Category Archives: Articles by Theo van de Bilt
John Sapsford – local historian
RAF Sawbridgeworth
This is a collection of articles about the Mathams Wood site that look at its history from the fourteenth century manor to twentieth century airfield. Please contribute if you know more! Copyright remains with the writer.
In Memoriam – Wally Wright
Stan Kempthorne – prisoner of war
Stan Kempthorne was an inhabitant of High Wych who spent some time in a prisoner of war camp during World War Two.
The Banner of Faith
Theo van de Bilt has written a new article on The Banner of Faith which contained the parish magazine of Great St Mary’s church.
George Ottea, butler at Terlings Park
Theo van de Bilt has been researching people of colour living in the Sawbridgeworth area in the past and he found George Ottea who worked as a butler at Terlings Park in Gilston. He was working there in 1891 according to the census.
The Cambridge Road bomb – 10th October 1940
By Theo van de Bilt
October 10th marks the 80th anniversary of the bomb that caused damage and death on Cambridge Road
Sawbridgeworth Parish Magazine 1960 – 1976
Scanned from Sawbridgeworth Parish Magazine 1960 to 1976
The London Road Fire – 1st February 1905
Our latest article is about the fire on the corner of London Road and Hoestock Road in 1905. It was reported nationally in the Daily Mirror.
Camp High Wych – a home for the homeless on the old airfield
People were living in the old airfield buildings until the late 1950s. This is their story.
Sawbridgeworth cinema – now the Roman Catholic church
Many people will remember this building before it closed in 1953.
John Wright’s Railway Memories
John Wright and his Sawbridgeworth Fire Brigade website.
Sawbridgeworth and its Church
An article by this name was written by Herbert C Andrews in 1929. It was found a few years ago in a cabinet at Sawbridgeworth library. It gives some extremely interesting information about the early history of Great St. Mary’s Church Sawbridgeworth. Apparently unpublished until now ( so we are told ) we are happy… Read More »
Here come the Mosquitos – 2nd Walter Lawrence article published
Here come the Mosquitos – 2nd Walter Lawrence article published
Two more articles
We have been quite busy recently writing and posting new articles. The two newest additions are: An article about the celebration of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in Sawbrigeorth. You can access that one by clicking on the following link 1887 victoria 50 – SBW The second article is an edited version of a piece from… Read More »
A visit to HALS in Hertford
On Monday 15th July some SLHS members paid a visit to HALS, Hertfordshire Archives and Local Services and were given a tour of the premises. We saw some very old documents, one even dating from before the Norman Conquest! We were shown how documents and artefacts are kept under strict climate control. The humidity indicator… Read More »
Another Open Evening
THURSDAY 30 MAY 2019 HAILEY CENTRE 1900-2100 MARION HILLS (HALS): ‘REMARKABLE WOMEN IN HERTFORDSHIRE’S HISTORY’ Members £2; non-members £5. Membership on the night £10 including entry! For further information please contact Theo van de Bilt [email protected] or David Royle [email protected]
Walter Lawrence – a history – 1
The name of Walter Lawrence brings back many memories to people in East Hertfordshire. Indeed from 1907 to 1982 a factory with that name stood at the Stort riverside and on the borders of Sawbridgeworth and Sheering. However, the company was started much earlier. It’s founder, let’s call him Walter 1st, was born 22 February… Read More »
Local Books for Local People
The Sawbridgeworth Local History Society has produced one book, re-reprinted an important classic and was also involved in the reprint of another important local publication. Find out about these below. Or you could go to the link on the right our opening page and perhaps carry on to our book order form. These are the… Read More »
Who lived where in Sawbridgeworth in 1911
The 1911 census was undertaken in April of that year. It is often referred to as the fertility census, the reason for that being that at the time eugenics had become very popular.
The Great War
In October the SLHS will publish High Wych, Sawbridgeworth and the Great War.
As the title indicates the book discusses the ways in which that tragic conflict affected our communities.
Brian Rochester
Just now we posted our 21st article on this site, a little piece honouring the memory of Brian Rochester, a Sawbridgeworth man through and through and devoted to the countryside. Read the full article here.
Another great open evening!
About 30 people attended Hugh Howes’ talk on the Mills of Hertfordshire last Thursday 29th March. It was very interesting to hear about the number and different types of mill in our county and we learned more about our own Burton’s Mill. Our next evening talk will be on Crime and Punishment in Hertfordshire, given… Read More »
Rivers Nursery
In October last year our still relatively new Sawbridgeworth Local History Society organised its first Evening Meeting. Our speaker was Elizabeth Waugh whose book, Rivers Nursery of Sawbridgeworth: the Art of Practical Pomology, was published in 2009. Elizabeth very kindly wrote an article for this website which can be found by clicking on the following… Read More »