During the 1920's Charles Potter left his native Linconshire to live on the outskirts of Halstead, where he set up as a thatcher. In later years his son Fredrick took over and was helped by his son John. Beside thatching cottages around the area they were employed during the autumn to thatch staw and hay stacks and in the wintertime during bad weather they spent their time trussing hay to sell to the farmer for cattle fodder. The use of combine harvesters and balers ruined the straw causing thatching to go into decline, forcing the Potters to give up. Fred is seen here on the roof of a cottage in Castle Lane, Castle Hedingham with John steadying the ladder, carrying out one of their last thatching jobs in 1960.
