Your turn

I happened to find myself on two Oakwood School photographs from the 1960s. On the first picture I am at the front, sitting next to Nigel Morgan on the righthand side. On the second photograph I am on the end right, second row back. Unfortunately, I can't help out with any other names. I left Oakwood School due to moving home in March 1968, so the photographs that have me in them would have been before then. I also know that in 1965 I was in Mrs Brown's class. Gail.

I'd like to make special mention of Sheena. One summer's day she came and supported me when I was being followed around the playground by a large group of children. It was a one-off incident, and I don't think they, or I, ever knew why they did it. Sheena and I weren't special friends, but young as she was, she must have realised how upsetting this was, so she left the group and walked with me. I always appreciated that kind gesture from another child who didn't like to see another child bullied and I remember it to this day, although I have no idea what happened to her after we all left to go to different secondary schools in 1967. Most of the time Oakwood was a happy place and I loved my time there. Very best wishes to Sheena, and everyone else in that photo, wherever you may be. Catherine.

Thanks for your email re the old Marshalswick School (Form 5/2) photograph. It's a shame Mr Danter (who has sadly passed on, so I'm told?) didn't take a form photo when we were first put in with him in the old geography room where he was "in charge" of us. I seem to remember we were with him as 4th year pupils and stayed with him until we left (myself at Christmas 1962). There would have been several lads who had already left by then: Norman Kelly, Alan Wills, Michael Hogben, Richard Cook, David Pratt, Alan Rivers. I am a little uncertain about R Cook and D Prat, as to whether they were originally in our form, but they were names that I can remember. Do you know whether there are ever any old ex-pupil meetings that may take place these days? I would love to meet up with any lads from those days. I recall Alan Clarke who at that time had a longish period away from school with a skin graft operation. Peter.

The Electric Appliance Company was in Napsbury Lane, where the North Orbital Trading estate is now. Although it must have been quite a big company, there appears to be very little information about it. I did wrote to the St Albans Observer in October 2001 asking if anyone remembered cycle speedway in St Albans. They did get one reply from a Keith Hammond. He said that both his father and uncle had ridden cycle speedway, and although they both worked for the EAC company they opted to ride for the St Albans Cobras on their track in Cell Barnes Lane. He said that his father remembered riding against the Whipps Cross Comets and the Hoddesdon Kangaroos. He also remembered the track in Rothamsted Park. Unfortunately, when I contacted the newspaper for Keith's address they said they did not have it.

You can still see where the Cobras' track was in Cell Barnes Lane,

In 1951 EAC Hawks signed riders from other teams so as to win the league (which they did). They did not ride again after that season, either because the factory closed or the team disbanded – most likely the latter.

In 1949/50 there were some 3,000 teams nation wide. A national newspaper, the News Chronicle, sponsored the knockout cup, and Mars the individual trophy. The number of teams dropped dramatically, as most teams were formed 1946/8 by school age boys; so they all reached 18 years at about the same time. So whole teams were called up for National Service. Hoddesdon Kangaroos were one of the top teams in Hertfordshire. They won the league title in 1956. When the league collapsed I invited them to join the North-West Middlesex League. In the first match they beat my team 30-80! Clive Hitch, their top rider went on to be come a successful motor speedway rider. He also rode for the EAC Hawks in their last season, but does not remember much about it. I did put a notice in the Cell Barnes Library, asking if anyone remembered the cycle speedway, but did not get a response. Bill.

Images below: Left: typical cycle speedway action; centre: EAC Hawkes team 1952; right: Cell Barnes Lane track (probably where the circus field was, Wingate Close today).

Not only do I have my own memories from the fifties and sixties, but I also have my parents' stories, anded down (but not written down). One in particular. My mum manages to get hold of some apples during post-war rationing, and made a batch of toffee-apples. The word got around the local children very quickly, and soon there was a queue down the street.

Dixon's the grocer, was next door on the corner [with Woodstock Road south]. He had a counter that had a hot oil pipe running behind it for shop heating. As a toddler I slipped out of my mum's sight while she was shopping, and put my hands on the pipe. I have no recollection but apparently my hands burned onto the pipe and had to be peeled off. The skin on my hands is apparently all skin graft, but I carry no scars! On the other side [of us] was a fish shop, then there was a cafe and an early supermarket (it actually had baskets so you could help yourself; fancy that!). Further down was a chemist and Presence, the family butcher. Then the laundry over Arthur Road, and the Rats' Castle opposite. Over Woodstock Road from us was Arthur Rankin Smith's, the stationer and post office. Then further up was a shop that, in the sixties, became an agent for Skoda cars. Further up the road was Stone's, where I could buy train and aeroplane magazines. Opposite [us] was Ballito, of course, all red brick with steps and a car ramp at the front. Directly above our shop was the lounge and above that was my bedroom, which I shared with my older brother, David. Every New Year's Eve towards midnight a lone Scottish piper stood on the forecourt of Ballito and played his bagpipes. I don't think anyone ever knew who he was.

I remember train spotting at a railway cutting in Clarence Park, in the great days of steam. In the bad winter of 1962/63 my brother and I earned sixpence per car pushing cars up the ice slope that was the bottom of Woodstock Road.

Behind our bedroom at the top of the house was our stock room and I well remember lugging massive cardboard boxes of cigarettes etc up two flights of stairs. There was a cupboard under the eaves in our bedroom which was a delight to explore. There was a mass of Union Jack bunting which I found out later was a left-over from the Coronation celebrations. I well remember my dad's white shop coats. I collected old coins – Victorian bun pennies, etc, and the early silver coins. My parents counted the cash from the till on the kitchen table every evening, and I remember going through them for rare and priceless gems. I still have some of them to this day. I accompanied my dad to Lloyds Bank, up near Rollings, with cloth bags of cash to bank.

Christmas was a busy time at the shop. My dad used to get a bulk quantity of wrapping paper and us kids had the job of folding every sheet in half, then in half a second and then third time. Took hours! I remember all the visiting travellers with their battered leather suitcases, who would bring their latest products to show my Dad. One in articular was always greatly anticipated – the toy man. I always had the very latest Matchbox car before any other the local children, and proudly took them to Fleetville School the next day to show them off.

You probably don't remember my Mum, Clarice, because she spent most of her time in the kitchen and scullery behind the shop. I was the youngest of three children. The eldest was my sister, Margaret, who went to Loreto College up the Hatfield Road. My brother won a scholarship to St Albans School, but I did not do so well in the entrance exam and only managed to get to the Grammar School in Brampton Road. Ian Grace.

Ref the blog "You'll Never Guess What, Mum", which was posted on 6th May 2017, has a photo of 3 young boys standing at the entrance of Hill End Mental Asylum with Hillside House in the background. The article speculates about who the boys may be.

Well, I have reason to speculate the possibility of who one or two of the boys may be. You see, my great grandfather, George Goodchild, was the Clerk and Superintendent at the hospital for around 30 years, from around 1896, before the first buildings had been built, until his death around Christmas time of 1927. Therefore he would have been the resident of Hillside House at the time the photo was taken. Furthermore, my grandfather, Arthur Gerald Goodchild (Jerry) was born to George Goodchild and his wife Ida Florence, at Hill End on 31st October 1904. From what I can make out in the photograph, based on the growth of the hedges and other garden growth, the picture was probably taken sometime between 1910 and 1915. In 1912 Jerry would have been about 8 years old and living with his parents and brother in Hillside House, which would put him in the right age bracket for one of the boys, along with his brother. If he was not one of the boys he very likely would have known who the boys in the photo were.

Jerry's brother was George Bertram, born in 1900, four years older than Jerry, which would also match the age differences. Unfortunately I do not have any photographs of my grandfather as a young person, so it is not easy to compare. But from what I remember of my grandfather, who died in the 1980s, his features resemble those of the youngest boy (on the right).

My great-grandfather, George was honoured with an MBE by the King in June 1927, for his life work at Hill End. My grandfather, Arthur Gerald (Jerry) and his wife, Winifred, emigrated to Johannesburg, South Africa, in the mid 1930s, and my father was born in South Africa in 1939. I was born in South Africa in 1969, and still life there.

I would be very interested to get other information about my great grandfather, his wife and family, particularly about what happened to my great-grandmother after George died. I have no information about my grandfather's childhood at Hill End. All the information I have is from after he emigrated to South Africa. I have picked up from other articles that Dr Kimber at some stage took over as Clerk and Superintendent. Dennis Goodchild.

Below: On the left is part of the original photo referred to. Superintendent George Goodchild (right).

From Stewart:
Just spotted the photograph of Wynchlands Crescent party; it looks ver much like one of Sed King's photos because he took many around the local area. As you know, the east part of Wynchlands meets up with the Oaklands estate woods, so the house on the extreme end of the row, with the woods in the background, was occupied by Mr & Mrs Tyler and their daughter Yvonne (who was in the same lass as me at Fleetville). Three doors along, that looks like Mrs Lambert watching the parade, because her son Tommy, around 9 years old at the time, would have been taking part. Unfortunately, I cannot make any other positive identifications, but I know with absolute certainty, that if anything was happening in Wynchlands Crescent the Pickering children would have been fully involved – they might have even organised it. I suspect the occasion might have been a street party for either VE or VJ Day. I remember there was one in the Crescent, but can't remember for sure whether my brother and I were allowed to attend as we lived in Hatfield Rad. But I have a memory of tables in the street, with sandwiches and jellies – or is that wishful thinking?

From Mike:
Of course, I should have remembered that you would recognise something about this photo; but I sensed something not quite right. You have an image in your head that it is the bottom end and Hatfield Road side of Wybchlands. However, using Google Streetview I see that, although the front elevations are the same, the roofline is gable-ended. Kelly's shows the Tylers living at number 2 on the Winches side, but at number 1 opposite were the Tysons in 1946. I found the Pickerings; they were at number 11.

The houses in the photo, however, are at the top end and on the Winches side. Here the rooflines slope down to the front gutters, as do most of the houses in the road. The homes in view are numbers 44 and 42. Mr & Mrs Brimble moved into number 44 just before the war. Mrs Brimble later became cook at Oakwood School. My mum also worked at Oakwood and she and Mrs B were good friends. However, you were close in one respect; the lady watching outside number 40 was almost certainly Mrs Taylor! As you will recall the road was on a slight incline from west down to east. From the brick line above the porches you can see the road does indeed slope down to the right.

The low paling fence just beyond number 44 houses an electricity transformer and some of the trees leading down towards Winches Farm were cut down for the modern houses. Number 44 now also has an extension.

From Stewart:
Have to agree, Mike. I was fooled by the fence and the trees. Brimbles – my brother had a school friend called Corrie Brimble. Must have been the daughter.

In September 1956 I moved with my parents from North London to a brand new council house, number 110 Drakes Drive.

My dad was a brass musical instrument maker and he worked at the Salvation Army factory in Campfield Road. He cycled the twenty-odd miles to St Albans each day until he eventually bought a little BSA Bantam motor bike. Needless to say the move meant Dad's commenting time was dramatically reduced.

Initially I attended Cam School but transferred to Windermere School as soon as it was built. In 1961 I went to Francis Bacon School which had opened a year previously and was then housed in the old Alma Road School until the new buildings in Drakes Drive were completed.

At that time we overlooked the old chicken farm and the cottages still on the corner of Cell Barnes Lane and Drakes Drive. The water tower and chimney on the Hill End hospital site are visible. The boy in the school uniform is one of the Wilkinson family who lived at number 106. I don't know his first name but his sister was Valerie.

Dad was a very keen gardner and in 1959 was awarded the prize for the best council house garden in the city. We were very proud of him when he received the cup from the Mayor; it showed how hard he had worked in just three years. John.

I know the Institute building well, having passed it umpteen times on my way to school, but only remembered it as Vernon's printers. I have a vague recollection of a cousin working there as a printer. My sister lives in Eaton Road, in one of two houses which have a rear access onto Arthur Road.

My great uncle, the Steward at Fleetville Institute, was names Archibald John Sexton (1874 to 1954). A long and involved story if you are the least bit interested. Archibald married Elizabeth Street (1870 to 1939) in 1895, and they had one daughter. They were living in the Institute in 1902. At some stage after the 1911 census, when Archie was a straw had machinery operator and living in Albert Street, he deserted his wife and child, and I was told he headed to the South Pacific. I have found his grave here in Auckland and tracked backwards from there through the Auckland funeral director who buried him. I found that he married a German girl, bigamously, in Tonga in 1921, and had four more children with her before moving to Auckland.

I came across the Institute because my grandparents had nine children. Only Archie was married and his next brother, Leonard, was at sea. All except the last three were able to cope by themselves. Agnes, my paternal grandmother, and Elizabeth were place in King Edward's School, Southwark, and the youngest, Hugh, went to Barnardo's. It was Barnardo's that were able to give me a full family run-down of the family at the time. Poor Hugh, he later went to sea, joined the army in December 1914 and lost his life 10th March 1915 at Neue Chappelle aged only nineteen and a half.

Among other connections to our East End. My Mum, Margaret Roome, though born in Thorpe Road, spent much of her younger life in Cambridge Road. She had known my father almost from birth. They got together while both working at the Sphere Works. Another of my grandmother Sexton's sisters, Eliza, married William Witherspoon, a brass turner and finisher who, I believe, worked at the musical instrument makers in Campfield Road. Great grandfather Samuel Henry Sexton, who died in 1902, was a printer's packer in the 1901 census. Barnardo's informed me he worked at the Fleetville Printing Works and was only discharged shortly before his death; probably how Archie came by his job. Tony.

I've just been looking through your wonderful website! I lived some of my childhood years in Cambridge Road, and was amazed to see a photo of it here. My parents. Bob and Marjorie Westfield's best friends were Anne and Robbie (can't recall the surname but he was Irish), who lived in the adjacent Wellington Road. I used to play with Anne's sister, Susan when she visited. Anne and Robbie had a daughter, Tracey.

My Dad had been a chef in the Royal Marines. He and Robbie had worked together as chefs in the kitchens of Hatfield Hospital. My mother was a secretary at Marshalswick Boys' School in those days, and her friend there was Mrs Simmons, who I was delighted to spot in a photo of Beaumont School. I guess Mrs Simmons must have been one of the staff who moved to Marshalswick.

I attended Fleetville Infants and Juniors from c1959/60 until roughly the end of the junior years. My best friends there were Felicity Buxton, who lived somewhere north of the school, and Lyn Wilson who lived south of it. Another name I remember was Mary Briggs, and I have a feeling her parents ran the post office near the school. Also remember Richard Moon.

I used to walk to school on my own and I passed Marconi Instruments [Fleetville] and the Ballito stockings factory. I desperately wanted a pair of the black stockings which had pictures of the four Beatles faces on them. I wonder if anyone remembers them. Although I don't have any photos of St Albans to submit, I'd be delighted to see any photos of my days at Fleetville. Or to hear from any class mates – I can't remember any more names at the moment.

The teachers I remember were Miss Probert, a largish lady with ginger hair (I think) always in a bun and who taught geography. And Mr Blanks, a rather cruel bald-headed man who liked taunting Richard Moon when he was talking, by making him stand on his chair while saying, "Get on your chair, Moon, up in the sky where you belong." Funny what sticks in your mind.

Clarence Park was where mum and dad played tennis, leaving me on the sidelines with a banana ice lolly. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I hope some of my information rings a bell with someone. Brenda.

From Mike: Fleetville School page here, but most of its photos so far are earlier than your time there Brenda. If you began in 1959 it is possible that your year group included Pauline Addison, Jo Best, Marion Bousted, David Evans, Susan Grabner, Ian Grace, William Greenhalgh, Paul Holland, Briony Jones, Mark Knight, Ian McClellan, Heather Rhodes, David Seymour, Michael Shadow, Alexander Spark, Ian Turnbull, Alistair Woods and Philip Woods. Richard Moon's brother, Nicholas, was in the previous (younger) age group at the school.

About 1929 I used to play in the pits where they dug the clay. We were not supposed to and my dresses were always filthy, but it was great fun. I think there were four square pits where they produced the clay. There was a four inch pipe going from the bank to the centre which carried the water. The bricks were made on a site at the end of Cambridge Road. A bridle path led to the pit and there was a branch railway at the side which only used to carry supplies to the mental home. I think that was called Hill End Hospital. After a few years they built houses on the other side of the line and the bridle path was made up and led to Hatfield Road.

[This was Owen's brickworks; the houses referred to were on the Willow/Oakdene estate, and the former bridle path mentioned became Ashley Road.]

Quite why a pile of old 78rpm records should attract attention isn't obvious, but browsing through such a pile recently at a jumble sale recently brought to light the beginning of a story. The sale was at the scout hut at Longacres Park, and the pile was probably brought in by a nearby loft-clearing resident. Among the 1920s jazz numbers and 1930s dance tunes by small light orchestras, was the occasional specialist or spoken word record. And one of the latter stood out from the rest.

"Anecdotes and Country Tales" was locally produced. Not a big name Parlophone or Capitol, this disc had been recorded and cut by Robert W Archer, 82 Beechwood Avenue, St Albans – his address is on the cover. Both Mr Archer and his father were switchgear engineers (possibly at a local factory), so recording and making records was a spare-time hobby. The family lived at number 82 from 1939 until the late 1950s, so we know the period during which the record was made. We also know from the label who the artist was: John Essex. At present we know nothing about Mr Essex. But someone might, and someone may recall Robert Archer from Beechwood Avenue. Specialists in recorded material may have access to early recorded material data. On the other hand, "Anecdotes …" might have been a one-off project with just a few dozen copies sold or given away. But if so, it was done right here in the east end of St Albans.

The recording has now been transferred onto a CD.

I know that [Victoria Street/Station Way] junction very well, having commuted into London for many years and walked from home in Hazelwood Drive to the station. For some reason I always preferred to walk up Stanhope Road rather than Hatfield Road. I don't know why; it was a bit longer that way around. Habit I suppose. When I started the commute, the Gaumont [Cinema] and Adult Education School were both still there.

I can't remember where I got the picture from. I've probably had it for over 30 years. It is one of several taken just before the old station was demolished in 1972/73. The new footbridge appears unfinished so I imagine it dates to the early 1970s. The goods yard sidings and shed have already gone.

Been living near Milton Keynes and beginning to miss the old place. We do get back to the Beaumont area quite regularly but it already feels different; amazing how quickly things seem to change when one doesn't see them every day. Rob

I was just looking at the article about the railway linking St Albans and Hatfield, and mention is made, plus photograph, of a wholesale meat store in what is known now as Butterwick Wood. My uncle Ted worked there from the time it was built (about 1943 from memory), and since he cycled to and fro he often stopped at our house in Hatfield Road [Oaklands]. Before that, Ted had been a war reserve policeman, but he was released because he had the required skills, having worked as a seaman on refrigerated ships between the two wars, and therefore understood the machinery used. His immediate manager was a Mr Southworth, a retired chief engineer from the Merchant Navy who we also got to know quite well. Apart from the St Albans depot, Southworth was also responsible for another store located at Stratford on Avon. He and Ted would drive up and inspect it from time to time, so if I happened to be on school holiday I sometimes had a trip to Stratford with them.

The cold store was actually used for US Army frozen supplies, and on the staff at the store was a resident American sergeant. I remember Ted being very impressed because the guy had a small fridge in the boot of his car and kept beer in it! I was happy one day when Ted dropped by and asked if I liked prawns, because a box of frozen prawns had been slightly damaged and given to him rather than be thrown away.

After WW2 the store remained and Ted continued working there until he retired, so it may well have become a meat store, but initially it was American owned and administered. I think [was] mentioned elsewhere that the railway line was also used for a mobile anti-aircraft gun (probably an Oerlikon) during the war, and we often heard it popping away during air raids.

Added later:
The possibility is that the "meat store" was partly a cover story, as so many were during WW2. I went out there with Uncle Ted on one occasion and can only remember one well-camouflaged building. The American sergeant was also there and may have been in the supply department of the [American] Army. I believe the American Air Force in the UK was the US 8th Army Air Force, which had evolved from the US Army Air Corps. Some years back I saw a report about its later use as a banana store and thought how appropriate, because Ted had learned about large scale refrigeration during the pre-war period while working on banana boats owned by Elders and Fyffes to the West Indies. He and his father both worked on boats owned by Elder Dempsters, who also owned Elders and Fyffes. Stewart.

Very interesting information on Butterwick Cold Store during World War 2. I certainly did not know about the mobile anti-aircraft gun on the railway and that the cold store was owned and administered by the US Army. I am no expert on local activities during WW2 so would be interested if this information could be confirmed. Intriguing!. I have checked my copies of Working Timetables for LNER and British Railways at this time and the cold store is listed as Hill End Depot. I love the aerial photo of the cold store in 1951; you can just make out where my house was eventually erected. Roger.

Summary of information from the www.subbrit.org.uk website with an image courtesy Nick Catford:
In 1941 forty-three identical brick refrigerated cold stores constructed of low-cost Fletton-type bricks around insulated steel frames were built by William Douglas & Sons for the Ministry of Food to house emergency meat and fish supplies. Size: 209 x 141 feet. They were scattered around the country as part of an integrated system of food control, distribution and handling. They were all located adjacent to main railway routes for ease of movement in and out of the stores. [Most of] the sites selected were away from primary target areas. Forty grain silos were built at the same time. The cold stores continued to perform the same function during the early years of the Cold War. The storage of food in the UK peaked in 1956 with 750,000 tons, including at the 43 massive government-owned cold stores. In that year their role was downgraded and operation handed over to private contractors, although the MoF rented some space. By 1961 there was seen to be no need to have emergency meat stocks and the sites were rented out as commercial cold stores. The photo below shows the Goldsborough store and loading dock before demolition. Courtesy Nick Catford. Compare with the Butterwick building.

Living in Royston Road, after leaving the Grammar School in 1957 I started an apprenticeship at de Havilland Aircraft. In 1958 I was fortunate to gain a flying scholarship and learned to fly at Luton Flying Club on Tiger Moths, gaining my Private Pilot's Licence in August that year at the age of 17 yrs and 9 months.

Wonderful memories of great days. Peter.

My brother would have started at Fleetville School in September 1962. We left St Albans just before I started school in 1964, but I remember going there for a few hours to get a taster of school. I seem to remember there was a small police station nearby, and I remember visiting this when our house had been burgled, probably in 1963/64. We lived in Brampton Road, in one of the older houses on the south side, close to the junction with Hamilton Road. I must have walked to the school so many times when my mum took my older brother to school. My brother and I used to go and buy my Dad's newspaper at what I think is a post office on the corner of Hatfield Road. I seem to remember the papers laid out on a bench as if the shop were otherwise closed. Perhaps this was on a Sunday. Another cherished memory is of going to the library which was possibly relatively new in the early 60s. I wish I could find photos of it. I was also intrigued as a child by the Ballito stocking factory on the other side of the road. It was the first factory I ever saw. I remember walking down Sutton Road and under a railway bridge when I started feeling we were leaving behind home territory! I also have strong memories of a corner grocer's shop where I was fascinated by seeing bacon sliced. I think this was on the corner of Harlesden Road and Burnham Road. Adrian.

The photos (below) were taken on the green at the NE corner of Woodland/Central drives junction where Irene Stebbings House now stands. My original memories of this particular plot of land was an area of waste land with a foot trail cutting from Woodland Drive to the corner of Central Drive shop arcade. There were two trees at the Woodland Drive corner that were great for climbing. Other children had climbed them before we did, and at strategic points nails had been driven into the trunks to provide a foothold. The green from that time (c1957/8) also had a painful memory for me. On a warm summer day I was shirtless, fairly new to riding a bike, I came a cropper on the footpath and fell into one of the many patches of stinging nettles and had to resort to the standard course of action of rubbing myself down with dock leaves.
Not sure of the exact date but would guess early sixties, the council cleared, flattened and grassed the area (the two trees were left standing). The space became a regular location for games of football. I remember the picket fence going up and how annoying it was as the ball always seemed to sail over the top. The fence was a little too rickety to climb over so we always had to go round to fetch the ball and get the game back underway. Stephen.

We begin this thread at the end of 2015 with an email received as a result of a blog post [here]


I was wondering if you could help me find out whether I can find further examples of photos taken by my great aunt, Juliet Haddon, a well-known family photographer in St Albans during the 50s and 60s. I have a Facebook page on her and wanted to add more examples of her work. Nicholas.

Jump forward to April 25th 2019 and the following email arrived:

This may not still be relevant, but I ran across your blog [see above] regarding Juliet Haddon and her nephew Nicholas. Being that it would have been my mother's 97th birthday today, I am attaching two photographs taken by Juliet, most likely in the early 40s, of my mother Una Anne Clements. I think Juliet photographed my grandmother and other members of the family also. Una's parents, Leslie McDonald Clements and his wife May Allington Clements, lived at 12 Oswald Road, St Albans, for decades. My mother served during the war at Bletchley [Park] and it is on their roll of honour as evidence, as she never discussed it, having died before the Bletchley women became known. She met my American father during the war and came to the States after the war, having married in St Albans! Please pass these photos on to Nicholas. Cannot express how grateful we are to have Juliet's beautiful photographs of my mother. Sandy.

Photos of Una Clements below.

One day later, the following email arrived:

I came across your blog, and the article you have about Juliet Haddon. I believe I have some photos taken by her, of my Aunt Estelle, taken around 1948, I think. I wondered if her great nephew would be interested. Please feel free to pass on my email. Joanna. [request carried out].

Here are two former Marshalswick School pupils, both named David, who are recalling a football match for the Sydstanart Cup Final in the 1960s:
"Great to see the two football team pictures. I still have my Sydstanart Cup medal. The other team picture I would say was taken before the Sydstanart Cup team picture, perhaps in the 1963/64 first year at school. And I have reason to believe we won the Sydstanart Cup in 1965. Not sure where the small cup was from in the second picture.
Shorter hairstyles in the second picture would be just one clue. You look younger and it was before you broke your leg. Was that in September 1963? The coach in this picture I believe was a Mr Jackson. He left after our first year. But I could be wrong. I think the coach that took us to Potters Bar for the Sydstanart final was Mr Asher?
I remember travelling to Potters Bar in the car with John Bailey and his father. It was during our Easter holidays I think. In the car I distinctly remember the group Unit 4 + 2 playing Concrete and Clay on the car radio. This song is listed online as a number one UK hit in March 1965. Which leads me to believe the Sydstanart Cup Final, and thus the picture, was 1965 as opposed to 1964.

You have named me in the 1963/64 team pic but in fact that was Stuart Varndall and not me. I tried but couldn't get into the team in 1963/64. Mr Jackson didn't rate me! I bet you don't remember where I played in the Sydstanart final."

The response from the other David:
"I haven't spoken to or seen him since those school days. He is correct on the names. His memory is obviously better than mine and I realise now my errors! As to the year of the Sydstanart Cup Final I now think it was 1966 – World Cup year. I still have the programme for that game and the date printed was Saturday 16th April, and when you look back at Saturday 16th in the 1960s then it has to be 1966. As to Dave's position the programme shows him as substitute unfortunately, and I don't know if he got on as I'm not sure whether that was then allowed.
Also the first picture with Dave in it has to be the Sydstanart team photo and the year 1966 when we won the Sydstanart Cup. I also have a match report from that game and it refers to us as Under 14s. Therefore the second picture must be 1965 as we were Under 13s in that one. I have a feeling now that may have been the League Trophy we won that year."

The picture [of Cunningham School – see Other Schools] is around 1966 and probably the end of term when we used to perform our end of term play. I cannot remember what it was all about.

I am the only one wearing glasses, top line second from right (Colin Hyde). I think the teacher was Mrs Field; she married the Head Teacher. Whilst I can remember a whole raft of names from that year I cannot remember the names of the other children around me. I do know that I was friendly with the Paul Farnsworth, who designs theatre sets across the world. Colin.

Clarence Park often features on your site, and like many people brought up in St Albans, it played a significant part in my life through membership of St Albans Athletic Club that met there a couple of evenings a week. Annual subscription for a Junior was 3 shillings – superb value by any standards. I searched for it on the internet recently and it seems to have disappeared [from Clarence Park] at some time in the years since I left and has been replaced by a club that has its base on a new track down at the Lake. The membership in my day had strong representation from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City as well as the villages around St Albans, and I believe that the WGC contingent eventually broke away and formed their own club.

During the winter months the cross country section usually met at Beaumont School under the leadership of Stan Tomlin who, apart from working on the permanent staff of the AAA in London, had also won the 3 miles title in the Empire Games held in Toronto pre World War Two. Amongst the seniors were John Pilling who had represented Scotland in the 220 yards, and John Moncrieff short-listed for the high jump in the 1948 Olympics but failed to make the final selection.

Another 'star' of the club was Barry Dodd who was the AAA Junior Champion in throwing events. He later moved to Rhodesia and threw the javelin for that country during the 1960s.

I wonder whether any of your readers have any memories of the club and can perhaps tell me a little more about its demise [the current club – www.stalbansac.co.uk – of the same name was formed in 1989]. Stewart.

Just found the SAOEE website. I live in Luton now but was born in Evans Grove, Marshalswick, in 1957, my sister and brother also, all home births. I attended Wheatfields Infants School in its first year of opening (having transferred from Fleetville Infants), then on to the Juniors, and then onto Beaumont School. My mother was born in St Albans and was a nursery teacher at Fleetville Nursery before she had me. My father worked at Ballito, and somewhere I think I may have a photo of one of their Christmas parties. Both parents are dead now. My mother, father, sister, brother and I all went to Beaumont School.

I remember playing in the fields before the Jersey Farm estate was built and being sick from the crab apples that grew on the trees there. I was confirmed at St Mary's Church, whilst my sister was confirmed by Robert Runcie at Sandridge Church. Chris.

Fleetville School 1939/42, milk or Horlicks tablet at mid morning break; air raid shelters in Royal Road; big water storage tanks opposite Royal Road in the park; school not very warm in winter. I think there were coke boilers stoked by Mr Billings, and there was a shortage of fuel. The toilets were in the playground, open to the elements. There was a bike shed, but very few of us had bikes. Most of the boys had completed a paper round before breakfast, or helped the milkman or baker. Youngsters would have a fit today, but happy days. Ron.

The item about Ellenbrook houses triggered a couple of memories. I believe one [house] was named Nast Hyde, and during WW2 it was used as an officers' mess for young army officers being trained as pilots. From my later army days I surmise that most of these young men were in the Royal Artillery and were being trained to fly single wing spotter aircraft – probably Lysanders although their basic training started on Tiger Moths.

My mother and our next door neighbour, Mrs Ritchie, used to go out to Nast Hyde working as cleaners and occasionally brought back discarded items, such as cap badges and buttons. Hence my guess that these guys were Royal Artillery. I remember my mother being very cross on one occasion in the Autumn because these young officers had been playing 'conkers' in one of the rooms and had left the broken conkers discarded on the floor for them to clear up. In hindsight most of these guys would have been around 18 or 19 years old and would only recently left school, so playing 'conkers' was probably a bit of light relief.

I believe they made their initial flights from Panshanger grass airfield nearby. Later this was used by RAFVR who flew Tiger Moths there. I had my first flight in a tiger moth in 1948 at Panshanger as a young ATC Cadet.

The article also mentions Selwyn Drive, and a couple of houses were destroyed by a V2 late on in the war. I believe they were later rebuilt. Stewart.

The following has been recalled by a family who used to live in Charmouth Road: "When I lived in Charmouth Road in the 1950s I well remember an incident. Until recently the details were a bit hazy, but having contacted my cousin I have a little more information on the incident. Apparently, a rag & bone man was travelling down Harptree Way towards Charmouth Road with his horse and cart, when the load proved too much for the horse, which subsequently bolted into a house opposite, destroying the garden fence and part of the porch. The horse broke both (hind?) legs and was swiftly put down by a vet. The reason I recall this incident was the sound of the gun and my mother crying her eyes out over the incident. My cousin recalled that the rag & bone man had been drinking. I hope I have recalled the details correctly. The event probably occurred in the mid-fifties." Roger.

I believe there is a book, "A Bridge Between Two Worlds – Leighton Linslade in the Great War", by Leighton Buzzard Writers. I wish I could get a copy. My mother and I visited St Albans earlier this year [2019] and found the memorial stone to Percy Rollings. Hoping to go back in 2020. Ruth.

While reading through this blog I was reminded that I meant to send you an extract discovered while researching Housing for the SAHAAS World War 1 book: No idea where and if still there (if so presumably well cladded by now). Liz and I know the road quite well and nothing obvious still there. 25 towns were selected for two steel houses. Costs would be met by the local authority with a grant subsidy of £200 (bet St Albans go for the cheapest ones), i.e. single storey non-parlour). Noted from Council minutes: "After careful consideration of the whole circumstances the committee was of the opinion that it would not be advisable to proceed as it was particularly desired to avoid any labour difficulties in connection with the Camp Housing Scheme." Val.

NOTE: This item included although in a different part of St Albans, because of the likely conflict with Springfield Homes for Heroes estate, Camp Road.

An interesting case of veneer and cold feet by the Council, and a lack of understanding of building technology. Later steel houses at South Oxhey were quite well insulated for the time, condensation problems remained, residents had to move out while upgrade works undertaken, and the houses were eventually replaced. Yes, I am sure you are right about the 1925 St Albans steel houses (the Council's cold feet at the last minute). I was always perplexed by whether councils had to apply or whether the 25 towns were chosen. I think it was the former so wonder what lay behind the application. We know the Council lagged seriously behind its Homes for Heroes programme with only one of the three estate having been laid out at the time (Townsend). Perhaps it was an attempt to be adventurous (the veneer in the housing policy). Your notes hint at practical problems in a highly unionised labour force that bricklayers would down tools and further delay the HFH programme. Meanwhile the government probably hoped to make full use of a more centralised workforce in the steel industry. Trying to keep everyone happy barely succeeds, does it! I see that the council had not even identified a site at the start of 1925, and it would have been on land it owned. I guess Folly Meads is at the lower end of Folly Lane and near the later Oysterfields estate. Mike.

I am pleased to say I can give you a photo which include the shops at 10 and 12 Cambridge Road, though not quite clear enough to show the shop names. My best guess for the photo date is 1969 or 1970. CB

Many thanks for this picture; we now have a complete set of visuals of all the shops in this road. From the details in the street directory for 1960 we note number 14 on the corner (see Cambridge Road page) was Warwicks, butchers. The two shops in the picture below were Cecil Marsh, bookmaker (12) and Percy Hall, Fleetville Saloons (10), which is the single storey building. Someone may have a different photo of these shops. Also in the photo are the Camp Fish Shop and, just visible on the extreme right, the former Co-op grocery and butcher's shops. Mike.

There was just such a shelter at the bottom end of Upper Heath Road in St Albans, opposite numbers 37 and 39, when I lived in number 31 between 1954 and 1960. Prodruding from the outside front fall of the blast shock entrance, there were three thick steel hooks which were used to hang buckets containing sand. Patrick. Added 16th June 2020.

Note: this shelter was thought to be the last demolished. Two illustrated articles, about an inspection and then the council contract to demolish, appeared in the Herts Advertiser on April 17th and May 1st, 1959. For the previous 13 years a council employee came each evening with red warning lamps to be placed outside the shelter. Early each morning he arrived to put them out; a task which residents described as "crazy". See also Wartime East End.

Regarding a former large house at 418 / 420 Hatfield Road (now redeveloped as Cedar Court, opposite the new vehicular entrance to Beaumont School and Austen Way), Stewart wrote: "I remember the in and out driveway – very posh." The house's second owner, from c1930, was Lt Col H M Maxwell. "Having scoured my army lists I was unable to pinpoint Lt Col Maxwell for certain; there are plenty of Maxwells on the lists and quite a number of Lt Cols. The prime candidate was the only Lt Col H M Maxwell I found, and he served in the Indian Veterinary Corps. Furthermore, the only mention of this gentleman was the award of the Indian Service Medal with clasp, for his part in the Hazara Expedition of 1891. Colonel Maxwell was very old and I only met him once when his daughters used their garden for some ARP event around 1940 or 1941, and he died not long after."

He is listed in the 1939 Registration as Lt Col Harrie M Maxwell, born in 1859. The two daughters were Frances (but spelled Francis) and Sybil. "The Misses Maxwell. Their next door neighbour was Bert Webber, a retired Metropolitan policeman who had been awarded the BEM; he was one of the Oaklands wardens."

Of course, the house, was better known for its name Hardy House, when the Chippingtons lived there from c1942 and sold young chicks and chickens. George Chippington "also had a stall at St Albans Market." Son William ran a haulage business, and one of his vehicles was seen not so long ago at Porters Wood. Text in quotes by Stewart, with supporting details from the author. Does anyone have a photograph of Hardy House with its in-out driveway?

Item added August 12th 2020.

I've been turning over old photographs and found this one. It shows the VE Day celebrations in Cavendish Road [at the end farthest from Hatfield Road, just beyond the Cecil Road junction]. I can only name about seven people, four of whom are my mother, two older sisters and myself: far right in my oldest sister's arms. There are also three more, all of whom were elderly people as I was growing up.

There was an air raid shelter in the NE corner of the Boys' Grammar School playing field adjacent to the Jennings Road fence. A notable venue for smoking at break time, and thoughtfully never visited by staff on playground duty, except for one teacher who never knew where he was anyway. David.

[Location only plotted on the OS 1963 map, as other versions were major revisions of the 1937- 1939 survey.]

I have just read your latest blog about the old buildings between Royal Road and Woodstock Road – nice to see the pictures of the shops as I remember them as a child. I recall that up to the early seventies the upper floor of the old police house was used as a classroom by the junior school (3rd year Mrs Probert). Guess these were demolished after September 1975 when the Junior School moved over the road. There also had been an old wooden hut in the playground of the school which accommodated the two classes of first year infants. No doubt these disappeared about the same time, but would be great to see pictures of either building. John.

I was really interested to see posters from 1933 and 1934 advertising the Toy Soldiers Parade [St Albans & District Scouts]. At last it answered a question for me. I inherited some photo albums and loose photographs from my Auntie Flo Eames who was in service at Highfield Hall. She took many photos in the late 1920s to mid 1930s, including a couple of my dad, Ivan Eames, with the note "Toy soldiers". Ivan is the middle of the three boys. I don't know who the other two boys are, and there is a separate photo of Ivan. Until I saw the posters [St Albans' Own East End Volume 2 Insiders, pages 53 and 63] I did not know the story of the Toy Soldiers. Peter.

Images probably taken at or near Tyttenhanger, courtesy Peter Eames. Programme cover from Searchlight Tattoo event in 1935 at Clarence Park, courtesy Hertfordshire Scouts.

I do love your site and it sure brings back great memories for me. I was born in December 1940 in the front room of number 46 Royston Road, and lived there until I married in 1965. My schools were Camp and the Boys' Grammar, after which I was an engineering apprentice at de Havilland's. For several years I delivered morning papers at S & K Hill to the avenues – Glenlyn, Windermere, Lynton and Oxford. Before WW2 my mother ran the shop at the Fleetville Laundry, which became the Emporium and is now sadly gone. Lots more memories, most of them very happy ones.

I think I remember a static water tank at the end of Cambridge Road at the junction with Ashley Road. Ashley Road was unsurfaced back then and it certainly was bumpy. Was it 1961 when it was first properly surfaced? The other thing not mentioned is the 2nd St Albans Scout hut in Camp Road just past Lynton Avenue, before I joined the Air Training Corps.

I wonder if anyone can recall St Luke's Chapel in Camp Road. It was between Royston Road and Wellington Road, and opposite Glenlyn Avenue. When I was small I used to go to Sunday school at St Luke's and recall jumble sales were also held there. It is long gone now, of course. Some may recall it was next to Mr Eames' sweet shop.

Peter.
Added January 3rd 2021.

November 2021: With reference to the blog item "Club House to Pizza Place":
The company owned by Michael Stone was called Calverstone's. It made all kinds of uniform caps, not just military. My father worked there in the 70s and 80s as a cutter, until it eventually went under. It used to occupy all of the upstairs, and in the 80s it also occupied the room where Papa John's is now. At one point that was a health food store, and I may be wrong but I think that may be the same organisation that currently has the health food market stall at the top end of St Peter's Street. Thanks for writing this blog, it's been fascinating reading. "The CyclingHatter"

November 2021: I have been following your latest entries about Clarence Park and football teams, so when I was flicking between the Astro Malaysia sports channels the other day I was astounded to see a match in progress between St Albans City and Foresters that was billed as an FA Cup First Round match. The match was 2 all when I switched on. My memories of St Albans City FC were largely late 1940s when they were in the Isthmian League and often struggling, like the time they lost 14-0 if I remember correctly, to Wimbledon, so I was really pleased when they won 3-2 at the final whistle and move on to the second round where I believe they play Boreham Wood.

In the old days the Athletic Club met at Clarence Park with an odd-shaped 440 grass track that roughly followed the cricket boundary, so instead of being the usual oval shape with two straights linked by 180 curves at each end, our track had four short straights and four 90 degree curves. For safety reasons we used to go over onto the City football pitch next door to practise javelin throwing. St Albans City AC had a well regarded team and one year we won the Lotinga Trophy which was open to clubs in the London catchment area.

Nice to see the football team not only surviving but enjoying a new lease of life. Stewart.

December 2021: Just reading your [blog] about infill south of Hatfield Road. There was an interesting example of this almost opposite my home at 439 Hatfield Road. On the opposite site and about 3 or 4 doors down towards Colney Heath Lane – number 458 – lived the Cox family. Alongside their house was a narrow lane leading to the rear where there was a very large detached house which could, as far as I remember, only be accessed from Hatfield Road. A family named Gulliver lived there.

I have tried to identify this on Google Maps but of course the area has since been developed and it looks as though Gresford Close now gives traffic access. That area was the old brickworks when I was a child.

On our side our next door neighbour at 437, Bob Richie, had managed to buy the plot at the end of his garden up to Wynchlands Crescent. He had a gate onto Wynchlands Crescent, and a bit of hardstanding. However he kept the car in the small garage immediately behind the corner stores (Fitzgerald's in those days). The empty plot at the end of his garden was where he grew his vegetables, but I see that a small house has been built, so presumably some later owner sold off the piece of land. The neighbours in Wynchlands Cresent were Watson on one side and Pickering on the other. I believe the Pickering boy became a leader of Beaumont School Old Boys later on. Stewart.

February 6th 2022
I was inn my last year of school when Mrs Simmons walked into the classroom and spoke to \Mr Hodgkinson. He called me to the front and said go to all the classrooms and tell all the teachers the King has died. A meeting [will be held] in the hall in 15 minutes. This was 70 years ago and can remember it like yesterday. Alan.

On that February day of 1952 I was eight years old and at Fleetville School. Many of us walked home for lunch as a group. On this particular cold day the mother of one of our group came to collect us and told us about the King's death. She probably thought we needed some comfort. Not sure why, after all, I didn't know the King and had never met him. He had never played with our gang! But then, we were only eight. It was the only day a parent came to walk us home. Mike.

Referring to the map at the beginning of the blog (Oaklands Local Shops, August 2022) there was a single building to the left [where Glenbower Court is today]. The single building had our ironmonger's but I cannot remember the name of the owner. The fish shop was a Fish & Chip shop well remembered because when we moved from Welwyn Garden City in 1938 our first evening meal came from there.

Although we lacked a local bakery we had the Co-op Bakery delivery daily from Fleetville and a mobile greengrocer owned by Harry Wallace who lived on the south side of Hatfield Road almost opposite our house. By the early 1950s he use to be accompanied by his son Gordon, whom you might have met at Beaumont School. The shop at 447 [Oaklands Stores] and run by Mr & Mrs Fitzgerald, who carried a small range of groceries but had a main business as newsagents, which also provided part-time employment to the local youth for deliveries.

I mentioned that "Fitzy's on the corner was the newsagent but his other main source of revenue was tobacco and cigarettes – tend to forget that in these days! Mr Adams' shoe shop was purely shoe repairs. Adams himself was known as 'deafy', being profoundly deaf. New heels for my school shoes cost 3 shillings. The Co-op bakery delivered by horse and cart when we first lived there. The Council street sweeper also had a horse and cart and was a frequent sight along Hatfield Road. Another pony and cart vendor was Manny Smith, who sold logs and firewood. Stewart.

Just seen the piece [in the blog] mentioning [Balgowen and Waratah] villas along Hatfield Road, including Sid Ives and his efforts to develop his plot. My mother was employed by the Ives family as their living in maid for some of the time and she remembers particularly that the house was haunted. Sid Ives' wife's name was Molly, and one morning my mother commented that Mrs Ives had been very restless, walking about the house during the night. Some years later Molly had told her that she hadn't liked to tell my mother that she had slept perfectly well that night and what she had heard was the ghost. Sid Ives was an engineer by profession. After leaving the area the Ives family plus daughter Margaret moved to [62] Marshalls Drive. Margaret had attended the Girls' High School and went on to work in the theatre. Certainly around 1950 she was working at the Q Theatre in West London. I certainly remember the building of the National Fire Service garage during WW2. We had one of the firemen billeted with us for quite a long time. His name was Jim Duncan; he came from the Orkney Islands and often played Scottish jigs on his fiddle. Stewart.