Tottenham Herald please years 1967-1988 would be appreciated

I’m looking for any family members of Alfred(Bert)Hughes wholived in Paxton Rd Tottenham 50-60s many thanks

Greetings from Dallas, Texas. You’ve certainly written a fascinating pageturner about Bishop’s Stortford. I particularly enjoyed reading the history of the Town, Churches, Workhouses, and the pubs and inns. The pub poems are priceless! God willing, I hope to visit the Town next year, along with Thaxted to see the Circle Dancing.

Well done, I have just spent the last hour wandering around your excellent website, the address of which I gained from the ‘Herts & Essex Observer’! I lived in Henham during the early 1960′s, married a local girl in the late 60′s, although this didn’t last! Worked for a number of Bishops Stortford motor dealers during the 1970′s & 1980′s. Now living near Braintree Essex, I still often visit the ‘Old Place’ and do business with the auto factors and engineers, BJ Ashpole of Southmill road, I’m also known to ‘enjoy a few jars’ in the locals! Followed by an excellent ‘feed’ in one of the many restaurants. Will be back! Thanks

what a brilliant piece of work this is – in my wanderings round the web I have never seen a history site so comprehensive on any one place. This must be the fruit of many years of hard work, added to which are the beautiful pictures which really make Bishop’s Stortford come alive. The town is much maligned for some of the less attractive features that have been imposed on it in recent years, but behind the scenes lie many fascinating hidden places, and I hope Paul’s website will attract many more visitors to the town in search of the real Stortford, a place of great history and much charm. If this sounds unlikely, to those who only go there to visit the shops, then go on a Sunday when it is quieter and seek out the riverside walks, the castle and the Meads, the beautiful parish church and the quiet charms of Windhill, the little back lanes and flights of steps. There is work still to do in tidying up some parts of town, but all around are signs of exciting new developments, many of them much more carefully blended in with the town scene than used to happen in the recent past. I think Paul’s site finally does justice to the cultural heritage of Bishop’s Stortford, and is a worthy addition to its collection of assets

I found your site very interesting. Years ago when I worked at the Telephone Exchange I went on a course and did a ten minute talk on Bishop’s Stortford. The information you have given on this site would have been very informative. Thank you for the time and effort you have put into this Site. I now work at Boardmans and some of the books you have mentioned people are still buying.

I thoroughly enjoyed your web site. I plan to visit my ancestral home Bishop’s Storford with my family in May 2005. My ancestor Robert Emerson was born in Bishop’s Stortford and emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in New England in 1628. I am his 13th generation descendant in America. If anyone can help me find some living Emerson relatives I’d appreciate it

It was with great delight that I discovered this page on the internet. Though I currently live in Australia and regularly move around the world every 2-3 years I return to Bishop’s Stortford, my birthpace, every year to visit family and friends. The volume of information in addition to the beautiful and vast collection of photographs and illustrations makes for a very interesting read indeed. Congratulations on producing a site that truly reflects the beauty and rich history of the town.

Having left Bishop’s Stortford to live in Staffordshire in 1984, I came back in early 2005 for a reunion to celebrate the combined 50th birthdays of my fellow former pupils from Hadham Hall School.

I happened to stay in the George Hotel for my visit and tapped in the “Grey Lady” into a search engine which came up with this very interesting and, for me, nostalgic web site. Having been reassured that I did not stay in the haunted room (27!), I began to browse around the site and the memories came flooding back. Anyone who knew me back in the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s, and early 80′s are welcome to get in touch.

At 67 and now living in Devon, thoughts turn to ones birthplace. What a wonderful find for me. I attended North End school in the early 40′s, lived in a bungalow with my grandparents in the grounds of the former High school (Grammar School), and I daily collected the family milk from the farm at Dane ‘O’Coys. I will be looking more at the site now.

What a wonderful trip through my birthplace!! I am learning so much about the place I left in 1958 and am enjoying the memories this web site evokes! My grandfather, Walter Herbert Bayford, of Alpha Place often spoke of old Mr Gilbey and Half Acres. Grandad was a postman for 44 years, delivering the post around Farnham. He also worked at W.H. Smith’s, wine merchant for many years. My mum worked at the Old House Cafe and told stories of the Grey Lady and other happenings there. My cousin, Bert Bayford was organist for many years at St Michael’s church and a local magistrate. Thank you for some stirring memories and allowing me to once again walk through the town!!!

Thank you so much for this lovely web site. I lived in Bishop’s Stortford for over 20 years with my family. It was wonderful to read all the pages and it bought back so many memories, so much so that my sister Wendy and myself have decided to have a day of memories by visiting the town on the 18th August 2005. We had such a happy childhood, especially in the castle gardens as my parents ran the cafe in the 60s and it was such a carefree life. We both attended schools in the town and Wendy worked in the Post Office (being the first female counter clerk) and I worked for the local dentist in Hadham Road. Then I was the first advertising representative for the newly launched ‘Classified’ publication.

I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me. I have only met one person through Friends Re-united and would love to meet more. Thank you every one who made this guide possible and I will be able to show this to my elderly parents (Jack & Barbara Wright who are now in their 90′s. Dad was an engineer for the GPO and an avid member of the Workings Men’s Club

On 7th January 1970, a group of nurses (of which my wife and I were but two) began their 3 year general training at Herts & Essex Hospital. January 7th 2020 will see the 50th anniversary of those times. Although the old hospital is no more, we would like to contact ANYONE who was a student nurse, or worked at the hospital from 1960 until its closure – or at Rye Street Hospital. We would also like to hear from anyone who might be able to pass on names and information about former hospital staff.

Greetings from Australia. I am researching the family names and this town has been mentioned on several occations so decided to have a hunt on the internet to see what I could find and was very surprised. If anyone is researching the SEARLE name I would be interested to hear from you. I can be contacted on

An excellent website, thoughtfully laid out. I am researching my ancestors who came from Hockerill and the information about Hockerill and London Road was very informative. The Myson family moved from London Road and Cambridge Road in the late 1800s to Camden Town in London where my great great grandfather worked for Gilbey’s as a wine packer. I did not know of the Gilbey connection with Bishops Stortford until coming to this site, which makes me wonder whether this was chance or not.

What a great website congratulations on a job well done. Born in Bishop’s Stortford in 1956 its lovley to visit back home. I have lived in Perth western Australia for 25 years and visit back regularly. My father could have told you some great stories. I personally thank you for the butterflies you get in your stomach when you read of the beautiful town. Thank you.

The Herts Mercury covered our area in greater depth but for many reasons I’d like to see the Herald or Advertiser added

What a wonderful site I am enjoying it so much. I was born in Bishop’s Stortford but I am now living in California. I left Bishop`s Stortford in 1964 but I have returned to Stortford many times. My Mother Joyce bailey was a student nurse at Haymeads hospital in the late 1930′s early 1940′s, my Grandfather William Bailey was a tailor in Stortford. My father Bill Huckerby was a gentlemens hairdresser in town first working for Miller/ Smith next to the old fire station and across from the Regent cinema later moving to the Market Square with Mr Puttick (Huckerby & Puttick Hairdressers). I went school at St Josephs and then to the Secondary School in the Causeway. I left school in 1971. Thank you once again for the wonderful site

An excellent site, thank you.

My mother taught at Northgate School during the forties; her first post after qualifying in Edinburgh. She died many years ago, but I am interested in hearing about her time in Bishops Stortford, if there is anyone who remembers her now. In particular I understand she may have helped the local Labour Party during the 45 election campaign but I don’t know if she was ever a member. Her name was Betsy Parker, and she came from Wigtownshire. I think she must have left the area around 1966. I am curious because I only heard about her interest in politics a couple of years ago, and would love to know more!

Each time I come back to this wonderful website, I am further impressed by all the work which has gone into it. The additions make it better and better! I rate this one of the best sites one could possibly find on the web. It is particularly welcome since the local museum at the Rhodes Centre is such a disappointment. Each time I have been there or have tried to make contact I have been put off, either because they were too busy to give me access to the archives, or the archives were not available following their move and they really did not know what they had got.

My interest is in the Miller family in Bishop’s Stortford. One of the members of the family was Joshua Miller, who was a maltster and barge owner, but the family goes much further back than that. Some of them emigrated to America in 1635, and before that some of the family lived in Dane O’Coys. There’s a lot to trace – but fortunately a lot of the early details have already been collected by Spencer Miller, who stayed in Bishops Stortford for some years in the 1940′s for the purpose. His researches are now available on CD. I left a copy with the Museum – I wonder if they can find it if it was so valuable

Thanks for all your hard work and really interesting website. I lived in Bishop’s Stortford from 1959 until 1978. I moved to 80 Nursery Road in 1959 from Pinner (Middlesex) and my first school was St Michaels Infant School, (sadly a car park now) and them went to St Michaels Junior School, followed by Bishop’s Stortford Boys High. By the time I had moved up to the High School, I had moved up the road to 50 Jervis Road, where I lived until 1978 when I moved to Braintree.

Growing up in Bishop’s Stortford was great, so much to do and discover. My many memories include the old houses opposite Baxter’s fish and chip shop and a toy shop called Wrights. I would often go into Baxter’s with my penny pocket money and buy a tiny bag of chips and save all my birthday money to go to Wright’s or even Danes for a toy.

I left school at an early age and first worked at S.W.Stevens in town as a trainee television engineer, The Steven’s brothers owned adjacent shops, one sold televisions and radios, the other brother sold music and sheet music. I spent many visit’s going through the joining door and listening to music in one of the booths. I wonder if anyone remembers Vera who served behind the counter. I later worked at Shepherd Electric and Sellick electrical, then worked at Ernest Lake & Harvey Frost, then Boyd Gibbins as a bricklayers labourer.

Bishop’s Stortford has changed much, but my childhood memories are fond ones