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Sun Lane corner
Sun Lane corner, c.1900 Sun Lane probably derives its name from The Sun pub, but there seems to have been another pub of this name in a different location (more research on this is needed!). However, The Sun, in Sun Lane, may have been at the corner with the High Street from about 1637. In the 1780s it belonged to the Hawkins family, and it closed around 1800 – or maybe as late as 1877. From the photo taken around 1900, the structure appears to b...
The (Old) Red Lion
The earliest documentary evidence of The Red Lyon is in the Diaries of Thomas Wilson DD, a prebendary of Westminster Abbey who on “June 7 [1750] Set out for Harpenden …. Kept court at The Red Lyon and dined at The Bull on the Common. Treated by Whitearmiger (Wittewronge) Esq who lives at Rothamstead”. A friendly society met at the Red Lion in 1799 and the manor court was still meeting there in 1805. (p166, Wheathampstead & Harpenden, Vol IV). It ...
The making of Vaughan Road
Pellants shop, with Willmotts Grocers, c.1900. Credit: LHS archives Vaughan Road was named after Canon Edward Thomas Vaughan (1813-1900), who was the first Rector of Harpenden after it became an independent ecclesiastical parish in 1859. He came to Harpenden in 1860, living first in Rothamsted Lodge, then at 69 High Street until The Rectory (on the site of Old Rectory Close, Luton Road) was built in 1861. He was responsible for the decision to re...
Southdown Methodist Church
For most of the nineteenth century, a Methodist presence in Hertfordshire was either Wesleyan or Primitive. Primitive Methodism came into being between 1807 and 1812; it was essentially a working class movement, and always remained a nonconformist denomination on a much smaller scale than its Wesleyan counterpart. Wesleyan Methodism had been well-established in the centre of Harpenden since the end of the eighteenth century (on which more informa...
Inn on the Green
... Rosemary Ross Among Amy Coburn's papers, plans and the front elevation for Salisbury's General Stores on Leyton Road have come to light. They have been added to the page about the Inn on the Green. ...
Railway Hotel - Harpenden Arms
Postcard with Caption: “Station Road, Harpenden”, Mavor over corner entrance to Railway Hotel; Ridleys’s Ironmongers on the left, and Mavor livery stable on right (south) side. c.1900. Credit: LHS archives – HC 151 James Mardall bought the Peacock brewery in Harpenden High Street in 1871, together with some dilapidated cottages on the Common, described as ‘five tenements on the waste’ at the corner of Stakers Lane, which had previously belonged t...
The Old Cock
Information drawn from (Harpenden) History Publishing Society/WEA volumes IV and V of ‘Wheathampstead and Harpenden’. In 1790 one Harpenden inn was described as the “White Hart lately known by the Sign of the George, and now by the Sign of the Cock”. A Cock inn was mentioned in 1639, but where it was is uncertain. The Old Bell, Cock, Cross Keys, George, Sun and White Hart exchanged names and possibly sites with bewildering frequency. (op.cit. p.1...
The White Lion
Detail from a photo of Harpenden High Street, c.1900 The White Lion is first recorded in 1871, but its landlord, William Robinson was earlier at the nearby Marten Cat, of which we have little other evidence. This little Victorian pub features in a number of early photos of Harpenden High Street, with a substantial model of a lion standing on the wrought iron bracket. This survived into the 1950s, but has later been replaced by signs hanging from ...
Park Hall
A school from 1850-1897 In 1850, Sir John Lawes provided the site and paid for the construction of a building for Harpenden British School, the first local school to provide education for children of the ordinary working-class folk of Harpenden. Previously there had only been plait schools – where children were taught a bit of reading and writing while producing as much straw plait as possible to supplement the family income. The National School ...
The Dene
Little is known of the history of this house, but in 1799 it was described as “James Floyd’s own dwelling with shop adjoining”. He was a baker so the shop may have been a bakery. The front garden was described as having been “taken from the waste” – ie from the Common. However, an Indenture dated 1868 has just been donated to the Society, and this appears to refer to this property and land adjoining – ” … all that part of the Waste of the said Ma...
Harpenden First Eleven Football Team - 1910
... My grandfather, Bertie Weston, b 1888, is in the centre of the front row holding the ball. I wonder if anyone can name the other men in the team? If so, please let us know through ”enquiries@harpenden-history.org.uk This is another page previously published in 2013, which was accidentally deleted from the website – ed. ...
Published in March 2013 - Two Trails
We are pleased to announce the publication of two Town Trails, which we hope will help visitors and residents see a little of the history attached to some of our older buildings. Town Trail 1 takes a stroll along the High Street from The George to Sun Lane and back to the Harpenden Arms. Town Trail 2 follows the edges of Harpenden Common from The Harpenden Arms to Harpenden House Hotel, across through the Baa Lamb Trees to the Silver Cup and back...
Theodora's Journals - BALH Review
This review was first published on the website of the British Association for Local History (BALH) in June 2012, and was reprinted in Newsletter 117, September 2012. This excellent book deserves a wide audience. Covering the years 1885–1937, it comprises the almost complete diaries of Theodora Wilson of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, but it is far from parochial in approach. The Wilson family lived from 1872-1926 at Rivers Lodge, next to the Rothamste...
Apprentices in 18th Century Harpenden
In the eighteenth century it was quite common for a young boy, or less frequently a girl, to be apprenticed to a Master at an age between 14 and 20 years. In many cases this involved leaving home to go to London and for the family there was a need to find a sum of money to be paid to the Master. For the poorest families the sum might be less than £ 5 to be apprenticed to say a weaver but for a rich family might be as much as £ 500 to be apprentic...
An 1868 Deed of Enfranchisement of copyhold land
... John Wassell The printed paper stuck on the back of the Deed - see picture above - is not a stamp. It is a printed piece of paper glued over the rear of the metal rivet that fastens the stamp duty to the Deed. This was done by the Stamp Office to make fraudulent re-use of the stamp more difficult. The brown stain left by the glue is visible around the paper. ...
Memories of WWII - Soldiers' Billets
... Len Firth re Hants & Dorset, these two regiments were never to my knowledge ever amalgamated. The Hampshire Regt. became the Royal Hampshire Regt. in 1946. The Dorset Regt. amalgamated with the Devonshires in 1958. ...
Harpenden Men freed from Japanese PoW camp
Press-cuttings and photos in Di Castle’s family albums have recently been digitised for the Society’s archives. Di’s father was Ken Munt, elder brother of Hector. If any reader has information about the other families, please add a comment or contact us. “Two Harpenden men and one from Kinsbourne Green are additions to the list of those freed from Japanese prison camps. Pte Percy Lawrence, 8 Harpenden Rise, Harpenden, who has been freed, was em...
Road Names of Harpenden
“Uxbridge Terrace”, 1 – 8 Amenbury Lane cottages This list started from a transcription by Barbara Cotton from research records kept by her late husband Simon Cotton in the 1980s, with reference to “The Place-Names of Hertfordshire (PNH) & Workers Educational Association/History Publishing Society booklets 1973-91 (HPH)”. Current road names are highlighted in bold. There is scope for additions and corrections to this page! Please add information ...
Ernest Hasseldine 1875 - 1944
... Rosemary Ross A recent search of Kelly's Directories shows that Ernest Hasseldine first lived at Melrose Cottage, Tennyson Road (1906), then from 1907 for about ten years at Melrose, St James Road. By 1929 he moved into 12 Elliswick Road for about five years, before moving to 33 Fairmead Avenue in 1935/6. The 1941-2 Directory finds him at 4 Overstone Road, where his widow was still living in 1946. ...
Harpenden Corps of Drums
My wife and I, together with our two daughters, were involved with the Harpenden Corps of Drums from 1979 to 1985. The Corps at Kimpton Fete. Credit: John Halsey The band was originally a Scout and Guide Bugle Band, but it left the Scout Movement in the early 1980s to become an American-style Drum Corps. The Band was then known as The Harpenden Corps of Drums – The Ace of Herts. The picture above shows the Corps marching at Kimpton Fete in 1983. ...
6 High Street, Harpenden
... This prominent site, featured on views of the High Street from Harpenden Common, will be starting a new phase, as Oakman Inns have purchased Kingston House, following the closure of M&Co in 2020. ...
Anton Pieck - 1895-1987
A scan of a print of this charming watercolour was sent to the Society in 2012. It is by Anton Pieck and entitled “Harpenden Engeland” (sic) and is of 3 Lyndhurst Drive. The print was bought in Holland by a Harpenden resident. Information gleaned from the internet tells us: Anton Pieck, 1895-1987, in his studio Anton Pieck was Dutch, born on 19th April 1895 in Den Helder and died on 24th November 1987 in Overveen. A painter, artist and graphic ar...
Judy Fryd
... Elly Downes (nee Fryd) Granddaughter This video is the tip of the iceberg regards the life and work of Judy Fryd CBE, her legacy, family and also her husband the late John Fryd Esq, former Town Mayor (formerly known as Chairman) and Town Clerk. Harpenden residents 1941 to 2000 (Judy) and 1981 (John died). ED We invited John and Judy's daughters to write about them for this website...
Ernest Heasman - 1874-1927
Ernest Heasman – Self-portrait Ernest Heasman was born on 15th February 1874 in Linfield, Sussex. At the age of 16 he joined C E Kempe & Co, stained glass manufacturers. In 1897 he was awarded a six-month scholarship to study in Italy and on his return the Worshipful Company of Painters awarded him a medal for the work he had done during his tour. He gained a scholarship to study at the Slade from 1899 to 1900, while continuing to work for Kempe ...
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