Margaret Brown, born 1928, remembers Cottonmill Lane as being a narrow lane with footpaths, how it was mainly fields, and allotments with little or no access to other roads from the lane. For example, she remembers her mother telling her… More about ‘Cottonmill Lane – Margaret Brown’»
Posts Tagged: allotments
Watercress wildlife area
The commercial watercress industry ceased in the Riverside Road site in the 1970s. A lot of the springs had dried up. Some of the productive land was used for allotment but there was a lot of fly tipping so it needed some attention. St… More about ‘Watercress wildlife area’»
Murder in the allotments
In December 1948, a man was found murdered just inside the allotments opposite the ruins in Cottonmill Lane. The man was Steven Varley, a 52 year old who worked as a shop steward at de Havilland’s at Hatfield. The full… More about ‘Murder in the allotments’»
Why I like living in Tavistock Avenue – Tony Picciuto
Many people will recognise Tony Picciuto who owns the award winning Buongiorno Italia shop in Lattimore Road. Tony’s parents were born in Italy and came to St Albans in 1966. The family moved about a lot in the city. At… More about ‘Why I like living in Tavistock Avenue – Tony Picciuto’»
A walk down Cottonmill Lane 2 – John Buckingham
John continues his reminiscences of walking down Cottonmill Lane in the 1940s and 1950s. he walks over the river and past the allotments, which were always flooded in the winter. His father had an allotment and would send John to… More about ‘A walk down Cottonmill Lane 2 – John Buckingham’»
A walk down Cottonmill Lane 1 – John Buckingham
John, born 1943, recalls what Cottonmill Lane was like when he was a lad. This part of the story starts at the top of the lane coming from Old London Road. he recalls the old carpenter’s shop at the top,… More about ‘A walk down Cottonmill Lane 1 – John Buckingham’»
Childhood memories – Rob Edwards
Rob used to play in the Nunnery open space and remembers Pearce’s scrap yard. He and his brother took newspapers to their yard in Albert Street where he would be rewarded with a toy windmill or maybe a few pennies.… More about ‘Childhood memories – Rob Edwards’»
Pinnock family memories – Roy Pinnock
Roy Pinnock whose family had watercress beds in Riverside Road and Park Street, tells some stories about his father, Doug Pinnock. Doug was one of twelve children: six sons and six daughters and they lived in a two bedroom house… More about ‘Pinnock family memories – Roy Pinnock’»
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’»
Living in Riverside Road – Barry Bateman
Barry moved to St Albans from Crouch End in May 1988. He chose to live in Riverside Road in Sopwell. Riverside Road started off as Longmire Road and had a bad reputation as a poor area. Nowadays it is seen… More about ‘Living in Riverside Road – Barry Bateman’»
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