Leyland Avenue, off Cottonmill Lane, was built in 1933 by the Whitehall Building Company of St Albans. The land was originally part of the Nunnery Farm in Sportsman’s Hall field owned by Lord Verulam. The last tenant farmer was Charles… More about ‘Leyland Avenue’»
Category: 1950s
Mandeville school
Mandeville school was first opened in 1951. Some of the original pupils remember their first few years.… More about ‘Mandeville school’»
New Barnes Mill
New Barnes Mill, situated in Cottonmill Lane, was one of the three water mills along the Sopwell stretch of the river Ver. In its heyday, it was used as a flour mill and was operated by the British Flour and… More about ‘New Barnes Mill’»
Watercress industry in Park Street – Roy Pinnock
The Pinnock family had a smallholding and also grew watercress in Burydell Lane Park Street. Unlike the beds in Riverside Road, these were purpose built using concrete walkways. Roy Pinnock talks more about the business which wasstarted by his grandfather.… More about ‘Watercress industry in Park Street – Roy Pinnock’»
Watercress industry in Sopwell – Roy Pinnock
Roy Pinnock born in 1933, belongs to one of the two families who grew watercress in Sopwell: the Pinnocks and the Lees.. Roy describes the watercress industry: how the watercress was grown in Riverside Road, where the Watercress Wildlife Association… More about ‘Watercress industry in Sopwell – Roy Pinnock’»
Pearce’s scrap yard – John Buckingham
The St Albans firm, Pearce Recycling, started off as scrap merchants with several yards throughout the city. One of these yards was in front of the ruins of Sir Richard Lee‘s Tudor house in Cottonmill Lane. John Buckingham remembers playing… More about ‘Pearce’s scrap yard – John Buckingham’»
Making shelters – John Buckingham
John and his mates tells of digging holes in the ground and making shelters where they would light fires and cook potatoes. This was in their play area where the Sopwell Youth Club is now. They would cover them with… More about ‘Making shelters – John Buckingham’»
Memories of my father – John Buckingham
John Buckingham’s father was born in Sopwell. When he got married, he lived in Leyland Avenue. He worked in the kennels in Cottonmill Lane, looking after the hounds which were part of the hunt. John’s father rode with the hunt… More about ‘Memories of my father – John Buckingham’»
Bonfire night – John Buckingham
John Buckingham remembers building bonfires in the area of ground near where the Sopwell Youth Club is today. There were many other bonfire sites in the area and there was a rivalry between each group so the heaps used to… More about ‘Bonfire night – John Buckingham’»
Living next to the gasworks and railway lines – John Buckingham
John Buckingham was born in 1943 in Leyland Avenue – right next door to the gasworks. He remembers his father having an allotment next to the railway line and it being bulldozed over; the digging of the cutting up to… More about ‘Living next to the gasworks and railway lines – John Buckingham’»
Latest comments