1934 Water Mains Laid in Villages - Revision history

Joan at 18:26, 14 August 2025

2025-08-14T18:26:22Z

Joan at 18:24, 14 August 2025

2025-08-14T18:24:03Z

Joan at 18:09, 14 August 2025

2025-08-14T18:09:18Z

Joan at 16:37, 24 July 2024

2024-07-24T16:37:47Z

Joan at 20:34, 5 July 2024

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Joan at 09:29, 16 April 2024

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Joan at 16:20, 24 July 2023

2023-07-24T16:20:30Z

Joan at 12:24, 24 July 2023

2023-07-24T12:24:14Z

Joan at 05:21, 2 July 2023

2023-07-02T05:21:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:26, 14 August 2025
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−	[[File:Pipe Laying.jpg\|thumb]]	+	this report is listed in [[Social Snapshots 1900-1968 inc]] dated 1934[[File:Pipe Laying.jpg\|thumb]]
	'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story.		'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story.

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 '''The tanks were usually about ten to fifteen feet deep and about eight to ten feet across'''. Most were underground with a lid to allow access to the water. One of the seven tanks at [[Stocken Farm]] was completely buried – this was unusual as it was necessary to clean out the tanks occasionally.
-'''In times of drought the tanks would run dry.'''  Throughout most of the summer of 1921 there was a terrible drought.  Harry, then a young man of 15, had to drive a horse and cart carrying water barrels to Church’ Farm, Saunderton to collect water from the brook for the animals on Stocken Farm.   As each cow drinks about ten gallons a day it was very difficult to keep up with their needs.  The council. supplied a small amount of water (about two buckets per day) to each house in the village.
+'''Throughout most of the summer of 1921 there was a terrible drought.'''  Harry, then a young man of 15, had to drive a horse and cart carrying water barrels to Church’ Farm, Saunderton to collect water from the brook for the animals on Stocken Farm.   As each cow drinks about ten gallons a day it was very difficult to keep up with their needs.  The council. supplied a small amount of water (about two buckets per day) to each house in the village.
 '''Jumping into these tanks was one way of committing suicide''' – it was impossible to climb out and, of course, the villagers had had no opportunity to learn to swim.
 '''The only true well in Lacey Green was at Grymsdyke House''', which was then owned by the Carters. This was fed by spring water and, it was believed, had to be dug three to four hundred feet deep. The water from this well was pumped by electricity into the house.
 '''Rainwater collection in tanks was used from the beginning of this century'''.  Before then, the only water was from the numerous “dew ponds" around the village. Very few now remain, but the one in Kiln Lane, which was known as ‘Deep Pit' was used for human consumption only, as was the pond situated next to Well Cottage in Church Lane.  Such ponds were known as “keech ponds" and were surrounded by a fence to keep animals out.  Frank Claydon could remember lime being added to these ponds to ‘purify’ the water which, nevertheless, often contained the odd insect or tadpole which was said to make it more nutritious.
@@ Line 34: / Line 36: @@
 Research by [[Joan West]]
-'''MARCH 1934. WYCOMBE DISTRICT COUNCIL PLANS MAINS WATER'''   In January 1934 there were drought conditions.   Wycombe Rural District Council was carting 25,000 gallons of water a day all over the area, just for domestic purposes'''.'''
+'''In January 1934 there were drought conditions'''.   Wycombe Rural District Council was carting 25,000 gallons of water a day all over the area, just for domestic purposes'''.'''
-rare.   Of course the water was soft and free from “modern pollutants”.
+'''By March the council had put forward a £66,000 scheme to supply over 80 square miles and 14,000 village people with fresh water'''

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Pipe Laying.jpg|thumb]]
-'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story of how mains water was brought up to the hills, recollections of living here before mains water got here
+'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story.
-'''and click [[1934 Lacey Green Water in the News]]''' and the uproar when Fleet Street reported Lacey Green water to have caused people to die.
+'''Hallmark.   Harry Floyd Remembers the Coming of Water to Lacey Green.'''   Interview with [[Rosemary Mortham]].
+'''Before the installation of mains water, most houses were supplied with water from tanks''', which collected rainwater from the roof. People used a bucket to collect what they needed for use in the house; but in a few houses, such as ‘[[Hillcrest]]’ (then owned by Harry's grandfather but now converted to flats in [[Goodacres Lane]]), water was hand-pumped to a tank in the loft from where it was piped down to the taps. Other houses had hand pumps either in the kitchen or just outside the back door to supply their needs.
-'''[[Harry Floyd]] Tells  [[Rosemary Mortham]] about the Coming of Mains Water'''.
+'''The tanks were usually about ten to fifteen feet deep and about eight to ten feet across'''. Most were underground with a lid to allow access to the water. One of the seven tanks at [[Stocken Farm]] was completely buried – this was unusual as it was necessary to clean out the tanks occasionally.
-'''The digging of the water mains began in 1932'''.   Harry can remember digging the trenches to lay the pipes to  [[Stocken Farm]] and some of the surrounding fields.   He was helped by George Maunder, father of Flo, whose husband,   Frank Gomme, was landlord of the “Black Horse”.   George had previously worked for Harry’s grandfather, William Saunders, at Smalldean Farm.
+'''In times of drought the tanks would run dry.'''  Throughout most of the summer of 1921 there was a terrible drought.  Harry, then a young man of 15, had to drive a horse and cart carrying water barrels to Church’ Farm, Saunderton to collect water from the brook for the animals on Stocken Farm.   As each cow drinks about ten gallons a day it was very difficult to keep up with their needs.  The council. supplied a small amount of water (about two buckets per day) to each house in the village.
-'''The pipes were laid two feet six inches deep to avoid freezing.'''   However, in the winter of 1947 the mains did  freeze up.   The Black Horse and surrounding properties were '''without water for weeks on end'''.
+'''Jumping into these tanks was one way of committing suicide''' – it was impossible to climb out and, of course, the villagers had had no opportunity to learn to swim.
-Most of the mains were laid by Irish navvies.   One of their foremen, a Mr H. Harry (or Harold) Lloyd lodged with Mr Ronnie Lacey at a house near the Whip.
+'''The only true well in Lacey Green was at Grymsdyke House''', which was then owned by the Carters. This was fed by spring water and, it was believed, had to be dug three to four hundred feet deep. The water from this well was pumped by electricity into the house.
-The pipes were made of cast iron and were heavy to handle.   The acid nature of the local clay soon caused corrosion, and the village suffered frequent “burst pipes”
+'''Rainwater collection in tanks was used from the beginning of this century'''.  Before then, the only water was from the numerous “dew ponds" around the village. Very few now remain, but the one in Kiln Lane, which was known as ‘Deep Pit' was used for human consumption only, as was the pond situated next to Well Cottage in Church Lane.  Such ponds were known as “keech ponds" and were surrounded by a fence to keep animals out.  Frank Claydon could remember lime being added to these ponds to ‘purify’ the water which, nevertheless, often contained the odd insect or tadpole which was said to make it more nutritious.
-'''Harry thinks that Main Road was tarmacked at that time''', although he can still remember collecting stones to make up the road when he was young, and the stones being flattened with a steamroller.
+'''Digging of the water mains began around 1932'''. Harry can remember digging the trenches to lay the pipes to [[Stocken Farm]] and some of the surrounding fields. He was helped by George Maunder, father of Flo, whose husband, Frank Gomme, was landlord of [[The Black Horse]]. George had previously worked for Harry's grandfather at [[Smalldean Farm]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Pipe Laying.jpg|thumb]]
-'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story of how mains water was brought up to the hills, recollections of living here before mains water got here.
+'''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story of how mains water was brought up to the hills, recollections of living here before mains water got here
 '''and click [[1934 Lacey Green Water in the News]]''' and the uproar when Fleet Street reported Lacey Green water to have caused people to die.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 '''Also click [[Water]]''' to choose from 10 articles telling the full story of how mains water was brought up to the hills, recollections of living here before mains water got here.
-and click 1934 the uproar when Fleet Street sentenced Lacey Green to death.
+'''and click [[1934 Lacey Green Water in the News]]''' and the uproar when Fleet Street reported Lacey Green water to have caused people to die.
+-

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
+-
-'''H[[Harry Floyd|arry Floyd]] Tells  Rosemary Mortham about the Coming of Mains Water'''.
+'''[[Harry Floyd]] Tells  [[Rosemary Mortham]] about the Coming of Mains Water'''.
 '''WORK BEGAN'''
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 '''ROAD TARMACKED TOO?'''
-Most of the mains were laid by Irish navvies.   One of their foremen, a Mr H. Harry or Harold) Lloyd lodged with Mr Ronnie Lacey at a house near the Whip.   Harry thinks that Main Road was tarmacked at that time, although he can remember collecting stones to make up the road when he was young, and the stones being flattened with a steamroller.
+Most of the mains were laid by Irish navvies.   One of their foremen, a Mr H. Harry (or Harold) Lloyd lodged with Mr Ronnie Lacey at a house near the Whip.   Harry thinks that Main Road was tarmacked at that time, although he can remember collecting stones to make up the road when he was young, and the stones being flattened with a steamroller.
 '''HEAVY CAST IRON'''
-The pipes were made of cast iron and were heavy to handle.   The acid nature of the local clay soon caused corrosion, and the village suffered frequent “burst pipes”.{{Social Snapshot
+The pipes were made of cast iron and were heavy to handle.   The acid nature of the local clay soon caused corrosion, and the village suffered frequent “burst pipes”

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:21, 2 July 2023
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		+	[[File:Pipe Laying.jpg\|thumb]]
	'''[[Harry Floyd]] Tells Rosemary Mortham about the Coming of Mains Water'''.		'''[[Harry Floyd]] Tells Rosemary Mortham about the Coming of Mains Water'''.