Thursday February 2nd 1928 - MARRIAGE OF CAPT H B SECRETAN MC*
The wedding between Herbert B Secretan & Miss Ninon Michaelis took place at St. Mark's Ch North Audley Street. Mr Hubert Secretan OBE acted as best man the couple left for a honeymoon in Madera. [Gazette Feb 18th 1928]
11th February 1928 - The Gazette carried an extremely long article headed as follows:
LEVERSTOCK GREEN WANTS £4000
FOR NEW CHURCH SCHOOL
Earl of Verulam gives site
AN ENCOURAGING START
The first part of the report was as follows:
The Church school in Leverstock Green has been left behind in the march of Time. It is overcrowded, it is not in good condition, it has been condemned. The cost of the new school will be £4000 and the church folk in the parish are determined to raise that sum and thus retain the Church of England School in preference to a County Council School, and the great effort to realise that colossal sum for so small a village has commenced. Services with a special bearing on the subject were held on Sunday when the Rev Shilleto of the National Society for helping church school was the preacher. The ball was set rolling in real earnest, hoverer, on Tuesday night when there was a public meeting held at the Parish Hall which was well filled.
The Vicar, the Reverand Arthur Durrant who presided explained that the meeting had been called to arouse interest and secure help for the erection of new buildings for the village schools. There was a great need for a new school, the present building was overcrowded, and there was no means of enlarging it satisfactorily. The village was now given the opportunity of securing a school, excellent and up to date in every way the cost of that would be rather considerable, amounting to no less than £4000. It was a very difficult sum to get, but he felt that it was not impossible because they would have the help of the whole of the Diocese. all the parishes were pledged to help. And they also expected some assistance Diocesan Educational Committee and the National Soc who would help all they could They were encouraged by the kindly action of the Earl of Verulam who at once gave them as much ground as was necessary at the corner of Pancake Wood. Which would make
A most excellent site
He thought too, that there was no doubt that some of the larger and richer factories in the district would help, and although they realised it was a gigantic task they meant to go on courageously to raise eth necessary funds.
The Rev Siletto said that at Leverstock Green they had a very valuable school which had done years and years of good work. That was one of the great troubles with their school buildings at this time, they had been rendering service to God King & Country for many years, but no building could last forever. Their school was now old and too small. What was the value of a denominational school?
Canon shorting told a very interesting story and a unique way by which he hoped to raise funds. While a curate in Furness he met a C of E clergyman who had met the Vicar of Leverstock Green. They became firm friends and he learned of the affection their late vicar had for the parishes. In their church was a stained glass window erected by him.
The Gazette went on to report that C Shorting had written to the son of a past vicar ( - from the description it would appear to have been the Rev Helme) who had promised to give £10 and C Shorting promised to write to other member of the family to see if he could obtain more in the way of funds. - Various other speeches, all going over much the same ground were also reported and the meeting closed with Rev Durrant saying they had nothing but encouragement on every hand. This was the start if a campaign which eventually came to fruition in 1930 see entry for 10/11th October 1930 [Gazette 11th Feb ]
Saturday 25th Feb 1928 The Gazette reported the following:
Mrs Alice Mable Durrant, who died on Oct 22nd wife of the Rev Durrant and daughter of the late Canon Raymond Pulley of Great Malvern left estate of the gross value of £2501 0s 4d with net personality of £2220 6s 3d. Probate has been granted to her husband, the sole executor. [Gazette 25th Feb 1928]
29th February 1928 - Mr. Ayre recorded that 15 children from standards VI & VII "visited the Brick kiln of R.A. Norris Esq: at Bennetts End from 2.15 pm." [S73]
31st March 1928 The Inquest was held of Sidney Pain. The Gazette reported the circumstances of his death as follows: LEVERSTOCK GREEN A sad fatality occurred at Leverstock Green on Wednesday when a lad, Sidney Plain was found drowned. We understand that the little chap was playing near a farm in the Bedmond Hill district whilst his mother was working at the farm. On finishing work the mother looked for the child who had been playing nearby, but for a time could not find him. Later the tragic discovery of his body in the pond was made. The Watford Coroner is conducting an inquest at 5pm today. [Gazette 31st March 1928]
26th May 1928 - The records of Horn & Co, Undertakers from Marlowes show the following entry:
Ref 676/Deceased: Cox, Thomas Daniel Woodman
DATE OF DEATH: 23.5.1928
NOTE: He was 25 years old and the funeral took place on 25.5.1928 at Golders Green Crematorium
ADDRESS: Hill Farm House, Leverstock Green
29th May 1928 The Gazette reported the death of young Thomas Cox as follows:
LEVERSTOCK GREEN
Death if Mr T D W Cox We deeply regret to record the death of Mr Thomas Daniel Woodman Cox the only son of the late Mr T D Cox and Mrs M M Cox of Hill Farmhouse Leverstock Green. Only 16 years of age Mr Cox had suffered a brief illness and his death has cast a gloom over the village. He was a very popular young man and it is a sad bereavement for his motherthe funeral will take place on Sat at 12 o'clock.
It is interesting to note, however, that in the Herts Family History Society's booklet on the Monumental Inscriptions top be found at Holy Trinity there seems to be a difference of opinion in that the headstone recording the death of various members of the family reads: Thomas Daniel Cox of the Hill Farm, Leverstock Green who passed away March 3rd 1924 aged 63/Mary May Cox 1867-1936/T.D.W.Coc who passed to a higher life May 23rd 1928 aged 25 years. Family historians should double check the information with the burial registers, but as the headstone was re-inscribed in 1936 to include Mary Cox, it seems likely the Gazette has the more accurate information - particularly with respect to the date of death as the Gazette can hardly have printed information on a death yet to come! [Gazette 29th May 1928; S261]
20th June 1928 The Gazette reported:
Leverstock Green - At the St A quarter sessions on Monday Robert Sydney Chalk was sent to prison for 9 months for stealing treasury notes and possessions from E Bothwell of Westbrook Road Farm (I assume Westwick Row Fm)
Chalk was reportedly hired as a second cowman on 9th April but had later absconded. Mr Bothwell later discovered that £39 in 10s notes was missing as well as some Scottish bank notes, an 18ct gold ring and a gold brooch. Chalk had been arrested in Cambridge in early June. [Gazette 20th June 1928]
13th July 1928 - "Class I visited Hill Farm 11-12 to watch grass cutting etc.." [S73]
20th July 1928 - "Senior children visited Pré Farm to examine cow sheds and watch milking operations...." [S73]
8th September 1928 On an extremely long article (being 1½ full columns in the paper) the Gazette reported on the Inquest of Joseph Latchford from Westwick Row with great detail, however the report failed to give the date of the accident or the inquest. The headlines were as follows:
NIGHT TRAGEDY AT LEVERSTOCK GREEN
PEDESTRIAN KNOCKED OVER BY MOTOR CYCLE
DRIVER EXONERATED FROM BLAME
THE DANGER OF GLARING HEADLIGHTS
Joseph Latchford of Westwick Row had been knocked down between Hemel Hempstead & Leverstock Green at the entrance to Turtle Lane , and later died in the West Herts Hosp. He was 62 and had worked for Mr Finch at Corner Farm for many years. He had been into Hemel for a haircut & shave. On returning to Leverstock Green he had spent some time in the Plough and on leaving the plough he had stood talking to his friend James Hoar. James Hoar had then walked towards his home down Turtle Lane. * On parting Latchford walked by the main road towards Westwick Row. Shortly afterwards he was knocked down by a motorcycle and Mr. Hoar, who had heard him cry out, came to see. The jury at the inquest after interviewing several witnesses, exonerated the cyclist, blaming the accident on the dazzle caused by the car headlights which had preceded the motor-cycle. The Coroner recommended that all cars should have and use dimmers to their headlights.
Montague Latchford of Belcony had told the Coronor that the deceased was his brother and he was single and lived in lodgings in Westwick Row. He was a ploughman employed by Mr finch at Corner Farm. A verdict of accidental death was given. [Gazette 8th September 1928]
* I Have not previously come across a lane/road of this name in Leverstock Green. From the description it would appear to be either Tile Kiln Lane or else the original Peas Lane which today is made up of Misden Drive, a footpath and Peascroft Road.
Thursday 25th & Sunday 30th October 1928 Services commemorating the original Dedication of Holy Trinity Church took place. [Gazette 20th October 1928]
6th November 1928 - The various trips by children at the village school to watch farming activities continued with Mr. Ayre recording that: "Senior Class (I) to Three Cherry Tree Farm this a.m. to watch a Ploughing match" Presumably the children walked to the farm (beyond today's Buncefield oil depot) up Green Lane. [S73]
27th November 1928 - Mr. Ayre once more recorded a trip to a local farm: "Senior Class visited Bunkers Farm 11-12 to watch the dressing of Mill Stones." [S73]
13th December 1928 - Herbert Edwin Secretan died at his home of Tile Kiln Cottage. (Previously of The Dells) He would have been 79 on Dec 28th. He had lived in Leverstock Green since 1912, having retired as an underwriter for the London firm of Provision Marine & General. He had played a major role in village affairs being a "highly esteemed figure in the district and his disposition to help in every good cause endeared him to everyone who knew him. For some years Mr Secretan was Churchwarden at the Parish Church " His funeral was held on Tuesday19th December [Gazette Dec 23rd]
