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© Georgina Green ~ Keepers, Cockneys & Kitchen Maids (1987) Preface Keepers, Cockneys and Follo wing fro m my firs t book " Epping Fo rest thro ugh the Ages" it wa s my intentio n la write a bout life ill Epping Fo rest after the 1878 Act was passed, spending severa l years researching through various a rchive sources . I Kitchen Maids tho ught it mi ght add a liulc colour if I were to record one or two re miniscences a bout the Forest, but when J came Lo talk to old er residents Memories ofEpping Forest 1900-1925 abo ut their childhood, 1 soon realised that it wo uld be rar mo rc wo rthwhile to coll ect some of these memori es together, before it is lOO late. Th is book is therefo re a sdcction o f these memo ri es o fa time lo ng past It is inevitable that there are a few inaccuracies, d ates wrongly remembered, but I ho pe the overa ll pi cture tha t emerges will be as interes ting to o thers as it Edited by has been to me. I was pl eased to rind th at some incid ents were remembered Georgina Green by several peopl e, and shared childhood ex peri ences could be used as a cross-check. I was also a bl e Lo compare some recollections with a contempo rary newspaper account of the event and was amazed to find that in these cases the memo ry scld om fai led , and was oft en accurate in every delail. Where possible I have included a factual commentary to link the stori es a nd keep some balance, b ut as 1 wa nted very much to get the book published while all those who have hel ped me a re still here to sec it , I will apo logise in ad vance fo r a ny errors which may have occurred. When visiting the peopl e wh o have helped me, I did no t ask them to prepare a long statement, no r did I conduct a fo rma l interview. Our conve rsati o ns were an enj oyable chat, and I would like to say how kind and Cl Georgina Green 1987 helpful everyone was. The polit t:! ness with which my initial a pproaches were ISBN 0 950791 5 I 2 received, a nd the patience shown to me wh en as king questio ns to try and establish the year an incident happened, or lhe details of some everyday Published privately by the author from occurrence previ o usly quite unknown to me, wo uld teach my post (second)­ 39 Smcaton Road, Woodford Bridge, Essex IG8 8BD war generatio n a real lesson in courtesy. Printed by Taylor & Smith (Printers) Ltd, The wpc recordings ' made during my visits were later typed up in such a 109 Maybank Road, South Woodford, London E. J 8 way tha t my questions were omitted, and the vari ous strands of the conversatio n were woven into o nc who le sto ry. The text was then sent to the peo ple concerned fo r their approval and permission to use it in this book. While o n the o ne ha nd I ha ve tried to retain the character of each person, using his or her own wo rds and expressio ns, I hope that there will be some overall style which will ma ke the boo k easier to read. Apart from the tape recordings, l have a lso gathered some materia l by writing to vari ous people, and in this case I have uscd their own words with little amendment. I wo uld like to express my sincere thanks to all those wh o have given me their time in this way, and a full list of contributo rs is given overleaf. Epping Forest is the theme o f this bo ok and I have tried to include the main topics o f interest during the peri od 1900 - 1925. The vario us passages. selected have been gro uped together in before. during, and after the Great War sequences. However, some passages appear out of chronological order 3 © Georgina Green ~ Keepers, Cockneys & Kitchen Maids (1987) to keep within the subj ect headin gs, while other topi cs occur more than once. tl oy McKenzie-Snlilh, born 190) in Woodford. The Great War p.45 While interview ing th e contributors to collect information, it was Polc Hill and L.lwrence of Arabia p.6)-64 inevitable that I would also gat her details about their home li fe and Mrs. Bcssie Marshall (nee: Smith), born 1909. childhood. This helped me to put the various stories into a logica l pattern, Life at Ilawkwood House. Chingford p.50-5 1 but it also provided a wonderfu l insight into the social background of the Mrs. Dora I)unchll rd (nee Merrin). born 1902 at High Beach. period, and I make no apology for including mu ch of this additional Ri ggs Retreat and Sawyers Tearooms p.2) Life at Beech I I ill Park p.23-24 information as well. During the Great War p.42, 49 Mrs. Etlith I'urkiss (neeStannett), born 1898 lmd came to live at Theydoll Bois in 19 19. Contributors and Contenfs Life at Hill Hall p.n·54 Miss Winifrcd Adams, born 1905 at Snarcsbrook. Theydon llois village and re treats p.67-69 Childhood memories .29-J() Dieli Richards, born 1907 in Chingford. Warlime at Snaresbrook p.40, 45-J., 48-49 Childhood memories of Pole Hill p.62,64 Tea staJl near the Hollow Ponds p.58-59 The Great W .. r p.42-43 Cliff Ambrose, born 1910 in Loughton. Sydn ey Riggs, 1891-198). Childhood memories p.4l. 54·55 Memories of the High Beach Retreat at the turn of the century p.21 -22,33 ShaftesbllfY Ret real p.64-65.67 The Great War p.41 Franli Aslicw, born 1896; his father ran the horse-brakes in Loughton. Miss Minnie Roberts. born 1896 by Bell Common, Epping. Horse transport p. 14-17 Childhood memories p.8- IO G ipsies and tramps p. 18-20 G ipsies and tramps p. 19 1911 Coronat ion bonfire at lIigh Beach p.33·35 A visit to Warlies p.21 The Great Wa r pAl NCl rm ~ n Russell, born 1906 in High;lms Pa rk . Mrs. Hilda BazalgC!lIe (nce Han), born 1910 in Leytonstnne. Childhood memories p.) I Childhood memo ri es p.27-28 During the Great War p.46-41, 48 During the Great War p.46.47-48 p.7Q.. 71 Harold Webster, 1899- 1986. lived ill Walthamstow. Looking baek Early transport. p.14 Hrtlce (8ob) Boardman, born 1908 in Woodford. The Cycle Meet p.35. 38 Childhood during the Great War p.4)-45 The G reH! War p.4I , 46 Thercsa Uu xlon, 1874. 1961 ; daughter of Edward North Iluxton. The " Monkey's Pardde" p.57 Memories of life at Knighton p.25-26 I wo ul d li ke to express my sin ce re thanks to all those listed above, and also to Lady Clarlie (Rcbcliah Buxton), I9fXl-19R5 ; a granddaughter of Edwnrd North nu don. fo ll owing for their contributions: The open aspeet of the forest p.8 Donkey Shows at Birch I-Iall. Theydon Bois p.35 Paul Ailey and members of hi s family p.16; Mrs. Mo ll y Oros (nee Poole) Miss Non Decry, born 1899; daughter of a fo rest keeper at LoughlOn. p.69-70; Lady Phyllis MacRae p.52; Mc. L. A. Marsh p.3 1-32; Mrs. A. E. The keeper's duties p. IO- I3 Martin p. IO, p.2 1; Mc. L. T. Mayo p.59; Mrs. Joyce Richardson (nee Mason) Deershcl ter p.D p.13, p.60-61 ; Harry Roberson p.57; Mrs_ Clare Robinson p.26; Mrs. Betly Tramps p.20 Picnics in the foresl p.33 Russell p.49; Mrs. Barbara Scrutton (nee Bosworth) p.54; and Mrs. Winifred Donkey Shows at Birch Hall p.35 SIudd pAl , p.54. The Great War p.40 Working at Copped Hall p.51 -52,53 Apart from the va rious people who have helped me by providing The forest wood men p. 56 information for this book, there are many others whom J would like to thank: Shaftesbury Retreat p.67 Vest ry House Museum , The Passmore Edwards Museum , Essex Record Mrs. Gussie Galer, born 19 18; a daughter of Rob Harrington. Office, Miss Wendy Brimble, Mrs. Florence Kelly and Peter Lawrence for Childhood in the forest at Loughton p.55-56 Harringlon's wood yard p.56 providing photographs, and Acme Photos for reproducing those lent by COllage tea .~ p.59-60 contributors; the staff of Ves try House Museum for permission to quote Donkey rides and Debden Slat/c p.65.61 from the Lister Sisters; also Mrs. E. N. Buxton and Mrs. N. Clarke; Mrs. Mrs. Connie Ha g~ll r, born 1897 at Forest Gate. BilIie Fairfax, Alan Goldsmith, Ernest Fulcher, Sue Ashworth, Joy Blake ChildhOod p.20-21 Wartime memories p.40.48 Peter Lawrence and Mrs. Pat Duffield for their help and advice. Sidney Hills, 1896- 1985 . Lastly, I pay tribute to Nora Decry and Frank Askew, without whom Memories of Epping p.32-33 this book would not have been possible. Miss Guli elma Llster and Miss Edith Llsler recatl the 18705 ill ~ y t ons l one.

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