Beattie Carr.(1910-1993)
By Chris Morgan c/o Evening Echo
"Beattie worked in the Post Office and she was often to be seen delivering items on her bike, which was a childrens bike. Many people will remember her cycling through the snow on such missions. She was very interested in the Garden Association. Each year she presented one of the cups for them.
When she was born, her mother was told she'd only live three weeks. She rather outdid that!
Many times people would go into the Post Office and find it empty. Suddenly she'd stand on a step behind the counter so she could deal with them."
Beattie Carr.(1910-1993)
By Chris Morgan c/o Evening Echo
"She was a wonderful little character, much loved in Hullbridge and beyond. She knew everybody and took great interest in the life of the village, and I got to know her very well when I was MP for the area. I met her on all sorts of occaisions when I visited the village. She set a great example and I think that was why she was greatly loved. We also had a common interest in horticulture. I shall never forget her."
Beattie Carr.(1910-1993)
By Gary Congram 2008
"Beattie was the daughter of Mrs Carr and Mr Launder who ran Hullbridge's newsagents on Ferry Road. Beattie was a small person being only 3ft 6in tall. I remember for first encounter with Beattie, I was new to the village having come from North London age 10 and whilst I was on my way to the Rec., down Pooles Lane with some of my friends I saw this small girl approaching us on a juniors bike, as she got nearer I realized she was not a little girl she was a lady and I started to feel very uncomfortable with her appearance.As she passed us by she called out "Hello!" in a deep and husky voice which made me even more uncomfortable. To ease my discomfort after she had passed us by I started to laugh and make fun about her only to be told off by my friends because they knew her and liked her a lot. They proceeded to tell me how nice a person she was. She knew most of the children by their Christian name and normally would stop and have a chat. From that moment on I saw her in a different light and never again felt uncomfortable by her presence and she and I have chatted many times about the Scouts, Guides, Football and Stamps. I became, like my friends, very protective about our Beattie and would make sure nobody disrespected her as she went past.
Beattie was a pillar of the Hullbridge Community participating in most of the events and was a member of many of the organizations she was also the oldest guides in 1st Hullbridge troop maybe even Essex.
Three events come to mind which shows the feelings of the villagers about her:-
In the summer of 1966 her bungalow in Windermere Avenue that she had be renovating caught fire and burnt down. Once the word got around many Beattie was inundated with offers of help, one sepecially from Mr Braine MP.
Another time some idiot stole her bike, however it was soon recovered somewhere in the village. I remember the shock and disgust felt by most of us in the village and I would not have wanted to be in the persons shoes who stole it. It might well have been Hullbridge's first lynching. Well almost!"
The third time was when she appeared on a TV program produced by Lord Snowdon. Quite a number of the villagers remember Lord Snowdon coming into the village to see her and we all felt ever so proud about our Beattie getting some recognition and at how she treid put across her attempt to live a life liek everyone else dispite her handicap. That's our Beattie !!"
The last 6 years of her life found her living in an old peoples home in Hockley, but her heart was always in Hullbridge and would jump at the opportunity to come back to the village on trips.
On behalf of many many villagers "Thank You Beattie! You may not have realized the impact you had on many us children in the village,but you showed us how to be nice people, neighbours and that no matter what our problems, hurts are it does not harm us to be friendly to others in fact it eases the troubles. You were a small Lady with a massive heart who rode her bike through all our lives. I hope you will be remembered for eternity and are riding your bike through Heaven! God Bless! you are very much missed."