Wivenhoe Jottings from 1934

 

Book cover

These notes were recorded by Nick Butler when researching for his book the Story of Wivenhoe which was first published in 1989

1934 September 22. Page 45.

Wivenhoe telephone  exchange changed over to automatic on Thursday with the opening of the new telephone exchange which has 92 lines with room for expansion.  The old exchange was in a house at 88 High Street.

6th October 1934 page 45

The Salvation Army has returned to Wivenhoe after a lapse of many years .  Its headquarters are at the old Swedenborgian Church at the top of Alma Street.

13th October Mr. Currell has resigned his post as Town Crier which he has held since 1909 -1934. on the grounds of ill health.

8th December 1934.

A new company of Girl Guides has been formed and are meeting at the Alma Hall at the top of Alma Street.

30th March 1935. page 48

A new class of one design sailing dinghy is now under construction by Messrs Parsons of Leigh on Sea. These little boats are 15 feet x 5ft 3ins and the cost was £35.00.  It is hoped that the first of the fleet will be arising shortly.

1st June 1935. The Nottage Institute have given a cup to the sailing club for the One Design races.

19th October 1935.

W.U.D.C. The Highway committee reported that the land to the West and North of the High Street and belonging to Mr Scofield which they wished to purchase for an open space and playing fields.  It has since been unable to negotiate with  the said Mr. Scofield who will not sell.  It was therefore decided to compulsory purchase the land.

4th January 1936. page 50.

New club house to be built on the Town Hard by Wivenhoe Sailing Club for storage purposes.  The club house was opened on 28th March 1936 by Lady Neild of Alresford Grange.

4th July 1936. page 53.  Arthur Cedric Peck is the local proprietor.

22nd August 1936. Wivenhoe Cricket Club.  It was reported that the ground had now been purchased from the Wivenhoe Urban District Council.  Trustees: W.G. Loveless, E.J. Mayes, G. A. Slaughter, C. Ashby and H. Cook.  Announced at a meeting at the Park Hotel:17/8.  Part of the price met out of club funds, the rest advanced by a lady resident of Wivenhoe.  The purchase of this ground by the Cricket Club will assure for all time.

19th September 1936.  W.U.D.C.: Monday. Letter from H. Bensley tendering his resignation owing to ill health.  From an address at Sutton in Surrey.  Harry was the man in the iron mask .

3rd. October 1936. page 53.  The steam yacht Rosabelle returns to her winter mud berth for over-wintering.  She is now the only steam yacht laying up at Wivenhoe.

31st. October 1936 page 54.  Wivenhoe Sailing Club laying up dinner and dance at the Lido in the Avenue.  Commodore : Mr. Arnold Neild.  Dr, Radcliffe proposed the toast of the visiting yacht club – Pyefleet Y.C.) which has adopted the Wivenhoe One Design yacht.  Mr. L. Worsp : membership in 1934 was 28; with the introduction of the One Design, it sprang to 74 in 1935, and with the building of the Clubhouse this season the numbers were now 179.

7th. November  page 54. Presentation to W.T.Smith of the Avenue for 50 years service with a Colchester firm.  He started attending the Bluecoat school at the age of six, walking from Wivenhoe to Colchester in the morning with the brothers Appleby and also Bob Oakley, having his dinner in the old Moses Appleby’s two-horse carriers van  in the Old Swan yard at the rear of Colchester High Street.  In the winter-time, on going home in the carriers van, they often had to get out and help lift the wheels out of the mud going up Clingoe Hill, while in the summer-time the dust was nearly up to the axles.  Mr Isaac Harris, a Wivenhoe man, was headmaster at the Bluecoat School.