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4 Kings Row Cottages
The first view of my new house in Epping Green as I arrived in the lorry containing all of my worldly goods was slightly marred by the site of a very elderly, very thin and very inquisitive lady hovering around the front windows.
The previous incumbents had left and all I now could detect was that 'Aunt Daisy' as the rest of the village affectionately knew her was checking that everything was in order for the new owner…me.
Aunt Daisy was approaching her centenary and soon made herself known with her constant suggestions with regards to the state of my garden, how to prevent cattle from destroying my hedge, access to the open land behind and even what to do to the paths should it snow. To some this level of intrusion could be quite a challenge, but in return for such sage advice I could tap her vast memory relating to previous owners of my house and indeed the history of the village in general.
I diligently took notes that I still have to this day. Some of the information had to be treated with caution, a fact that I had allowed for, given her poor hearing and the passing of countless decades.
My house, it would appear, belonged to the local wheelwright, his workshop standing on the green opposite, now occupied by the bus shelter. He died in 1934 and it subsequently became the village post office. In fact, it would appear that at some time or the other, nearly all of the houses in Epping Green had served their time as the village Post Office!
Over the years I 'interviewed' other elderly members of the community, swapping tea and biscuits for insights into village life. I found it fascinating how their memories of my house varied with their ages. Some recalled it as a wartime post office, some went there as children to buy their sweets after school remembering older ladies, sitting outside the bay window, gossiping, catching the last of the summer sun. Everyone was willing to loan me their photographs so that I could make copies.
One elderly allotment holder said that when he was a boy he would play darts with his friends in my kitchen, which then was the Post Offices store room. He knew the address of a Reg Webb who carried out conversions during 1960. Would I be interested in seeing him?
A 200 mile round trip brought me face to face with the man who put in many of the alterations, but more importantly was able to describe in detail and draw a plan of how it looked before the conversions took place. He also owned numerous photos taken by the architect at the time of the work.
Now 'fast forward' 25 years, to the age of the computer and easy access to the census. By researching all of the village inhabitants from 1841 through to 1911 I was able to produce a time line showing the movements in and out of the former wheelwrights cottage. In fact, surprisingly, there were very few. James Cook and his family arrived from nearby Waltham Abbey in about 1855 and his sons continued the business through to 1942. Trade directories reinforced the rumour that he diversified into coach building during the latter part of his career.
Later, Essex records office provided a copy of the Tithe Award map along with its schedule containing details of the various owners and occupiers for 1836 and I was able to 'plot' another period of its history.
I’ve even managed, using a graphics package on the computer to overlay all available maps from 1740 to a present day aerial photo to show in true 'flicker book' style the various developments that have occurred.
But wait…. what’s this on the 1901 census? A niece, 'Dulcie', one year old, born in South Africa, living with the wheelwright and his wife. Fascinating stuff, I needed to know more. Back to the computer and a quick study of the passenger lists for any likely looking arrivals from that region and there they are. Beeche her mother, Gwendolyn her sister and Dulcie, all arriving from Natal in 1899 on the 'Tintagel Castle'. But why? Sadly no one in the village remembers them and even more intriguing is why Dulcie lived with the Wheelwrights family whilst her mother and sister stayed on a farm 200 yards away. A situation that continued for a further 10 years.
Unbeknown to me, a lady not too far away has lived here all her life and she's nearly 90. Perhaps she can shed some light on the mystery of Dulcie, who apparently inherited my house from the Wheelwright after he died in 1934. I've already asked a mutual friend if she can help…I see more tea and biscuits approaching.
I'm sure you are all aware of the famous quote that we don't actually own our house, but just look after it for a while.
I consider that I've been there some time. Why I'm practically no longer considered an outsider. Edwin Cook however was using that very same garden path for over 80 years and Mary Carter the postmistress for a further 30. Reg converted it and lived there for another 25 years with his family and that's 'only' from 1855.
What of its history from the early 18th century when it was built? Why is there a weather boarded gable end of a building, long gone behind the plasterboard of the front bedroom? What's the purpose of that original window only 12" square? Why is the brickwork at the back in English bond and the front in Flemish bond? What's the point of that funny hook fixed to the wall under the eaves?
I'm sure that to many of the previous owners it would have been obvious….
Ian West draws the regular cartoons that illustrate Alan Crosby's endpieces in Local History News
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