Hertingfordbury Parish News: February 2003
Diamond Wedding Anniversary
On 9th January 2003, Doreen and Frank Vigus celebrated 60 years of married life together, all of which has been spent living in Hertingfordbury 33 years at Mill Farm and 27 at Belle Meade, overlooking the farm. Frank and Doreen moved to Mill Farm (Elmdene, as it was known then) in 1943, after their wedding at Bengeo. It consisted of 130 acres and Frank started farming with 30 Dairy Shorthorns milked by hand, 3 working horses and an old Austin 10 van. The house had no electricity, just gas mantel lighting, no TV or telephone and was covered in creepers, which had to be removed as Doreen kept getting bitten by insects. Hertingfordbury village had its own Post Office, Bakers and Grocers (Rayment's) a tailor and a cobbler. Harry Shepherds was run by his dad. The steam railway station down by Harry Shepherd's house was fully operational. The Memorial Hall (Mayflower Place) was a working men's club which had its own bowling green and snooker rooms upstairs and, of course, a bar. The name was changed to Mayflower Place when the Kemp sisters moved there from their previous pub called the Mayflower which was opposite the Sele Arms in North Road. Panshanger Mansion was lived in by Lady Desborough and was used to house fallen women and their babies during the war, which was still going on. Frank and Doreen can remember a doodlebug exploding at the back of Joe Thorpe's Thieves Lane and it caused all the windows of Mill Farm house to be blown out. St Joseph's Convent was a private house and owned by Rowland Smith. Sele Farm and Saddlers Farm were working farms and not a housing estate as it is today. Prisoners of war worked on the farm and became good friends, making us boats in bottles and other wooden toys. Tim was born in May 1944 and William February 1948. They grew up and went on to farm in partnership with Frank. Frank was a well respected cattle breeder on the show circuit, winning many awards, and was one of the first farmers to install a herringbone parlour so cows could be milked mechanically without the cowman having to bend his back. He was NFU County Chairman, on the Milk Marketing Board, President of Rotary, Captain and President of Hertingfordbury Cricket Club and a keen scouter. Frank and Doreen raised money by organising village dances and whist drives for the Coronation Celebration of Queen Elizabeth and went on to raise money to pay for the most valuable asset to our village, the recreation ground. Frank was Chairman and Founder Member of the Village Fete Committee. Doreen is a very keen W.I. and Inner Wheel member, both of which she has been president. She also enjoyed amateur dramatics and still supports local events. On 12th January, Frank and Doreen celebrated their 60 years of marriage with a party for 80+ friends and relatives in the Mayflower Place, entertained by the West Country Worzels (Vigus style). They were very pleased to receive a telegram from the Queen. WHVPlease note: Although the Hertingfordbury Parish News is produced by St. Mary's PCC, the opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the PCC.