A WAR HERO RETURNS HOME

Albert and Elsie Rodriguez celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 1983. Many may remember Albert from Rods Cycle and Toys in The Stow but Albert had a remarkable story.

He fought for the French resistance in WW2. He was captured and incarcerated in a Spanish POW camp. But his wife, Elsie, did not know this and back at home, she was told to prepare for the worse.

Two years later, a man knocked at the door. The man who stood there was Albert but she did not recognised the emaciated and bald man in front of her. But it was Albert.

The experience deeply traumatised Albert but he started a very successful business in The Stow. His daughter Carol went on to marry celebrated charity fundraiser, Alex Jagger, who many recall seeing on his three wheeled bike.

Baby Danielle is a TV star

Abbotsweld baby Danielle Cole appeared in the TV programme Johnny Jarvis. Danielle’s parents, Susan and Stephen were very proud of their baby, who got the role after a chance conversation at work.

More Heatwave

Workers at Longmans and Cossors negotiated shorter days as the heatwave continued. Union reps brokered a deal where the working day only lasted from 7am to 2.30pm.

The deal lasted for a few weeks.

Dave and Phil run 40 miles

Harlow AC runner, Phil Skinner and Dave Horton shrugged off the heat to run 40 miles in the Woodford to Southend 40.

Phil finished 5th in a remarkable 4hrs and 35 minutes whilst Dave was just behind him in 4 hrs 43 mns.