I lived in Central Avenue, Daws Heath Road, between 1942 and 1968.
In the early 1950s, the number 22 bus used to run past the end of Central Avenue between Leigh on Sea and Hullbridge.
At intervals, Jim Pedder, who lived in the Close at the end of Central Avenue, would get on the bus with his goat, and stand on the platform with it.
To make sure I was not making this up, I asked my brother , who is three years older than me, and he remembers this. He also remembers the goat coming back on the bus, unaccompanied, and the bus conductor tying it up on a piece of street furniture at Central Avenue, presumably for the owner to collect.
We have no idea where the goat went, and why, or even if it was a male or female.
I do hope someone can shed light on this!
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Hello Barbara, I’m James (Jim) Pedder’s great granddaughter, Emily Pedder. James died in 1961, but his wife, Susan, lived at 6 Central Close until her death in 1985. My dad wasn’t born until 1968 so never knew my Great Grandad, but remembers my Grandpa, Peter, telling him about goats in the back garden, and my Nan said Grandpa once said I’ve gotta feed the bl**dy goats again!
It is very nice to hear something funny about Great Grandad as we were always told he was very strict and severe (potentially through head injury and being a P.O.W in WW1). He was also a bus driver which could explain why he was let onto the bus with a goat, due to knowing the driver, or possibly was driving the bus and the conductor dropped off the goat for Susan to collect.
If you can think of anything else about him to tell us, we’d love to know!
Kind Regards,
Emily
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