Hullbridge Postcards (3)

Ye Olde Anchor Tea Room and Garden

By David Whiffin

Copy of a postcard from the late 1920's early 30's by unknown publisher. The tea rooms and garden situated at the south end of the Anchor Cottages. The man standing in the doorway is the proprietor Alfred Davis, we may assume one of the women is his wife. The garden sign looks very new so its likely they have only just started their café enterprise. The reverse side of the postcard reveals that it was sent by Alfred Davis himself to his nephews and nieces. It reads:-

"Dear Lads and Lasses.

Hope you all dead or alive or otherwise! You mother has had all her teeth out, but her jaw is still there. The monkey has snuffed it now at last R.I.P.. We are selling out. Nothing doing. 

Love from Uncle Alf."

The monkey referred to in the message is his wife's little pet monkey which was something of a local attraction in the café. Judging by the tone of the sentence it seems Alf wasn't that fond of it.

We know from another later postcard the business carried on into the 1950's. 

The second postcard "The Ferry" features another well known café the "The Wayfarers". (Postcard dated to the 1950's unknown publisher).

The house, I believe was formally called "Montague House", was bought by George and Nell Boul who converted part of the ground floor into a café calling it "The Wayfarers". They also created a small garden and seating area opposite the café on the other side of Ferry Road. Nell managed this venture. George had his motor repair business to the side of the café. A former barn like building functioned as his workshop. A lorry can be seen on the forecourt.

The Wayfarers continued as a café/restaurant for a few years after the Boul's sold the property and moved away. In the 1990's the house became the Simla Indian Restaurant we know today.