History of Hatching Green

The White Horse from the 1920s

William & Ella Seabrook, with four unknown soldiers – Ian Taylor family archives

 

My maternal grand parents were William Seabrook & Ella Jane Seabrook (nee Ansell) and my earliest memories (late 1940’s, early 50’s) recall them living at No.5 Hatching Green Cottages.

1-5 Hatching Green cottages & The Limes, c.1988 – Detail from LHS1654-73, Peter Roseblade


The 5 terraced cottages were owned by Ralph & Florence Halsey who lived in “The Limes”, a detached house occupying the same plot as the cottages numbered 1 to 5.  With them lived Min Halsey & her daughter Beryl who had downs syndrome.  Beryl had a sister, Phyllis married to Ken ex RAF.

Hatching Green cottages, 1-5 – LFC LHS 1479

All 5 cottages were “2 up & 2 down” properties with no bathrooms and no electricity.  The toilets (flushing) were in barns at the back of the properties.  Living at No.1 were Philip & Daisy Bates, at No.2 Ted & Violet Field with sons Michael & David, at No.3 Mrs Eaton, and at No.4 Mrs Halsey & her son Frank.

My grandparents had a covered link from their back door through what was really a shed to a sort of utility area with sink and separate WC.  The lighting was gas and the heating/cooking was by solid fuel kitchen range in the rear downstairs room.  No television of course: only a battery radio powered by a wet cell acid/lead battery known as an accumulator.  This had to be charged regularly in Harpenden by someone who collected & delivered.

My Grandfather was unfit for military service having been crippled after being dragged up the common by a run away horse with one foot trapped in a stirrup.

Landlord at The White Horse

William Seabrook (on the left) with pub-goers, c 1917 – Ian Taylor family archives

Horse & dray, outside the White Horse – Ian Taylor family archives


My grandparents ran the White Horse public house from the first world war (1917) to 1929/30.  My grandfather also ran a book & I believe this was his downfall as he incurred considerable financial losses forcing him out of the White Horse.  This is when Ralph & Florence Halsey (see family wedding photo at the end of this page) took over the pub & my grandparents rented the cottage just along the Green.  There was a life long friendship between my grandparents & the Halsey’s.

Coach outing from the White Horse, 1920s – Ian Taylor family archives

My grandfather died in 1955 aged 76 in the Memorial Hospital.  My grandmother in 1961 aged 81 at home.  There was still no electricity in the cottage and the range was still used to cook & heat the hot water & the home.

A regular at the White Horse – Ernest Heasman

Hanging in the front room were 2 oil paintings by Ernest Heasman both dated 1919 & both depicting the White Horse.

[These paintings were donated to The White Horse by Ian Taylor in January 2016.]

Oil painting of Hatching Green with White Horse pub by Ernest Heasman, c.1915 – Ian Taylor family archives

One shows an old barn next to the pub & I recall being told that my grandfather had knocked this down.  The oil paintings may be unique.  The Victoria & Albert Museum who have information on the artist & examples of this work as a stained glass artist did not know he had painted in oils.  There is a set of postcards taken from Heasman’s water colours and dated pre WW1 showing local scenes including the White Horse.

The oil paintings show the brewer as being “Glover Ales” a small Harpenden Brewery taken over by J W Green in 1919.  I believe that Heasman drank in the pub and that the paintings were commissioned by my grandfather.

Oil painting of White Horse pub by Ernest Heasman, 1919 – Ian Taylor family archives

The third generation

My grandfather’s brother Alfred (Uncle Alf to me) lived at 55 West Common with his wife Gertrude.

Around 1958 I recall my grandmother going every week to the Derby & Joan Club held in a hall near the “skew bridge”.  During the summer I would occasionally cycle from Luton & get tea for her so that it was ready when she was brought back from the Club. I cycled home before dark.

In 1966 I married Hazel and we rented No.3 Hatching Green (Mrs Eaton’s old home) from “Auntie Flo” for £1.25 per week.  I worked for Jarvis in Vaughan Road as a student apprentice heating engineer 1960 to 1967.  We bought a new Vauxhall Viva in 1967 for £640 and kept this in a garage rented from Walter Freeman for 50 pence per week.  Walter was a great character and at 80 was up ladders painting his house.

We did a lot of work on the cottage before we moved in, including waterproofing the brick floor in the front room. We lived there until 1998 when we moved to Ampthill after I went to work for the County Architect in Bedford.

Martin & Jill Hodge married on the same day and they moved into No. 5 Hatching Green – my grandparents old home.  They have become lifelong friends and now live in Wheathampstead.

I also recall Mr & Mrs Baldwin living at Agdell Cottage, Mr & Mrs Green & family, and Percy English and family.

Comments about this page

  • Philip Bates was living at No 1 Hatching Green cottages in 1956 and until his death in the 70’s but he was not living there before 1947.

    By Mary Smart (16/01/2023)
  • Do you know the exact date of the death of Percy Seabrook, husband of Lucy (nee Husselbee) formerly of Pimlico, later of 4 Longfield Rd Harpenden.

    My father Victor Edward Seabrook, passed away on 5th July this year and I wondered as his son was it the same date.

    Ed.No, according to the notice of probate Percy died on 30th January 1969 BUT he was born on 5th July 1891 so your father died on the anniversary of your grandfather’s birth.

    By Chris Seabrook (08/07/2019)
  • My parents Michael & Patricia Crowley took over the White Horse Inn in 1951/2. I remember Beryl Halsey very well, Flo would send her to us with a note and money. I spent a lot of time sitting with Beryl on the bench in “Aunty Flo’s” front garden.

    By Helen Cheshire (10/11/2015)
  • I am researching the Matthews family. They lived at Hatchen/ing Green in 1861 and through to 1911, when they were still in Harpenden.

    By Jillian Darken (16/01/2013)
  • I’m related to some of the Halseys mentioned here. I was born in 1932 when my mother and father shared one of the cottages on Hatching Green with my grandmother Effie Halsey. Her brother was Ralph Halsey who took over The White Horse from the early 1930s. I lived (as a new-born baby) in the cottage at Hatching Green for a few months before my family all moved to one of the new houses built at Longfield Road. I haven’t yet traced the connection between my branch of the Seabrook family and William and Ella Seabrook, but I will try to do that. For further Halsey and Seabrook information, see my book Bowling Alley Boyhood, published 2009.

    By John Seabrook (23/12/2012)
  • Hello, I would like to get in touch. My husband’s ancestors lived in Hatchen (Hatching) Green and Philip at the cottages you mention is an ancestor (grandson of my husband’s great grandfather). I was wondering if you had any information about the Bates family? Fred and Elizabeth Bates lived Hatchen Green at least since 1861 and then at some point Fred and Elizabeth Bates in 1911 but I don’t know the address, whether it was one of the cottages? Anyway it would be great if you have any information to share? Thanks

    ed. We don’t have information, but perhaps others doing family research will find this reference on our website and make contact. (Apologies for the delay in publishing your comment.)

    By Lindsey (18/09/2012)

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