Aspects of Thundersley
A report on the illustrated talk by Bob Delderfield
This is a brief report on the Thursday 16th.July 2022 talk for the Hadleigh Gardening Association by Bob Delderfield at Hadleigh’s remarkable Old Fire Station.
Using more than 70 slides to illustrate “Aspects of Thundersley” Bob demonstrated graphically that some of Thundersley is south of Kiln Road and then showed an appreciative audience how the name “Tarpots” predated the pub of that name. Then we headed into the countryside via Rushbottom Lane.
“A lot of people don’t realise this, if you walk from Tarpots, up Rushbottom Lane, through the kink, past the Church and on to the top of the rise; the road goes off to the right – – Ignore that, look to your left and see a tunnel, which goes under the A130 and you can walk through there. Some of you have probably done it. And if not, it’s time you did! And you may meet horses, one is in the distance here.”
Then we explored the main road between Tarpots and Bread & Cheese Hill with reference to The Argosy stores in different times. Here is the front view. We think that the chap in the middle is Mr Cox, standing proudly in front of his business. The Newspaper headline says “Great Battle in the Balkans” which would also support a date of 1914; notice the interesting embellishment above the window, above the front door.
Next we see a change of owner, it now says C J FOX. Some of you will be acquainted with Gilbert & Sullivan and their short operetta called Cox and Box; well, here we have Cox and Fox! This is about 1929. The Daily Mail reports “The King Takes The Salute” but he must have taken many salutes!
To conclude the evening, a final Aspect of Thundersley was the possibility of acquiring at the meeting a beautiful reproduction of Rev E A Maley’s classic work “The Ancient Parish of Thundersley” released by H&TCA a few days before the talk. The book is even more attractively produced than the original and benefits from a brief biography of the famous Rector by none other than Bob Delderfield.
This book and others about Thundersley published by the Hadleigh & Thundersley Community Archive are locally available at Dan’s News (Hart Road) and Ann’s Minimart in Daws Heath.
Forthcoming events in Hadleigh, Thundersley, Daws Heath and other suitable areas
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