A subsidence in the middle of a town wheat field at Bushey has revealed what is thought to be a concealed well.

The subsidence – about 60ft deep and about 6ft in diameter at the top – was discovered on Sunday afternoon and reported to police and the owners of the land, the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys. The area, which is situated in a field behind the shops in Bournehall Avenue, was immediately covered over and fenced off.

The land is farmed by Mr Paul Lory of Langleybury Farm.

Colonel V.D. Smith, the bursar at the Royal Masonic School, said afterwards: “It was fortunate the subsidence did not occur when farm workers were above.

We think that many years ago, someone blocked up the well about six feet below the ground level and then covered it up,” he said.

He added that arrangements would be made for the well to be filled in.

[From the Watford Observer of May 8, 1970]

 

The Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey branch line via Bricket Wood may get a reprieve – but it depends on how much the line is used.

The Beeching plan proposes to withdraw passenger services on the line, but this week comes official news that British Railways may be able to avoid closure by reducing operation costs and attracting more passengers.

Investigation has shown the financial position might be materially improved by condensing passenger and freight services, enabling the work to be covered by only two shifts of staff instead of three.

“These changes are made as a first step towards improving the economies of the line and may well contribute to saving the service,” declared a British Railways spokesman.

[From the Watford Observer of May 10, 1963]

 

The use of the word “eleemosynary” in a Watford Council minute was criticised by Alderman Buckingham at Monday’s meeting of the council. The minute stated: “It has not been the council’s practice to grant free use of the assembly halls for eleemosynary purposes...”

Demanded the alderman: “What has happened to our Town Hall department if they can’t use normal Queen’s English?

“If you mean charity, say charity and have done with it.”

The chairman of the entertainments, catering and town hall committee, Ron Bunce, replied: “If everybody carried a shorter Oxford dictionary around with them you would have no problem in deciphering Town Hall language.”

Amid laughter he produced a copy of the weighty volume!

[From the Watford Observer of May 3, 1963]

 

At the 47th ordinary meeting of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society and Field Club, held at the public library on Tuesday evening, Mr A.T. Brett, reading a paper, referred to the district of Oxhey, formerly spelled Oxey, the new town springing up in the neighbourhood, which was sometimes called New Bushey.
“In the near future I think this growing town will perhaps be called Oxey Town or Oxey Hamlet or Oxey Ham. And the sooner the 1,500 inhabitants have their homes numbered, like civilised people, the better for all parties.”

[From the Watford Observer of May 1, 1880]