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My name is Wendy Hatton.
My parents, Geoff & Mary Hatton moved
to Wheathampstead in about 1955 from Yorkshire. I was born there in
1956. Dad worked for Hawker Siddley. Mum had been a nurse but was not
working for the years we were there. I have an older sister, Julie, and
younger siblings, Carole and Gary who were both born in
Wheathampstead. In 1960 we went to Australia where Dad worked at Woomera
rocket range. We returned in 1963 and stayed for 3 years
before migrating to live permanently in South Australia in 1966.
My memories of the village are somewhat sketchy but I do recognise some of the
streets and buildings from photos on the website. I am pretty sure Dad used to
visit the Cherry Tree which was close to our home. I remember
watching swans on the Lea river and collecting chestnuts for conker fights.
We lived on the Lower Luton Rd, Lea Valley. When you walk
up the road from the Batford Mill our house was the very first one on the left
after the field. We used to walk to Batford Primary school.
Mum’s best friend was Millie Miles. Our first house was on
Manor Rd and Millie & Roy lived opposite. They would signal each
other with a tea towel in the window if they needed anything. They had two
sons, David and Colin. I remember another family nearby, surname
Tomkins, who had a son, Graeme. I think he was a similar age to
me.
It would be nice to have the opportunity to return one day and see how the
village has changed.
Regards,
Wendy Hatton email
added 11th April 2009
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 From
Lesley Emmerson
The Emmerson Family used to live at
22 Ceaser Road
and emigrated to South Africa in 1964. Our parents were Peter and
Margaret (nee Foulds). There were six children:
Linda 1952
Lesley (myself) 1954
Alan 1956
Timothy 1960
Roger 1962
Clive 1964
The front of the
house used to have a hedge, I see now it’s gone (Google). Behind the house was
a farmers field and once the wheat had been harvested we (the children of the
neighborhood) would go and pull up the stubble and have “stubble bomb” fights.
Also we collected the hay and made a huge pile at the back of the garden and
everyone, adults included, had great fun playing in it. Our last Guy Fawkes
was held in the farmer’s field with a massive bonfire and all the surrounding
neighbors joining us. Next to us, looking from the front, on our left hand
side was a Mrs. Onions. But was pronounced OwNions. She used to put
nets over her strawberries and my sister and I would sneak over the fence to
rescue birds caught up in it, and natural have a strawberry or two. She
considered “fierce” by us children, but was kind enough to let us watch Swallows & Amazons on her
tele, after we sold our, just before
coming here. But the biggest influence of our lives was picking up Roman
pottery in the farmers field after he had plowed and in Devil’s Dyke.
We LOVED the woods and would spend hours is it. Along Dyke Lane there was a
sideward’s growing branch in a hedge that we used as a jumping pole and
naturally a place in the lane where we had our “castle” and had to beat each
other up into to become “king” Conquers Hill, in those days, was naturally
very steep, but my sister, who has been back, tell me its just a mere rise. At
the bottom was a shop where we did shopping for our Mother after school
with its bubble gum machine outside.
The women of the
neighborhood would at berry season gather with there baskets and babies in
prams and off we would go on this huge adventure, sandwiches, tea and all to
gather the berries.
We started
school in Wheathampstead but for reason unknown, we were sent to Sandridge. We would walk along
Ceases Road, past the pig sty’s,
through the turnstile and catch a bus. Our brother, Alan, would have a
great reluctance to go with us and our Mother often had to take him in our
Mini Bus, Reg 22 ENM. At the school, was her friend Margaret, who was the; lollipop lady, who had her shin batter by the
little boy, even the headmaster was not immune from his kicks. But always at
home time he was a perfect angel.
Snow, is
another remembrance, and build “igloos” outside on the grass. In fact,
stage to say, I live now in one of the few places it something snows in South Africa and this reinforces the memory. And of the sledge called
Tiny, Alan pushing me in the fish pond, my pet tortoise that did
not survive the winter, the frilly dresses, church and my sister taking change
from the collection plate. The village pond with swans, the water race which
gave me nightmares for years until I saw a picture of it, the bakery
where we bought warm Baps. Many memories that soon I hope to revisit soon.
Regards
Lesley Emmerson email
 added
29th Sept 2009
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From
Lynda
Downey (nee Emmerson)
My sister has
sent a photo of all of us just before we emigrated to South Africa.
Here are a few memories of our time in Wheathampstead. By the way I have been
back twice once in 1993 and once this year during the lovley snow. The village
was so beautiful and white and I had a lovely walk in Devils Dyke. I wish I
had never left. I am amazed at the very few changes since 1964.
I saw somebody mentioned the teacher called
Mr Price. Mr Price put the
fear of God in me one day in school. I put my hand up and asked him if I could
have a bit of paper please. He called me to the front of the class and tore
off the tiniest bit of paper and gave it to me - he said I was not to ask for
a bit of paper but a sheet of paper. I never got over that embarrassment. -
Thank you Mr Price.
The fun we had in our Street. We first used to live in
Saxon Road and
then moved to Number 9 Ceasers Road. We left the UK in November 1964.
The Dad's used to make go carts for us but they had more fun than we did with
them. We had Toboggans and used to go into the fields in the snow. We used to
have huge amounts of snow years back.
I used to love going to the church for the
Harvest Festivals and to do
the readings in church - also the Nativity Plays. I only had one photo
of me as an angel but that was lost when I was Hi-jacked at gun point here in
South Africa - my Bag with my one and only photo and my car gone forever. My
little sister Lesley was a little swiss girl. I used to love the Bell ringers.
I remember the school play where my little brother was a golliwog and
fell off the stage. I remember my beautiful yellow dress for the Maypole
Dancing. I remember Jacks - Two Ball and French Skipping.
We always played down by the river for hours and feed the
pigs on a
Sunday with left over food. We walked and cycled the lanes regularly. We
played in the hayfields at the back of the house. I remember the Baker
family who lived acroos the road from us and Monaghan
family two doors up from us. I saw Marford Stores is
still there but not the old fashioned store it used to be.
We used to love it when the
Rag and bone man used to come and we used
to get goldfish from them. The Fish and Chip van and the greengrocers van that used to come around. I used to stay up with my
Mother when my Dad was on night shift and she used to send me out for Lucky
Numbers - I still love chocolate.
My sister Lesley and I used to belong to the
Brownies and we
always went to the evangilist church so we could get the plaster of
paris pictures from them. My Uncle was a long distance lorry driver and we
used to go up to the north with him to visit our Grandparents. I clearly
remember Bakewell Tarts from the Bakery in the Main Street.
I see that the water wheel has gone when we visited this time I wonder
what happened to it. That was the life to grow up free to go into the country
lanes and have such pure and innocent fun. Making houses out of the
mown grass. How we used to go and get party frocks from the market in St
Albans - all the jelly and cake in those fancy bowls at the parties. I used to
love going to the Youth Club as well.
We left Wheathampstead to go to a place called
Vanderbijl Park
in South Africa we then left to go to Swaziland and then to the
Transkei. My eldest son is back in the UK and lives in York. I hope to
come back to the UK one day to retire especially in a very little village
somewhere. Both my Parents have passed on. My Mother went back to live in Colne up North where she was born and sadly died there in 2005.
On reflection I will probably remember more names after I have typed this
after all I was only 12 when we left. Would be lovely to see more
people writing about the village and maybe recognize some more names.
From Lynda Downey (nee Emmerson) email
added 4th Oct 2009
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From Ian MacDonald
I moved with my parents (Hugh (mac) and
Elsie MacDonald to Wheathampstead from Liverpool in 1952. We were
the first occupants of 5 Offas Way. At that time, there was a big
field in the middle, which was later built on, and the bungalows were not
there then.
Neighbours I recall were, the Ansells
next door and the Mathews one door up. Further up the hill were
the Fletchers. In one of the first four houses in Offas Way was a
family called Reid. I remember the young girl Pat who went
on to a grammar school in St.Albans. David (I cannot recall the
surname) lived in the house that ran at the end of my garden and we spent many
happy hours playing cricket on the little piece of waste land. Around
the corner in Conquers Hill was Colin Kelvey and Susan Spicer.
Susan I met up with a few years ago in Harpenden.
I started school at St.Helens, next to
the old church. One of your expatriates quoted the buckets catching the
rain and the central heating (wood burner in centre of room) which brought
back memories. I also recall the library opposite the school.
I recall Mr Price and Mr Thrustle (who I did communicate with a
few years ago as he moved on to a school in St.Albans). I seem to recall
a Mrs Leach as my first teacher. After about three years I moved
across the road to the upper school before moving to Roundwood Park
school in Harpenden.
I have very happy memories of Wheathampstead.
I belonged to the Congregational Church and made several theatrical
appearances as well as being a member of the Lifeboys and Boys
Brigade. I played football for Folly Athletic, reserves
normally but did play two games for the first team. A home defeat to
Hill End and a very satisfying draw at Wheathampstead whilst I was home on
leave.
I certainly remember getting up at 5 am to do a
paper round from the village paper shop. Then in 1962 I started
working in the shop on Saturdays until I left school in October 1962
and worked full time until I left the village in January 1963 to join the RAF.
Unfortunately I do not have any photographs as
I did not get a camera until many years later. I have returned on several
occasions. The place has changed but not too much.
Thank you for your time and allowing me to recall happy childhood times.
From Ian Macdonald email
added 24 Dec 2011
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From Nicola Wright
My late mother, Hazel Wright, was a contributor to your website
(see Expats. page 2) and it gave
her many years of pleasure.
I found a video of a car trip from Sandridge through Wheathampstead & it
brought a lump to my throat.It brought back many memories of growing up in the village despite leaving in
1967 to come to Australia & never having returned. This led me to the expats
site & reading through some of the recent contributions realized I have so
many memories of the same places. I lived on
Lower Luton Rd, No 123 by the River Lea, where I was born in 1951,
until I was 7. My parents then moved to Necton Rd, Marford where we lived until
the family left for Australia. I went to St Helens school both infants &
primary then also went to Roundwood SM in Harpenden.
It makes the world seem such a small place after all. I don't suppose any one
remembers me but I would like to have a chat about those days if anyone else
would. My email address is shown below.
Thank you for maintaining an excellent website, will visit again often.
Regards
Nicola Wright. email
added 20 March 2012
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