Memories of some people who have lived on Fitzharry’s estate.
A different perspective on life on the estate in the late 1940s is provided by “Atomic Spice”, the autobiography of Mary Flowers. A young mother whose husband was a senior scientist, Mary lived in a pre-fab at Harwell before moving to the estate. A close friend of both Bruno Pontecorvo and Klaus Fuchs, she gives a fascinating insight into the excitements and strains of post-war life. Chapter 8 Domesticity, Doubts and Defectors deals particularly with life on the estate.
The family of Jenny Wiggins (nee Pulley) was amongst the very first to move into the new estate. She describes how “Fitzharry’s was a wonderful place for children: there were so many families, all new to the area and involved with A.E.R.E. How lucky we were to be able to run free within the walls of the Estate and know nearly everybody there.”
Bruno Pontecorvo was a key figure at Harwell: born in Italy, he had played a significant role in the development of the atomic bomb. In 1951 he and his family left their home in Letcombe Avenue – and never returned. Find out more in the article on Abingdon Town Council’s website
These three memories were recorded in 2022 by Marion Evans and John Mears
At 7 years old, Moira Hinkley-Smith (née Campbell) and her family moved into Nuneham Square in 1952. She has vivid memories of many of the early residents, of playing with children all over the estate and of the kindness of neighbours to her father in his later years. “There was a lot of good fellowship, you know, open fellowship”.
Hear Moira’s interview
Heather Hughes and family moved into Fitzharrys Road in 2005 into the “ugly house” (as she termed it). “The aesthetic of the estate has grown on me – the Festival of Britain look … it has got a really good community feel as well“. She talks about how great it has been for her son growing up here.
Hear Heather’s interview
Jane Morgan arrived in Nuneham Square as a young mum, and later on the family moved to Fitzharrys Road. She describes how well-kept the estate was with “beautifully trimmed privet hedges”, and how in the early community life “our doors were always open, children used to pop in and out of each others’ houses, it was very free and easy”.
Hear Jane’s interview
These three memories were recorded in 2001-2 as part of the Abingdon Oral History Project (© Abingdon County Hall Museum)
Pat Russell
“I came to Abingdon in ’47, one of the first people to move onto the estate on the corner opposite Boxhill School and beyond it was all fields. It was the edge of the country then. The old Fitzharry’s Manor was there all boarded up and the children used to play around it.”
“Unfortunately, my husband met with an accident at Harwell and died three days after fracturing his skull there.”
“My ideas [for copes and church embroidery] came from the church or cathedral, attending a service, talking to people like the flower arrangers or vergers and getting the feel of the services and then I could design something that I felt was right for it. Norwich, I did a lot of work for, and Worcester and Lichfield. A little bit in Exeter. St. Paul’s Cathedral in London eventually.”
Hear Pat’s interview
Malcolm Snowden
“We used to travel to Harwell by bus and that gave us an excellent opportunity for meeting each other and forming friendships and talking shop.”
“It came as a big shock to all of us in the Laboratory when those two defectors were discovered. We had been used to seeing them, we made friends with them, and we invited them into our houses. I played tennis with them. Klaus Fuchs was a resident at Lacey’s Court and Bruno Pontecorvo lived on Letcombe Avenue. It was a terrible shock and we didn’t expect it at all.”
Hear Malcolm’s interview
Alwyn and Margaret Langsford
“I used to work with large quantities of liquid hydrogen, which is always fun, particularly when it catches fire in the middle of the night.”
“Stratton House was no longer lived in, and the orchards were going to waste. Our children had a lovely time as two-, three- and four-year-olds running wild in these orchards with their young friends.”
Hear Alwyn and Margaret’s interview