Interviewed by Peter Ruffles (PR)
Date: 29/05/1991
Transcribed by Peter Ruffles
HERTFORD ORAL HISTORY GROUP O1992.5
Interviewee: Mr. Reg Cull (RC)
Interviewer: Peter Ruffles (PR)
Date of Interview 29th May, 1991
Transcribed by Peter Ruffles (hand written)
Typed by Jean Riddell Purkiss with additions by Marilyn Taylor 2013
Mr. Reg Cull, said to be aged 96, living alone at 23 Castle Street. Hertford.
PR: 29th May 1991
(Peter is greeted by Pat Booth from Bengeo, she may be related to Mr Cull? Peter has the recorder in a bag hence the bad recording)
RC: How are you ....oh, you're cold
PR: It is cold actually, it’s a chilly day. Oh you are lovely and warm
RC: ********
PR: The last time I called, the traffic warden chased me off! I parked over the road .
RC: They don't interfere with bikes, do they?
PR: No, it was the car then.
RC: Yes, yes. How are you getting on?
PR: Well, it's half term....wonderful!
RC: Oh, it's all holidays, isn't it?
PR: I was going to ask you about some of the people that were in All Saints' Choir when father
was in the Choir ....
RC: Yes, yes, yes.
PR: …. with you, I'm trying to recall some names and jot down some bits and pieces about father’s time. Who was in the Choir? you and Frank.
RC: Yes.
PR: Now, what other names can you think of?
RC: in the Choir? Charley Childs.
PR: Alto , What did you sing, tenor or alto?
RC: Alto. Vernon Hale.
PR: and was he base?
RC: Tenor.
PR: Now who else,
RC: I don’t know it’s a long time ago.
PR: Yes it is , what did your brother sing? He was tenor?
RC: Tenor, yes.
PR: And who were the basses? Freestone?
RC: No, he died.
PR: And did he sing bass?
RC: No, he sang tenor. Who were the basses .... I forget now. I always forget, you know.
PR: Yes well it’s a job to make them come at that moment.
RC: Yes it is yes
PR: How long were you in the Choir then? ......from memory ....
RC: Oh, about sixty years ...who were the others...I think Mr. Wilson wasn't there then. The wine
merchant, Mr. Wilson....he was earlier on.
PR: Earlier yes. That was very important for father. It was a very central thing in his life All saints Choir.
RC: Yes, well, quite so.
PR: Comely. So you joined when you were quite a ....
RC: …. as a boy of course. It was a choir in those days. Had at least twelve months probation.
PR: Oh did you. Were you living here then?
RC: No, no. Mr. Gregory was the organist then.***....and then Mr. Comely. Oh, before him Mr …. oh, what was his name then, used to have a big house in Fore Street where the Gas Company showroom is.
PR: Oh yes yes
RC: I may think of his name in a minute. Then after that of course Mr. Gregory and then Mr. Comely.
PR: Where were you living then here?
RC: Oh, Ware Road.
PR: When did you come here into Castle Street?
RC: 1930.
PR: Who was in this house before you?
RC: Well that's a difficult question …. it was on lease, you see.
PR: Right
RC: Walter Garratt has a 21year lease. He was head of the firm at the Sele Mills. He died and his widow continued and finished out the lease.
PR: Yes.
RC: She was the last tenant. That's right. Before Walter Garratt it was Dr. Odel, wasn't it.
PR: I know he lived in Castle Street but not that it was this house ..... so you moved here as a
family?
RC: That's right.
PR: Parents as well?
RC: Oh, yes, yes. Then it was worth living in. Huge garden, lovely garden. 2 acres. Purkiss-Ginn lived next door....The Nut Walk.
PR: Yes, I remember that and the end of your garden went right up to the grammar school.
RC: That was the boundary, the grammar school fence.
PR: What about the shop?
RC: Shop?
PR: Yes, when did you start? When did the business start in Church Street?
RC: Oh, 1920s.... my mother started it in 1922, I should think.
PR: Yes. I love to recall some of the dates of things that you've known for ever. You don't stop and think when things began. She... did she buy the shop, and was it already a sweet shop?
RC: Oh no, it was a pub The White Swan.
PR: Oh was it! The White Swan.
RC: 1920 or 1921 …. in your … I think you'll find the council then had a clear up of pubs. Think how many there were in Maidenhead Street alone...(laughter). Where Candies is was one pub. That had to go, and us on the other side at the road, The White Swan, that had to go.
PR: So she then converted it into an altogether different trade.
RC: Yes, yes.
PR: A lot of people speak with fond memory of the sweet shop. Wherever you go in the town people say “What a pity there aren't shops like Culls” still.
RC: Oh, you're right the town was ruined in 1965, wasn't it.
PR: With this road.
RC: Ruined the town. Before then it was a lovely town …. busy .... good people. All the people in
the town were really nice, well off and that sort of thing. When the road came of course the people began to drift away. Now it's a .... I'd better not tell you ....
PR: No, I think I'd agree.
RC: Now someone working at the house the other side of Wesley Avenue was asking me who
lived there, that's right.
RC: I can't …. Wesley Avenue?
PR: Yes…….Just here
RC: Where the subway is now.
PR: Yes.
RC: That was our back way, you see. Right up the top of the garden near the grammar school. You got in there. That was where Andrews got in.... Robert Andrews.
PR: Yes, yes! Where Checkley's now are.
RC: Wesley Avenue ...you're quite right.
PR: Well, well. You know Mrs. Inman …. Sgt Major ….
RC: Oh, yes, yes, yes.
PR: She's 101!
RC: Really! She lived there, in the lodge. Well I never!
PR: She's very kind to our door to door collectors. Children from school call for Christian Aid or
Mentally Handicapped. She always invites them in and makes a fuss of them.
RC: Does she really.
PR: She lives alone.
RC: Well I never.
PR: 1O1!
RC: Well I never. She was a Miss Storey, I think.
PR: That's right yes that's the family name, now you've mentioned it.
RC: Well I never.
PR: So, they've made a lovely job of this room.
RC: It's very nice, isn't it, very comfortable, yes.
PR: Plenty of light.
RC: Oh yes, lovely. I'm trying to think of some basses for you.
PR: Oh well. I shall
RC: Cutbush ….
PR: Oh Cutbush .... Little Vernon Hale....what have you decided to do about your chimney at the back?
RC: Haven't decided yet you know.
PR: I saw the scaffold was still there.
RC: I shall have it done later on. I haven't had anything done this year, you see.
PR: No.
RC: Norris wants to get on now. Probably let him get on with that too.
PR: I think it would be good to have the flue there.
RC: Oh, yes! Oh definitely. Oh yes!
PR: But with this lovely fire and the central heating, it's less important.
RC: Oh, you're quite right.
PR: Well I thought I'd just pop in. You've reminded me.....
RC: It’s nice to see you
PR: Freestone, Hale, Comely. Did you get on well with Mr. Burgess?
RC: Oh. lovely. He was an Irishman you know. Yes, he left All Saints' and went to live in South Ireland with his wife. Ah yes, he used to write to us. He died years ago now.
PR: Yes, he always seemed a very gentle person.
RC: Did you know him?
PR: Yes.
RC: Yes, he was a gentleman, as you say.
PR: I remember the gift days. He would sit at the gate at Church Street, patiently.
RC: Quite right! That's right. The best minister we had there was Randolph Smith, wasn't it?
PR: I've heard of him, but.....yes.
RC: He was a wonderful preacher. No notes! He really was wonderful.
PR: Yes. I've got a great great aunt who remembered the fire at All Saints'.
RC: Really?
PR: She was living at Hertford Heath where mother's family lived, but there was no church in
Hertford Heath until 1860 …. I think (1863 in fact). She used to come down to All Saints' and bring
a picnic. She'd bring her Sunday lunch, go to morning service, stay until evening.
RC: Oh, lovely.
PR: That particular Sunday she said she'd never been as cold and then the following morning after Evensong the news was out that the church had been burned down. 1891!
RC: Overheated wasn't it?
PR: Yes, the flue ….. went through the roof, the rafters got very hot.
RC: Lovely church, I believe.
PR: Yes, I think probably more beautiful than this present one.
RC: Well, well, well! The Christs's Hospital pupils had to go to church Sunday morning then.
PR: Yes and they had the gallery at the back, I believe.
RC: That's right yes. Oh, mmmm.
PR: Did your, this house, suffer any bomb damage in the war? Did the doodlebug .....
RC: This one? No
PR: Safe(?)
RC: We did in Fore Street.
PR: Oh, did you.
RC: Yes, that's where it caused all those deaths on Bull Plain, wasn't it?
PR: Of course, yes, yes.
RC: Which raid do you mean though .... 1st or 2nd?
PR: 2nd….the 1st was the Bull Plain trouble
RC: Yes. That's where we lost the cream of the town that day.
PR: Yes.
RC: Yes.
PR: just outside the Hertford Club, wasn't it?
RC: That's right, yes.
PR: But the 2nd World War doodlebug was nearer here, wasn't it but no damage of any consequence? Glass I suppose
RC: No, not really .... no that's quite right. No!
RC: …. bit of cotton (??)
PR: Well, wonderful. days, half term.
RC: Oh. yes.
PR: No school and I can saunter around and think about things.
RC: Oh, dear, oh, dear, all holidays! No vacancies, I suppose?
PR: No, a bit too late. It’s a good job, actually. A happy job. But hard work.
RC: Oh, yes.
PR: You've never thought of teaching, then?
RC: No, no.
PR: Happy with the shop and business?
RC: Yes, yes.
PR: Well, I'll …. when I go and see Annie lnman, I'll ….
RC: Oh, do remember me kindly to her.
PR: It'll probably be today or tomorrow. I'll pop in.
RC: Well my word..
PR: She's a little older than you....
RC: Where's she living now?
PR: At Sele Farm. Yes 101
RC: Well I never.
PR: Good stuff.
RC: She used to live in Currie Street in those days.
PR: Oh! Did she? Storey that’s right the family. I hear your back door going...you've probably got a visitor.
RC: No, no, somebody going upstairs, I think.
PR: Oh! Oh right. I thought it might be Joy Check1ey or ....
RC: No, no.
PR: But she pops in quite often, does she?
RC: Oh yes, yes. But she's in the shop at the moment
PR: Jolly good neighbour .
RC: Oh, very good indeed, yes.
PR: Yes, someone going upstairs.
RC: That's him going upstairs.
PR: Right, I'll let myself out.
RC: Very nice to see you.
PR: Thank you for letting me breeze in.
RC: Oh not at all, come whenever you Like.
PR: I'll go and jot down some names while I remember them at home. I'm trying to make a few
little records.
RC: Oh, yes, I know.
PR: Good..
RC: Very nice to see you.
PR: Are you {Reg gets up} (PR at window}
PR: It does look so good, your property now.
RC: Does it?
PR: It's a treat for the rest of the town.
RC: Doing the pavement up, aren't they?
PR: Yes, the other side.
RC: They'll come and do this side later.
PR: They are going to I expect
RC: We shall be smart then. It's colder out here (in the hall).
PR: It's colder, yes, but ….
RC: Well bye. bye. it's very nice to see you.
PR: Thank you very much for letting me ....
RC: Oh, do come whenever you like. Whenever you like, you come in.
PR: When I think of a few more questions.
RC: That's right yes.
PR: Good.. Thank you very much.
RC: Goodbye.
Door bo1ting, traffic noise etc. indicator car pulls away,!!.
Peter then has a conversation with someone else unidentified about car, garden, meetings etc.
Then what sounds like a radio programme unrelated to recordings, more banging etc.
Another conversation about flowers and 331 bus trip with someone else also about recording Reg Cull etc. and discussing the Cull family. Taking car in for service to Hertford Heath. How old his car is etc. Then another bus trip through North Herts villages. Then food, Peter’s diet and tinned fish.
Not transcribed verbatim can’t tell who it is he is with, someone called Henry and his wife?