Posts By: Sandy Norman
Cottonmill Football Club
The Cottonmill estate used to have a football club. There were two teams: Cottonmill United and Cottonmill Reserves. The teams played in the St Albans Sunday league which they joined in 1964-5. The teams used to play in the green… More about ‘Cottonmill Football Club’»
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’»
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’»
Sinking a borehole – Roy Pinnock
Watercress is grown in running water from springs. At Riverside Road, the Pinnock family had to sink boreholes in the lake to get spring water for the cress to grow in. Roy Pinnock describes the process. Interview date: 4 April… More about ‘Sinking a borehole – Roy Pinnock’»
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’»
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