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The Denhams, probably known and remembered best as 'The Vets' were the last people to live in the Atti' as a home. This is how the Attimore looked in 1986 when Peter and Esther Denham lived there. That's Peter's TR7 and Esther's Morris out front. Apart from the Virginia Creeper and the unmade road it's very much the same as now.
The Denhams moved into the Attimore on the 17th November 1962. Esther, a Veterinary, had been practicing in the area before this since 1959. Before the Denhams moved into the Attimore it was a farm and still active with agriculture and beef cattle. The Attimore land was still farmed until 1982 by the previous tenant farmer. The farmers land was compulsory purchased by the new town commissions for urban development. The farmer, Eric Sherriff, stayed on as a tenant and sub let it to the Denhams. The rent was £4 a week! It was probably the largest council house in the country. Because of a new Council House Act the Denhams were given the chance of buying the house in 1981 which they did.
The photo shows Peter and Esther next to a shed at the end of the horse stable. This is still there although it is very overgrown. The children belong to a friend. They
had two large Newfoundland dogs which were well known around the area. The 1st
was Jannie and the 2nd was Lilly who was a champion. Mrs.
Denham bred Newfoundlands (known a s 'Newfys') and she is still the president of
the Newfoundland club. She still travels around the world Judging the
breed.
This photo shows the Denhams in the kitchen in 1986. The location of this is to the back of the house on the right. The window looks out to the back of the house to what was then an orchard. It is now the Beer Garden.
The photo to the left is of 'Peter's Present', a horse so called because he was born on Peter's birthday. The
Denhams had 11 aupairs during their stay. They were German, Dutch, French,
Swiss and American. One of the modifications that the Denhams did was to put a cover over the well at ground level. Peter Denham was a Bank Manager for Nat West in Stevenage for 14 years. They Denhams have 4 children, John, Sarah, Simon and Christopher. Esther met a pilot, a one Baron deSarigny, who wore a huge handle bar mustache, while tending to his injured dog. Esther used a new technique to mend a broken bone using a plate. The Baron was so pleased that Esther saved his dog they became friends and he offered her a fifth share in an Auster Plane for £70. She took him up on the offer and he taught her to fly! When the Denhams left the Atti' in 1986 they had a party in a huge marquee in the orchard.
Esther still performs Locum work and is still very full of life. Peter is an active sailor and regulary sails from the Medina river. He once sailed to Norway with friends.
Anecdotes from the Atti': Around
1980, an Irish customer of the Shamrock came round after closing time and tapped
on the window to use the telephone for a taxi, which he used by leaning through
the window. No taxi wanted to come round at that time of night so he thanked
them and Esther shut the window. But he stayed outside the window staring in. In
the end he said "Could you open the window, my t'umb is caught in it"!
Esther opened the window and saw that his thumb was all black and blue. It took
him about a minute to to find out why he couldn't move!. He then said it was
a long way to Stevenage and walked off. The
burglar: In the non smoking room about 10:00 she saw a burglar and twisted his arm round the banister so he couldn’t move. She said "I’ll set the dogs on you" but seeing that he had stepped over the dogs on his way in, he wasn't very worried about that. He was subsequently arrested. Many thanks to Peter and Esther for their time and the loan of the photographs for copying.
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There
were many animals around then, horses, cows, dogs, cats, chickens and customers
animals recovering from various ailments.
The
Denhams now live on a small farm on the Isle of Wight. The farm is active and
produces poultry, sheep and beef cattle.