Judy Henshaw arrived in Great Witley as a young girl when her parents bought the village post office.
She has lived or visited here all her life and has a wealth of knowledge about the village and surrounding area.
Judys recordings:
Buying Great Witley Post Office: Henshaw_Judy_20140214_1_2_A (3 mins 46 secs)
Start | Topic | Period |
00.23 | Buying the Great Witley Post office from Mr Pratley | 1943 |
01.00 | Dads Jowett 8 Car | |
01.30 | Moving the family furniture to Great Witley | |
02.00 | The families first night in Great Witley and the help received from Mr & Mrs Arthur Moore | |
03.00 | Assistance from Dr Walter Johnson and Dr Goodwin |
Great Witley Telephone Exchange: Henshaw_Judy_20140307_1_3_A (9 mins 4 secs)
Start | Topic | Period |
00.28 | The early days of the post Office and telephone exchange in Great Witley | |
00.10 | The village telegraph office | 1910 |
01.21 | The fist telephone is installed at the Post Office (Great Witley Number 1) | 1912 |
01.50 | A telephone exchange is installed at the post office | |
02.30 | Mr Pratleys displeasure at telephone calls after 10pm | |
03.00 | Telephonists | |
03.20 | Judy starts to help out with operating the exchange | 1940s |
0320 | Operating the manual telephone exchange | |
04.49 | Listening in to calls and working out the bill. | |
05.20 | The battery store at the back of the Post Office and the local Linesman Mr Maggs | |
06.15 | Building the current exchange building in part of the Post Office pony paddock | |
07.10 | The telephone box at the Hundred house and connecting callers from the call box | |
08.11 | Contacting the Emergency Services via the manual exchange. |
Childhood Memories in Great Witley: Henshaw_Judy_20140307_2_3_A (15 mins 54 secs)
Start | Topic | Period |
00.43 | Judys best friend Helen Pyatt | 1940s/50s |
01.12 | Easthope Farm, Mr & Mrs Randle | |
01.52 | Sheepdog cats and fleas at Easthope Farm | |
02.06 | Hessian bags not waterproofs on the farm | |
02.17 | Judys exploration of Abberley Hill and the haunted house the alleged scene of a murder long ago | |
03.00 | Girl Guiding under the leadership of Mrs Brinton who always gave good advice | |
03.51 | School days at Great Witley and later at Stourport | |
04.05 | Making friends with Pauline Goodwin from Abberley | |
04.24 | Saturday jobs at Nurtons Farm Abberley | |
04.50 | Exploring at Home Farm Great Witley | |
05.45 | The local rabbit population. | |
06.48 | Tree planting on Woodbury Hill. | |
0920 | Cumb House Worcester Road Built for Judys parents retirement | |
09.40 | Damson trees dye makers and damson picking | |
10.49 | Great Witley Bee Keepers Group formed by Judys father Robert (Bob) Fortey | |
13.00 | Judys Mothers allergy to bee stings | |
14.39 | Woodbury Hill Cottage and Mr Hearts sighting of Roman soldier |
Local Post People: Henshaw_Judy_20140307_3_2_A (3 mins 43 secs)
Start | Topic | Period |
00.04 | Great Witley Post Office Employees | 1940s & 1950s |
00.44 | Mrs Pounds Postal round Camp Lane and Woodbury Hill Farm | |
01.48 | The Post Round Tester | |
02.00 | Mrs Price and the Abberley round | |
02.38 | Mr Len Glazard the Great Witley Postman |
History of Great Witley 1900 to 1945: Henshaw_Judy_20140527_1_3_A (28 mins 43 secs).
Judy narrated this history of the village which she compiled from her own archives as well as other research sources.
Start | Topic | Period |
00.05 | The Earl of Dudley | |
00.30 | Selection of Rectors for Great Witley Parish by the Earl of Dudley | |
00.55 | The Rev Canon Wilson and Christopher Wilson recollections of children’s parties at Witley Court hosted by Lady Dudley | |
02.00 | Great Witley Scout Troop | |
02.48 | Building the original school in Great Witley | |
03.35 | The opening of the current school | |
03.48 | Cottage Gardening classes at Great Witley School | |
04.10 | Farmers and Gardeners in Great Witley | |
04.50 | Mr Proudmans sheep | |
05.00 | Great Witley School Headmaster Mr Henry William Wall | 1901 to 1932 |
05.55 | Hooping cough outbreak closes the school | 1901 |
06.00 | Gardening lessons at Witley Court Gardens | |
07.05 | Witley Court and village musical concerts | |
07.15 | The Lord Edman Shooting League starts at the Hundred House | |
07.40 | Lady Dudleys interest in the Village and the Church | |
08.00 | Pioneer Aviator Gustav Hamel visits Witley Court | 1914 |
08.50 | Blackberry picking campaign | |
09.16 | World War One Roll of Honour board installed in Great Witley School | |
09.30 | Witley Court Sales | 1920 |
0950 | Sir Herbert Smith buys Witley Court | 1920 |
10.05 | Judys parents meet Sir Herbert Smith | |
10.37 | Owens Bus Services | 1878 |
11.20 | The first cars in Great Witley | |
11.30 | The Toll House in Great Witley | |
12.06 | The Hundred House Hotel | 1790 |
12.30 | The Hundred House livestock sales and stabling | |
12.59 | The Hundred House Magistrates Court | 1841 |
13.20 | Six monthly tenants Rent Day at the Hundred House | |
13.52 | Great Witley flower show and annual agricultural competitions | |
14.22 | The Odd Fellows Society Meetings | |
14.35 | Mr Billy Austen buys the Hundred House | |
15.00 | Ginger Smallman the last person to live at The Pleck on Abberley Hill | |
15.18 | The Thrift Club run by Mr Field | |
13.37 | The County Council Weigh Bridge at the Hundred House | |
16.10 | The early days of the Post Office in Great Witley | 1855 |
16.55 | Mr Len Glazard the Great Witley telegram delivery man | |
17.05 | The first telephone is installed at Great Witley post office | 1912 |
17.44 | Mr Arthur Moore, Billy Austen and Mr Pratley | |
19.15 | New houses built by Martley Rural District Council in Stouprot road Great Witley | 1928 |
20.05 | Witley Court fire and sale | 1937 |
22..38 | School life during WWII and the arrival of Evacuees | |
26.30 | WRVS arrange for delivery of thirty pairs of wellington boots for Great Witley School children | |
27.38 | War savings scheme and Wings for Victory Campaign | |
28.00 | The end of the Second World War and the Scouts Celebration bonfire on Abberley Hill | 1945 |
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