Farraline House, Watford
Map showing part of Watford
The photo shows Farraline House, Nellie Owen, Ruth and Eric in his pram. The position of Farraline House is marked on the above map.

Reginald Owen & his family moved into Farraline House, Watford, in February 1917. Reginald's mother, Elizabeth, died there (3 Nov 1920) as did his wife, Nellie, of cancer (2 Sept 1924) prompting him & his three young children to move away. The two ladies are buried in Vicarage Road Cemetery to the west, almost opposite Watford Football Ground, as are Elizabeth's brother, John Adams, Reginald's daughter, Elaine Wynn Forbes, her husband George and their eldest daughter, Janet.

Farraline House had a 'day nursery' and a 'night nursery', both upstairs. There was quite a large garden and a yard with a stable, where the children played, and other outbuildings. Milk was delivered by "Gussy, Bang, Bang", so-called because he rode a motorbike, though his milk float was horse-drawn. In those days, there were small shops along Vicarage Road, behind Farraline House; a stationers owned by a well-known amateur footballer, a sweet shop owned by a blind man and, opposite, there was a butcher who looked after the pets when the family were on holiday; these included, bantams, chickens, cats and a black & white border collie called "Bob". There was a nurse for Nellie, a cook-general & a maid, as well as a nursery nurse who used to holiday with the family. Later, when the family returned to Watford, Ruth and Elaine, attended Watford Grammar School for Girls, on the right of the map, just as I did. Farraline House was demolished in the late 1960s.

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