MEMORIES OF MALDON
Glimpses into the lives of Maldon residents over the last 70+ years
To capture the memories of Maldon residents for the benefit of future generations, the Society has established an oral history archive,
‘Memories of Maldon’, under Wendy Howell's leadership. Copies of our recordings have been deposited with the Essex Record Office to provide material to assist those researching Maldon's history.
You can listen to some of our recordings on the Listening Station at the Maeldune Heritage Centre.
Visit our oral history website
Listen to more than 86 interviews with local people
telling stories of their lives in Maldon
https://www.maldonoralhistory.org/
Share your memories
If you or someone you know would care to donate their memories of Maldon
please contact us maldonsociety@aol.com
These nine extracts from our Oral History archive demonstrate the wide variety
of remarkable people in Maldon who we have had the privilege of recording.
Their stories are quite varied but are all based on their early lives in this superb town.
These clips last between 2 and 4 minutes. Please click on the cursor to listen.
STAFFORD CHIPPERFIELD
Stafford talks about his younger days when he worked in the ‘Valley’ in the Prom Park, which is where the children’s play area and Splash Park now are. He was a teenager at the time and the money he earned was very useful!
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JOHN DOUBLEDAY
John, the renowned sculptor who created the Byrhtnoth statue on the Prom Park, remembers his early days and buying his first home in Maldon, having benefitted financially from his first commissions.
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DAVID MACMORLAND
David, born in 1937, has farmed in Woodham Mortimer all his life. His grandfather owned and worked at Jacobs Farm on the Goldhanger Road in Heybridge. David fondly remembers his grandfather who was his mentor in later years.
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MARGARETT MIRZA
Margarett was born in 1937 and clearly remembers war time. She lived in Market Hill with her mother and here recalls a surprising discovery in the Butcher’s shop opposite.
PHILLIP JARVIS
Phil describes his working life on local farms, following in the footsteps of his Gamekeeper grandfather. They dealt with vermin with guns and traps.
KENNETH RUSSELL
Ken is 89 years old and when young, lived with his parents in a cottage in Langford. Here he remembers how they managed with no running water or electricity which, in those days, was not unusual.
CHRIS COPSEY & JUDY SMITH
Chris and Judy are the daughters of Douglas Ball, the fishmonger who had his wet fish shop in Maldon High Street. As young girls they helped their Dad in his business.
JUNE HOLLAND
June’s current home is built on part of the land where the old Bentall family “Towers” house used to be. Here her brother-in-law Trevor remembers that house and as a young boy, playing in the grounds.
ANDREW FAWCETT
Andrew assisted Humphrey Spender, the designer of the Maldon Millennium Embroidery which is displayed in the Maeldune Heritage Centre. Here Andrew talks about his time with Humphrey.