Holywell Farm

 A History of Holywell Farm, Watford

The name Holywell is common throughout England and Wales and the derivation comes from Anglo Saxon, but not all such place names had a well.

Holywell Farm in West Watford lay at the end of Vicarage Road, about a mile from the town, with land abutting the River Colne and a view across to Oxhey. To put it into today's map, it was where Stripling Way leads onto the Lairage Land and covering the land where Laurance Haines school is now and what became Harwoods recreation ground. It was being farmed before the coming of the Watford to Croxley branch line, which was begun in 1908. In fact, according to early censuses, the address is variously given as Holywell Farm, Moor Lane, Oxhey Hamlet, in the District of Watford.  When it was sold at auction in 1887 it was advertised as being on the High Road from Watford. Further on down Vicarage Road is Brightwells Farm, still in existence. 

In the 1700s into the late 1800s, Watford was very much an agricultural landscape and Agricultural Labourer is often given as an occupation on the early censuses, along with shepherd boy, cowman and cowboy. 

One of the earliest references to Holywell Farm is with regard to a Mr Jonathan Cox Lovett, born July 1739. His father was Daniel, his mother Elizabeth and he was baptised at St Mary’s Watford. He died a widower in March 1787 and there is an interesting reference to him in Henry Williams's History of Watford and Trade Directory published in 1884 regarding charitable endowments in relation to Dame Fuller's Free School, 'without which the income it possessed in the time of the foundress would have proved wholly inadequate to carry her pious intentions into effect had it not been for the benevolent consideration of subsequent benefactors who bequeathed certain sums to supply the deficiencies'. 

Robert Clutterbuck (1772 – 1831) who spent 18 years writing The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford,  wrote of a circumstance in connection with the said school. He says: "Mr Jonathan Cox Lovett, of Holywell, in this parish, by his will dated the 1st of May, 1780, made a reversionary devise of certain estates consisting of Holywell Farm, etc., to the trustees of this school; this devise, however, from having been made within twelve months of his decease and from not having been enrolled in Chancery, became void by the Act of the 9th of George II. c.36, called the Statute of Mortmain. Had this devise taken effect, the rents of the estates so devised would have been fully adequate to the future support of the school; under existing circumstances, however, its income must, in process of time, from the causes I have mentioned, be insufficient to defray its expenses."

Another early reference to the farm is the 1841 census on which John Tookey (b1781)) is named as Farmer and his birthplace is given as Hertfordshire. He was living at Holywell Farm along with his wife Mary, of the same age and nine others including William Saunders aged 25 (b1816), agricultural labourer, his wife and three children and Thomas Sawyer aged 15, also recorded as agricultural labourer. The others Ellen, Mary, John and Thomas are given as family members.

 

1841		Holywell Farm, Oxhey/Watford		Place of Birth
John Tookey	60	Farmer	1781
Mary Tookey	60		1781
John Lennington	15		1826
Ellen Mahon	20		1821	Ireland
Thomas Sawyer	15	Ag labourer	1826
William Saunders	25	Ag Labourer	b1816	Hertfordshire
Ann Saunders	25		b 1816	“
George     “	5		b 1836	“
Mary         “	3		b 1838	“
Edward      “	1		b 1840	“
George Chil ?	15

Ten years later on the 1851 census, there is no mention of 'a farmer'  or Head of household (they could have been away at the time), but William Saunders is still in residence as agricultural labourer, along with Ann, recorded as wife/charwoman, son George 15, farm labourer, Mary, just recorded as 'at home', Edward, now 11 shepherd boy, Emma, Eliza and Susannah, daughters. All from Watford, except Ann. 

1851 Census		Holywell Farm		Place of Birth
William Saunders	36	Agricultural Labourer	b 1816	Watford
Ann Saunders	39	wife/charwoman	b 1812	St Stephens, Herts
George	15	Son, farm labourer	b 1836	Watford
Mary	13	At home	b 1839	“
Edward	11	Son, Shepherd Boy	b 1840	“
Emma	9	Daughter, school	1842	“
Eliza	7	Daughter, school	1844	“
Susannah	2	Daughter	1849	“

In 1861, Holywell Farm has clearly changed ownership and the census for that year records: Charles Snewing, b. 1817 in Warwickshire, married, farmer of 108 acres employing 8 men and 2 boys. This is the Charles Snewing of Caractacus racehorse fame (see detailed story in drop-down menu). 

1861 Census		Holywell Farm, Moor Lane		Place of Birth
Charles Snewing	43	m. Farmer of 108 acres employing 8 men, 2 boys	b 1817	Warwickshire
Charles Snewing		Son, scholar	b 1853	Middx
Ann Snewing	8	niece	b 1853	Middlesex
Sarah Ann Crofts	31	Cousin	b 1830	Wolvery, Warkwicks
John Andrews	67	Servant, Farm Bailiff	b 1794	Gt Gaddesden
Elizabeth Clever	38	Servant, cook	b 1823	Wolvery, Warwicks
Mary Wech	15	Housemaid, domestic servant	b 1846	Watford
Charles Dale	14	Agricultural Labourer, cowboy	b 1847	Watford

By 1871 Charles Snewing is still the owner of Holywell Farm and it is notable that William Saunders and his wife Ann are back in residence at the time of the census. 

There are many references to Charles Snewing in the Watford Observer and other publications throughout his time at Holywell, usually with regard to horses and horse sales as, under his ownership, Holywell had become a stud farm. The following is just one example;

Sporting Life - Tuesday 14 March 1882

Holywell Stud Farm, Watford. LORD MALDEN (own brother in blood to Petrarch), a bright bay horse, without white, of great substance, fully 16 hands high, free from hereditary disease, with grand action and fine temper; will serve a limited number of mares, 5 guineas a mare..... etc. For subscriptions apply to Mr. C. SNEWING

There are also references to William Saunders in the local paper who, in a later report is referred to as Mr Snewing's foreman.

From the Watford Observer - Saturday 19 April 1879 -

SEED POTATOES.—For Sale, Surplus Stock of  Ash Leaf Kidney. Price 2s 6d per bushel. Apply to Wm. Saunders. Holywell Farm, Watford. 

Another small example of the farmer's life is shown in  the following short extract from the Herts Advertiser, Saturday 23rd December 1876 - 'Watford Christmas Meat Show' (an annual event by all accounts) when farmers and butchers from around the district would gather to show off their livestock and wares:

"The unseasonableness of the weather on Tuesday last made the butchers wonderfully chary about their display of Christmas fare and the consequence was that there was not nearly so fine a show as last year. Nothing is to be said against the quality of the meat, nearly all of which was of the very primest description  and reflected highly to the credit and ability of the  breeders. The fattening of stock and making it ripe for the butchers has become a very important branch of modern agriculture'. The article goes on to name all the farmers from all the farms around Watford, from as far afield as Winslow and Rickmansworth, together with their exhibits, which included pheasants and other game, hares, geese, turkeys, ducks, fowls, and of course, cattle and sheep. Charles Snewing of Holywell Farm is noted as "exhibiting a fat calf, fed by the exhibitor and 4 very prime southdown sheep, also fed by him".  

1871 Census		Holywell Farm
Charles Snewing	52	Widower	b 1818	Brinklow,Warwickshire
Charles Snewing	18	Son	b 1853	London
Allan Jeffrey	44	Visitor	b 1827	Scotland
William Saunders	57	Agricultural Labourer Same William Saunders as in 1851 census   By 1891 he was living in Estcourt Rd Watford aged 77 with his wife Annie (80), occ Labourer Past Work	b 1814	Herts
Ann Saunders	60	Servant Same Ann Saunders as in 1851 census	b 1811	Herts
Frederick Durrant	18	Servant	b 1853	Herts
Samual Durrant	15	Servant		Herts
Mary Ann Heel	26	Servant	b 1845	Warwickshire

Yet a rather more lengthy report from the Watford Observer of October 1872 (here abridged) concerns Henry Robinson and an alleged theft of tools from Frederick Hickford. He was accused of stealing a saw and shovels from Mr Snewing's Holywell Farm. A number of people were called to give statements regarding the tools. William Saunders stated: "I am foreman to Mr Charles Snewing of Holywell Farm, Watford. The hay fork has been lost since the other tools, but I cannot say when. We lost two shovels, a four-tined fork, and a spade last February, belonging to Mr. Snewing. They were taken out of the toolhouse on a Sunday evening. There have been marks on the tools produced where I usually mark Mr. Snewing’s, but they have been removed. The hay fork produced has also been marked in two places, as I usually mark them. Mr. Snewing bought the shovels himself. One of them was light and the other heavy. The heavy one had a tread on it, but the light one had not. The tools have all the appearance of those which belonged to Mr. Snewing".

Mr Boydell stated: I know the saw also by being able to bend it double; I never knew another saw that you could bend double. I also know it by the maker's name stamped on the plate. I do not think there are many saws in Watford by the same maker. I positively swear that the saw produced is mine.  I sold the shovels to Mr. Snewing myself."

Henry Purcell stated: I live at Lodge, Watford. I bought the four-tined fork off the prisoner on the 10th July last. I had previously sold the prisoner a load of dung, and had the fork in lien of money. The fork produced is the one that I bought off the prisoner. My wife gave it up to the police. I am a signalman on the London and North-Western Railway, and was on duty at Pinner Station at the time.

Police Constable Jennings stated: On Tuesday last, the 1st October, I received the fork produced from the last witness's wife at Wiggenhall Lodge. I found the light shovel in a hut on the Rickmansworth line, where the prisoner had been at work. The prisoner told the ganger to give it to me; he said that it belonged to him. I also found the spade produced on the line, hidden under some sleepers.

Saunders was again recalled. He said the spade produced was like one lost from Mr. Snewing’s. The brands had been cut out of it. 

The prisoner pleaded not guilty to all the charges. He was committed for trial. 

Farraline House

Most people in West Watford, or Watford generally, will have heard of Farraline Road. This was originally part of Wiggenhall Road until 1898 after which it was named after Farraline House.  In the 1881 census it is described as "Farraline House, Watford Field" and in the 1882 directory as "Farraline, Colney Butts" but never as Farraline House, Farraline Road (although properties are listed as being in Farraline Road from 1900). Its position is best illustrated on the map below. It stood in the triangle between Vicarage Road, Farraline Road and Wiggenhall Road, where the current "roundabout" is, Vicarage Road at that time being terraced houses. 

The 1881 census shows only one person resident on the night, 77 year old Letitia Gardner, described as 'domestic servant in charge of the house'. The 1882 directory lists it under a 'Miss Smith'. In 1890 and 1895 the house is listed as Farraline, Vicarage Road, then in 1899, 1902 and 1908 as Farraline, Wiggenhall Road, in 1914 and 1917 as Farraline, Vicarage Road and in 1922 as Farraline, Wiggenhall Road again. Later entries may show different postal addresses.

Reginald Owen was an architect who moved south to head the newly formed architecture department of the L.N.W.R. One of his most distinguished works was the War Memorial at Euston Station.  He and his family moved into Farraline House in 1917. The house itself is described at that time as having a day and night nursery, both upstairs. There was a large garden and a yard with a stable and stable loft, where the children played, and other outbuildings. The family had a nurse, a cook-general and a maid, as well as a nursery nurse who accompanied the family on holiday.  Milk was delivered by "Gussy, Bang-Bang", so-called because he rode a motorbike, although the milk was delivered by horse-drawn float. Behind Farraline House was a stationers owned by a well-known amateur footballer, a sweet shop owned by a blind man - Mr Ticknel -  and, opposite, a butcher who looked after the pets when the family were on holiday; the pets including bantams, chickens, cats and a black & white border collie called 'Bob'. Reginald Owen didn't own a car, but rode a bicycle with a cane sidecar (like a bath chair) in which his wife and sometimes the children, would ride. 

Mr Owen's mother died at the house in 1920 as did his wife in 1924, after which he and his three daughters moved away, to return to Watford some years later when the daughters attended Watford Grammar School for Girls. They then lived in a large house called "Stacey's" in Harwoods Road and then in a house called "Yeoveney"  In Alexandra Road. Members of the family are buried in Vicarage Road Cemetery. 
 Farraline House was demolished in 1960. 

References:

The majority of family details are taken from the website of James Owen - http://owen.cholerton.org/home_02.php - and where also other mentions of the family in Watford can be found. We are indebted to the family for our use of the information.

Also: 

Hertfordshire Genealogy website:  http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/answers/answers-2005/ans5-028-farraline.htm 

Street and Place Names in Watford - Alan W Ball 

Watford to Croxley Green Branch Line

Work on the Watford to Croxley Green Branch Line was begun in 1908 in response to the growing influence of the Metropolitan Railway, with  a new passenger service being created along the branch line originally built to serve the Grand Union Canal. The extension involved the construction of a bridge over the Colne and a much more substantial bridge over the Grand Union Canal. In 1911, after the LNWR took over management, plans were announced confirming proposals for the electrification of the line (along with the existing Rickmansworth branches) and in addition, an electric train shed with sidings was to be built, making connections with the Watford and Rickmansworth line at Croxley Green Junction.

The Watford to Croxley Green Branch Line opened on 15th June 1912 with a freight service being provided from 1st October 1912. The following year, an intermediate station was built; known initially as 'Hagden Lane', it was soon changed to 'Watford West'.  It is interesting to note that Watford West was closed from November 1914 for the duration of the Great War and that on 10th March 1913, Croxley Green station buildings and platform were totally destroyed by a fire thought to have been started by Suffragettes.

Initially the branch was operated by steam power, often a rail-motor, but the Croxley Green electric service commenced on 30th October 1922 (the electrification of the Rickmansworth branch being the last part of the project to be completed and electric trains did not run on that line until 26th September 1927). In October 1922, after electrification was complete, there were 25 trains running to and from Watford and in 1925, the Watford to Croxley Green local service, which had been weekdays only, was extended to cover Sundays. However, by the 1940's, the Sunday service was axed, along with the late evening workings. Although identified in the Beeching Report for closure in 1966, consent was refused, being vetoed by Barbara Castle who was Minister for Transport at the time. A peak service only continued to run for many years.

On 4th December 1982, a new stop funded by the Football Trust, Watford F.C. and Watford Borough Council, was built on the east side of Vicarage Road to provide support for the increased crowds coming to see Watford Football Club, who had risen from the fourth to the first division. The stop, named Watford Stadium Halt, was a single concrete platform costing £200,000 and was opened by Elton John in conjunction with Lord Aberdare. At appropriate times a six car e.m.u. provided a shuttle service to and from Watford Junction. Unfortunately, the success of the club at that time was short-lived and so was the shuttle service. 

In 1988, an attempt was made to revive the fortunes of the Croxley Green branch by running a twice hourly daytime service. However, Croxley Green station had fallen into a bad state of disrepair by this time with the single platform being boarded up and a temporary structure erected on either side of the line. Late in 1989 the rotting original platform was demolished, together with much of the original Watford West station structure. From January 1990 the Watford to Croxley service was reduced to one 7.00am return working from Watford Junction on weekdays only.  

In 1996 a new road cut through the line just east of the Grand Union Canal bridge, severing the route between Watford West and Croxley Green. For a short time services were replaced by a bus and then by an occasional taxi. The branch was 'formally closed' in 2001.

Proposals were put forward to link the Metropolitan Line from Croxley to Watford, but have now been shelved (2019).

References:  

West of Watford - Watford Meropolitan & the L.M.S. Croxley Green and Rickmansworth branches by F.W. Goudie & Douglas Stuckey, published by Forge Books 1990. An invaluable source of information studded with photographs.

Underground History - North of Harrow and Wealdstone - Hywel Williams. A history of the line and several photos can be found here of the disused branch line showing it in its entire length. http://underground-history.co.uk/croxley.php

Wikepedia:  Watford and Rickmansworth Railway.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford_and_Rickmansworth_Railway

 Nick Catford: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/w/watford_west/index.shtml

Update - Workhouse Bricks Campaign

For all those interested in the Group's "Save The Bricks" Campaign, we would like to share with you an update on the situation. Our Secretary wrote to Watford MP Dean Russell, who had conveyed an interest in what we were trying to achieve and the following is the response we received: 

"I’d like to reassure you and the members of the West Watford History Group that as an integral part of a listed building the workhouse bricks are not under threat of demolition or removal by WHHT.

 We are still at an early stage in our Outline Business Case (OBC) and still a long way off from considering our Full Business Case (FBC) which is the point we need to reach before any work on the redevelopment of our buildings at Watford gets underway.

 

We would be happy to talk to the group at some point next year to explain this and I’ve copied our redevelopment communications leads into this email so they can add the group into our stakeholder communication plans.

 

Many thanks for raising the concerns of the group with us and please be assured that we would not wish to damage a listed building in any way."

In the New Year, Dean would be pleased to facilitate the meeting mentioned. 

Best wishes,

Gideon Benedyk

And our response to him:

"Dear Gideon

Thank you so much for forwarding the WHHT's response to your recent message concerning our Save the Workhouse Bricks campaign.

We appreciate that they have a long way to go before any redevelopment of the hospital site goes ahead, but one of our main concerns is that the walls of the building containing these bricks may eventually be demolished.  The building is Grade 2 listed and, therefore, does not qualify in the same way as a Grade 1 listed building which would be saved in its entirety.  Perhaps only the facade fronting Vicarage Road would be preserved.  

However, we look forward to next year when perhaps the the Trust is further ahead with its plans and could meet us to discuss a possible solution to ensuring the preservation of these artefacts that are of historic significance in Watford.

In the meantime, we will keep an eye on the erosion problem that is inevitably damaging all of the brickwork on these buildings and will pass to Sarah Priestley, our Museum Curator and Sian Macdonald, WBC Heritage Officer, an outline of the recent correspondence we have had.

Please extend our gratitude to Dean Russell MP for his interest and for his offer to facilitate a meeting with the parties concerned.  

A copy of all correspondence has been passed to Lynda Bullock, Chair of West Watford History Group, who has asked that this matter be placed on the agenda for our next WWHG meeting."

Kind regards

Sue Ettridge (Secretary WWHG)