Edie Crouch was born in 1909 in Throcking, near Buntingford, the fifth child of Henry and Martha Crouch. Edie had four sisters and five brothers. The family moved to Buntingford into one of two thatched cottages at the northern end of the High Street opposite the entrance drive leading down to the old Vicarage. The Vicarage building was situated close to Wyddial Road, so you can tell how long the drive must have been. Next door to the Crouch family lived a Mr Reuben Woods. (If you have a copy of the Archive Photographs Series “Buntingford” book compiled by Philip Plumb, you will see Edie’s childhood home on page 41.)

Pictured below is the Crouch family in the garden of the thatched cottage: From left to right Alice, Edie, Martha Crouch holding baby Jack, Arthur standing at the back, Jean, Mr Henry Crouch, Ada (standing) and Billy in front.The cottage was small, with only two bedrooms and the toilet was outside. Even with a large family, they still managed to take in a lodger. Edie said her parents had one bedroom and the lodger the other. Edie used to sleep on a bed on the landing, and a ladder led up to the attic room where the other children slept end to end on one bed! It must have been luxury when the family moved to No. 123 High street, which had three bedrooms, although still no indoor toilet. The bathroom was also outside.

The Buntingford of Edie’s youth was a bit different than it is today. You could play in the High Street, there was a cattle market every week, there were about a dozen pubs, a cinema and, of course, the railway. Edie and her sisters often used to take the train on a return trip to London, which cost 1/9d. The Cosy cinema (which is now Benson Hall) put on two different programmes a week and had a Saturday afternoon childrens’ matinee. Edie’s house was close to the Chequers pub and Edie can remember that her sister Violet used to take a bottle to the pub to get it filled with beer for her father. He probably was not amused when one day she mistakenly picked up the candlestick which was on the table next to the bottle and took that to the pub instead.

Edie’s father was a farm worker, working at Corneybury, and on one occasion when she was a child Edie can remember taking one of his horses to a place in Church Street to have new shoes fitted on he horse. Edie says in those days, people walked everywhere. She can remember walking to Chipping to visit her grandparents, and even walking to Royston.

Just outside Buntingford, on Rifford Hill between Aspenden and Westmill, was the Isolation Hospital where invalids were transported in a closed horse drawn black carriage. Edie was found to be a Diphtheria Carrier and she can recall having to spend about three or four weeks in the hospital in isolation, and was not even allowed visitors.

Edie went to Layston School and remembers the head master Mr Dennis, and also a Mr Norman. She left school at 14 and went into service, working as under kitchen maid for Norah, who was the daughter of Mr Ashford (who ran the Tannery in Buntingford), at her house in Belsize Park. She lived in and most of her wages were sent directly to her mother. The Cook at the house was a man who liked a drink or two and he used to say to Edie that if the lady of the house ever wanted to know where he was she was to say that he was in the toilet, whereas he was usually at the pub. On her days off, Edie was able to visit relatives who lived in Hampstead and Hendon.

Edie stayed at Belsize Park for a couple of years, then had various different jobs. When she was 18 she met Albert Liles, who was a soldier and who came orignally from Chipping. They married at St Bartholomew’s Church, Layston, in 1931 and began their married life in Exeter, where Albert was stationed. Their son Brian was born there in 1933 and soon after that they moved to Colchester. They had to leave Colchester soon after the War started and were advised to move back to Buntingford. They moved in with Edie’s family at 123 High Street and at one time Edie says there were fourteen people living in that house.

They then moved to a house on the corner in Norfolk road, and then to a place over the stables block at the Manor House, which was owned by Mr Hartnett. They had to go up a ladder in order to get in! When the War ended, the Council converted the Nissen huts in the Camp in London Road into bungalows and Edie and Albert moved into one.

Albert was discharged from the Army in 1946 and went to work at Standon. In 1949 they moved to No. 22 Archers.

In 1941 Edie went to work with Mrs Wallace, the cook, at the newly built Secondary Modern School (which we now know as Edwinstree). Edie stayed there for twenty years, taking over as cook when Mrs Wallace retired. In 1957, with Brian no longer living at home, Edie and Albert moved to one of the bungalows at Ashfords, where Edie still lives. Sadly, Albert died in 1959.

Edie retired from her school job in 1969, but she didn’t stop there! For the next five years she helped Mrs West from Cottered to run a WVS Kitchen from Bridgefoot House, supplying meals-on-wheels to local pensioners. Edie’s meals-on-wheels were freshly made roasts or stews, all packed in tin containers and delivered by volunteers. The picture on the next page shows Edie at work preparing some of her meals.

Edie’s son, Brian, lives in Buntingford just round the corner from Edie’s bungalow at Ashfords. He has a daughter, Barbara, and a son, Michael, and Edie also has four great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Christopher, Zoe and Clair.

Edie enjoys Bingo at the social club every Thursday and also at the Benson Hall on some Saturday afternoons. Ashfords regularly hold Coffee Mornings and Bingo and the Manager, Rosemary, cooks all the residents a dinner once a month. Edie also goes to the Buntingford Day Centre twice a week, where they either play cards or bingo. There are regular trips and visits to shows and Edie thoroughly enjoys them.

After Edie had talked about all her hobbies and activities, I was surprised to learn that she is in fact disabled. She is partially sighted, has Parkinsons disease and artificial knees, but she obviously does not let that stop her enjoying life! She is looking forward to going on holiday this summer on her own to the H.A.D. Hotel at Clacton. She has been there before and she says she always has a lovely time, and is taken out on lots of trips.Edie is pictured below preparing some of her meals on wheels for distribution.

Edie does have some help at home and her son and daughter in law give her a lot of help, but she still does some of her own cooking and has retained her independence. I would like to thank her very much for talking to me.