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Those Hills Mean A Lot
Elizabeth Abrahams' Reminiscences Date written, possibly 1980s These reminiscences were given to Box Parish Council many years go by Elizabeth Abrahams (nee Cummings) who was known as "Ishy". Elizabeth Ellen Cummings was born in 1888. She and her husband, Francis George Abrahams, married on 23 September 1912. They celebrated their Silver Wedding anniversary as recorded in the Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald of 25 September 1937. |
Abrahams' shop in Corsham shows Mr Abrahams second right (courtesy David Ibberson)
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The Abrahams' shop was originally owned by George Abrahams senior and later by his grandson Francis George who married Elizabeth Clements of Widcombe, Bath in 1912. In 1911 Francis George Abrahams (born 1891) was still living with his parents at Brookwell, Box Hill, where he worked for his father, Ernest Edward Abrahams, as an assistant in the family butchers' business.
The Callaway family lived nearby and often helped out. Daisy Callaway worked in the shop and Eddie Callaway (Eric's father) used to help drove the cattle back from market.
The Callaway family lived nearby and often helped out. Daisy Callaway worked in the shop and Eddie Callaway (Eric's father) used to help drove the cattle back from market.
Courting Days
I came to Box in 1912 as a bride. I went to live next to the Rising Sun. In early years we went to the theatre, sometimes by train or walked to Bathford to catch an open bus from the Crown, as it didn't get up the hill then. It seems very clear and vivid to me now. You had to come out a bit early to catch the train and if you missed it you had to walk. When we were courting, I lived in the Circus with Dr King to do telephone work and take messages for the hospital. I used to be lent to Dr Forbes Fraser. My husband used to catch the train, and ran across The Bassetts putting on his collar and tie as he ran. He'd meet me and I'd say, You don't look very tidy. In courting days he had to be just right. He'd say, I didn't have time. I had to get out of my slaughtering clothes.
I was married at the old Widcombe Church. When I came out there was a lady there, Annesley Vatchell, looking through the gate and waving her hand. I wasn't married from home as my mother was poorly. I was married from my husband's aunt's in Princes Buildings in Widcombe.
Butcher's Shop on Box Hill
It was a busy life with the butchering business, now Mr Ley's. My husband bought live beasts and came from market to the shop and slaughterhouse, where a house has now tumbled down. We lived a busy life particularly at Christmas. My husband liked to buy prize meat at Trowbridge Market and bring them home by drover. There was not the traffic then. Once two beasts fell down a quarry in the dark by the Tyning in the big dip coming across the top of Box Hill. They had to slaughter them there and just hang them. Next day they cut them up and brought them down to the slaughterhouse. Meat had to be dressed and taken to the shop and it was pretty hard going.
My daughter was born in 1913. I couldn't do all the helping till she got older. My husband's father was at Corsham and when my husband came home from the War in 1918 he took over from him as he got older. We sold the business at Corsham and brought it back to Box. We stayed over 50 years there, when meat was meat, then we gave up. I went once to get meat and I wanted to get behind the counter and help myself. It wasn't cut right.
There was very little time when people were not working. There was quite a lot of quarrymen on Box Hill but quite a bit of out-of-work too. They couldn't work stone on frosty days. Wages were low. One very honest woman got into debt, and said, Oh Mrs Abrahams, I will pay you. She used to pay off a shilling a week from the little she had and carried on till it was all paid. Thank you, Mrs Abrahams, for helping me. I'll try not to get as bad as this again. I said, You have been honest and if you want some more, I'll let you have it. Once she said when she came to my cottage, I have my pride. When I saw my neighbours coming along with baskets full of goods, I filled mine with stones and went along as if it was filled, humping it as if it was heavy. I wanted to keep up with them. I never forgot what she told me. Her husband was a quarryman.
Tradesmen in Box
There was no Co-operative shop then. Mr Bence's shop was there. There was a pork butcher's shop at Badgers Buildings where Mr & Mrs Miles live now. There was a bakery near the road junction. I have a photograph of Mr Bennie Drew with his cart. Mr Hulbert had the land from him and kept his pony and cart. He was a good-hearted fellow. Midnight they called him as he took his bread round in the dark during the war, a lantern swinging on the shafts. He was tough and rough but good at heart. He was good to old people and took them little bottles and gifts at Christmas. He was a character. His son learnt fancy baking and had a good business at Mead House opposite The Bear.
Box has changed. Our shop was part of the Queen's Head. The car park then was a beautiful garden and orchard with Mr & Mrs Ponting and they sold it to the brewery. When we were married they gave us a gift, a lovely little dish with forget-me-nots on it and a pot of raspberry jam. Our little shop adjoining the Queen's Head has gone into the inn, though the barber had it for a time till Mr Bawtree moved where he is now (in the Market Place).
That once belonged to another Mr Ponting, totally different from his brother. Bill Ponting had a shop on the corner of Queen's Square, which Mr Byfield had until it was pulled down. Mr Capel from Bath had a grocers where Mr Miller is now. The Co-operative shop was built on the site of the Clock House which didn't have a big clock. It was very like other stone Box houses. Once I peeped in the Blind House and it had a seat.
There have been a lot of changes. The houses near the Chequers are old and so are those beside Mr Bence's shop, which was later. Badger Buildings was the old name of the place where Steam Mill Cottages are now. The Aston's house and above it are old buildings. Mr Butt had a cycle shop there. In our early days he lived at Townsend and sold records and we spent an hour there and chose records for our gramophone, what we could afford. The Dyers lived at Townsend House which was once two cottages. He did funerals. They were great chapel people and used to go to Quarry Hill Chapel, now a house. The foundation stone at the little chapel at Box Hill was laid by Lady Fuller.
My neighbours at Clare Cottage, below the Rising Sun, had a bakery. They were great chapel folks. If you went to chapel Mr Hancock would give you a loaf or bake you a large cake. When my daughter was tiny he used to take her along to Sunday School. He was the cause of the chapel being built. His wife told me he put two or three half-crowns in the wet mortar of the foundation stone. He could little afford it in those days when money was money.
Rent was 5s a week or half a crown. I think we paid 5s for Clare Cottage. There was a bank where the British Legion is now, open on certain days. When that closed we had to bank at Corsham. On one of the buses we had to get on top. We could go to Bath for 6d return. In my early years it was wonderful when the nice buses came. We could go by train from Box Station; there was no halt then. It was talked about a long time before it was built. Stephen McGrath, a solicitor, helped put up a petition as quite a few girls from here went sewing in Bath shops such as Jolly's and Bings. I saw the halt built and I saw it taken away.
Life in Wartime and After
When the war came in 1939 we were very busy. Queues went nearly to the top of Chapel Lane waiting for the meat to come in, all frozen hard. People would call out, Here comes the meat, Mrs Abrahams and stamp their feet. My husband had to use a cleaver; there were no machines in those days, and he had to cut the meat into little bits, like a pennyworth of corned beef, while people waited. We had to cut out ration cards and on Sundays my husband had to prepare coupons to claim meat from the Food Office for next week.
I came to Box in 1912 as a bride. I went to live next to the Rising Sun. In early years we went to the theatre, sometimes by train or walked to Bathford to catch an open bus from the Crown, as it didn't get up the hill then. It seems very clear and vivid to me now. You had to come out a bit early to catch the train and if you missed it you had to walk. When we were courting, I lived in the Circus with Dr King to do telephone work and take messages for the hospital. I used to be lent to Dr Forbes Fraser. My husband used to catch the train, and ran across The Bassetts putting on his collar and tie as he ran. He'd meet me and I'd say, You don't look very tidy. In courting days he had to be just right. He'd say, I didn't have time. I had to get out of my slaughtering clothes.
I was married at the old Widcombe Church. When I came out there was a lady there, Annesley Vatchell, looking through the gate and waving her hand. I wasn't married from home as my mother was poorly. I was married from my husband's aunt's in Princes Buildings in Widcombe.
Butcher's Shop on Box Hill
It was a busy life with the butchering business, now Mr Ley's. My husband bought live beasts and came from market to the shop and slaughterhouse, where a house has now tumbled down. We lived a busy life particularly at Christmas. My husband liked to buy prize meat at Trowbridge Market and bring them home by drover. There was not the traffic then. Once two beasts fell down a quarry in the dark by the Tyning in the big dip coming across the top of Box Hill. They had to slaughter them there and just hang them. Next day they cut them up and brought them down to the slaughterhouse. Meat had to be dressed and taken to the shop and it was pretty hard going.
My daughter was born in 1913. I couldn't do all the helping till she got older. My husband's father was at Corsham and when my husband came home from the War in 1918 he took over from him as he got older. We sold the business at Corsham and brought it back to Box. We stayed over 50 years there, when meat was meat, then we gave up. I went once to get meat and I wanted to get behind the counter and help myself. It wasn't cut right.
There was very little time when people were not working. There was quite a lot of quarrymen on Box Hill but quite a bit of out-of-work too. They couldn't work stone on frosty days. Wages were low. One very honest woman got into debt, and said, Oh Mrs Abrahams, I will pay you. She used to pay off a shilling a week from the little she had and carried on till it was all paid. Thank you, Mrs Abrahams, for helping me. I'll try not to get as bad as this again. I said, You have been honest and if you want some more, I'll let you have it. Once she said when she came to my cottage, I have my pride. When I saw my neighbours coming along with baskets full of goods, I filled mine with stones and went along as if it was filled, humping it as if it was heavy. I wanted to keep up with them. I never forgot what she told me. Her husband was a quarryman.
Tradesmen in Box
There was no Co-operative shop then. Mr Bence's shop was there. There was a pork butcher's shop at Badgers Buildings where Mr & Mrs Miles live now. There was a bakery near the road junction. I have a photograph of Mr Bennie Drew with his cart. Mr Hulbert had the land from him and kept his pony and cart. He was a good-hearted fellow. Midnight they called him as he took his bread round in the dark during the war, a lantern swinging on the shafts. He was tough and rough but good at heart. He was good to old people and took them little bottles and gifts at Christmas. He was a character. His son learnt fancy baking and had a good business at Mead House opposite The Bear.
Box has changed. Our shop was part of the Queen's Head. The car park then was a beautiful garden and orchard with Mr & Mrs Ponting and they sold it to the brewery. When we were married they gave us a gift, a lovely little dish with forget-me-nots on it and a pot of raspberry jam. Our little shop adjoining the Queen's Head has gone into the inn, though the barber had it for a time till Mr Bawtree moved where he is now (in the Market Place).
That once belonged to another Mr Ponting, totally different from his brother. Bill Ponting had a shop on the corner of Queen's Square, which Mr Byfield had until it was pulled down. Mr Capel from Bath had a grocers where Mr Miller is now. The Co-operative shop was built on the site of the Clock House which didn't have a big clock. It was very like other stone Box houses. Once I peeped in the Blind House and it had a seat.
There have been a lot of changes. The houses near the Chequers are old and so are those beside Mr Bence's shop, which was later. Badger Buildings was the old name of the place where Steam Mill Cottages are now. The Aston's house and above it are old buildings. Mr Butt had a cycle shop there. In our early days he lived at Townsend and sold records and we spent an hour there and chose records for our gramophone, what we could afford. The Dyers lived at Townsend House which was once two cottages. He did funerals. They were great chapel people and used to go to Quarry Hill Chapel, now a house. The foundation stone at the little chapel at Box Hill was laid by Lady Fuller.
My neighbours at Clare Cottage, below the Rising Sun, had a bakery. They were great chapel folks. If you went to chapel Mr Hancock would give you a loaf or bake you a large cake. When my daughter was tiny he used to take her along to Sunday School. He was the cause of the chapel being built. His wife told me he put two or three half-crowns in the wet mortar of the foundation stone. He could little afford it in those days when money was money.
Rent was 5s a week or half a crown. I think we paid 5s for Clare Cottage. There was a bank where the British Legion is now, open on certain days. When that closed we had to bank at Corsham. On one of the buses we had to get on top. We could go to Bath for 6d return. In my early years it was wonderful when the nice buses came. We could go by train from Box Station; there was no halt then. It was talked about a long time before it was built. Stephen McGrath, a solicitor, helped put up a petition as quite a few girls from here went sewing in Bath shops such as Jolly's and Bings. I saw the halt built and I saw it taken away.
Life in Wartime and After
When the war came in 1939 we were very busy. Queues went nearly to the top of Chapel Lane waiting for the meat to come in, all frozen hard. People would call out, Here comes the meat, Mrs Abrahams and stamp their feet. My husband had to use a cleaver; there were no machines in those days, and he had to cut the meat into little bits, like a pennyworth of corned beef, while people waited. We had to cut out ration cards and on Sundays my husband had to prepare coupons to claim meat from the Food Office for next week.
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We lived in the house that recently nearly fell down (Brookwell). We had to walk down the hill before anyone was up in the morning and we went back when everyone had gone to bed.
Before the war we had a van and delivered meat, even a chop, at the best of the houses: Hazelbury, Hatt, Box, Ashley, Shockerwick. We had the pick of the trade. There were monthly books, red with gold writing, very expensive it was then. Left: Brookwell Cottage (courtesy Sheila Bartlett) |
My husband died in 1976. He had retired before that and Mr Whittle took on the business. He had worked for Mr Besant in the shop at the Chequers, that the Vezeys had in the earlier war. There were quite a lot of Vezeys; one had the candle factory and it was a big concern then. Mr Pinchin was at the brewery. Gladys Fisher who lives at Batheaston now, was at the Clock House (now the Co-op car park). Her father was gardener at Kingsmoor. She could give a lot of information. The Pinchin family goes a long way back before I remember. I knew Mr Tucker at the mill with a son and daughter.
It all seems like yesterday. I can sit and go back along Memory Lane. I go through my childhood quite a lot. We were very friendly with a farmer and his big family. That was in Urchfont, with the pond, the church and the ducks and a big house in the background. My son from Christian Malford will take me out and asks where I should like to go. Over the hills and far away and he knows just where. Those hills mean a lot to me.
It all seems like yesterday. I can sit and go back along Memory Lane. I go through my childhood quite a lot. We were very friendly with a farmer and his big family. That was in Urchfont, with the pond, the church and the ducks and a big house in the background. My son from Christian Malford will take me out and asks where I should like to go. Over the hills and far away and he knows just where. Those hills mean a lot to me.