Burling and Briggs family photos

Bullen (Suffolk, England -seems all the Bullens are distantly related at some point to Ann Boleyn! That's according to Frank Bullen who was tracing his family history. He says "The name goes back to the Counts of Boulogne, of Ardennes and of Flanders, in the 10th Century and, since they were a very powerful family of Frankish Royal descent, through them, to Charlemagne, (crowned Holy Roman Emperor in A.D.800)."

The Burling families:

Albert and Anna, 1930

Bill and Thora, 1920

Charles and Ada

Mabel

The Briggs Families:

Charles and Susan

Percy

Good websites:
Hertfordshire Genealogy
Churches of Hertsford
UK Villages
The TImes 1785 - 1985
Repository of data collected by a Therfield descendant
The Fox and Duck
Hertfordshire Towns
Villages in Herfordshire

Places:

Boxworth Parish, Cambridgeshire, England in the 1920's

from the memories of Harold Ernest Crossley

School holidays, 5 weeks in July and August, were spent with Granddad & Granny (Charles & Susan) Briggs at 1 School Lane. The cottage had been extended prior to the 1914 - 1918 War. The extension was paid for by the Squire, as the cottage was a TYTHE cottage to the Mailer Farm. The kitchen had a brick floor, kitchen range and a roasting spit that hung in an open chimney. The range had ovens on both sides and two ovens in the walls. Fuel was mainly wood, coal on cooking days. An oil stove was also used for quicker heat. Lighting was by paraffin oil lamps. The second room downstairs was the Post Office and the post box was in the wall. Aunt Ella was the post mistress and she ran the post office until she married Fred Peel and they moved to Yarmouth Farm, Lolworth.

The village was about 3/4 mile in length and started from the main Cambridge-Huntington Road and continued out towards Elsworth. As one left the main road coming into the village "Grape Vine" cottages were the first ones on the right. There was a gap of about 150 yards to a side road leading to the Manor House, which had a bricked pond. Mr. Thornhill lived here. The Thornhill's had lived here since the days of the Fuedal System (this would have been the home of the Lord of the Manor).

Opposite the road to the manor was a road to the church, a flint covered building of the Norman Era. Proceeding on the dusty road the next turning was on the right, School Lane. The village school was on the corner. About 100 yards down the descending lane on the left, were three cottages (Briggs, Allgood, and the roadman). Opposite School Lane was a row of cottages called The View. Next to them was the Village Hall. Down the road was was the Village Shop and the Blacksmith's shop. Onwards was the Elloit's Farm and yard. On the opposite side of the road was the entrance to the Mailer Farm. Next on the route would be The High Street which consisted of about 10 cottages. The there was a fork in the road. On the left were two cottages and a footpath leading to Childerly Hall.

At the fork was the village pub, The Golden Ball. In those days it was very primitive, beer being fetched in jugs from the cellar.

The right fork went passed the Village Green with its pond before coming to 6 more cottages and a home built around 1918. This home was built for the village Constable, Mr. Bell. He patrolled on a pedal cycle.

The main surnames in the Village were: Smith, Pink, and Briggs. Most of the men had nicknames, like, Tocker, Rangy, Hooty, Dumpling, and Punch. The source or meaning of the nicknames is unknown.

Life was primitive and slow for me in those childhood days. There was no running water, no electricity, no sanitation. Boxworth was about 57 miles from London but it took nearly all day to get there. The last part of the journey was from Swavesey Station, 4 miles in a pony & trap. Life for the adults was very hard. Men toiled in the fields from 6am to sunset in the summer months to get the harvest in. The wives of the men were allowed to go into the fields after they had been cut to pick up ears of corn that had not been harvested. During the winter months, Village Hall was used for dances once a month. Music was usually provided by Mr. Kester from Grapevine.

The Bull and Butcher in Turville

History of the Bull and the Butcher Built in 1550, the Bull and Butcher is a listed grade 2 building in a conservation area of outstanding natural beauty set deep in a beautiful valley of Chilterns Hills. The name "The Bull and Butcher" or "Bullen Butcher" stems from Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn (Bullen).
Despite being built in 1550, it wasn't until 1617 when workmen on the church threatened to lay down their tools if no refreshments were provided, that a license was issued to sell liquor and the owner supplied ale and food for the workers. At that time, the pub was born and subsequently became known as the "Bullen Butcher".
Little is known about the landlords of the pub over the centuries. In 1942, landlord Lacey Beckett shot his wife and dog in the upstairs bedroom of the pub and then shot himself in the orchard (which is now the car park).
There were two theories ciculating on why Beckett would commit a double muder and homicide. One was that Mrs. Beckett was having an affair with the local blacksmith. The other was that during the war time, Beckett became depressed and the pressures of life, at the time, pushed Beckett over the edge.
A photo of Beckett, in a Napoleon style pose on horseback, in the Bull and Butcher is the only reminder of Lacey Beckett in Turville, apart from his spirit which has been felt on more than one occasion in the pub.

St Peter's Parish Church and old cedar chest