The Unwin Family and their connection to The River Stort Navigation, Brewing, Malting and Non-Conformism
An article by Tim Howard-Smith. The Unwin Family of Sawbridgeworth
Category Archives: Articles
Sawbridgeworth Allotment book – new publication to be launched on September 4th
Susi Smith and Elisabeth Waugh have written about the allotments in Sawbridgeworth and High Wych – the history and experiences of current allotmenteers. The book will be launched at the Sawbridgeworth Allotment Show on Saturday 4th September to be held at the Memorial Hall from 1.30pm.
Stan Kempthorne – prisoner of war
Stan Kempthorne was an inhabitant of High Wych who spent some time in a prisoner of war camp during World War Two.
The Banner of Faith
Theo van de Bilt has written a new article on The Banner of Faith which contained the parish magazine of Great St Mary’s church.
The Future of Local Government: speech by E.B.Barnard MP November 1907
‘The Future of Local Government’: a speech by Mr E. B. Barnard M P at the Shaftesbury Hall, Sawbridgeworth on 14 November 1907
Note Edmund Broughton Barnard OBE JP DL (16 February 1856 to 27 January 1930) according to Wikipedia, was a British Liberal politician, landowner and sportsman. He was an original member of Hertfordshire County Council from 1888, serving on and chairing many different committees and becoming its chairman in 1920 and an Alderman. He was chairman of the County Council’s Education Committee and took a strong stand in favour of the retention of village schools, emphasising their importance to the preservation of village life. Barnard also served on Sawbridgeworth Urban District Council and was its chairman between 1905 and 1907. He died suddenly, aged 73, during a meeting of the Hertfordshire County Council, which he was chairing, on 27 January 1930 in London in the Law Society’s hall.
George Ottea, butler at Terlings Park
Theo van de Bilt has been researching people of colour living in the Sawbridgeworth area in the past and he found George Ottea who worked as a butler at Terlings Park in Gilston. He was working there in 1891 according to the census.
Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall
This is an article by Hazel Mead which was published in the January 2021 edition of The Sawbridgeworth Flyer.
Sawbridgeworth Parish Magazine 1960 – 1976
Scanned from Sawbridgeworth Parish Magazine 1960 to 1976
The history of Sawbridgeworth’s Town-Twinning with Bry-sur-Marne by David Royle
Have you ever wondered how and why we are involved in town-twinning? David Royle has written an article about our French twin-town with its history and a guide.
High Wych allotments
This article is about the history of the allotments at High Wych. The Local History Society is looking to produce a booklet on the allotments in Sawbridgeworth and the article begins with a request for experiences now and in the past from local allotment holders.
Pishiobury School – the school for “naughty boys”
Later to become offices and flats.
The Museum of the Great War, Meaux, France
This article is about the visit of the Sawbridgeworth Town Twinning Association in September 2018.
Sweet rationing in World War Two
This is an article compiled by David Royle in connection with the VE Day celebrations.
Camp High Wych – a home for the homeless on the old airfield
People were living in the old airfield buildings until the late 1950s. This is their story.
Sawbridgeworth cinema – now the Roman Catholic church
Many people will remember this building before it closed in 1953.
Francis Buxton – former owner of Pishiobury House and President of Sawbridgeworth Cricket Club
Former owner of Pishiobury House and President of Sawbridgeworth Cricket Club.
William Truswell – the man who “captured” Sawbridgeworth
This is an article about a photographer who had a business in Sawbridgeworth. He took many photographs of the local area, many of which were turned into postcards.
More articles to read
The motto of our society is to research collect record and preserve. In the course of doing this we publish articles. These articles can be read on the articles as PDF page on this website.
Sawbridgeworth and its Church
An article by this name was written by Herbert C Andrews in 1929. It was found a few years ago in a cabinet at Sawbridgeworth library. It gives some extremely interesting information about the early history of Great St. Mary’s Church Sawbridgeworth. Apparently unpublished until now ( so we are told ) we are happy… Read More »
The Leventhorpes
Hello again, Sheila Passfield, a churchwarden at Great St. Mary’s and an ex-pupil at Leventhorpe’s school recently wrote a nice little article about the Leventhorpe family and its relations with Sawbridgeworth. You can find it on our articles as PDF page but also by clicking directly at the below link: The Leventhorpe family of Sawbridgeworth… Read More »
Charles ‘Charley’ Dedman – WW1 soldier
Charley Dedman was born in Sawbridgeworth in 1887 and was working in Leicestershire where he signed up for the Leicestershire regiment. He was one of the first 50 civilian volunteers to go to France. Sadly he was killed by a German bullet in the head in 1916 and was buried near Guillemont in the Somme.… Read More »
The Cosy Cafe and other places for eating and drinking
The above picture shows London Road in 1951 with on the right a sign advertising the Cosy Cafe, also known as the Cosy Rosy. To read the full article go to our articles as PDF page and find your way to the Pubs and restaurants subsection or click on the following link COSY ROSY … Read More »
Two more articles
We have been quite busy recently writing and posting new articles. The two newest additions are: An article about the celebration of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in Sawbrigeorth. You can access that one by clicking on the following link 1887 victoria 50 – SBW The second article is an edited version of a piece from… Read More »
Walter Lawrence – a history – 1
The name of Walter Lawrence brings back many memories to people in East Hertfordshire. Indeed from 1907 to 1982 a factory with that name stood at the Stort riverside and on the borders of Sawbridgeworth and Sheering. However, the company was started much earlier. It’s founder, let’s call him Walter 1st, was born 22 February… Read More »
Celebrating Rivers’ Wassail.
The latest article on our website is Celebrating Rivers’ Wassail by Elizabeth Waugh. It contains two illustrations and the Rivers’ Wassail song. The Wassail has become an annual event celebrating the fruit trees. Copyright remains with the author.