Viesities, Saxham Street (tm214)
This property only got its name after Mr Ray Leeks moved his Latvian wife in. The current owner’s mother found a round stone with a metal bar through it that was thought could have been used for bending wood to shape a wheel rim by a wheelwright.
In the mid 19th century, along with the property know known as Saxham Cottage it was owned by John Quinton and formed part of his carpentry business.
For many years a large corrugated shed stood adjacent to the road. The current owner’s father referred to it as his’junk shed’ and prior to its demolotion a large quantity of old newspapers were found there. The current owner wonders if they were old papers that had been previously stored at the ‘sand pits’ by Spencer Wilden when he had the shop on the corner of Creeting Road.
Zenta Leeks, seen here wearing Latvian national dress, that she had made for herself and holding dolls that she had dressed in Latvian costumes.
Her husband Ray had built her a loom which she used to weave her own fabric and make national costumes, and she used to sing in the Latvian choir in London.
Zenta and Ray were buried in Barking church. When Zenta died she was conveyed by a horse drawn hearse from the cottage to Barking church.
