This page provides supplementary information about the people, places and events that related to Felsted during the period that Sheilah’s diary was written.
Can you add any information about the diary or the things written in it? Please do get in touch.
Places
Black Chapel
Bury Pond
Sheilah ice-skated on this pond when it froze over, many times.
Council School
The Council School at Watch House Green, about a mile from the centre of Felsted.
Felsted
A fantastic resource all about Felsted, where the diary is set, thanks to the Felsted Parish Council.
Grandcourts Cottages
Spelt Graunt Courts in the diary, is a large house in Felsted, variously spelled as Graunt Courts or Grand Courts (Lodge and Farm, Felsted).
Queens Square
Mrs Rose Steward lived at one of the cottages at Queens Square (now demolished). This is where Felsted’s School Cricket Pavilion currently stands.
Various cottages surrounded the Queen Square and into the Braintree Road. William Steward occupied one of the Queen Square cottages and previously ran the blacksmith premises in the Yew Tree public house yard (today someone’s home). Nine people were living in the Steward cottage.
Part of the semi-circle of the Queen’s Square, Sometime in or before the 1920s.
Chequers, Roslyn House, cottages, Queen’s Square on the left.
The Vicarage
This is where Sheilah lived with her family during the period before, during and after, the diary.
We also have the location on the Historic England site (scroll down and click on “Zoom in”), a Google Maps image of the front of the house and some pictures of what it looks like inside from the architects that worked on the project. Note: it is now known as Andrew’s House.
People
Brian Peile Braund
Running (captain) House Prefect.
Photo of BP Braund, 1913 at Prep School.
You can read more here and also see him standing with other students, too.
Cyril Alfred Burne
Cyril Alfred Burne was at Felsted School from 1916-1917 (1900-1932). WWI: 1917-19 Royal Fusiliers. 1919-21 Interpreter to BA in Danzig. He was the son of assistant schoolmaster (mathematics) Ormond Hugh Burne (1906-1921).
Assistant Master & mathematician. Son of Thomas, colliery clerk, of Earl’s Court, London. Born at Burnopfield, near Tanfield, Durham. Educ. King’s College, London. Adm. at Corpus Christi Camb June 1880. Migrated to Trinity, Oct 9 1880; matric. Michs. 1880; Scholar, 1883; BA (24th Wrangler) 1884. Asst Master at Hill Lands School, Wargrave, for 7½ years; family moved from Cambridge to Germany and worked as an assistant master at Alte Burg, Aerzen, Hanover, Germany for 12 years. The school closed down and was appointed at Felsted School, Head Of Engineering. On 3rd November 1917, he was informed that his son Pte Harold O Hugh of 1st/4th Battalion, Essex Regiment was KIA on 3rd November 1917 and buried at the Gaza War Cemetery aged 20. He took early retirement.
See here also.
Mr Thomas (Tommy) Cooper
Mr Thomas (Tommy) Cooper was a Schoolmaster at Felsted School from 1910-1949. He was the Eldest son and child of Thomas (Ham & Bacon Curer) and Caroline Simpson; born in Buxton, Derbyshire. Assistant Master. BA, St John’s Coll, Camb, degree in Theology. Joined Junior House briefly in 1910. Housemaster of Stock’s (b) 1920-49 i/c Drama (hobby acting). Acting Headmaster 1947 following the sudden death of Alistair Andrew. The name appears in the War Memorial Building. Died at Essex County Hospital, Chelmsford. Buried at Holy Cross Church, Felsted.
Cyril Stanley Hodge
Cyril Stanley Hodges worked as an Assistant Schoolmaster for Felsted School in 1918-1918.
Image taken in December, 1918.
John Hugh Owen
John Hugh Owen (Felsted School 1907-1937), Senior Mathematician Master and science and games expert; directed Boxing for 20 years, member of Felsted School Scientific Society. He also contributed many publications for British Birds books and also a publication on the cuckoo in the Felsted district ‘Cuckoos, Cowbirds & Other Cheats’ in 1933.
Mr. J. H. Owen, of Felsted School and the Essex Field Club exhibited a special series of some 150 lantern slides from photographs illustrating the “Nesting Period of the Sparrow-hawk” as observed by himself, and gave an interesting running commentary upon the slides Hobby-ornithology.
Retired in 1937. Son to John and Martha Owen, born in Kinton, Nesscliffe, Shropshire. Scholar of Jesus Coll, Oxf. Vice-President of the Shropshire Ornithological Society from its inception in 1955. Died at Oswestry, Shropshire age 82.
See also: Lecture on “Birds of the Neighbourhood”, president of the Scientific Society at the Bury.
Dr William Donald Smallpeice
Dr William Donald Smallpeice (1853-1927) was Felsted School’s GP. The family were living at The Limes, Felsted in 1911. Their son Cosby Donad Philipps Smallpeice went to Felsted School from May 1909 to July 1913. Their daughter Andrea Cicely Smallpeice (1893-1976) would occasionally volunteer at some of the school’s events as would Mrs Cicely (née Philipps) Smallpeice. Mrs Smallpeice distributed Sports prizes and Miss Andrea Cicely Smallpeice had an artistic flare and occasionally drew designs on the School’s programmes.
Rev Francis Duncan Windsor
Rev Francis Duncan Windsor was a Schoolmaster at Felsted School from 1891-1928? Housemaster, Windsor House (c) 1900 - 1928, Librarian, Assistant Chaplain and Local Sec of the Mission, until he retired to Wembley.
Known for his famous slow walk down the drive, monocle in eye, straw hat on head, secured by the crook of a walking stick held with both hands behind his back, sclerosis got the better of him.
Born in Kingston, Canada and son of Saml and Blanche M Windsor. In 1871 the family lived in Worrall, Yorks. In 1881 he was Scholar at Christs Hospital School, Newgate St City London. Rev F.D. Windsor, Oxf, MA.
Florence Trigg
Florence Trigg (nee Holgate). She worked in service in Felsted, where she was born and bred.
Events
Steeplechases
See more here.
The Gordon Cooke
The Gordon Cooke is a running event (athletics) at Felsted School.
Don’t Forget … Can you add any information about the diary or the things written in it? Please do get in touch.