Charles & Rachael Harwood. Penny Licks, Cherry picking and Walford House.
by
Jeanette Gilby, (Nee Andrews), edited by R.Dixon.
My Great Grandfather Charles Harwood and my Great Grandmother Rachael were resident
at "Walford House" (the Georgian House set back from the High Street opposite Millers
Lane, ed) during the l900 -
Charles was born at the railway cottage next to the Buntingford railway line
in Hollycross Road (referred to by some as 'Mickey Harwoods Hill') in 1868. (The
cottage burnt down in the late1950's and subsequently rebuilt. ed). He was the son
of Henry, a plate layer for the Great Eastern Railway and married Rachael Hills in
1887. They lived first at Willow Walk in Ware where he worked as a Maltster, later
moving to Stanstead Abbots in 1897 to a house in South Street moving to Walford House
just after. Twelve children were born, but only 9 survived, 3 having died in infancy.
It was their father's wish that they all had a basic education, which was at a cost
of 1 penny per child per week, although in today's terms it seems very little but
it was quite a hardship for the family. Two sons Jack and George were soldiers in
the Great war in 1914-
Jeanette Gilby
Rachael Harwood
Charles Harwood
Penny Lick Glasses