and Nola and big brother Will.

Mick and Sandra Saban longstanding village couple,Mick was
actuaiiy born in hlorley Cottages which were demolished as they
were in the way of the building of Broomfields,Both of them have
devoted many years service for the Royal British Legion as
members and standard bearers, as did Arthur Wlkinson who was
the village milkman for many years.
The lnstitute has hosted many different events and meetings but
its initial use was as working mens club with 2 full size snooker
tables
During the 1950's the Trinity Hall was used on a wednesday
evening as a makeshift cinema showing a main film ,a shorter film
and a serial of the adventures of Jet Morgan
Fred Reed was the Butcher who ran the shop at Chestnuts near
to the Stag .Peggy Austin was the cashier who sat in a little
boothin the corner of the shop.

PAST AND PRESENT

Here are some names from Past to Present
Some from Broomfields ,some from the Crescent

Gilchrist and Orton dispensing pills
Dean and Pleasance a couple of Bills

Lemon and Ratcliffe christian names Nlark
Gladys and Maisy surname Clark

The football team played in amber and black
One of the players a young Roger Flack

Father and son Nathan and Dick
Francis brothers lan and Mick
Robin Whitbread knew Jim Coe

lt4anuel Hermitage and his mother Jo

Paddy's boys Patrick and lrn

A brace of Whybrows Kenny and Jim
Brendan will serve you at Hunters Meet
Frank Trundle repaired shoes for your feet

Billy King and Kingsley James
Ned and Chopper people's nicknames

Garroway twins Peter and Paul
Suet Brown built the new village hall.

Dr Gilchrist was an original partner when the surgery first opened
at Broomfields in the early seventies the Ortons joined after the
retirement of the Bennisons.
Bill Pleasance was the next caretaker of the village hall after the
retirement of Harry Crome.
Mark Lemon has been involved with village politics for many
years and member and chairman of the parish council and
currently represetative on the Uttlesford district council
Mark Ratcliffe is the backbone of the Heath Players and the local
Regis history society.
Robin VVhitbred is probably the best musician from the village. He
was in the band of the Welsh Fusilers and a noted music teacher
Brendan has been the owner of Hunters Meet since the early
nineties follow the Taylors who established and it for over twenty
years

Times They Are A Changing

Now Peacocks was athriving shop
See Gussie Reynolds and he'll sell you a chop

Into Bucks for anything you ueed
Down to the Chapel to see Rev. Mead

The Abattoir came and thatcaused a frrss
Ring Eric Halls to hire a bus

The Stas sold beer and pefol too
The White Horse had a outside loo

Two bukhers a bakers a cobblers as well
Over the pub Sugar had a story to tell
The Vi[age Hall was an old tin hut

The Fox was a pub that should uever have shut

Sabirs came and changed the Heath
Crorrds in Novemlrer laying a wreath
Doris and Jim the Wagon they ran
Jimmy Buttonwas the'ESSO Blue'man

The Football Club ran a Flower Show and Fete
To watch their matches you paid at the gate
The turkeyfarmwithia noise and smell
Now on that land people do dwell

Browus the Bakers for cakes and bread
Up at the school a caretaker called Fred
The churchyards are firll of family and friends

ffiHope there are no mor€ rrntil 6enhrry ends

The abattoir was behind the Fox where West Hayes is now it was
nst over popular in the village but it gave local employnnent and
the pubs could supply quality meat
Sarbir Development ( Brian and Richard Sargent) bought up E E
Hockley and ran a plant hire company before moving on and
building Beehive Court on the land
The turkey farm was run by John Goddard and was on the site
which has been developed as Clipped Hedge.

CHANGES

The Stag and the Fox no longer sell drink
The football club is on the brink
Sugar, Bissett, Chubby as well
Where all characters with stories to tell.

Thatchers outside is the name you see
But it will always be the Waggon to me
Fences go on round and round
What have they done to the cricket ground?

A battle is raging around h{ill Lane
Peace is disturbed by many a plane
Two butchers have gone no longer there
One is now a place where they cut hair

Fifty years they have been putting on plays
Down at Webbs Earth still shooting at clays
England's loss is Australia's gain
Will we ever see Regee again?

Park at the school risk life and limb
Even the lnstitute is used as a gym
Things may change just like the weather
But memories formed last forever

Hatfreld Heath

It's several years sincel moved away
So here's a few thoughe on the Heath today

The parking problem is still here
But that's been the same for many a year

The vilage tuaders are making a united front
But do they carry any grunt

BiSTims about all hands and smiles
A property development by one of the foles

Nigefs retiriag from behind the bar
Bissets gone but not too far

Terqy's still gardening in Stortfiord Road

Will Mill Lane take anofher leavingload

Sreet lights are coming at long last
Still the cars are going too fast

The Festir"al question is still in the air
Has itbeen replaced Lry a commercial fair

The Parish Couacil still huffand puff
Do they really know thet stuff

The ma$zine prints some of the news
But do they get the people's views

Sadly around the turn of the century ilruo of the villages four pubs

Closed.
Chubby was Alfred Sapsford a lifelong village lad and batchelor
who won a Victoria Cross in the second world war.
Bissett was John Bissett-Smith who had the claim of being barred
from all the village pubs more than once.
The Waggon and Horses name was changed to The Thatchers in
the late 1-990s
The Heath Players were first formed in the 1960 when
Christopher Tmothy was a founder member'
Regge also known as Chicken and mush, David Redgewell
emigrated to Australia.

The parking problem has been a bugbear for many and when the
village green was fenced off to stop "travellers" parking on it just
increased the problem
Nigel retired after many years of landlord of the Thatchers
Terry Jameson had a spell of selling fruit and veg from a van
before working as a jobbing gardener round the village
IMill lane as its name implies is not very wide and is subject to
healry traffic

The festival has been resurrected but is now a one day event
rather than the whole weekend.

HatEeld ff"rrf, \t\3

First Mr Dix then Mr Foster
Irarningwith them the children prosper
We said our goodbyes to the Trinity Hall

Completely rebuiltbefore it could frll

Four pubs two butchers a cobblers too
They even campaigned for a Public loo

Poles put down to protect the Green
Signs by the shops must not be seen

Fun run Dog Show and catering tent
The Festival became 2n annual event
Sideshows and displays there's plenty to see

(.- You can even sa.mple a homemade Crearn Tea

The PIay School has been nrnning for many a year
Fun and Iaughter but sometimes a tear

The Wagon and Bucks are names from the past
The houses in Willow Green are gorng up fast
From Chinese to Thatchers to Hunters Meet
Your poilt from choice of places to eat

Sarbit's Developments continue to grow
Sometimes Heasth Players put on a show

( Terry has moved from vegto papers

The Parish Cor:ncil continue their capers
For 50 years both Man and Boy

To live in this vilage has been a joy!

Dix and Foster two notable headmasters at the village shool
for a vast number of years
The Triniity Hall was demolished in 1969 and rebuilt the
following as the Village Hall
The festival is still running but as a one day event rather than
the whole weekend.
Bucks stores has had many names over the years but know
trades as the Co-op
Heath Players have been running for over fifty years

YESTERDAY

Dick Clark was found in many a pub
The lnstitute was a snooker club
l\4r Foster taught the three R's
The Waggon a pub with three bars

Football pitch was down the lUatching road
We borrowed Hockley's carts to carry a load
There were travellers that stayed on the green

When they left it was all clean

Cars were allowed to park on the Heath
Many came to lay a wreath

Four pubs where you could get a drink
The abattoir caused a stink

PC Reed a man to obey
Church and Chapel places to pray
Halls coaches often running late
Watch the football,pay at the gate

We knew our manners and P's and Q's
Try to win but learn to lose

Roaming the fields free to play
Oh how i long for yesterday

To my knowledge the football club had four different grouds
behind the White Horse.Lea Hall ,Bentleys arnd Calves
Meadow
E Hockley was a local builder and we borrowed their hand
carts to collect wood etc for the Guy Fawkes bonfire
Halls coaches were run firstly from the Stag where the family
had been licensees for many years and then from Eric's home
down the Chelmsford road
The abattoir started by F Thylor with his butchers shop
became Church and MaClaren and traded for about twenty
years.

FOOTBALL IN THE FIFTIES

Head of affairs was one of the Pyle's
Reggie Howard would run for miles

Sugar Perry ,Tubby Gunn
Sometimes Brian Bayford would have a run

The Nicholls brothers were pretty good

lf one didn't get you the other one would

Search's Derek, Roy and Bert
Were proud to wear the amber shirt

Pudding Jones and Chippy Barker
Fred Bruty was a marker

Brusher cheering on the line
Nobby Howard at number nine

Finals at Stortford a regular thing
ltlalcom Jackson on the left wing

In the background Wally Day
At the gate you had to pay.

The village football club has been going for over one hundred
years and the 1950's was the most successful time in the
clubs history winning several league and cup titles
Howard Tubby Gunn was a player who went on to play for
Harlow and Bishops Stortford
Ron Pudding Jones played rnany years and featured in the
1946 POW game
The Search brothers were the backbone of side in the fifties
and Bert and Derek were also very capable cricketers

BYGONES
Doris serving behind the bar
John White working on my car
Buying sweets in a shop called Bucks
Reynolds pond full of ducks

Bissett legless in the pub
Sugar at the football club
Browns the bakers for fresh bread
A school with a caretaker name of Fred

It will always be the Waggon for me
ln the Post Office but only for tea
Telephone boxes there were two
Even a cobbler to mend a shoe

Dave Jordan would pop in for drink
The Abattoir sometimes made a stink

Chubby rode his motor bike

Cars on the green ,park where you like

Reggie pinning for the landlady of his dreams
Tonibel van selling ice cream

Four pubs,three nearly in a row
Spoilt for choice on where to go.

Reynolds pond now known as Duckting pond provided a nice

skating area when frozen over in the winter months

Browns was the bakers later Glasscocks who delivered bread
in the local area
Parking on the green was allowed and encourage especially
when there was a cricket match in progress
The Post Office in the 1-950s went under the name of
Peacocks it was also a general village store

DISTANT MEMORIES

Frank Trundle would repair your shoes
Once a library where a book you could choose

tt/ichael Hockley grows fields of corn
Barry Newrnan will lay you a lawn

Posh girls went to a school at Down Hall
Mr Carruthers a tallyman on you would call

Down the Pincey for a quick swim
Up the Waggon to be served by Jim

John Frith he repaired cars
Liz and Wobbley did outside bars
Need a taxi?give Mr White a call
Fancy a whist drive in THe Trinity Hall

Down at Bentley's football to see
At half time h/argaret made tea
The Flower Show and Fete was an annual eve
They held the auction in a very large tent.

The building now a house that was the cobblers was in latter
years the base Footprint was a shoe repairers for about 50
years firstly ran by Charlie Mills and then by Frank Trundle
Down Hall hotel after the second war was run as a boarding
school for the girls of wealthy parents
Mr Carruthers sold household goods on a door to door basis
where you would pay for it in instalments
John White's father ran a taxi service when only a few people
had cars
The flower show and fete was an annual event ran by the
football and cricket club to raise funds

CHANGES

The Fox is closed,the Stag is shut
By Hunters Meet a roadman's hut
Up the Waggon they changed the name
Things in the village are not the same

Down Hall was a girl's high school
Bissett was clever but acted the fool
Not many knew much about Dick Dean

Round the village rarely seen

Trinity hall demolished before it fell
Brown's the bakers gone as well

Two butchers where you could buy your meat
Cars could park all over the Heath

Going peapicking a summer pursuit
Out saturday night dressed in a suit
Weddings for the choir a couple of bob
Scouts coming round for a bob a job

The site on which Hunters Meet stands was the building for a
glass factory and at the front was a shed which held the tools
for the two locals employed by the council to keep the pathes
ditches and grass verges in good repair
lf you were in the church choir for weddings ,funerals etc you
would receive a small payment.

Boy scouts and Cubs had a week known as bob-a-job week
were they would call on houses to perform small tasks and be
paid a bob(shilling)tsp)

The villages ladies for a few weeks would go working for local
farmers firstly pea picking and then later in the year potato
picking.

Gone but not forgotten

ln the Stag there was a well
On the green a memorial for those that fell

The village green had room to park
Lots of people with the surname Clark

Olive tt/ays drove a bus for Halls
Football played with hard leather balls
Clipped Hedge was once a turkey farm
Two policemen to see you came to no harm

There was even a bus to Matching Green

Twice a! \t. hat could be seen

On the roads it was safe to play
The footballclub secretary was Wally Day

The school canteen delivered meals
Fred and Tip behind the wheels

Wickerson had a shop and a pub
The lnstitute no longer snooker club

2

John Rouke was the licensee of the Stag when a concealed well
was unearthed in the Saloon bar a nice feature but it was soon
boarded up
Olive Mays was the driver from Halls coaches quite a rarity in
those days ,she was also a very active member of the local British
Legion.
Eastern National ran a bus service from Bishops Stortford to
Matching Green twice a week Saturday and Monday which was
market day,
ln the fifties the institute closed down as a working mens club but
the snooker tables remained for several years used by a youth
club and briefly a snooker club by then one table has gone and
the other moved to the end room which was not quite fit for the
purpose.

ilLD and NEW

Margaret Peter and {amily Lines
Derek Milfen Reggie Hines
Bert Roy and Derek Search

Reverend Smythe Lrp at the church

Newman's Stan Colin and shopkeeper Ted
Bobby Bucknall and his dad Fred
Harry Wickerson ,Arthur Kent

Now Strickland -Scales a proper gent

Howard Roger David Pyle
Ted Hsckley builder to fix a tile
Reverend Mead and Jinnmy Button
Over to Reynolds for a leg of mutton

The Nelly's Arrns with landlord Neil
ln to the Countryman for a square meal

G ladys,Tlp andlindy Lang
trC.Green new right frcm wrong

Roberts, Gamble men of the cloth
Eric Halls served a pint with froth
So keep your faith in this troubled age
Then we wiltr all be ahout for another page.

The Lines family have made a big contribution to the village
life since the 1-960s .Peter was the backbone of the village
hall for many years.Margaret was a founder member of the
play group in the seventies which is still running and both the
boys very much involved with the football club.
Strickland-Scales lived at Lea Hall and the family was
involved in the cheese industry also one of the sons rowed for
Oxford in the University Boat Race
The Countryman was a restaurant in the building that is now
Amwars.

THEM and US

Peter Noelworked from Tudor Lodge
Vera Goodwin's husband was Hodge

lt/alcom was in the Jackson five
Scantleburys lived at the end of the drive

Valerie's brothers were Melvyn and Des
The Hutchin's boys were Nigeland Les

Gilhert formed a heath brass band
Papers delivered by Barry Rand

Arthur Bonsey ran The Fox
Both John Smith's lived up'Blocks'

Bill Bruty dellvered bags of coal
Stan Barker played in goal

Harry Vdickerson ran the shop
Fred Reed would sellyou a chop
Jimmy Button worked in leather
Miss Dalton-White christian name Heather

Peter Noel ran a plumbing business from Tudor Lodge
Vera and Hodge Goodwin lived in Toad Hall on the Matching
road and were very much into animal welfare
Gilbert Hutchin a very popular villager was a member of
Bishops Stortford Brass Band and around the 1940s he
formed a small village band.
Bill Bruty was the local coalman but a member of the football
club who went on to be elected on to the committee of Essex
Football Association and a usher at Wembley stadium a job
that came with free tickets so a few locals got to see games at
the famous stadium.

PEOPLE

Tim Potter, Reverend Mead
Simon, Scott and Darren Gleed

Toffee, Sugar and a Tubby
Boysie, Pudding not forgetting Chubby

Redgewell, Passfield a couple of Daves
Mickey Brisco Peter Graves
lan Barnett known as Brains
Freda Collins Buffer Staines

Brian and Jan, Shelley and Barry
A caretaker Crone christian name Harry

Cyril Shimmen hlichael Bicker
Roy Nicholls aka ticker

Maisy, Victor and Reg Clarke
Then the Ratcliffe's and their son Mark

Sergeant Calver P C Green
Bruty's Bill, Fred and Jean

Robin, Gary, Stuart Perry
Elsie Jameson and her son Terry
Howard's George, Reg and Nobby
And the Brown's Ben, John and Bobby

PEOPLE

2

Barry and the family Pinder
Cliff and Joyce and daughter Linda

Michael Hockley Stuart Grieve
Jackie Oakes and husband Steve
Names of people present and past
Friends and memories made to last
I may have missed you on this rhyme
But hopefully I will get you next time

Boysie and Pudding were two Jones brothers lvel and Ron
Mick Brisco was chairman of both the village hall committee and the
Cricket club
Cyril Shimmen was well known round the village as his job was
erecting television aerials a very vital thing in mid 20th century
Reg Clarke lived in Manse cottages and earned the nickname
Quicksilver for his slow approach to things.

tVay 2021,

Bill ,Eddie,Sammy King
Gerald Pearson bells will ring
Francis brothers lan and ttllick
Dean and Griffiths both named Dick

Hackett and Clayden raised money for the hall
Steve Foster would build a wall
Peter Wilson and his father Tug

Over the road a Melville called Doug

Church and lt4aclaren sold you meat
Hermitage brothers Alan and Pete

Ticker Sugar Slippery Nobby
Sergeant Calver the village bobby

Sid Woskett ran the Stag
Arthur Wilkinson carried the flag

Driving the bus Olive tVays
Wally and Nellie a couple of Days

Gerald Pearson has been captain of the bell ringers and a
member of the church choir for many years
Bill Eddie and Sam were just three of the six brothers in the
King family

Dick Dean was something of a recluse in his old farm house
round Mill Lane rarely seen round the village although i do
recall seeing him drive a three wheeler car with the single
wheel at the back rather than the front.
Doug t\Ielville a Scot by birth lived in the old manse and his
wife Gladys was the costume lady for the Heath Players
Arthur Wilkinson and his wife Florence were standard bearers
for the British Legion for many years

On the Heath lots of cars
Sweets from Peacocks in rows of jars
A visit from the nit nurse once in a while
Ted Newman in Bucks rarely a smile

Going to Bentleys for a football match
Watching Peter Wilson laying some thatch

Many a stroll round Fryers lane
Plenty of birds but seldom a plane

Over the woods by a camp fire
Ripping your clothes climbing over barbed wire

Travelling miles on a second hand bike
Allowed to roam wherever you like

Catching tiddlers in Pincey Brook
A library in the lnstitute to borrow a book

Four pubs to choose where to go
There was someone their you would know

4

Peacocks was a childs detight with its rows of large sweet jars
At the school there would be regular visits from a nurse to inspect
to see if you had nits in your hair
Fryers lane provided the ideal for a refreshing walk it was a round
trip of just over one and a half miles and not much trafJic.
Many happy childhood hours were spent over where we called
the dirt track the small wood from Barkers Lane alongside the
football pitch

The village was blessed for the best part of the twentieth century
with four pubs

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Doris Deards and Sylvia Warner

On Friars lane you willfind Chubbys corner
Footballing Howards Roy and Reg

Terry had a go at selling veg

Joan Roberts taught at the school
A footballclub dance in the Trinity hall

Nicknames Brusher Tug and Tofiee
Browns the baker for a jar of coffee

Itwas the Waggon untilthey changed the name
Up to the lnstitute,Snooker for a frame
Delivering papers was Barry Rana

Gilbert started a village brass band

Wilkinson brothers Alan and Dave
Stan Barker in goal made a save
Collecting conkers up Scrutts hut
Another teacher vms Shelia Strutt

Both Joan Roberts and Sheila Strutt were teachers at the
school Joan taught the infant class from just after the war and
was succeeded many years later by Sheila

Scrutts hut was near the two conker trees just south of the

cricket pitch ,so named after a Mr Scrutt who lived in a
makeshift hut nearby

Gilbert Hutchins local brass band in the forties contained

many local boys including and his son Leslie, John Gunn who
played trombone, Rohin Whitbread on cornet and Stan

Barker who was also the Heaths goalkeeper.

STARS OF THE EIGHTIES

Often seen propping up the bar
Deamer could hit a long ball far
Not as famous as Gordon Banks
Richard was another in our ranks

Head down and running that was Bamber
Did we play in black and amber

Intricate passing between the Lines
Chinnery was one of our number nines

It was Geoff who managed the club
Dick was chairman in the pub

Brownie was probably past his best
Wobbley stood out above the rest

It/artin Pyle a great footballing name
James Moodie was sub in every game
Brain's was there not just for the beer

Liz on the line giving us a cheer.

ln 1983 the village had a new sunday football club under the
management of Geoff Clayden it was young local lads and
three more senior players
The senior players John Deamer, Dave Brown and Dick
(slippery) Garrard had many years experience with the
saturday team
The nucleus of the team was the Lines brothers Andy and
Rabbit, Ian Ketteridge who went on to become chairman of
Bishops Stortford football club lan (Brains)Barnett and
Michael Bamber a speedy fuii back.

PEOPLE

Bucket of Bitter,real name was Phil
The eldest Garraway her name was Jill
Douthwaite and Day both called Sally
Nelly Days husband was a Wally

Grainger the egg man answered to Harry
Three of the Pyles Chris Roger Barry
Footballing Search's Bert Derek Roy
John was the eldest Bentley boy

Bruty and Saben both called Mick
Slippery Garrard a proper Dick
Roberts and Potter a couple of Tims
Whybrow and Cummings a pair of Jims

Wilko's wife was known as Flo

Savill and Gunn both were Joe

Maskell brothers Mlelvin and Des
Gilberts boys Nigel and Les