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This lane was named after the Blyth family. Isaac Blyth lived at 35, High Street in the mid 1800s. This small leafy lane was the site of a slaughter house.
From the Chelmsford Chronicle 1859:
Blood Alley. To sell by auction, at the Black Boy Inn Wivenhoe, on Tuesday, September 8th, 1859, at six o’clock in the evening.
All those freehold premises, situated nearly opposite the church at Wivenhoe, comprising the butchers shop and dwelling house occupied by Mrs. Blyth, and the premises adjoining occupied by Messrs, Nice, Woodward, Barr and Mills.
Also the extensive yards in the rear of the above, with slaughter-house, stables, sheds etc. thereupon, occupied by Mr. Isaac Blyth.
More recent memories:
“Market day was Saturday. At 6pm the animals came, driven in from Colchester. Later they came by cattle truck. I can remember them being driven down. Mr Ribbons was the butcher. Slaughtered on a Monday.”
From notes by Nicholas Butler of Mr Leslie Kemble (born 1914)
“And you’d always get one says, ‘I’m not going down there!’ and he would turn and run through the churchyard. That was great fun! All the boys down on the Quay, all over the place, chasing the bullock along the Quay, up through Anchor Hill, and round by the station, and up Station Road, to bring the bullocks back to the slaughterhouse, you know! And the drovers would give you maybe sixpence for bringing one back. It was great fun!”
From notes by Nicholas Butler of Glendower Jackson
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