David Cripps (cripps@netspace.net.au) is researching the Perrin family (Ida and Henry) who brought The Cottage, Bushey Heath, in 1905. The property eventually was sold to J Langham Thompson, the Inventor & Benefactor who worshiped at St Peter's Church. Later on the property became the present site of Hartsbourne Park Flats.

David is planning to visit the area and has already contacted St Peter's Church has some documents of interest to him when he comes over. (B.T.W. the St Peter's Church web site is well worth a visit).

We have exchanged emails and what he is desperate to find is a picture of The Cottage, Bushey Heath, where the family lived.  Pictures of houses in residential roads in suburban areas can be very difficult to find as they would not normally appear on commercial post cards. I have suggested that he contacts Bushey Museum and told him that Watford Public Library also has a good local studies section and Watford Museum might also be worth contacting but less promising. There may be photographs of the time J Langham Thompson was there (some of his inventions involved photography). The Institution of Engineering and Technology may have some information about him (he was a former office holder of the Institute of Electronics and Radio Engineers) and while I doubt they would have a picture of his house - perhaps they have one of him taken outside his house - with part of the building in the background or put you in touch with surviving members of his family,

It is possible that posting this may also catch the eye of someone who can help with a photograph - or perhaps provide some additional information on the Perrin family. It might also be worth David posting a request on a site like curiousfox, or contacting the Nostalgia page of the Watford Observer.

August 2010

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