Moby Dick strikes again.

Friday Green having a whale of a time .Moby Dick strikes again and the formation of the Alresford and Wivenhoe football club. Some of the Committe names i can make out are A.K. Barlow, George Durrell, William Head, Mr. Tabor and Mr. Watson.

Looks pretty fearsome ,so he will do.

Wivenhoe school attendance officer at the old National School , Circumference Goodwin.

One of Wivenhoe's oldest Families

Sue Critchley to Wivenhoe Memories
3 hrs ·
I am very lucky to have inherited my Uncle Roy Durrell's memoirs which he entitled "A Wivenhovian Boy". Roy was born in Malting's Yard in 1926. I have copied them up to share with you as I know some you will find them of interest. I hope you enjoy them, as I did......
"We always visited South Green, Fingrinhoe as children at weekends, crossing the river by ferry at all tides. Rowing boats and punts at low water operated by Pinker Barr. The walk through Thirty Acre Field was about 5 miles. Father and Mother were in the middle of this huge field when the Second World War sirens sounded the morning the war was declared. Many Happy hours during my childhood were spend at South Green; learning to swim on the The Marsh Creeks with Joe Mather; Duck shooting out to Rat Island with C. Gordon Jones (Colchester Solicitor) in his punts plus 16 bore punt gun. My first car ride was in his Bullnose Morris, around 1930, starting my love of cars ever since. My love of dogs stemmed from South Green as my Grandad William Beales looked after the Gun Dogs – Retrievers. My auntie Julie used to cycle home to Fingrinhoe from East Lodge, Colchester where she was cook for over 27 years. She loved tending her flowers in the garden there and us children were not allowed in her fenced garden. It was at East Lodge where I had my second drive in Dr Nicholson’s Vauxhall driven by Harry the chauffeur. A very nice car, smooth running 6 cylinder. . We were initiated on homemade wines at South Green – Gran Beales gave us Sloe Gin and Damson Wines as the hedgerows around the cottage were always laden with both. We always had to collect drinking water about 1 mile walk to Johnson’s Farm with a yolk holding a bucket each side, bringing it back to empty into earthenware crocks. Grandad Beales worked as a Horseman at the farm he was 7ft 1 – as tall as the Shires! He did the ploughing and with Tumbrils collected the corn stack. The days I loved making the stacks, riding on the wagons, especially if Helen Johnson about my age and blonde was with us. A lovely girl, countrywise! The winter days out duck shooting around Rat Island were memorable – little did we know that this is now a wildfowl Nature Reserve in the 1980’s?
My schooldays started in 1931 at Mrs Smith and Miss Grasby’s Infant School in Philips Road near the railway. They both lived in my ancestor’s old house The Ropery - Sailmaker’s Yard at The Cross Wivenhoe - Joseph Durrell’s former establishment. My school days were happy ones with Miss Grasby. My aunt Julie took great interest and saved all my exam papers in Junior school. She came to meet me on occasion and asked she would know me amongst all the other children, I said “You can’t miss me – I’m the only one in red velvet trousers!” My Athletics career started here winning medals in N.E. Essex School Championships, then Army Championships. Most of us lads were cubs and scouts together and made good times. Mrs Cracknell who lived in The Greyhound was our leader.
I went onto Technical College, Colchester, my brother Toni followed in my footsteps there also after attending The Colne at Brightlingsea. Toni went on to become an Electrician at The Colchester Lathe Company; brother Dennis started building services and his first job was demolishing all the wooden houses in Maltings Yard, which faced our house. I had already done part-time work with father down at Husks building small boats – at this time we built my first dinghy – 10 ft long. We had a ceremony launching it at the Ferry below Black Buoy – Drinks all round! On the quay several wealthy owners had berths there and threw coins overboard when berthing for us to dive in and find. I still have two of the sovereigns. The Green’s (our relations) ran fishing boats from the Quay, smacks which left early hours for the tide. I often got up at 3 am to sail down the river and out fishing in the swin, past Bench-head bouy. Shrimping was great – except for the smell – cooking them on the way up river. When sprat season was in, tons of fish were loaded into trucks at the railway quay next to the main shipyard. We went there with buckets and took them home picking out the Dabs, Whiting etc. Better than walking in the mud for Dabs with a trident fork spearing them.
We young Wivenhovians got up to pranks – no television in those days. Dr Radcliffe (who designed our wonderful one design yacht) got a few played on him. A jerry pot was hoisted on his flag pole in the High Street and he was seen by all the workman on their way to work lowering it in his pyjamas – much to the surprise of the two girls who worked for him – Judy and Betty. Another was to lock Stacey Wood the Grocer in his shed on a small orchard in Rebow Road and pick all his pears. I went straight home to bed. Philip Dan went all the way round Mill-field to avoid the Police station at Council offices only to find the policeman already at his door. My mother told the policeman it could not have been Roy as he’s been in bed over an hour – probably Dennis or Toni! We often tied two door knockers together in Station Road, knocked on both and hid over the station wall opposite to watch the fun! Down at the Folly, (running between two high walls to the Quay), we tied ropes across, head high, to trap the chaps coming out the Black Buoy boozed up. Unfortunately, on one occasion the policeman, Old Pledger, was cycling through and got de-capped and sprawled on the ground. We got a real reprimand!
In the early 1930’s work in the shipyards was dormant so Dad (George Durrell) worked at Wivenhoe Park felling trees. Fortunately Gooch the owner killed deer for the poor people – we all lived on venison.
When war broke out in 1939 us Wivenhovian lads were in our early teens, the older lads joined up. Leslie Pascoe was sadly killed in action on the Russian convoys. Trim Ablitt served in the far-east – both were Royal Navy.
It was a pleasure to renew our Maritime traditions during the 2nd World War to cruise along the shorlelines of the Whitehouse, Ballast Quay, Rat Island. As an Apprentice Engineer with Vospers in their excellent M.T.B. s and Motor Gun Boats out to the North Sea for trials and testing. My father was the top shipwright on the construction for Vosper, the only one to correctly align the powerful 1,500 HP engines (three in each boat).
In the second year of the war dad was working at Vospers and at nights he was running St John’s Ambulance Service at the Boys school on the High Street (now the library). I was in 308 Squadron ATC studying navigation at the Tech and also became a Messenger with a Velocette Motorcycle to ride. It was 1941 when I was doing paper rounds for George Slaughter delivering the evening papers when I saw a tubby old gentleman struggling with two large suitcases and a pretty little girl about my age, so having the trade cycle, I asked if I could help. Loading them on the front he said “Do you know Mrs Warner, Glebe House, Belle Vue Road?” I told him I knew The Glebe well as we had our Scouts there. This was the first time I saw Beryl Louisa Warner. At least a year on when Beryl started working at Vospers even then she said “ I don’t want to be seen with a dirty, greasy engineer” – coming up from the engine room after trials, I did look a mess! We went onto marry in 1946.
Work at Vospers began to increase with building of MTBs and repairs to gun boats. Trials and testing stepped up with being at sea for over 12 hours at a time, coming home with bells ringing in my ears from sitting round with 4,500 HP of high speed engines droning round you all day. I volunteered in R.A.F.V.R.- went to No2 Aircrew reception at Cardington, Bedfordshire – passed out A.C.2 flight engineer. After the second week, which I really enjoyed, The first ENSA which included Vera Lynn and Benny Hill and gang in drag in a very large hangar adjacent to the mast for the R.101 Airship stationed there. Sent home on 9 months deferred service because of lack of aircraft – so many of us aircrew and no planes to fly (august 1943). I was called back to Cardington for pre-service training only to be told I would be discharged surplus to requirements – more aircrew than required. Most aircrew were transferred to Army for D. Day – I was lucky to be sent back to Vosper’s trial crew again.
Back at Vospers I continued my apprenticeship and returned to the girls – Beryl Warner, Joan Clarke, Mary Frost – all working in the Admiralty Stores. Those times, although in the war, were the happiest of my short lifetime. Everyone was pulling together – not knowing if there would be a tomorrow. The spirit of everyone was so different - helping on another, cheerful and hardworking. Joan Clarke had the job of cleaning the torpedo tubes when came back from firing on trials. Halfway through the tube we capped the ends and fired it whilst she was cleaning – coming out looking like a Black & White Minstrel. We also put Beryl in the .5 gun turret on the engine room casing and locked it in rotation, spinning her round at top speed, she came out wobbling all over the deck! Another day coming back from trials, Beryl and Joan were waiting at the jetty so I asked them if they would like a trip up the river in my dinghy. As we lads were in our trunks we decided to have a swim. The two girls sitting at the back end the dinghy reared up, caught in the current off they went, not attempting to row. We had to swim ashore run along the sea wall and swim ahead of the boat because it was drifting out so fast in the tideway. Their library books and plums all wet in the bilges!
We really had great times at Vospers, Molly Sargeant, Rosa Cudogan were fire watching with Beryl, woke up in the office buildings to find their beds floating and knee deep in salt water – the tide had flooded all along the Quay. This could not have happened in 1995 as a flood barrier has been constructed at Vospers jetty. Hilda Chamberlain also worked at Vospers and got friendly with Paddy Flood, a boiler-maker, the result was a lovely little girl called Anne who became one of our bridesmaids in 1946.
I left our family home in Malting Yard to live with my grandmother Ellen in Gayhurst, Belle Vue Road when the twins Toni & Dennis were born in 1930, enjoying all the fruits in the orchard next to Gayhurst especially the three walnut trees. Ellen owned many properties in Wivenhoe, The nicest being on the Quay adjacent to The Rose & Crown and The Granary next door; also others in Belle Vue Road and The Avenue. Our next door neighbour in the Yard in those days was Captain Albert Turner of The King George V yacht 'Britannia' who gave me many memorabilia including a sailbag from Victoria's yacht - Victoria and Albert, which I still own. Our ancestors were also mariners - Joseph Durrell owned The Ropery at The Cross and was a renowned sailmaker in th 1880's. Beryl's Great Grandfather a mariner aboard the steam yacht 'Gundreda' obtained the Captain's chair from it which is in our lounge.
From 1940-1944 my sister Christine had three children, Michael, Malcolm and Margaret whom Mother had to raise and to make room Toni moved up the yard to live with Mr & Mr Johnson. By 1946 we had experienced many things, what with planes crashing around the Glebe House, trawlers and boats being blown up in the sea in front of us. Early one morning a trawler “Drummer Boy” hit a mine – nothing was left except tiny pieces of wood and mast. Another action we were cruising down in the Swin just off Clacton. I went up for a breather from the engine room hatch, looking up I saw a mass of parachutes in the sky. I dashed back to the engine room because of the excessive noise of the three main engines at 3,000 RPM, sketched parachutes on my knee pad and gave it to the Chief Engineer George Runnicles marked invasion. With that engine room telegraphs went to action stations. After quite a time manoevering and stopping we had picked up some of the crew of a flying fortress “Southern Comfort” B17 coming back from a bombing raid on Rotterdam. The Navigator was spinning round 6ft under water with his parachute in the wind. Bert Smith, a Deckhand, dived overboard and cut him loose. The Radio Operator said the aircraft was white hot when they baled out. We raced back to Brightlingsea, engines passed the max of 3,400 RPM. I could not read any instruments, they were just a blank blur - the only time I've ever been nervous at high speed engines. Wrens in the Martello Towers on land clocked our speed at over 60 knots. When we go into the port the Navigator was in a bad way but the amulance was there waiting - thank goodness. All this action was written in the American 8th Air-Force Book with cmmendations for us (the only error in the book is the photograph showing an RAF 100' Vosper Air Sea Rescue but we were aboard a 72' Vosper M.T.B. We had quite an experience at times nearly being shot up by a Mosquito Aircraft from the aerodrome on the Point of the Blackwater, as E. Boats had been there several times (E.Boats were our German equivalent to M.T.B.'s. Returning from trials, Beryl was standing on the jetty saying there were papers at home - O.H.M.S. which read I had to report to Hadrian's Camp Carlisle for His Majesty's Army. A left home at 7.am, Charlie Johnson carrying my bags to the station to see me off...."
(Uncle Roy goes on to write about his days in the Army and then his life and work in Uckfield, Sussex, where he lived with Beryl until he sadly died in 1998, aged 72)

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One of many Wivenhoe actor /artists

Sir John Martin Harvey 1863-1944.  He was the son of John Harvey ,shipbuilder at Wivenhoe, he was one of seven children ,3 of whom died in infancy the others were May, Charles and Goyder. and they lived at Quay house on Wivenhoe Quay. Sir John was an Edwardian actor manager.

He was liked in Wivenhoe.

McEvers Bayard Brown the American Millionairewho owned the steam yacht valfreyia of 730 tons.
The yacht was kept in the dry dock at Wivenhoe untill his death c.1926, his body was sent back to the united States for burial .

Good ole Wivenhoe boy's

If you are going to retire this is the way to do it .These are Wivenhoe Allotmenteers who have mastered this way of life , there is a lot of years of experience which hopefully they passed on
 Sam, George and Don Taylor.
 Last of the Summer Wine comes to mind! Sam was my father - Anita Dufton.

Poor Wivenhoe people.

The death of Mrs. Susannah Bates a local Wivenhoe Woman of a well known sea farer Family.
Left click on image for super size text.

I am a descendant of the Bates family and Susannah was my Gt Gt Aunt. Elijah Turner married my Gt Aunt Caroline and they are the parents of Tom Turner who is on the war memorial at Wivenhoe. I have been following the family through the census and trying to locate where they lived. I have been able to get a rough location for most of them using nearby landmarks (pubs etc) but I cannot locate Bovits or Bovets hole which is in the 1871 census and was somewhere near Angelsey Rd. If anyone can help me with the location I would be grateful. David Bates.


Hi David Bobbets hole was a term used for the water mill house that used to be on the Brook at Wivenhoe .  It is now part of the dene Park Estate that you can pull up on Google Earth There is a road called bobbits way. Best wishes John Stew\art Admin.

Carry on knitting.

These people were knitting for the war effort in w.w.2,this photo was taken in what is now the Lucy Dee on Black Buoy Hill next to the black buoy.
back row Marjoie Wadley,  Freda Watsham,  Grace Schofield,  Jane Wadley,  Ethel Waite,  Mrs. Everitt.
Second row ........, Kathleen Barrell,  Margot Pawsey,  Captain Ham,  Elsie Ham,  Grace Dunne,  Winnie Govan.
Third row Irene Wenlock.
Front row,  Mrs Collison,  Edith Slaughter,  Clara Sainty,  Grace Dann,  Nellie Pike, and Norman Pike,  Clara Atkinson.
Names Dick Barton.
Left click on image for super size.

p.s The lady with the kettle is Mrs. Collison.

All Wivenhoe to a man.

Cup winners at the Park Hotel ,Darts match ,All the money raised was donated to the Alms House trust.
L-R, ........., Jack Styles(captain),  Beena Bartlett,  Don Mason (landlord of the Park Hotel),  Lewis Barrell,  Howard Goodwin.
left click on image for super size
Photo Mick Mason.

This is Wivenhoe, way back.

A long time ago.

Sir William De Sutton Knight , was born at Wivenhoe in 1265 and married Margery Bataille in 1289 at Wivenhoe church.  William died in 1318 at Wivenhoe.

Their son was Sir John de Sutton , knight. He was born in 1290 in Wivenhoe, Essex. He married Agnes, who was born in Wivenhoe in 1293, they had the following children .John died Jan 25th 1366

 Sir John de Sutton Knight , born 1313 and died in 1393.

Sir Richard de Sutton knight, born 1315 and died in 1395
Margaret de Sutton was born 1318 at Wivenhoe, she was the daughter of John 1st baron de Sutton of Holderness and Constance Sutton.  Margaret Married John de Walton of Wivenhoe in 1339.
Margaret was the sister of William de Sutton ,John de Sutton knight, Sir Thomas de Sutton.High sheriff of Yorkshire.

The things you can find out.

Times in Wivenhoe.

John Archer keeper  At The Park   1568.

 Earl of Oxford gave to his wife Dame Margery, the Manor of Wivenhoe  1485.

William Betts priest of this parish died in 1571.

John Smith ,shipbuilder of this parish died 1594.

The second time the plague strikes Wivenhoe in the year 1625, there were 39 deaths

The third time the plague strikes Wivenhoe 18 deaths , also the plague of London in the year of 1636.

1678 an act was passed that everybody had to be buried in woollen shrouds.

Sir Robert Townsend is the lord of the Manor,in the year 1615.

1715, John Bawtree's  widow is paid £5-00 for burying her husband IN a linen shroud ,1772

1781 it cost £2-oo to be buried in a brick grave .

1802 John Barrell Church clerk and constable 

1802 30 persons in the workhouse at Wivenhoe Cross, and 36 persons claimed out relief. 
Shops in Wivenhoe in 1802.
John Pratt,  shoemaker.
Ann Sanford, Shoe shops.
Hannah Sargent , general store.William Mortimer, Malster.
Thomas Norfolk malster.
Philip Eust, tailor.
William Webb, shoe maker, shoes were 3s6d per pair.
Mr. Simpson , blacksmith.
Robert Munnings cooper shop.
 

It wasn't all sticky plasters.

The local St.John's ambulance division at Wivenhoe.date unknown. I know some of the names but not sure of the rest .  I would guess it was taken late 1950's -60's

Bandages at the ready

Judges at a first aid competition at the St.Johns ambulance hall in Chapel Rd.

Back row l-r, Mr. Dixey,  Len Barton,  Frank Blundon,  Ted Coe.
Front row,  Dr. Radcliffe,  Ruth Munson,  .........,  Dr.Dean.

For Mary.

George Cook bn.1832                
Eliza Jane Ridgely bn. 1839-1917.
Children.
Isabel Jane Cook 1863.
Samuel  1864.
David Orlando Cook bn.1866-1874.
Hepzibah bn.1869.
Daniel Mander Cook 1873-1928.      
Eliza Jane Ridgely bn. 1839-1917.
Rith bn.1873.

William D Cook bn.1874-1923.      Stanley Cook ,boat builder outside theStorehouse wivenhoe.

Ruth mary Cook bn.1878-1955.

                                                                                                             George Henry Cook 1857-1914
Died in Antwerp, Begium,   of inhailing poisonous vapours in 1914.
picture by Gavin Parker.

George Henry Cook was born in Wivenhoe on 19 August 1857. He was just over three years old when his mother died in 1861 after suffering with Typhus fever and his father and two siblings moved into his grandmother’s house at Quay Street. Sometime after George’s father remarried in 1862, the family moved to Park Road.

George’s  career in the maritime industry started as a Rope Maker at the age of 13 and he eventually progressed through to become a Master Mariner. At the age of 14, he was already at sea aboard the ‘Sovereign’, which was probably coasting with coal. By 21 he was an Able Bodied Seaman on board the famous yacht ‘Jullanar’ at the commencement of her successful racing era. George also crewed on the ‘Rosabelle’ owned by Theodore Pym and was Master on the racing yacht ‘Milly’.

George married Sarah Ann Shipp at St Mary the Virgin Church in Wivenhoe on 9 March 1880 and they went on to have 10 children between 1880 and 1896. They lived in Malting Yard until the late 1890’s when they moved to a house in Clifton Terrace.

After arriving in Antwerp, Belgium on the SS Lindale on 1 March 1914, George suffered congestion on his lungs from inhaling sulphuric acid fumes whilst loading the ship in Antwerp the following day. He was taken to the Stuivenberg Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, where he died at 6:00pm on 3 March 1914 and was buried at the Kiel cemetery in Antwerp. Two of his sons, George and Stanley, travelled to Belgium for the funeral.

Thanks to Nick Sheen Western Australia for the additional text.

Could this be St. Trinians

Wivenhoe girls at the primary school, date unknown

Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Looking for any information on Richard Thornton Green bn.1789 Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Died 1876 Harwich Essex.

Looking for his parents if anyone has access to Lowestoft parish records.

Richard Thornton Green bn.1789, son of Henry green and Elizabeth Thornton.
Henry Green son of Henry and Elizabeth Green  27-7-1789.

Thanks to Mary Norris for additional information.

You will only get hit over the head by a smuggler

The custom house Wivenhoe Oct 4th 1780.

Seamen or able bodied landmen wanted for the Repulse custom cutter  in the service of the revenue at this port.  they will be protected from the press gangs and met with proper encouragement on applying at this office or to Captain Daniel Harvey at Wivenhoe.

I can feel a treasure trip coming on.

Whereas the sloop Katherine, Capt. Luke Methuen, from Rotterdam was lately lost on the gunfleeet sands and had seven casks of Spanish Dollars stowed in her stern sheets, which are now buried in the sand :  These are to give notice that whoever is capable and will undertake the fishing up the said money, shall have all fitting encouragement by applying to Capt. Daniel Harvey of the custom house Wivenhoe .

Ipswich journal Dec.20th 1760.

Look what you can find in old newspapers.

January 15th 1926.

Fire at Wivenhoe Hall.
Wivenhoe hall a fine old residence, was damaged by fire on saturday.  .  The outbrake started in the servants quaters at the top of the house,and was caused by the smouldering of an old oak beam.  No one was living in the Hall at the time of the outbrake.  Mr Porter, son of the owner, resides at the Lodge.  The fire had a good hold before the brigade arrived, but they confined the flames to the top storey.  The Colchester Briogade arrived soon afterwards and rendered efficent service.  Wivenhoe Hall in its early days suffered from a disastrous fire, and old charred timbers can still be seen , portions of the Hall date back to the 11th century.

Chelmsford Chronicle 1926.

Ipswich Journal 1816

All those freehold premises now in the occupation of Mr. Hessell, well situated for trade in Wivenhoe Street(High Street) and comprises a butchers shop in front ,keeping room, parlour, kitchen, cellar, three bedchambers and two attics, convenient Slaughter-house, stables, cart lodge  and other out buildings, with a yard; all well adapted for carying on the trade of a butcher, which has been exercised thereon  for many years.opposite the church

Custom- House, Colchester, Jan 11th 1786.

To be sold by auction.
At the sign of the Anchor at Wivenhoe on Monday the 23rd. at 11o'clock precisely.

Part of the cargo of, the French cutter L'Esperance, Capt. Francis Augard, from Dunkirk to Bayonne, stranded on the Essex coast; consisting of St. Vincent and Dutch snuffs and tobacco in carrots, in good order, and of the best  quality, to defray salvage of £250 adjudged thereon.

Samples of which may be seen at Ashley's punch-house Ludgate Hill; Tom's and Union coffee- house Cornhill and the Black Bear Inn, Piccadilly,London The three cups, in Colchester; and at the place of sale, the Falcon at Wivenhoe.

Chelmsford Chronicle 1786.

1797

Captain Munnings, of the Repulse Revenue cutter, of Wivenhoe, has captured and carried into that port, a French lugger privateer, called La Tigre, commanded by Capt. Chataing, having 29 men on board, car ring two 2 pounders and four swivel guns with a number of small arms and cutlasses.  She was chased about three hours, and was taken within 3 leagues of Dunkirk.  The prisoners were on Wednesday escorted from Wivenhoe under guard of the Northumberland regt. of militia to the goal at Colchester castle,where they are to remain until further orders.

Ipswich Journal ,May 27th 1797.

Loss of Colchester vessel.

By telegram, forwarded by Messrs Pratt and Howard of Wivenhoe, the owners of the schooner Friendship, it appears that on Wednesday night the schooner was totally wrecked at the mouth of the Tyne.  The crew consisted of Samuel Shead, of the Hythe, Master, who has left a Widow and two children; Alfred Mitchell, of Wivenhoe, mate, leaving a widow and three children; Daniel page , James Clarke, and William Button.

This is when you knew all your councilors

Wivenhoe Urban District Council 1963-4.
Back row   Albert Manning,  Ted Westlake,  Leslie Kemble,  Col. G.J. James,  Bill Cracknell,  W.J. Bull, Terry Endean.
Seated,  Walter tricket,  Percy Chaney,  William Loveless,  Betty  Grasby,  D.F.Sweating.
Thanks to Antoinette Stinson and Wivenhoe Town Council.
Left click on image for super size.