The Munt family of 30 Batford Road

By Rosemary Ross

Mr and Mrs Stanley Munt lived at 30 Batford Road, where they brought up their sons Hector (born 1912) and Kenneth (born 1914).  Photos from the family album show the house, garden and the views from the front and back of the house in a snowy winter. The brothers learned to swim in the River Lea.  With the outbreak of the Second World War they both enlisted.  Hector spent around two years in a Japanese camp. 

Ken Munt married Rene Weston and photos show them with their baby, Dinah.  Ken Munt ran the shoe-repair business at 3A Station Road, where Di helped out. 

Photo:Royston Cottage, 30 Batford Road, 1930s?

Royston Cottage, 30 Batford Road, 1930s?

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Mrs Munt at the backdoor of 30 Batford Road, 1920s

Mrs Munt at the backdoor of 30 Batford Road, 1920s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Mrs S Munt in the garden, 1930s

Mrs S Munt in the garden, 1930s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Mr Stanley Munt with Ken and Hector, 1920s

Mr Stanley Munt with Ken and Hector, 1920s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Learning to swim in the River Lea,

Learning to swim in the River Lea,

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:View from 30 Batford Road, across the valley to Marquis Lane, 1930s

View from 30 Batford Road, across the valley to Marquis Lane, 1930s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:View from back of 30 Batford Road, towards Mackerye End

View from back of 30 Batford Road, towards Mackerye End

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Hector Munt, 1939?

Hector Munt, 1939?

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Ken Munt, 1939?

Ken Munt, 1939?

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Rene and Ken Munt, 1940s

Rene and Ken Munt, 1940s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:Ken Munt (right), with Dinah and Charles Smith (Ken Munt's uncle), 3A Station Road, shoe-repairs, 1950s

Ken Munt (right), with Dinah and Charles Smith (Ken Munt's uncle), 3A Station Road, shoe-repairs, 1950s

Di Castle's family albums

This page was added by Rosemary Ross on 12/03/2013.
Comments about this page

Geoff Woodward has asked us to add the following information about STANLEY MUNT:

He started on the Great Northern Railway at Wheathampstead in 1905 as a lad porter, becoming an adult porter at the same station. He then trained as a signalman, and was posted to Grimoldby (Lincolnshire) where he stayed for a few months before moving to London Road signalbox at St Albans. He moved to the Wheathampstead signalbox in 1910 and became a full-time signalman at Harpenden (East) signalbox until he retired on 31 December 1958.

Stanley was secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR), having taken over from W R Almond in 1938, and after retiring he continued with the local branch.

He was also caretaker of Batford Methodist Church and a trustee of the same. He spent his spare time at work - between trains - writing for the Church, doing NUR business or repairing hymn books. He was also a keen gardener (as can be seen in the photos above). He died in August 1976, aged 85.

By Rosemary Ross
On 21/03/2013

Alan Hamblin tells me that Stanley Munt remembered the bricks for the building of the National Children's Home arriving at Harpenden East railway station in 1913.

By Diana Parrott
On 02/09/2014

Thanks to Geoff for the information on Stanley Munt, I remember him well. Our Sunday School teacher. He often used to let us operate the signal levers at Harpenden East when we were children, (can't imagine that happening now).

By Ron Almond
On 27/01/2015
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