In 1907 the Rev, Alfred Hinson (1844 - 1922, a retired Baptist pastor who had pastored Bovingdon and then Flaunden Baptist churches), gave a talk to Chesham Hinton Baptist Church Men’s Own group, which was recorded in the local press. Here, Neil Rees has adapted it but kept the Rev. Hinson’s words, and added in dates where necessary.

Remembering Chesham

“The place of one's birth, is never forgotten, so Chesham has always had a very warm place in my heart. Set among the valleys of Bucks, away from the great highways, a place of quiet beauty, full of life, I want you to look at it as it was.

The River

Recalling to mind those days, I find that between the old Broadway Chapel and ‘The Lamb’ public-house there were four shops and sixteen cottages. Living close to the water in my childhood, when the river was in flooded, I nearly lost my life. I was told it was a narrow escape, but what a place for youngsters to play in! If we lost a ball we would run down to Carter’s Alley, and in an opening there we would often get what we had lost.

The Broadway and Blucher Street, Chesham. c1905The Broadway and Blucher Street, Chesham. c1905 (Image: Supplied)

The Broadway

Another of the delights of the Broadway was when the water was turned down the town, by means of the sluice. It was a sight to see Mr D. Clare and others throw the water over the centre of the road by means of barn shovels. So, they watered the roads in those olden days.

Although there have been many and great changes in all parts of the town, perhaps the greatest have been in the Broadway and in the north end. On the left-hand side, from the “Waggon and Horses” to the hand-post, there were only three cottages. All the rest were meadows and fields.

Industry

Wooden-ware and boot making have always been Chesham's leading industries. Flour mills were known in those days by the names of their owners: hence Rose's, Fox's, Ball's. Besides those there were Elliot's paper mill and the old silk mill. The establishment of the Bank here in 1840 by Messrs Butcher has played a good part in helping on the town industries. Mr John Garrett, used to bank at Tring before the Chesham branch was opened, and generally rode horse back.

Temperance Hall

The splendid temperance work done in this town, when men had to suffer for their convictions, must not pass without a word. Fine entertainments were given after the erection of the Temperance Hall in 1852.

High Street Chesham looking towards The Broadway. c1900High Street Chesham looking towards The Broadway. c1900 (Image: Supplied)

Newtown

I also remember a Temperance Fete being held in some meadows where Townsend Road now is. I well remember the cemetery before 1857, when it was part of a 60 acre field belonging to the Vale Farm.

Education

For children's compulsory education was unknown. Labour was cheap. The necessaries of life very dear. Children of the tender age of eight, nine, and ten were sent to work in a regular way. In the plaiting schools were found a lot of children of eight years old. Schooling was at a discount. Comparatively few attended either the British or National Schools. Then children used to learn to read at Sunday School, and a large number of children had no other means of education. My own father was sent from home a distance of miles at the age of ten to be apprenticed for seven years.

Parish Church

The Parish Church has been very much altered. Before the renovations of 1869, one remembers the old square family pews in the gallery, as well as in the body of the church. One of my boyhood delights was to go on moonlight nights with Mr Coughtery, the parish clerk, when he went to ring the curfew bell. One of the most known and best loved men of the town and the minister of the Parish Church, the Rev A. L Aylward had a fine personality, a kind heart, great intellectual power, and with it all he was a devoted Christian minister. The all-round interest he took in the affairs of the town could not be surpassed.

Typhoid Epidemic

Not long after this came the days of the epidemic of typhoid fever in 1871. Many valuable lives lost, and the noble Vicar, laid down his life, being one of its victims. He caught the disease in visiting the people he loved so well. Never had been seen such a funeral as his in Chesham.

The Chapels

The strenuous services of those days! Typically, Sunday School, 9 a.m.; public worship, 10.30; Sunday School, 1.15; public worship, 2.30; and service again at 6 p.m., besides early morning and evening prayer meetings at Townfield Chapel, the Congregational Chapel, and the Star Meeting Chapel, since 1901 known as the Broadway. Nor must I leave out Quaker friends, for they used to have large and important meetings.”

Town Misson

About the time in 1875, a week's united mission services were held, and on one of the evenings a united service was held in the Parish Church, all the Nonconformist ministers being present. The Church was packed and the Vicar preached a splendid evangelical sermon.”

Hardships

We speak of the good old days. I am inclined to think that those days of which I have been speaking were not altogether good old days. Picture this old-world town, without water-supply, except from wells, some of them open in the public streets, no drainage, except the river, and no public lamps. The only holidays in those days were Christmas Day (very few observed Good Friday) and fair days, and they were fairs in those days, especially Michaelmas Statute Fair. Then young men and maidens came from many miles round to hire themselves for the year's service. The hardships of the common people, as they are sometimes called, in the time of the Crimean War (1853-56) and the cotton famine (1861-65) and are but very little known, but some of us know they were very great indeed. Thank God this generation is spared from hardships such as these.”