Childhood holidays in Great Hormead

Happy childhood memories

By Margeurite Johnson

Auntie Elsie, mum Edith and I, Margeurite, went from Tottenham Hale train station to to Braughing station. We were met by Mr Ginn with a pony and trap. Mum and Auntie sat in the back, with the suitcase, and I sat at the front, holding the reins with Mr Ginn. Mrs Ginn cooked big old potatoes with their skins on, and baked her own bread, in a big black oven range. There was a donkey in the field, which I was told not to try to ride. I tried to ride it, it threw me down the bank into the stinging nettles. Mum and Auntie took me to stay with Mr and Mrs Ginn a few times during the war, while my father was Gunner Holding in the Royal Artillery.

A happy childhood

I can remember walking down the lane after it had been raining. The cottages that lay back on a bank and had a little brook running in front of them. Although I was very young, and an only child, I had a very happy childhood.   My husband and I, over the years, have been to The Swan Tea Shop in Hare Street. We’ve been inside Great Hormead church and I’ve walked round the churchyard. There’s something about Great Hormead, Braughing, Brent Pelham and Buntingford where I would feel at peace and remember happy childish things.

This page was added on 06/08/2009.

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  • I just read this page. I trust you know about “Ginn of Hertfordshire’ blog by Michael Taylor. Just in case, here is a search result link: http://ginn-hertfordshire.blogspot.com/search?q=great+hormead. There are at least half a dozen related pages on this blog. Cheers, Barry Ginn in Ottawa, Canada

    By Barry Ginn (25/04/2021)
  • Have just read these comments whilst researching Great Hormead. My wife and I moved to Hall Lane in 2019 and looking at the pictures, we are pretty sure this is our cottage. Would love to hear from Marguerite and Pauline.
    Our cottage is much loved.

    By Gary Staples (17/01/2021)
  • Hi, I am also researching family tree, Ginn would you know first names? Thanks

    By Helen Blackburn (18/06/2019)
  • Hello Margeurite. I am researching my ancestors, the GINN families from Hormead. Do you have any other information about them? Do you know approximate dates of these Ginns and what their first names were? Thanks. Pauline

    By Pauline Beer (26/06/2018)
  • I like this piece. It is just what Hertfordshire Memories should be about.

    By Alan Thomson (30/11/2010)