Transcribed from the 1909(?) Crusha & Son edition by DavidPrice,
REMINISCENCES
OF
TOTTENHAM.
— BY —
Mrs. J. W. Couchman.
Price, 2/6.
p.3PREFACE.
Having lived in this parish all my life I have been repeatedlyasked by my friends to write a short account of my earlyrecollections of Tottenham.
I feel a little diffident at doing so, and this being my firstattempt at committing my recollections to paper I trust myreaders will pardon any mistakes and omissions, and that it willbe as interesting to some of them to read as it has been to me towrite.
My father was born at Palmers Green in 1798; my mother wasborn in this parish in the year 1800. They were married atAll Hallows Church in 1825, and continued to reside in Tottenham;my father died in the year 1866, and my mother at the ripe oldage of 94, in the year 1894.
I can now see in my mind’s eye the dear old village asit was in my childhood, surrounded by meadows, cornfields, andpretty country lanes and a great number of stately elm and othertrees. It hardly seems possible that the population wasthen so small that all the inhabitants were known to one another,and the appearance of strangers was at once a matter ofspeculation as to who they were.
HARRIET COUCHMAN,
WIDOWOF
John William Couchman,
Civil Engineer,
16, Pembury Road,
Tottenham,
1909.
p. 5Tottenham,
75 years ago, was a very pretty quiet village, most of thehouses were good and old-fashioned; there were several mansions,but very few shops. It was a favourite resort for Royalty,and has always been considered a very healthyneighbourhood. Some of the inhabitants lived to a veryadvanced age.
The highway was measured in 1611; it was two miles and aquarter long. Mile stones were then erected.
The parish was divided into different Manors, calledPembrokes, Bruces, Daubeneys, Mockings, and Dovecotes orDucketts.
Tottenham Manor was sold at auction, 10th April, 1805. Sir William Curtis, Baronet, purchased it for£11,000. There were then 38 copyhold tenants. ACourt Leet was held every year at the Old Plough Inn, High-road,and anyone wishing to be admitted attended there for thatpurpose. This was discontinued about the year 1860, asthere was not sufficient homage to summon. All businesssince then has been transacted at the office of the Steward ofthe Manor.
I remember hearing my father say one of the homage (a very oldgentleman, Mr. Philip Hunt), was late for the dinner. Heexplained he had nearly reach