Trafalgar Square, 43-73 Maldon Road.
Probably built in the 1820s, and demolished late 1930s or 1950s
Not comprehensive, just bits
1 October 1825 (manor records, ERO D/DBw M40)
Benjamin Elmy had bought properties manor nos. 39 and 40 in Maldon Lane (Respectively one cottage and half an acre (rent 8d.) and one cottage part of three (rent 2d.) )
1829 (ERO T/Z 152/4)
Plan of boundaries for free delivery of letters, 10 December 1829. In Maldon Road is a square marked ‘new square’ which might well be Trafalgar Square.
29 January 1833 (ERO Sale catalogue B703)
For sale by order of trustees under the will of Benjamin Elmy, deceased.
Lot 1. 8 cottages in Maldon Lane. Fronted in white brick. Quit rent 4d. Occupiers John Boltwood, Samuel Everett, William Hart, John Savill, Thomas Chalk, William Bock, John Wilson, John Payne.
Lot 2. 8 cottages similar to Lot 1 on eastern side of ground. Quit rent 4d. Occupiers John Pitcher, Jos Somers, Samuel White, Thomas Farrow, William Blake, James Cowland, Abraham Leigh, William Walford.
28 February 1833 (manor records, ERO D/DBw M40)
Benjamin Elmy had died, had built 16 brick cottages. To sons William and John Elmy (see E.R.O. Sale Cat B703). Occupied by John Boltwood, Samuel Everitt, William Hart, John Savill, Thomas Chalk, William Bock, John Willson, and John Payne, and by John Pitcher, Joseph Sommers, Samuel White, Thomas Farrow, William Blake, James Cowland, Abraham Leigh, and William Walford.
21 November and 19 December 1833 (manor records, ERO D/DBw M40)
Wm and John Elmy sold to Edward Smith of Witham, linen draper. Occupied by John Boltwood Samuel Everitt William Hart John Savill Thomas Chalk William Bock John Wilson and John Payne, and byohn Pilcher Joseph Somers Samuel White Thomas Farrow William Lake James Cowland Abraham Mee and William Walford.
1839, tithe map and award
Plot no. 289. Owned by Edward Smith. Occupied by James Boultwood and 15 others. Tenements and gardens. 1r 19p.
1841 census (HO 107/343/17, f.29 onwards) (Square not named but probably these)
69 people in 15 houses, average 4.6 (1 unoccupied)
Boltwood 4, Lindsell 5, Hart 6, Sanders 3, Cousins 3, Farrow 6, Bock 7, Farrow 2, Fitch 3, Fabian 8, White 3, Farrow 9, Roberts 3, Sayers 2, Walford 5
In size order:
Farrow 9, Fabian 8, Bock 7, Farrow 6, Hart 6, Lindsell 5, Walford 5, Boltwood 4 (median), Cousins 3, Fitch 3, Roberts 3, Sanders 3, White 3, Farrow 2, Sayers 2
1841 census continued
| Ann Boltwood | 50 | Dress maker | born in Essex | ||
| Matilda Boltwood | 20 | Dress maker | born in Essex | ||
| Elizabeth Boltwood | 20 | Dress maker | born in Essex | ||
| / | |||||
| Henry Wright | 5 | born in Essex |
| Jane Lindsell | 70 | Bonnet maker | born in Essex | ||
| James Lindsell | 30 | Silk weaver | born in Essex | ||
| / | |||||
| Stephen Lindsell | 40 | Yeast dealer | born in Essex | ||
| Joseph Lindsell | 11 | born in Essex | |||
| George Lindsell | 6 | born in Essex |
| William Hart | 45 | Bricklayer journeyman | born in Essex | ||
| Elizabeth Hart | 45 | born in Essex | |||
| William Hart | 15 | Bricklayer journeyman | born in Essex | ||
| Ann Hart | 12 | born in Essex | |||
| Alfred Hart | 6 | born in Essex | |||
| Harriet Hart | 2 | born in Essex |
| Daniel Sanders | 30 | Brushmaker journeyman | not born in Essex | ||
| Sarah Sanders | 20 | born in Essex | |||
| Daniel Sanders | 7 mo | born in Essex |
| Andrew Cousins | 30 | Horse dresser | not born in Essex | ||
| Amelia Cousins | 25 | born in Essex | |||
| Caroline Cousins | 9 | born in Essex |
| George Farrow | 30 | Shoe maker | not born in Essex | ||
| Eliza Farrow | 25 | not born in Essex | |||
| Ellenor Farrow | 7 | born in Essex | |||
| Eliza Farrow | 5 | born in Essex | |||
| Frances Farrow | 3 | born in Essex | |||
| Sophia Farrow | 3 mo | born in Essex |
| William Bock | 40 | Carpenter journeyman | born in Essex | ||
| Ann Bock | 40 | born in Essex | |||
| William Bock | 15 | Carpenter journeyman | not born in Essex | ||
| Mary Bock | 15 | not born in Essex | |||
| George Bock | 10 | born in Essex | |||
| Walter Bock | 5 | born in Essex | |||
| Jane Bock | 3 | born in Essex |
| Elizabeth Farrow | 65 | born in Essex | |||
| Henry Farrow | 35 | Shoe maker journeyman | born in Essex |
| Jane Fitch | 25 | Dress maker | born in Essex | ||
| Jonathan Fitch | 4 | born in Essex | |||
| Emma White | 17 | born in Essex |
| Thomas Fabian | 35 | Brushmaker journeyman | not born in Essex | ||
| Eliza Fabian | 40 | not born in Essex | |||
| George Fabian | 15 | Brushmaker apprentice | not born in Essex | ||
| Thomas Fabian | 15 | Shoe makers apprentice | not born in Essex | ||
| Eliza Fabian | 15 | not born in Essex | |||
| Jane Fabian | 10 | not born in Essex | |||
| William Fabian | 7 | born in Essex | |||
| Sarah Fabian | 5 | born in Essex |
| Samuel White | 55 | Gardner | born in Essex | ||
| Elizabeth White | 53 | born in Essex | |||
| George White | 9 | born in Essex |
| Thomas Farrow | 40 | Brushmaker journeyman | not born in Essex | ||
| Kitty Farrow | 40 | born in Essex | |||
| Mary Farrow | 14 | born in Essex | |||
| Thomas Farrow | 12 | born in Essex | |||
| Joseph Farrow | 10 | born in Essex | |||
| Alfred Farrow | 8 | born in Essex | |||
| Eliza Farrow | 6 | born in Essex | |||
| Sophia Farrow | 6 | born in Essex | |||
| Jane Farrow | 3 | born in Essex |
| 1 unoccupied |
| John Roberts | 20 | Patten maker journeyman | not born in Essex | ||
| Elizabeth Roberts | 20 | born in Essex | |||
| John Roberts | 2 mo | born in Essex |
| Sarah Sayer | 60 | Char woman | born in Essex | ||
| Eliza Sayer | 30 | born in Essex |
| Lucy Walford | 50 | Washerwoman | born in Essex | ||
| James Walford | 15 | Tailor journeyman | born in Essex | ||
| Charlotte Walford | 15 | born in Essex | |||
| Edward Walford | 10 | born in Essex | |||
| Eliza Walford | 7 | born in Essex | |||
| Elizabeth Roberts | 1 | born in Essex |
Edward Cresy’s report public health in Witham, 1850, pages 11-12
‘In Smith’s Square [Trafalgar Square] there are 16 or more cottages with their windows immediately over a very offensive watercourse, laid at the footing of the back wall, receiving the drainage of several premises, and no flushing or scouring is ever performed; the air around is most unpleasantly affected from all that finds its way into this quarter, namely, the overflowings from the several houses, courts, yards and stables; the ditches are full, without current, or the means of being cleansed’
1897, Building plan (ERO D/UWi Pb 1/1 no 94)Wash houses, Maldon Road. Mr Hicks (owner). James Gamble (builder). Perhaps Trafalgar Square.
1901 census (RG 13/1725, f.28 onwards)
15 houses (average 6.3 per house). One house unoccupied.
Pease 7, Haygreen 6, Wager 9, Algar 11, King 7, Clark 4, Smith 4, Hawkes 9, Bickmore 10, Webb 3, Prior 1, Baxter 3, Norman 10, Everett 6, Baxter 5
In size order, Algar 11, Bickmore 10, Norman 10, Hawkes 9, Wager 9, King 7, Pease 7, Everett 6 (median), Haygreen 6, Baxter 5, Clark 4, Smith 4, Baxter 3, Webb 3, Prior 1
1901 census continued
| Robert Pease | Head | M | 31 | Railway labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Alice M Pease | Wife | M | 31 | born Essex, Dunmow | |
| Annie Pease | Daur | 11 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Sarah A Pease | Daur | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Alice M Pease | Daur | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Gertrude Pease | Daur | 3 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Robert G Pease | Son | 1 | born Essex, Witham |
| Herbert Haygreen | Head | M | 36 | Bricklayers labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Emma Haygreen | Wife | M | 34 | born Essex, Wickham | |
| Percy Haygreen | Son | 11 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Frank Haygreen | Son | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edith Haygreen | Daur | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| William Haygreen | Son | 3 | born Essex, Witham |
| William Wager | Head | M | 27 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Coggeshall |
| Agnes Wager | Wife | M | 35 | born Essex, Witham | |
| Annie Wager | Daur | 11 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Ernest Wager | Son | 9 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edith Wager | Daur | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Thomas Wager | Son | 5 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| William Wager | Son | 4 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edward Wager | Son | 3 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Nellie Wager | Daur | 1 | born Essex, Witham |
| Henry W Algar | Head | M | 43 | Corn dealer’s carter | born Essex, Hatfield Peverel |
| Emily Algar | Wife | M | 44 | born Essex, Rivenhall | |
| Charles H Algar | Son | S | 20 | Carter to Urban D Council | born Essex, Hatfield Peverel |
| Edward L Algar | Son | S | 18 | Bricklayer’s labourer | born Essex, Hatfield Peverel |
| Sarah A Algar | Daur | S | 16 | Pea sorter | born Essex, Hatfield Peverel |
| Robert S Algar | Son | S | 13 | born Essex, Witham | |
| Alice M Algar | Dau | S | 12 | born Essex, Witham | |
| Edith E Algar | Dau | 10 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Beatrice Lily Algar | Dau | 9 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Margaret E Algar | Daur | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Florence E Algar | Daur | 2 | born Essex, Witham |
| David King | Head | M | 62 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Totham |
| Emma King | Wife | M | 44 | born Essex, Wimbish | |
| David P King | Son | S | 19 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| William J S King | Son | S | 17 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Olive E King | Daur | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Alfred King | Son | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Ellen L King | Daur | 1 | born Essex, Witham |
| Henry Clark | Head | M | 23 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, White Notley |
| Eliza Clark | Wife | M | 23 | born Gloucester, Stroud | |
| John Clark | Son | 1 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Lily Holmes | Sister in law | S | 19 | born Gloucester, Stroud |
| Ernest Smith | Head | M | 25 | Bricklayer’s labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Margaret Smith | Wife | M | 23 | born Essex, Braintree | |
| Nellie Smith | Daur | 2 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Emily Smith | Daur | 2 mo | born Essex, Witham |
| George Hawkes | Head | M | 40 | Carpenter | born Essex, Witham |
| Jane Hawkes | Wife | M | 39 | born Essex, Rivenhall | |
| George Hawkes | Son | S | 13 | Blacksmith | born Essex, Witham |
| William Hawkes | Son | S | 13 | Agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Frederick Hawkes | Son | 12 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edith Hawkes | Daur | 9 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| John Hawkes | Son | 4 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Alice Hawkes | Daur | 2 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Lily Hawkes | Daur | 8 mo | born Essex, Witham |
| William Bickmore | Head | M | 30 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Brentwood |
| Annie Bickmore | Wife | M | 26 | born Durham | |
| Alice Bickmore | Daur | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| William Bickmore | Son | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edward Bickmore | Son | 4 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Agnes Bickmore | Daur | 3 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Alfred Bickmore | Son | 1 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Edward Bickmore | Father | Widr | 56 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Cluster[?] Bickmore | Sister | S | 18 | Pea sorter | born Essex, Witham |
| Archie Bickmore | Brother | 13 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| 1 unoccupied |
| Henry Webb | Head | M | 61 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Rivenhall |
| Eliza S Webb | Wife | M | 54 | Charwoman | born Essex, Witham |
| Edward Webb | Son | S | 15 | Ordinary agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Florence Prior | Wife | M | 21 | born Essex, Witham |
| Robert Baxter | Head | M | 68 | Bricklayer’s labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Hannah Baxter | Wife | M | 58 | born Essex, Witham | |
| James Baxter | Son | S | 23 | Bricklayer’s labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Samuel Everett | Head | M | 43 | Agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Annie E Everett | Wife | M | 40 | Pea sorter | born Somerset, Ilminster |
| Daisy Everett | Daur | S | 17 | Pea sorter | born Essex, Witham |
| Francis M Everett | Son | S | 15 | Agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Samuel Everett | Son | S | 8 | born Essex, Witham | |
| Maurice W Everett | Son | 5 | born Essex, Witham |
| Walter Baxter | Head | M | 29 | Coal and furniture carman | born Essex, Heybridge |
| Hannah J Baxter | Wife | M | 29 | born Essex, Kelvedon | |
| Alfred C H W Baxter | Son | 1 | born Essex, Heybridge | ||
| Infant | Daur | 2 mo | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Hannah Allen | Serv | M | 60 | Nurse (monthly) | born Essex, Great Tey |
| Hubert H Norman | Head | M | 38 | Corn carman | born Essex, Witham |
| Maria Norman | Wife | M | 38 | born Essex, Rivenhall | |
| Edward W Norman | Son | S | 16 | Milkman’s assistant | born Essex, Witham |
| Hubert A Norman | Son | S | 15 | Agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Frederick C Norman | Son | S | 13 | Agricultural labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Arthur E Norman | Son | 11 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Elizabeth Norman | Daur | 10 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Alice L Norman | Daur | 8 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| George J Norman | Son | 7 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Nellie M Norman | Daur | 1 | born Essex, Witham |
1903- 1914, residence of Mrs Clara Jane Hammond, later Hubbard (PRO [TNA] BT 31/34043/1954, Witham Gas Co files. Two volumes).
Just checked shareholders lists in March each year, for Mrs Hubbard, who had two £5 shares and attended some shareholders’ meetings according to minutes in ERO. No Hammond or Hubbard 1902
| 1903 | Clara Jane Hammond | Sewage Farm | |
| 1904 | Clara Jane Hammond, widow | Witham | |
| 1905 | Clara Jane Hammond, widow | 8 Trafalgar Square, Witham | |
| 1906-1909 | Clara Jane Hammond, widow | Witham | |
| 1909 | Clara Jane Hubbard | Trafalgar Square Witham | |
| 1910-1913 | Clara Jane Hubbard | Mill Lane | |
| 1914 | Clara Jane Hubbard, two £5 shares, transferred 29 Sept 1914, to Mary Ellen King Garrett. | ||
1923 electoral register, given at Trafalgar Square (in alphabetical order of names, no numbers given, might have missed some)
Algar, Henry William
Barber, Charles Norris
Barber, Maud Sarah
Barber, Norris
Barber, Ellen May
Bickmore, Edward Bertie
Bickmore, Sarah
Chaplin, Harold John
Everitt, Samuel
Everitt, Edith Louisa
Fisher, Albert
Haygreen, William Charles
Haygreen, Percy Henry
Haygreen, Frederick George (a: 7 Trafalgar Square)
Hoy, Victor
King, William James Thomas
King, Alice
Ladkin, Charles
Mott, Walter Gabriel
Stock, Fred
Stock, Emma Jane
Watkinson, Frederick James
Watkinson, Kate
Wells, George
Wood, Henry James (a)
Witham UDC Public Health Committee, 14 March 1928 (page 113 of minute book 1927-1930) (part of ERO Accession A7059. Storage 5E32D. Ref D/UWi)
Medical Officer’s Report …
‘Property Inspection.
He also reported on his recent inspection of house property in the District as follows:- …
[page 115] …
Trafalgar Square. This property is greatly improved and the small faults found are having attention.
[no recommendation]
1930 electoral register (numbers are numbers in Maldon Road
- Taylor
- Chipperfield
- Fisher
- Symes
- Dickerson
- Wood & Kettley
- Mott & Coles
- Stock & Haygreen
- Barber
- King
- Dunbar
- Wells
- Wager & Clark
- Ladkin
- Wells
- Wager, Kemp & Smith
31 Dec 1931
Manor of Newland. Compensation agreement with ‘John Douglas Dean of White Lodge Colchester, gentleman’.
Free rent of 8d re 43-73 Maldon Road ‘now occupied by Watkinson, Fisher, Ager, Symes, Bickmore, Dickerson, Mott, Haygreen, Stock, Wood, King, Dimbar[sic], Barber, Ladkin, Wells, and Wager, all known as Trafalgar Square’ (manor records, ERO D/DBw M142, page 50)
30 September 1932 from UDC to Ministry of Health (PRO HLG 49/1157, Ministry of Health file on Cocks Farm estate) (i.e Cressing Road etc)
Ref to yours of 9th ult (?no copy)
Further spelling out needed. Long list. Urgent need. Working class families. Might reduce to 8 shillings rent in certain cases …
Attached
Typed list from Housing Committee 14 September 1932. Listing houses visited.
53 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr H Wood. ‘Four room houses (living room, scullery and two bedrooms but only one bedroom fit to sleep in’. Sizes of rooms.
Husband and wife. Three girls aged 18, 9 and 8. Two boys aged 13 and 6. One man lodger. Occupies two houses.
51 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr F Dickerson. House as above.
Husband and wife. Two girls aged 19 and 12. 2 boys aged 17 and 6.
47 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr S Humphries.
Husband and wife. Two girls aged 13 and 9. 3 boys aged 20, 14 and 11.
45 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr O Chipperfield.
Husband and wife. Two children aged 3 and 2.
61 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr W King.
Father. Daughter aged 16. Son aged 12.
65 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square), Mr F J Wells.
Husband and wife. 4 small children.
69 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr C Ladkin.
Husband and wife. 6 children, eldest 10.
71 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr E G Cunningham.
Husband and wife. 3 boys aged 12, 8 and 6
73 Maldon Road (Trafalgar Square). Mr W J Wager. Two houses.
4 adult men.
… Signed J S Bradshaw Medical Officer of Health. G Ogden Sanitary Inspector.
UDC Public Health Committee, 18 November 1933
page 188. Slum Clearance properties visited. Clerk instructed to formulate scheme. Concerning Trafalgar Square, ask owner to meet Committee [MOH suggestions were to demolish nos. 43-57 backing onto School yard and recondition 59-73]
UDC Housing Committee, 18 December 1933
page 206. Trafalgar Square. Discussion some length about whether could be reconditioned for accommodating aged couples. Defer.
UDC Joint Public Health and Housing Committee, 16 February 1934
Slum Clearance. Ministry of Health acknowledges receipt of partial programme and want the rest.
Trafalgar Square. Letter from Bawtree solicitors on behalf of Mr Baker the owner to sell to Council for £1,250 and costs. Surveyor’s report. Recommends:
43-55 demolished
57-59 remain. 57 is better than the others. 59 is four bedroomed.
61, 63, 65, 67, 67a, 69, 71, all have bedroom over scullery ‘unfit to sleep in owing to the lean-to roof’. No proper food store, only one entrance door. Rec only let to aged persons.
73 has two bedrooms under lean to roofs and therefore not suitable to sleep and limit to small family.
Recommend including whole in programme as Improvement area so Mr Baker given usual opportunity to put his proposals to the Council. Also scheme to be prepared about what could be done if they were acquired. Also possibly acquire frontage to property occupied by Mr Dazeley not at present part of square. [I think this was Nelson House]
UDC Joint Public Health and Housing Committee, 27 April 1934
page 285. Sub Committee appointed re Trafalgar Square.
UDC Joint Public Health and Housing Committee (Slum Clearance), 21 October 1935
page 169. Trafalgar Square. Undertaking received from owners’ solicitors to do agreed work. They haven’t done anything yet. Write.
UDC Joint Public Health and Housing Committee (Slum Clearance), 19 November 1935
page 203. Trafalgar Square. The four owners agreed to make habitable. Only one returned agreement. Tell them that need by Saturday or will take action.
UDC Joint Public Health and Housing Committee, 20 January 1936
page 251. Trafalgar Square. Details. Not settled yet.
UDC Public Health Committee, 17 March 1936
page 314. Trafalgar Square. Owners have undertaken to carry out alterations.
UDC Public Health Committee, 12 May 1936
page 357. Trafalgar Square. Undertaking to repair has expired and work not done. Recommend serving demolition orders.
UDC Finance and General Purposes Committee, 17 July 1936
page 478. Legal proceedings re slum clearance at Trafalgar Square and appeals against parking places; appoint a solicitor to appear. Mr Bright is already representing the Court for the parking places appeal so can’t do it.
UDC Public Health Committee, 15 September 1936
page 500. Trafalgar Square. ‘Letter from Messrs Trotter, Sons and Chapman, solicitors for the owners … in consequence of proceedings taken by them, several of these properties are now vacant and their clients are prepared to commence the necessary work of renovation in accordance with the undertaking previously given to the Council’. Will the Council adjourn the hearing at the Braintree County Court. Recommend don’t agree.
UDC Public Health Committee, 15 September 1936
page 407. Nuisances include 34-73 Trafalgar Square, Maldon Road, drains obstructed, person in default is H Keeble Esq, 15 Mill Lane.
UDC Finance and General Purposes Committee, 20 November 1936
page 592. Owners would sell Trafalgar Square to Council for £600 if Council bear own costs of present proceedings at County Court. No.
UDC Public Health Committee, 9 February 1937
page 682. Trafalgar Square. Appeal re-entered for hearing on 12 March next’.
1930s, JG’s slides, X series
X 68 and X639, show Trafalgar Square, Maldon Road, in 1930s, probably when empty. From Mike Wadhams Vol I set 27 (ERO T/P 339).
Other photos – see
m3011 Fisher family and view of their house
m1495 Maldon Road, Trafalgar Square in distance
m1872 School Group with a house in Trafalgar Square behind.
Oral history
Tape 1, Mrs Ireland
| Q: I suppose not really, no. Was the Council school going then as well? | |
| Mrs I: Oh we didn’t go, yes that was Maldon Road. [hushed] Terrible place. Down Maldon Road. Trafalgar Square, oh. | |
| 20 | Q: What sort of people were there there, then? |
| Mrs I: Oh, horrible. | |
| Q: Did you, so you didn’t have much to ….? | |
| Mrs I: Well with fighting and bad language. Oh you mustn’t go there. | |
| Q: Really, you weren’t allowed to go down there, you mean? |
…
| Q: So if they didn’t want, so if the chapel people didn’t want to go to the ….? | |
| Mrs I: Catholic, that didn’t go to the Board School, they went to these little schools. | |
| Q: So those were the people that didn’t want to mix with the others? | |
| Mrs I: Yes, that’s right, yes. Because it was, it was terrible. | |
| 22 | Q: So what sort of jobs did the people down Trafalgar Square do, do you remember? Did you know any of them at all? [Mrs I shaking head]. Or would you have to go there? [Mrs I shaking head] You didn’t even have to go there with your grandma or anything? [Mrs I shaking head] |
| Mrs I: Well I’m afraid that was why I was very against the Witham Council. | |
| Q: Why was that? | |
|
23 |
Mrs I: Well, because that’s where those people came from. But of course you don’t like to be snobbish. Course, that is the trouble, but of course, the husbands can’t help it can they? They marry these girls, don’t they? They leave Trafalgar Square and go away, you see, that come back, these fellows, where they meet them, I don’t know, I suppose they meet them in the War time like I met my husband. Oh yes, you know the …. Oh I suppose it was all right, it was just that we, just said these things [probably referring to girls from Trafalgar Square, such as the Woods, marrying men from elsewhere who came back and got on the Council]. |
| Q: You didn’t have anything to do with them, anyway?. | |
| Mrs I: No, no. You just kept by yourself. |
Tape 5. Mrs Edith Brown, nee Hawkes, brought up in Trafalgar Square
Typescript not checked. There is more stuff about the family on the tape.
Mrs B: Well, they used to take old places didn’t they so, that was very old, you know?
Q: Was it?
Mrs B: We lived there all my childhood days was spent there, we was born there, you know, and me brothers and that grew up, they all grew up ….
Q: How many brothers and sisters did you have?
Mrs B: I had, there was em, nine or ten of us (Q: Was there really?) There was George, Ted, John, (Mrs S: Alice.), Alice, Emily, Esmund, Lill, (Mrs S: Fred.), Yea, Fred and Ernie, oh, there was Vic, I think mum had about thirteen, I think she lost two, I think they’re all dead there’s only me and my sister at Ilford alive now. (Mrs S: No, it isn’t, Edmund’s still alive.) Edmund, yes, oh, I always forget me youngest brother, he’s 72. (Q: Laugh, Oh, yes, the youngest one!) Em, he lives at Brightlingsea. He was on the railway from when he left school, he went into signal box.
Q: So what was your name before you married?
Mrs B: Hawkes.
…
Mrs B: I was born down Trafalgar Square.
Q: What year?
Mrs B: Oh, I’m 81 (Q: How old are you? 81) [Laugh] I was 81 Christmas, December (Q: Yes.) and my sister at Ilford is em just two years older and a month and hers is the 8th January, (Q: Oh, really?) She was, she’d be 79 January, then I had a younger sister I lost, she was about 3½ years younger than me, like me mother must have one in the January and the year, about a year and five months after she had another one, (Q: Yea.) and I remember her saying she lost one with convulsions, teething, you know, one daughter, Alice her name was and I’ve got a sister Alice live at Ilford, she was named after her,
…
Mrs B: Well, you didn’t get no money did you, ‘cause I remember when my brothers all went to work, ‘cause my mother like, had two families, she had em, there was George, Ted, Fred, Bill, and my sister Emily and me older sister, they were all working and married and there was John, me, Alice and Lill and Esmund, all like at school age, you know, all g’n to school, so there was like a family grown up and another lot going to school, me dad was a carpenter, we always had plenty, you know, was fairly comfortable, you know, good meals and me brothers used to go out with the doctors a lot, one brother nearly lived with Dr Ted Gimson, Bill, what died, he em, he used to go out with him everywhere on the boats fishing when it wa’nt shooting season, when it was shooting season he used to go out with them then, you know, (Q: Oh.) yea, he used to live there, up there a lot, his house, well Dr Denholm’s[?] got it now hasn’t he? (Q: Gimson’s, they call it Gimson’s don’t they?) Yes, Dr Ted had that built, (Q: I see.) yes.
…
Mrs B: Yes, I can’t tell these views, I know ‘em we lived in the row across that way. (Q: Yea.) We had two houses right in the centre, but this generally shows all the old sheds and gardens (Q: That’s right, yes.) what we [???] (Q: That’s a bit mean, isn’t it?) [Laughter] (Q: Because they looked quite nice, they looked as if they were quite solid houses?) Oh, they were good old houses, well, years ago they did, they built them better didn’t they?
Q: You said you had two didn’t you?
Mrs B: We had a double house, yes, we had two front doors, but they were knocked into one (Q: Yea.) and erm we had like, two front rooms, two kitchens, ‘cause they knocked, and the same upstairs, they knocked so you could go right through.
Q: Was that especially for you? (Mrs B: Hm?) Especially for your family?
Mrs B: Me mother, yes, she moved out of a four, two bedroomed ones, each had a big family, so she had to go into a, she went into a double one, they did that then. (Mrs S: Do you want another look? [Laugh]) I can’t really tell what it is because it don’t show the entrance or …. (Q: Not all that good are they?)
Q: So, what, you had two, so you had four bedrooms in the end?)
Mrs B: We did, four bedrooms and four downstairs, yes.
Q: So, still a, [???] still be quite a lot wasn’t it? That must be somebody’s back gardens mustn’t it, did you have much garden there?
Mrs B: Nice garden in the front, we had, me dad had a beautiful garden, beautiful flower garden.
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