The Butter and Eggs Express
The railroad that ran through Hensall was nick named “The Butter and Egg Express” after the women who rode the 8:22am train transporting produce to Covent Garden Market in London.
“Queenie”
Queenie (the milk wagon’s horse) was well known as the Village babysitter. Many mothers sent their children to the front window to watch for Queenie and the milk wagon. Hours later they would still be looking out the window. Queenie retired in 1969 and the horse drawn milk wagon became a memory.
The Fire Chief
In 1901 the fire chief, Albert Whitesides, was paid $5.00 per year and empowered to form a fire company of 15 members to be paid $1.00 per year.
Crime
On June 30th 1961 the Hensall Post Office was broken into and the safe blown open. $5,970 was taken in the form of cash, money orders and stamps and 35 silver dollars. An investigating officer believed nitroglycerine was used.
Population
The population of Hensall has remained steady at approximately 1000 residents since the year 1900.
News
In 1896 you could purchase a copy of the Hensall Observer for a subscription fee of $1.00 per year. Other acceptable forms of payment included, potatoes, apples and fowl.
Walking Two Miles to School (up hill both ways!)
Hensall’s first school consisted of one room and accommodated only the four lower grades forcing older children to walk almost two miles to No.10 Hay to the next available school.
Hensall Women’s Institute
During the war years the Institute ensured that all 52 or more local servicemen received a box each month containing a letter, and either food and candy or cigarettes. Residents were asked to donate a cup of sugar a month (out of their sugar rations) to make the candy.
