The Hatton family came first to Astwood via Aylesbury and Little Brickhill and by 1793 Abetha Hatten was born in Astwood and then George Battom Hatten was born in Hardmead.
George was a Brickmaker by trade who then married Jane Higgins of North Crawley in North Crawley in 1837.
Their son James Higgins Hatton (note the change of surname) was born in North Crawley on 25th September 1838 James occupation was listed as Brickmaker and Farmer.
James married Lucy Ann Harris at Chicheley in 1860 and were blessed with 4 children of whom James Franklin Harris Hatton was born in Chicheley in 1875 and christened in North Crawley on 27th April 1875.
James Franklin Harris Hatton married Ada Wallinger of Bedford in 1902 and his ocupation was listed purely as Farmer.
They in turn produced a son Horace Edwin Hatton whose life and writings of North Crawley are recorded for posterity.
Horace was born 25th November 1913 at East End Farm, East End to James and Ada Hatton.
On the death of his father on 11th November 1950 he took over the running of the farm which was a mixed farm of Animals and Cereals. On his retirement he and his wife Peggy moved to Tapps Green House, just a little further down East End. Horace eventually spent the rest of his retirement with Peggy in Kilpin Green.
Sadly, Horace died on 18th July 2003 in Milton Keynes Hospital. However, his memory lingers on in the two books that he has written about life and events in North Crawley. He used to say that he changed the names of the people in the books to “protect the innocent” but beware like the BBC we must issue a language warning which does not comply with modern standards necessarily.
The lead to this book follows for those who are brave with broad minds “A story of North Crawley 1934”. Book 1.
Horace was an avid Arsenal supporter and had been a season ticket holder since 1930. At his funeral a letter was read out from the then manager of Arsenal, Arsenal Wenger who thanked him for his loyal support.
Two stories illustrating Horace’s personality follow
Malcolm Rose tells the story of when Horace took him as a young boy to Highbury. Shall we have a walk on the pitch boy said Horace. You can’t do that said Malcolm. Come with me says Horace as they walk down to the gate where a Steward was guarding the gate. Horace takes out 6 eggs from his pocket and says Hello Alf, can we have a brief walk on the pitch, of course Horace says the steward pocketing 6 eggs. Malcolm said when they went on the pitch the crowd thought he was a new signing for the club as they waved
Fortune favours the brave!! Or 6 eggs!!
Another story : As you walk towards the main arena at Highbury there was a wall with some windows in it which was actually the back of the inside bar. Horace had left the Chequers pub in North Crawley but when he arrived at the stadium realised he had left the tickets at the Chequers. Well there were some windows on the outer wall of the stadium and Horace rattled the windows to get Barmaid Doris’s attention Horace told her what had happened and she told him to go and see Harry on the press entrance and give him a dozen eggs which he did, then all five of them were told to walk through the press entrance saying either daily Mail, daily express or whatever paper came to their head.