Dad's lifetime in his local area

9:18am Friday 25th January 2008

DONALD Jack Gowing, my father, was born in Harrison Street, St Pancras, writes Colin Gowing.

He grew up in Walthamstow, attending schools in Queens Road, Gamuel Road, Chapel End and Edinburgh Juniors.

In 1929, his mother left Walthamstow and moved to Chingford, taking nine-year-old Donald and her own brother Raymond to a new life.

Donald finished his schooling and found work as a greengrocer's boy, earning extra money by collecting and delivering shoes for his uncle Raymond, a shoe mender.

He remembered vividly finding a scrapped bicycle frame and, with the help of his uncle, restoring it to full use.

The bicycle opened a whole new world to be explored.

Moving on from the greengrocer, Donald found a better job working for James Soper, of Low Hall Farm, close to where Low Hall Close is now. It was here he found his niche in life.

He delivered milk all over Chingford with his horse, Queenie, and in 1937 learned to drive a motor car.

In 1938, Donald joined the Enfield Highway Cooperative Society Dairy in Gilbert Street, Enfield.

In 1940 he married my mother, Winifred Deacon, and they moved to Waltham Cross.

Winifred was born in Stoke Newington, the fourth child of five. The family moved to Queens Grove Road in about 1928 and sister Beatrice become involved with the 6th Chingford Guide and Scout troop, based at the Wesleyan Church in Station Road.

The other sisters, Rosa, Lilian and Winifred joined Sunday school classes at the Hall in Kings Head Hill, later known as Peacham Hall.

Not long after this Rosa became involved with the Brethren and Lilian and my mother Winifred, joined the Sewardstone Mission.

It was at the mission my mother Winifred met my father Donald, in 1936.

One by one the five children grew up and married.

Rosa married Alfred Peacham in 1937, Beatrice married an insurance man, Ernest (Curly) Collins in 1938, and my mother married my father in 1940.

The following year was uneventful until Leonard married Doris White in 1942, then Lilian married Eddie Jones in 1946. In the mid-1950s Lilian and Eddie left for Australia.

Beatrice and Curly Collins were living at Frederica Road in Chingford, opposite North Chingford Congregational Church.

They too left to make a new life in Australia in 1957.

Leonard and Doris Deacon moved to Ilford and my mother and father moved to Waltham Cross and then on to Cheshunt.

Only Rosa and Alfred Peacham remained in Chingford.

Alf was a gardener at Friday Hill House before it was taken over by the Corporation of London.

Rosa was a keen and able dressmaker, specialising in wedding dresses.

I understand Peacham Hall, formerly Brethren Hall where my mother and father married, was renamed as a tribute for the work Alf did for the local church.

COLIN Gowing adds: "After my father's photograph appeared on my family history website, I received an e-mail from one of James Soper's descendents who sent me the following information.

James Soper took over Low Hall Farm and milk business in 1896 and the farm was known locally as Soper's Farm.

It was originally 400 acres but during the 60 years he farmed there it dwindled to 25 to 30 acres as land was given over to building.

He also owned Gomms Farm and farmed at Mount Echo Estate and Hawkwood in Chingford.

He was a regular worshipper at Buxton Road Congregational Church, north Chingford, and was a member of Connaught Bowling Club, a founder member of Chingford Rotary Club and in 1953 was made an honorary member."

Around the site