Arthur Appleton 1886 – 1971 select any image to enlarge it

Arthur Appleton was a member of a long line of the Appleton family who have lived and worked in Goldhanger for well over one hundred years. Just as his father did before him Arthur spent his life on the land as a farm worker. For much of that time he worked for the Simpson sisters at Hall Farm and tended to the milking cows and horses. However, Arthur is best known for his involvement in local WW-1 related activities, his competence as a bellringer, and his role as the local representative of the Farm Workers Union. The documents and photographs we have relating to these activities are presented here in approximant chronological order...

Arthur was born in 1886 at 29 Church St. His parents were John and Alice Appleton. At the time of this 1911 census, seven children are shown, but his parents went on to have a total of 12 children. Arthur was the second oldest.

Here are two views of the cottage where the Appleton’s lived in Church St. which were taken in the early 1900s. They lived on the right-hand end. Today it is hard to imagine fourteen people living in this tiny accommodation, but it was not uncommon in the village at that time

Many residents will be familiar with this cast iron grave marker on St Peters churchyard footpath. It marks the grave of 12 year old Charles Appleton, who was one of Arthur’s brothers.

The photo on the left shows Messrs Appleton and Wager with heavy horses in Head St. It shows either John on the left or Arthur on the right. The date could be around 1900. The photo on the right shows Mr & Mrs Appleton outside the same cottage. This was probably Arthur’s parents John and Alice Appleton. This photo was in Maura Benham’s 1985 book entitled: The Story of Tiptree Jam, the First Hundred Years. The photo was dated 1920 and had this caption: “The old road-mender and his mate at Goldhanger”

In the early 1900s Arthur was an extremely competent bellringer who took part in many complex “methods” ringing. The peal board on the left still hangs in St Peters tower and is the only board there. On the right is an extract from the Essex Bellringing Association newsletter in 1921.

This postcard showing bellringers at Burnham in 1911 includes some of the Goldhanger ringers and Arthur Appleton is second from the left in the middle row. The gentleman seated in the middle of the front is Charlie Mann and the Goldhanger Tower Captain, John Buckingham, is top row on the right hand side.

This picture of the Goldhanger Friendly Brothers, also dated 1911, could well also include Arthur. As the Farm Workers Union representative, who wrote the letter to the MP in 1918 asking for more beer for the Chequers(shown below), and as a prominent member of the community, he would undoubtedly been a member of the Friendly Brothers. The gentleman sitting third from the right in the front row looks very much like Arthur.

We have copies of three items relating to Arthur’s activities locally during WW-1. He clearly did not serve in the forces during that conflict as these items indicate. It could have been because of his key role in farming meant that he was exempt. The Emergency Committee Instructions and the certificate presented to Special Constable Appleton on the occasion of his marriage are both from 1915

Here is a transcript of a letter written by Arthur to the local Member of Parliament in May 1918 during WW-1 asking for more beer for the Chequers at a time Arthur was the Farm Workers Union representative and a village Special Constable...

Dear Sir, I write you on behalf of our branch of the Workers Union which numbers 70 members to ask if you will kindly use your influence to get us an extra allowance of beer allocated to the Chequers Inn Goldhanger which we use as a mess house. We are all asked to work extra hard these times upon the land with longer hours and feel that we obtain benefit from our pint of beer when taken with our food. It is not a case of asking for facilities for excessive drinking, but simply asking for a drink of beer to help out our reduced diet of meat and bread. We do not ask for any increase of brewing as many houses in towns such as Witham and Maldon have many of their customers left to join up the army or will be leaving very soon for that purpose. Consequently the houses have really more beer than is necessary. Here there are more men coming upon the land such as disabled and or unfit soldiers. The beer that goes to those house in towns where so many of the men are being called up might be diverted to our industry, especially during the coming hot months. We are doing our best by working hard to grow more food stuffs and feel completely done up, as it were, when for about 3 days each week we are not able to obtain what we have always been used to, the house being closed during that period having only one barrel per week allocated to it under the present system. I am faithfully yours, Arthur Appleton, Secretary

( The original letter is held in the Essex Records Office )

Here are three photos of Arthur from the archives...

with his wife Ali and son with his daughter on the far right with friends and neighbours

Today the Arthur Appleton Trophy shown below, is still regularly awarded by the local branch of Essex Bellringing Association to the winning team of the annual Striking Competition. As an accomplished Goldhanger ringer Arthur became a well known in the district and the trophy would have been made at some time after his death. It could well have been constructed by Arthur’s son Geoff (shown here with Charles Mann), who was a carpenter in the village. The silver medallion embedded within the trophy was presented to Arthur by the Revd. Gardner...

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