Frank & Elsie Chilton
From Lacey Green History
click Families for other local families
click Chilton for others in this family
Francis 'Frank' Abbott Chilton (nickname 'Butch', born 1904 was the son of Walter & Mary Chilton
Elsie May Rixon born 1908 was the daughter of Rupert & Beatrice May Rixon
Frank and Elsie married in 1925
Frank and Elsie had 1 child as follows :-
Joan Beatrice Chilton born January 1926 married Ivor Kelloway in January 1947 (click Ivor & Joan Kelloway for their life story)
See below for tribute to Elsie by Mary Lawrence in which she also describes Elsie's work delivering the post.
A Tribute to Elsie Chilton 1907 – 1993 by Ian Kelloway. (click Ian & Sue Kelloway)
I have been asked to write a bit about my Grandmother Elsie Chilton, for many years one of the Lacey Green post ladies.
Elsie had a wonderful upbringing, growing up on Green Hailey Farm and various houses around Redland End, as her father Rupert Rixon started his working life as a bodger, farm labourer then tenant farmer before moving back into working the woods finally finishing as head woodsman for the Hampden Estate. click Rupert & Beatrice May Rixon for more about Elsie's parents
On reaching school age whilst living at Green Hailey her parents were granted permission by the Lacey Green School governors to delay her start date for one year so that her and her sister Gladys who was one year younger could walk to school together. Can you imagine children today walking that far to school.
Elsie was a Red Cross first aider and was present and gave first aid at The Kop Hill Climb accident, this resulted in the hill climbs being banned and the formation of the Grand Prix as we know it today.
During the war she used to cook for “Bomber” Harris (Air Chief Marshall Arthur Harris) and she said he used to compliment her on her wonderful pancakes.
As for the post round she had to take this job as her husband Frank Chilton died quite young and she needed an income. It was a job she loved even in all weathers. She delivered to all of the west side of Lacey Green, Speen Farm, Holly Bush Farm which was demolished to make way for The RAF Bunker and Smalldean Farm. I would quite often meet her on my bike to deliver to these three places, but getting back up Smalldean Lane was quite an effort.
As with many young children at that time I collected stamps and Nan was an excellent source. She would ask customers who received letters from abroad to save the stamps for me.
She loved the outdoors and wildlife and every day she would stop at the cattle grid at the end of Grymsdyke to check to see if any hedgehogs had fallen in overnight. If so, she would get down on her hands and knees and scoop them out. But equally she had no problem with dispensing rabbits with mixamotosis which was prevalent at the time.
Elsie and her husband Frank moved to Belle Vue Cottage no 2, Lacey Green shortly after the birth of their daughter Joan in 1926 and where she lived until she died.
A Tribute to Elsie Chilton by Post-Mistress – Mary Lawrence
I would like to pay tribute to an ex-colleague of mine - the late Mrs Chilton, by giving readers an insight into the service to our community that this lady gave for many, many years in the capacity of post-lady.
Her working day started at 7.30am. at the Post Office for the sorting of the letters for her round which covered the houses on the south side of the main Road in Lacey Green and stretching as far as Speen, Smalldean Farm and Hollybush Farm. The latter has since been demolished to be replaced by the bunker site at Strike Command.
As the village grew, so did the volume of mail, not only letters but heavy and awkward shaped parcels, and her only means of transport was her own bicycle!!
Many years later she was issued with a Post Office bicycle complete with carriers at front and back to carry the mail. She also wore a delivery bag across her shoulders laden with letters and quite often had to return to the Post Office to collect the remainder of the post to enable her to complete the delivery. She was timed to get this delivery completed by 10.50am!
At Christmas time there were morning and afternoon deliveries, which meant that she finished delivering letters by torchlight. In addition to this there was a postal delivery on Christmas Day morning.
With very deep snow on the ground it made absolutely no difference to this dedicated lady, she always delivered the post without fail.
This was a far cry to the modern transport of today’s postmen.
In addition to her postal duties was the cleaning of the red telephone box which at that time was situated opposite her house – every Friday armed with her broom, bucket and window leather she would sweep out the box, clean the windows and disinfect the telephone.
Her passing will be a sad loss to those who knew her.
My sympathy goes to her daughter Joan and her family.
Hallmark December 1983. Notice of Thanks. Joan Kerlloway and family would like to thank all friends in the village for their messages of sympathy following the loss of her mother, Elsie Chilton. Many friends joined the family for the funeral service a the Methodist Church. Donations to R.S.P.C.A. has to date reached £100. Our grateful thanks to you all. (click Ivor & Joan Kelloway for more of Joan's life story.)
Tribute to Frank Abbott Chilton 1904 -1962, nickname 'Butch'. Frank was born in Bryants Bottom, probably at Denner Hill - he was certainly brought up at Denner Hill. In his teenage years he played cricket for Hampden Cricket Club. After marrying Elsie Rixon and moving to Belle Vue Cottage no 2, Lacey Green he was secretary for many years for The Cricket Club and an integral part of securing the playing fields for the village. He was also a member of High Wycombe Cricket League Council, one of the Parish Councillors (click Councillors Parish Council) and also a member of The Black Horse darts team. He was employed by Horden & Richmond at Haddenham making aeroplane propellers. His only form of transport was a bicycle. At the same time he seved part time in the local fire brigade from 1938 to 1941 when it became The National Fire Service which he served from 1941 till 1945 during which time they saw action in the blitz. When Horden& Richmond moved he found work at Jefferson and Somerville in Princes Risborugh making caravans.
In August 1965 a clock was unveiled in memory of Frank Chilton in The Sports Club pavilion. photo on left. Elsie Chilton watches as Mrs Bateman unveiled the new clock.
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