Jotman’s Farm used to be a dairy farm and the milk was sold to Howard’s Dairy, over the years it has been turned into a stables where horses can be kept at livery. There is a footpath that runs along beside the railway line all the way to St Margaret’s Church. In May 2012 the new RSPB site out on the marshes will also be accessed from this footpath.
Dave in the first recording talks about the ‘mags’ on Benfleet Creek, does anyone have any other information about these. It has been said that these magazines date to from a time well before the II World War. When it was required to off load explosives from barges before they were allowed to travel upstream towards London. If this is correct we do not know.
Comments about this page
Add your own comment
The clapperboard house at the bottom of Jotman’s Lane, by the railway bridge, was lived in by a French born old lady we knew as miss Knight….living alone in the house with no electricity or water. Her water was obtained, I think, from my nan & grandad
Amy & Charles Lewis at Jotmans house, next to the farm, which was an old black boarded cottage/house, now gone….I would love to know more about her. I used to visit her at a young age with my dad to do a bit of work around the garden.
Both my brother Peter Regan and myself Tim Regan worked at jotmans farm 1967. I was paid half crown. 2/6d was the envy of mates returning to school with a pair Adidas Santiago football boots.
Had a look around the site in September last year and couldn’t find the mags, although several possible traces. We found some earthen mounds, some brick walls, and broken churned concrete in the wooded area. I would appreciate it if I would be able to contact Dave to see if we can figure out what happened to the mags after all.
Pictures of our finds here
Regards
Listening to Dave recall his childhood has brought back happy memories, I lived in Philmead Road and knew Dave although he is 2 yrs. older than me. We had a wonderfully free childhood although I don’t suppose we appreciated it at the time. He mentions all the places we used to play, like Dave I fell out of an Elm tree near to the railway bridge which we knew as “The Arch” great memories. Thanks Dave.
Add a comment about this page