The Foxearth and District Local History Society
1947-1950 Suffolk & Essex Free Press newspaper archive

March 17th 1947

At the meeting of the Foxearth parochial church council Mr H.E.Ward said it was time to alter the share of the charity money, originally the money was bequeathed to the parishioners who attended church but now all and sundry received it, he was strongly supported.

May 8th 1947

Mr Harry Price the well known historian of Borley Rectory (the most haunted hose in England) is giving a lantern lecture in Sudbury Town Hall.

May 28th 1947

James Turner, aged 38 years, a farmer and poet has acquired Borley Rectory, before taking up residence in a cottage adjoining the rectory, Mr Turner, a Kentish man came from Colchester where he had a nursery business, he has already published two volumes of poems.
The B.B.C. is to broadcast a documentary in which the Rev Henning took part, it also understood that an American film is being made about the Rectory. One of the local residents said " there weren't no haunting until Mr Price came along".

June 14th 1947

A short time ago, the Rev A.E.Henning, rector of Borley and Liston, discovered the original mensa of the altar below the chancel steps at Borley Church, a faculty was obtained to restore the four pillars and to pave the sanctuary. Borley is a small community of 120 people but they have raised £ 30 towards the cost which is £ 100.

June 27th 1947

Mr Harry Price gave a lecture on Borley Rectory at Sudbury Town Hall to a full house with many people locked out. He was asked by Father Moir why was there no inquest on the bones which Mr Price had supposed to have discovered at Borley and reburied in Liston churchyard, Mr Price said that the bones weighed only two ounces, further questioned by Father Moir, Mr Price said that the coroner agreed with me that the bones were too friable and that a inquest would be a farce .
Father Moir said " thank you, the question has been raised by several people"," only by you" was the retort from Mr Price.

June 27th 1947

The Rev Henning said that Borley had now raised between £ 50-£ 60 towards the restorations to the altar, he said he had sat in the church and looked at the massive altar stone and thought of those who had broken it up in an effort to smash the faith.

July 3rd 1948

A storm of unusual severity broke out over the Sudbury district at about 2 pm on Friday. Perhaps the worst result of the storm locally was the destruction of the lofty spire of Foxearth parish church. It is thought that the spire was struck by lightning and the wind blew the wreckage into the adjoining field, the tower was also damaged. Here as elsewhere, trees were blown down and the rectory and brewery houses were damaged, also other property in the village.
The tower and spire of Foxearth parish church were built by Mr George Grimwood in 1862 of Sudbury. The Rector of Foxearth (the Rev Malcolm Pearce) told the Free Press that it had been possible to carry on services at the church. A fund has been opened to meet the heavy expence of restoration. All donations will be gratefully received by the rector.

(The storm) In lower Cavendish not a single house escaped damge, the Memorial Hall sustained considerable damage when a chimney stack was wrenched off. The roof of the Congregational Church was partially carried away, also the chimney stack. Most of the Manse windows were shattered. Blacklands Park avenue which is regarded by the villagers as a favourite walk is no longer an avenue, on one side nearly all the trees being uprooted

July 3rd 1947

A bet was made in the mess room at Honington R.A.F station about someone sleeping on the site of the rectory at Borley, two men had the courage to say they would sleep there, one later calling off.
The man who was " sleeping" heard two cyclists approach and sat up, the result was amazing, the couple bolted convinced they had seen the ghost.

August 14th 1947

Pentlow mothers signed a petiton for transport to convey the children to school at Foxearth as they objected to the children trudging in all weathers to the school.

August 28th 1947

A tug master, Reginald Goodman of Bull lane, Melford, was charged with stealing £ 20 and cigarettes valued at 10s from Melford Working Mens Club. The club steward left the premises at 2 pm, Goodman saying he would clear up and lock up, when the steward returned in the evening he noticed cigarettes and the money missing. For trial.

August 26th 1947

Suffolk County Football Association have ruled that the P.O.W's cannot play in civilian teams in the league.

January 1st 1948

A Cavendish dairyman, Thomas Ambrose, was charged with adulterating milk. Reginald Johnson a servant of Mr Ambrose was delivering milk by tricycle in Cavendish assisted by Mrs Deeks when a sample was taken by Mr Thompson, an Inspector, who said he took a sample and found that there was 7© per cent added water and the fat was 56 per cent deficient. Johnson said it was a pure accident as water had leaked into the milk from the cooler and that half the people in Cavendish would go without milk if he had given it to the calves. Thomas Ambrose said he had implicit faith in Johnson who had worked for him for 24 years. £ 1 and advised to be more careful in future.

January 1st 1948

Staff at Park Farm, Shimpling, threshed 103 sacks of wheat in 7 hours.(Is this a record).

January 6th 1948

Frederick Dennis, aged 34, a farmer of Poslingford, was charged with growing buckwheat without permission from the Ministry of Agriculture. £ 100.

February 5th 1948

Thanks to Mrs Bull, Pentlow now has a village hall. At a meeting of Pentlow Parish Council at Paines Manor, Max Morton said Pentlow people would like to thank Mrs Bull for the generous gift.
Members present-Max Morton, chairman-T.Hampton, vice chairman-Oliver Brand-Oliver Ives and Grattan Little the clerk.

February 5th 1948

Albert White, aged 47, a Borley farm worker, was charged with stealing 11© pounds of coke and 40 pounds of coal from Borley P.O.W. camp. £ 5.

February 5th 1948

Foxearth is to have two Airey houses, this was announced by Mr Harold Ward at a meeting of the parish council. Other business included the erection of a style in Lime Walk.

February 9th 1948

After being closed for decoration Pentlow Village Hall has been reopened. A collection of Stags and other antlered heads have been hung in the main room, they are the gift of General Sir Gordon Finlayson of Pentlow Hall.

February 26th 1948

A Cavendish doctor and a German P.O.W. have been sent for trial. A police sergeant who chanced to come upon a stationary car on a country road was the chief witness. Dr Edmund Crowther of Cavendish, aged 60 and Paul Kuehl of Hardwicke P.O.W.camp pleaded not guilty to an indecency charge. P.S. Gillings said while motoring at about 4-30 on December 20th along the Rede road at Whepstead when he saw two people in car in the rear seat, he opened the car door and the doctor told him he was giving his friend the P.O.W. a lesson in English and the P.O.W. was giving him a lesson in German, the doctor seemed nervous and upset.

May 27th 1948

William Crowther aged 61 years, a doctor of Cavendish, was found guilty of gross indecency on December 20th 1947, he said he met the prisoner in country lanes as he could not take him home as his housekeeper was anti German in feeling. In view of his age the judge recommended mercy and he would be bound over for two years and to pay the costs of £ 50. The German prisoner had been tried and convicted in another court. General Sir Gordon Finlayson of Pentlow Hall gave the doctor a good character.

March 4th 1948

At a meeting in Foxearth Mens Club, it was decided to form a cricket club. Secretary and Treasurer-Harry Brockwell-Captain David Ward-Vice Captain-Kenneth Coleby-Committee-Tom Albon-R.Pinhey- R.Jackson-A.E.Heathcote-J.O.Brand-W.Garner.

March 11th 1948

Allegations as to the unsatisfactory conditions in Foxearth school and a plea that it be handed over to Essex Countu Council were forthcoming at a meeting of the Parents Association.
Mrs Max Morton the chairman said parents were troubled about conditions at the school although the teachers did magnificent work under great difficulties. The vice-chairman of Essex Education Committee, Alderman Stanley Wilson said most schools in rural Essex were church schools and that the church has got to make up it's mind when it would repair these schools or hand them over to the Council who would do urgent repairs and spend up £ 3000 to make the school a good junior and infant school. The Rev Malcolm Pearce said that it should remain a church school as he had charge of the souls as well as the bodies of the children and that a church school gave him a wonderful chance to teach religion in the school, he said there was no ill feelings amongst the management and education authorities. Mrs Morton said " does that include lavatories", the Rev Pearce said " I dont think so". Mrs Morton said give us new lavatories and I can look after the souls of the children. Mr Ward said it was not necessary to remain a church school for religion to be taught and a good teacher could teach religion very well if the school became a Council school. Mr Pearce said the clergy were taught to teach religion at theological college.

March 11th 1948

Sudbury police have a large quantity of clothing on their hands, the property was taken from a German P.O W., Gerhart Engler, formerly of Acton Camp who had escaped from close detention at Hardwicke camp, he had committed many crimes in the Hartest-Somerton area. Supt Butcher said had arrested Gerhart at Bures and recovered two suitcases of property, he was handed over to the military authorities at Colchester but he escaped again. In January he had appeared at Middlesex Sessions and some of the property recovered then had labels on from large stores in Croydon, he is now serving 18 months in Wandsworth.
April 8th 1948. If a stranger entered Sudbury Magistrates Court he might have thought it he was at a Bazaar. On Tuesday, on the table was an assortment of clothes, toilet requisites, household articles and food.
Gerhart Engler, a P.O.W. now serving a prison sentence at Pentonville was selecting articles which belonged to him. The Clerk said no-one came forward for some of the articles and that an order had been made for some things unclaimed to go to the Crown, Engler said some of the things were his and he collected a large pile which he said were his.
Superintendent Butcher said Engler had been associating with a woman at Great Cornard and that she had a baby by him which had since died, Engler was the biggest liar he had ever seen.

April 1st 1948

Mr Harry Price who spent ten years investigating Borley rectory has died. He was working on his third book about the rectory, it was concerning this that he wrote to Mr D.Field of Bury St Edmunds declining an invitation to lecture Bury Citizens Association and saying as you are Borley conscious you will be interested to hear my representative in Normandy has after many years obtained a complete story of Marie Lairre the Borley nun. I am writing a new book on the Borley nun in which this great discovery will be included.

April 14th 1948

The Rev Henning, rector of Borley with Liston has written to the Free Press in defence of the late Harry Price following comments in the press that he was a fraud. He said I have known Harry Price since 1937, he has stayed with us at Liston and we have also visited him at his home at Arum Bank, Pulborough, it is quite untrue that he was a fraud.

April 14th 1948

Lancaster bombers from Stradishall and Upwell took part in a mock raid on London on Thursday night, they were intercepted by Mosquito night fighters.

April 23rd 1948

A house to house collection is to be made in Pentlow to pay for a war memorial plaque to be erected in the church, any money left over will be distributed between the church and the village hall. A letter has been received from the Ministry of Agriculture asking how many allotments in Pentlow and the acreage.

March 6th 1948

The Royal Oak Inn in Sudbury is being renovated, some people declare that timber from the gallows on Gallows Hill was used in the construction of the Inn, 300 years ago, certainly it is within living memory that customers had to mount two steps to enter the public house.

March 13th 1948

Borley's famous ghost is now on contract to Hurley Productions who are making a film on the book by Harry Price on the end of Borley rectory. It is claimed to be the first picture to tackle the supernatural from the scientific viewpoint on film. The plot is to be introduced for popular entertainment,(one of Harry Price's staff is to advise on the script) which is now being wrote.

March 13th 1948

Pentlow Parish Council held a special meeting to discuss the suggested transfer of Pentlow into Suffolk, there were objections to the way this was presented although we need more information there was no opposition in principal.

May 27th 1948

There were heartbreaking scenes at Bury railway station recently when a large number of German prisoners from Fordham and Botesdale started on their way home after two and a half years in this country. The party included some seventy high ranking naval and army officers. Just before the train departed a young woman, said to the wife of one of the prisoners entered the train and clung to him, the military and railway police tried to get them apart but they eventually came off together and the officials parted them on the platform, the German then hurried onto the train.

June 2nd 1948

A Cavendish soldier, Reginald Alan Mitson, who has spent five years in the army, three of them in Burma, married a Glemsford girl, Rose Emma Johnson of Glemsford. Mr R.Keyton was best man.

August 5th 1948

Allegations of misbehaviour and wilful damage at Glemsford playing field have been made. The ground in question is about 1 and 3/4 acres and accommodates the water tower and recreation ground.
Tiles and windows of nearby residents have been broken also trespassing and obscene language is being used.

August 3rd 1948

Richard Buckingham, a market gardener, aged 35 years, the former Commanding Officer of Chedburgh aerodrome, pleaded guilty to 11 charges of stealing Government property, namely 12 rolls of lino, 29 lamp shades and three chairs. Bound over for one year.

August 20th 1948

Foxearth church was crowded on Saturday when the village blacksmith married the village school teacher. Mr Basil Evans who has carried on his father's business for many years married Miss Mabel Grimwood daughter of the Mrs Grimwood and the late Mr Grimwood of Red Cottages, Foxearth. Miss Grimwood has been a teacher at Foxearth for nine years and was formerly a teacher at Pentlow school.

September 30th 1948

Mr Harry Pegg, lately the Foxearth postman, received the Imperial Service Medal from Mr J.Moir, the postmaster from Sudbury.
Mr Pegg joined the old volunteers then the 1st Territorial A.S.C., next the Honourable Horse Artillery in the regular army, he served through the 1914-18 war, during the last war he commanded a section of the Melford L.D.V.. Mr Pegg transferred to Melford Post Office in 1919 and retired on his birthday this year.

October 14th 1948

After 35 years on the railway, 21 at the Rodbridge crossing, Mr Ted Curtis has retired to become the landlord of Belchamp Red Lion at Otten Belchamp. The Catholic church at Sudbury presented him with an eight day clock. On Tuesday last, a number of the staff at Sudbury and Melford stations visited the Red Lion on the first night that Mr Curtis took the pub to wish him and Mrs Curtis well. Mr Curtis was often heard at local concerts, singing humourous songs and monologues.

October 14th 1948

An ex German P.O.W., Edward Kalbach aged 25 years and another prisoner, Erich Pulted age 27 were sentenced to 12 months in prison for breaking and entering a shop belonging to Miss Florence Norman at Wickhambrook ans stealing £ 11 pounds worth of cigarettes and other goods. Both men were recommended for deportation. Segt.Jillings said that Pulted joined the German army at 17 and was badly wounded in Russia, he was in hospital in Denmark when taken, he was employed at Rattlesden and Milden at farm work. Kalbach had served in the German navy in submarines and was captured off the coast of Argentine, he was an agricultural worker at Wickhambrook, he had made friends with Miss Norman and had taken a cast of her keys, he went back when he knew she had had her stocks in on a certain day of the week.

November 11th 1948

Houghton Hall Farms Ltd of Cavendish, bacon producers since the early part of the war have crowned a sequence of successes at local shows by annexing the 1st prize and the Beale cup in the bacon carcase competion at the London Dairy Show.

November 11th 1948

" What manner of child" a nativity play written by the Rev Winsland, the rector of Pentlow, may be televised by the B.B.C..
It is to be staged in Pentlow parish church by the Pentlow Dramatic Society on the Sunday after Christmas. The B.B.C is interested and is sending an engineer to report on the local electricity supply in the event of it being televised. The Pentlow rector's play will televised to a wide audience, there will be an additional performance on January 20th.

January 20th 1949

The death of Mr Joseph Mundell of Guildhall Farm, Rodbridge has been reported, he was 55. Joseph Mundell, a clever and fearless sportsman was from a Dumfriesshire family and a superb horseman winning many medals in South Scotland at ploughing. Mr Mundell moved to Rodbridge 15 years ago and had latterly started a dairy in North Street, Sudbury, until returning to Rodbridge.

February 10th 1949

For many years, Edward Mansfield was the engine supervisor at Clovers Mill at Sudbury, early on Tuesday morning he was killed by the engine. He arrived for work at 6 am, no sooner had the 100 hp engine roared into life it stopped and Mr Mansfield was killed trying to restart it. In the course of starting, an iron bar is inserted into the fly wheel, it is believed that the bar struck Mansfield and killed him. Edward Mansfield was 38 years old and had worked at the mill since 1931.(Ted Mansfield was a Foxearth man and his wife Dora was a teacher at Foxearth school)(G.H.).

February 10th 1949

A landlord has complained that because of trees his customers cannot see when leaving his pub, this drew remarks at Pentlow parish council like " aren't they already lit up" and " never heard trees blamed for that before. The landlord of the " Pinkuah Arms" at Pentlow said he only had a beer licence at present but was applying to the council for a wine licence. He stayed to address the council on the subject of the trees but Mr Grattan Little the clerk pointed out that he was out of order in addressing the council but the chairman Mr Max Morton agreed to hear the complaint and the clerk was instructed to write to Halstead Rural District Council to ask if they could be taken down or trimmed. The R.D.C. was asked to consult with the owners of the land each side of the lane which has become a cul de sac now that the continuation has been ploughed up.

February 21st 1949

Pentlow is so dissatisfied by the proposals that electricity in the parish will only be available to the pub, the rectory and two farms. The council is perturbed that the line from Cavendish to School Barn farm is to have a transformer at School Barn and that will only light Skillets farm the Rectory and the Pinkuah Arms. Mr Brand said only one side of the village would have eletricity. Mr Max Morton said a transformer at Hickford Hill has been erected and could that line not be used to light Paines Manor, Pannel's Ash and Simpson's farms and the cottages in the vicinity. The Electricity Board said that a shortage of transformers was the reason. The council have arranged to a meeting with Mr R.A.Butler and will tell him of their dissappointment after so long a wait.

April 7th 1949

Pentlow and Foxearth Conservative Associations are to amalgamate. Officers elected-Chairman H.E.Ward-vice chairman J.V.C.Lambert-treasurer K.J.Gooding-secretary V.N.Brand-committee W.Mansfield, Liston-Stuart Garner, Borley-Miss Jackson and Mr Lloyd, Pentlow-Foxearth-Mrs Lambert-Mrs Gray-Oliver Brand-Arthur Maxim.

April 21st 1949

A detective was mingling with the customers at Acton Crown and he spent half an hour watching kitty nap, the players ended up in court, they were, R.Skinner, J, Prentice, G.Liddle, J.Woodgate and J.Lindsay. They were fined £ 1.

July 21st 1949

Mr John Hutchinson the headmaster at Cavendish school from 1893-30 has died, he was 83 years of age.

August 9th 1949

In spite of the drought many farmers are confident of a good harvest and are busy reaping and stacking, this scene(photograph) was taken R.H.Barton's farm at Eyston Smyth's, Foxearth.

August 23rd 1949

Rather than pay a fine, Willeby Parker a Cavendish dealer who had been summoned for assaulting army pensioner, William Bareham at Sudbury saleyard said he would go to prison rather than pay.
He asked the clerk how long would I have to do for it as I haven't got any money, the clerk replied 14 days, I will take the time said Parker and left the court to begin his sentence. After two days in Pentonville prison, Willeby Parker paid his fine and returned home.

August 30th 1949

Reunited with his brother after 34 years was Arthur Waite the landlord of the Pinkuah Arms at Pentlow. The last time he had met his brother Fred was when they were both in the same camp in 1915.
Fred is a banana farmer at Teven on the Richmond river in South Australia and came home for his mother's 90th birthday whith whom he has spent some time at Durham. Fred emigrated in 1914 and joined the Anzacs, seeing service in France, Belgium and Gallipoli and was wounded several times.

October 11th 1949

There was an impressive funeral at Foxearth on Tuesday when the body of Mr David Ward was laid to rest in the presence of his many family, friends, villagers, employees, household staff and others. Mr Ward was slowly laid to rest not far from the organ he played for over 40 years. Mr Ward founded the well known East Anglian firm, he was 90 years old. Canon Hughes refered to him as our friend and said that the life of our friend was long also of the many activities in business, public work or the affairs of this village in which he truly threw himself into with unbounding energy. David Ward tried to walk life's way with steadfast feet for the church of which he had deep affection. The burial service was conducted by the Rev Malcolm Pearce.

October 16th 1949

Two Foxearth farm workers pelted ducks with missiles until five had to be put killed and two received broken wings. John Seeley a shepherd and Stanley Mayes a tractor driver of Western End cottages pleaded guilty. The owner, Mr Findlay of the Stone Cottages, Glemsford said he went into a meadow and saw Seeley throw a piece of wood at something, after getting closer he saw Seeley aiming at some ducks, he asked Seeley his name and he replied that he thought they were wild, Seeley shouted " Stan" after a few minutes another man appeared, I got their address's, Mayes said they were with their wives and families " nutting" when they saw the ducks which they thought were wild and would pay any damages. £ 2 with 12s 6d costs.

November 1st 1949

Pentlow people were surprised to hear last week that they are to have after two years agitation, eight new council houses which are to be built adjoining the site of the previous council houses and not in Pinkuah Lane, the reason for that decision against the lane is that the site is not deep enough to allow sufficient gardens.

January 16th 1902

For 20 years, Buster Keyton aged 52 years has swept the streets of Cavendish but he will sweep them no more for early tommorrow morning with his wife and five of his seven children he will sail from Southampton in the Mauretania to America to settle in the States with his daughter and her ex army airforce husband in Winconsin.
He was a native of London, moving to Glemsford as an infant and living there until 1914 when he joined the army, since the war he has lived in Cavendish.

January 16th 1902

A Cavendish man is one of 15 men who survived the Truculent disaster. Mrs Maudie Kendall has just had news that her husband Ronald aged 22 was one of the survivors.

January 31st 1950

A record crowd of 2500 saw Sudbury beat Melford 7-0 at Melford.

March 7th 1950

Rumours are current in the Sudbury district that negotiations are going on for an amalgamation between Ward's brewery at Foxearth and Tollemache's brewery of Ipswich, these rumours have been denied by Mr H.E.Ward. The business at Foxearth was built up by the late David Ward's mother who started it from her home and most of the brewery was built in 1888. In 1913 Ward's beer won a gold medal at the London show.

April 18th 1950

A Meteor jet crashed into a copse at Acton on Wednesday near Acton camp, only 300 yards from the huts. The pilot was thrown clear but died during the evening at St Leaonards hospital, Sudbury, from his extensive injuries. Women in the huts were preparing the mid-day meal, when they heard the plane crash, the pilot's last manoeuvre was prevent the plane crashing into the huts, when the women reached the crash they found the pilot, Auguste Fehreyeck, was thrown clear but was severely injured, Mrs Wheeler provided a coat as a cushion and Mrs Boggis fetched some blankets. The plane was from Stradishall and the general impression was that he was trying to land at Waldingfield aerodrome. At the inquest Flt.Lieut.Stevens said he authourised Fehreyeck to take off for gunnery practice over the Bury-Stowmarket area, he was summoned to flying control and told that Fehreyeck was overhead with one engine out, radio contact could not be established, he flew away and witness took off to look for him, he got a message from base saying that he had crashed in the Sudbury area, flying over the area he saw the wreckage.

May 16th 1950

Michael Butler, a farmer from New Barn Farm at Belchamp Walter claimed £ 199 at Sudbury County Court when he alleged negligence by Frederick Branwhite and his son John. Mr Hines for the plaintiff said the fire was began by John Branwhite when he set fire to a neighbouring field where Butler had his chicken huts, the field belongs to Mr Oliver Pearson but he had permission to put the chickens there. The fire destroyed three huts and in consequence Butler had to sell 400 Rhode Island Red cockerels at a loss 5s each. Butler was in partnership with Mr Watts. Charels Martin of Lower Houses, Bulmer, said he was driving a tractor and he saw the fire and John Branwhite was there. Stanley Theobald of 3 Council Houses, Belchamp Walter, said he was in his garden when he saw the fire start. £ 99 damages.

May 8th 1950

At the Stanningfield show, J.O.Brand's Foxearth Fiery 3rd.

June 6th 1950

Mr J.O.Brand's very useful cow, Foxearth Valentine, won first prize for cows in milk, born between 1945-48, at the Suffolk Show at Benacre.

June 6th 1950

Sonia Ham of Foxearth school has been offered a place at Sudbury High School at the same time John Brand will go to Culford school, Claire Pinhey to Moreton Hall school at Bury St Edmunds and the other six who leave will go to Sudbury Modern Secondary school.

July 4th 1950

John Robert Potter, a thatcher from White Chapel Cottages, Little Cornard, was committed for trial charged with fraudulent conversion. The prosecutor said Potter was given money by two seperate persons to purchase straw and sticks for thatching their cottages, the work not being done.

August 29th 1950

Rotten eggs still float in the pond at Belchamp Walter after a fight to break up a Communist meeting broke out last Sunday evening. The Communist speaker was thrown from the platform onto the road and only police action stopped the meeting becoming a serious fight. Mr F, Pearson found a piece of paper about the meeting which had been slipped under the door of his house at North Waver, it advertised a meeting to be addressed by Mr A.L.Morton, Pearson showed the paper to his friend Archie Cameron of Crows Farm who declared it has got to be stopped, so with Mick and Jim Butler they rallied 20 supporters and went to the pond where the meeting was held. The speaker and his party arrived, the speaker standing on the lowered boot of a car, Archie Cameron walked up to him and grabbed him by the hand and laid him on his back in the road, the speaker's brother Max Morton (of Paines Manor, Pentlow)rushed up to help but was stopped by Fred Pearson. The speaker mounted the platform and tried to begin again when the police advised them to end the meeting.

September 26th 1950

At Eyston Lodge Farm, Foxearth. The small herd of Dairy Shorthorns for sale. 10 cows-9 heifers-Fordson Major-dairy appliances. For Mr H.A.McCook Weir.

September 26th 1950

Borley Rectory for Sale. Known as the most haunted house in England and a Mecca for ghost hunters, is to be sold. Mr James Turner, a poet, who has been living there the last four years has moved to Belchamp Walter and advertised the Rectory in a national newspaper. Only a low wall remains of the rectory which was burnt down in 1939, Mr Turner said that they were the first people to inhabit the spot since 1939. He said he was threatened 11 months ago by planchette board " entity" but it is not the ghost that is compelling them to move but the hundreds of sightseers and amateur investigators out for a cheap thrill, arriving home late one night he opened the front gate only to be immediately spotlighted with a searchlight from a car in his garden, Americans are among his many visitors, he would not confirm reports that he had been offered £ 4500 for the property.

October 1st 1950

The Rev A.C.Henning, rector of Liston and Borley said during a lecture to Colchester Y.M.C.A., that the last time the nun at Borley had been seen was last year when a local doctor who wishes to remain annonymous was driving up the hill to Borley when near the Rectory garden he saw the nun bending down by the rectory garden, he quickly backed his car and was just in time to see her disappear through the hedge.

November 7th 1950

James Turner has published a novel entitled " My life at Borley Rectory" priced 10s 6d. With delightful humour he uses the ghostly site for a racy tale.

November 14th 1950

The Rev A.C.Henning, the rector of Liston and Borley has expressed his annoyance at the continued publicity about Borley Rectory," why can't you forget it, it only brings noisy people to Borley".
Yet posted in the church porch is a notice saying a book about the rectory can be obtained from the cottage near the pond, it is written by the Rev Henning.