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Very excited about this winter side-project. I have acquired this lovely old photograph album which has lots of wonderful, original photographs from the early 20th C - with many original Cambridge photographs, Fulham Football Club and Military Pictures. Below is a sneak peek for you Over the next few months, I will be researching each picture individually and will share the journey.      
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Thought I'd share this history of Lammas Land which I compiled as part of the site Management Plan for Cambridge City Council, so it is in a rather 'report' style. I will expand on this in a separate book at some point but as always, I like to get the info that I have worked on, out there for you to enjoy and as 'Newnham' is such a popular place that so many of us have visited over the years, enjoying the paddling pool, river and park, I thought it may be of some interest :)
Lammas Land is a 5.45ha*, Cambridge City Council owned public park, within the ward of Newnham and about half a mile from Cambridge City centre. It consists of open green spaces, a variety and abundance of trees and shrubs, a shared waterway, an extensive playpark and a large paddling pool, tennis courts, bowling green and other leisure features. The site is situated within what was once a much larger area of historical common land and as such there are many ancient willows, which are still traditionally managed by pollarding. Other open green spaces, such as Sheep’s Green and Coe Fen, are easily accessed by the bridges connecting the sites and the Paradise Nature Reserve is accessed from the immediate south-east corner of the site, just beyond the Lammas Land car park. Lammas Land is bound by Snobs Stream on its eastern side, by The Driftway on the south, Newnham Road on the west and The Fen Causeway bounds its northern aspect.
* not including the car park
A1 - Archaeological finds recorded on the Historic Environment Register (HER) in the immediate vicinity of Lammas Land:
From early times Lammas Land, Sheep’s Green and Paradise were all part of a large stretch of marshy common land, they were bound by the River Cam on the east, with Coe Fen being on the northern side of The Cam. All within an area that was, in the past, relatively boggy and marshy, and prone to seasonal flooding due to the close proximity to the river. The challenging nature of this area meant that there was little settlement within the immediate area, until the area became better drained and more accessible in the more recent past, from the ninetieth century.
Grantchester Meadows stretched outwards on the south side of the site which, in its original form, runs as a routeway from where Lammas Land car park is now, continuing south west through the area now known as Paradise Woods. Further on became a metalled and named street, before continuing onwards, more or less parallel to the River Cam, on its route through Grantchester village. The south boundary, with its continuation along the immediate south edge of Lammas Land, in the form of the road known today as The Driftway, is a continuation of Barton Road (A603) which runs off to the south west and follows what was an ancient prehistoric routeway, where further along its length near Barton Village towards Wimpole, it was metalled during the Roman period for use as a Roman military road. What was to become Newnham Road ran alongside the west side of Lammas Land and The Fen Causeway wasn’t built until 1926, which gave the site a final and distinct boundary.
Newnham was a small hamlet within the Grantchester parish, there were also some scattered pockets of settlement around the area north of Lammas Land by the mill known as Newnham Mill which fell within the St. Giles Parish boundary. The mill was mentioned in the Domesday record in 1086. In 1256 a Carmelite religious order had settled in the area but even they found the water-logged conditions too much, as they were frequently cut off from Cambridge town by flooding, they had left the site by 1292, to move into the town of Cambridge. In Newnham Croft, as it was known during the medieval period, the ancient furlongs were divided into croft land by at least the 15th century. These crofts were owned or leased by men from both Cambridge and the surrounding parishes. A Cambridge butcher owned a share in the meadow in 1346, this is also likely linked to the place name of Butchers Croft which appears on some old topographical descriptions of the area, in and around Lammas Land, along with the surrounding common land. Limited housing development growth took place in the area due to the very marshy and boggy fen covering the fields between Cambridge and Grantchester.
Enclosure took place in the parishes around Lammas Land at the beginning of the 1800’s. Before enclosure, when the Open and Common Field systems were still in general use, Lammas Land, and the waste and common land surrounding it were shared by the surrounding parishes of Grantchester and Coton, St Giles, St Mary the Less and Trumpington. Lammas Land lay right in the corner of these parishes. With The Driftway marking the parish boundary of Grantchester and Coton, to the north east of The Driftway the River Cam marked the parish boundary of Trumpington, and the boundary between the parishes of St Giles and St Mary the Less ran straight through the site in a north east, south west line. Together these parishes exercised a mixed Right of Common in this area.
The name Lammas comes from the Lammas rights, which were Rights of Common that entitled commoners to pasture following the harvest, between Lammas day, 12 August to the 6 April, even if they did not have other rights to the land. These rights, sometimes having the effect of preventing enclosure and building development on agricultural land, helped to preserve the site from general development and save it as a green, open space. Rights of Common still apply to areas of the adjacent sites of Sheep’s Green and Coe Fen.
The River Cam today follows a different course than its original one. In earlier times The Cam would have followed a route through the commons along, what is now a stream called The Rush, which today runs through Sheep’s Green, in a north westerly direction to meet with the mill and mill pond. The name The Rush, gives clues to its industrial use for the ancient mill which stood to the north of Lammas Land. During the medieval period, a new, straight mill leete was cut, to lead from the River Cam in the south east to the mill in the north, where there was obviously a need for a better controlled use of the water. This leete, known as Snobs Stream today, bounds Lammas Land on the east and is abundant with wildlife and ecology. The River Cam, in this area, was itself diverted and straightened, probably around a similar time during the medieval period, in part at least, to assist the larger mill, known as the Bishop’s and Kings Mill, which was situated at the bottom of Mill Lane, Cambridge, at Granta Place, just to the east of the mill that stood north of Lammas Land. This demonstrates how close Lammas Land was to the original River Cam and these changes assisted with drainage at the Lammas Land site and created a more accessible area of common grazing.
On the 29th April 1868, the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, describes an event regarding the continuing claims of Common Rights that were still taking place within the area that made up todays Sheep’s Green, Coe Fen and Lammas Land. It also shows that in 1868 the site was still not yet known by its sole name of Lammas Land but was instead often referred to as ‘the Lammas lands’. Part of it was called Bull Leys and known for the Common Right of Lammas and lay to the southern aspect of the site.
“Lammas Land – Malicious Injury. Quick John Lilley, of the Coach and Horses, Newnham, was summoned at the instance of Mr. Lambert, of the Half Moon Inn, Trumpington Street, and a tenant under Saint John’s College, as occupier of a portion of Bull Leys, Newnham, for breaking and injuring part of the fence enclosing Bull Leys. Mr French appeared for the complainant; and Mr Hunt for the defendant. Mr French: I understand that the defence will be that this malicious injury was committed as a matter of right. The defence, I understand, will admit to that. Mr Hunt: Yes, as a matter of right, but I raise the question of title. Mr French: Surely the defence set up will not be held valid by the Magistrates, for nothing can be easier in matters of this nature that for a defendant to raise the question of title for the mere purpose of oasting the jurisdiction of the Magistrates. I shall prove to you that Mr. Lambert has occupied this land for nearly twenty years, that he has paid rates for it, and during the whole of that time he has maintained and kept up this fence, now broken down by the defendant. The only defence that could be put up was that the ground was Lammas Land, and therefore the defendant might at this time of the year have right to feed on it, but certainly he had no right maliciously and unnecessarily to break the fence. There was no excuse for it, as there were several other places left purposely open for Ingress and egress of stock during Lammas – Mr Beales: It is a question in which the Magistrates have no jurisdiction. We are advices by our Clerk that the objection is valid. – Mr French: I am surprised to hear that, because, if that is so, persons having a right to stock Parker’s Piece, Christ’s Piece, Midsummer Common, and other places, would have an equal right to break down the railings enclosing those places, which surely cannot be. – Mr Beals: We decline to interfere. – Mr Hunt: You cannot enclose an inch. You must take down the fence. – Mr French: With a view to having a cheap and speedy law, I advised my client to apply to the Magistrates; it, however, appears Mr. Hunt’s client is not so disposed. – Mr Beals: We have no jurisdiction. – Mr French: Well we shall have to take the matter into a superior Court. – Mr Lambert: Yes, if it costs me £50.” (British Newspaper Archive)
On the map below the site of Lammas Land can be seen with its separated parcels of land and showing Snobs Stream running off of the River Cam straight down to the mill.
On the 25th March 1871, Cambridge Independent Press mentions Bull’s Leys which cover the length of the southern area of todays recreation ground on Lammas Land. The report gives clues to the ownership and use of the site at this time.
“The Paving and Drainage Committee, having also considered the memorial as to the nuisance arising from the manure heap on land in the occupation of the Commissioners at Newnham, and having had an offer from Mr. Moyes to let a larger piece of ground further from the public roadway for the purpose of storing manure, at a rental of £8 per annum (instead of £5 now), it was unanimously recommended that with a view of obviating the nuisance complained of, such offer be accepted, and a new lease prepared in accordance therewith. Dr Fawcett moved the adoption of the report. A discussion then ensued, during which in transpired that the ground in question was called Bull’s Leys, which was Lammas Land, and held on lease from St. Catherine’s College, and that Mr Moyes had not the power to make such an offer.” (British Newspaper Archive)
After Enclosure had taken place, Cambridge was divided into five Wards, then after the enlargement of 1911 the Borough was divided into ten wards with two more added in 1935, changing the original parish system. Newnham Ward was created in 1911, expanding upon the area known as Newnham Croft and separating it out as a distinct area, no longer held within a parish system. This gave the area a much more defined boundary and identity. There was a bloom in the development of the area, resulting in new housing and the need for recreational and leisure space. Newnham College was built to the north east in 1875, which attracted associated development and further distinction for Newnham, as a distinct area, in its own right.
Students and the public were, by at least the latter part of the 19th century, using the River Cam and Snobs Stream as bathing places and some formal swimming lessons were taking place there. An article in the Cambridge Independent Press, 12th November 1870 was already beginning discussions on providing more formalised recreation at the sites. Discussions were held at Town Council stating that every respect for vested rights would be shown, and no attack on gentlemen who had exclusive privileges in connection with the Common would be made. The plan was put forward to provide, on Sheep’s Green means of healthy recreation, by erecting proper bathing places, and that they might be made so as not to be unsightly. Due to the nature of these areas and open common, the sites were also used, when the weather allowed for ice skating. Space such as this, naturally began to lend themselves well to recreational activities.
In 1876 the Commons Act was passed, an article in the Cambridge Independent Press, 12th January 1878, describes concerns that were raised at the Town Council meeting and shows that the site was described as Newnham-paddocks rather than its present-day name:
“…The condition of the commons and open spaces within the borough for generations past has been most unsatisfactory, but it appears that the remedy is placed within our reach by the Commons Act of 1876, and it may be hoped that perfect unanimity will permit its application. The schedule accompanying the report specifies various commons, showing the total acreage to be about 300, but no mention is made of several plots of Lammas Land, such as Christ’s Pieces, New-square, and the Newnham-paddocks. With respect to these it may be presumed that there exist ancient rights, which are vested in certain colleges; but these can be of little more than nominal value, the interests of the public being paramount. Such as they are, however, they are a hinderance to improvement or to the proper maintenance of order, and the object of this letter is to suggest that these, with any other open spaces – should such exist – be included in the Corporation scheme to be referred to the Assistant Commissioner at the proposed inquiry.” (British Newspaper Archive)
Plans to build a viaduct, continuing from the end of The Driftway, going over Snobs Stream and then over the River Cam, were published in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on 3rd May 1895. The plans showed that the bathing sheds would be under the viaduct and would provide access from Newnham, towards Cambridge train station, via a more direct route. The plans presented the idea that:
“The continuation of the Tram Lines from Bateman Street to Grantchester and Barton would go far “to attract the people from the slums and alleys of our congested, unhealthy town into the green lanes and fair meadow lands of the country where the white violet blows and the daffodil dances in the breeze, and the winter aconite hangs its golden bell.” (British Newspaper Archive) This scheme never came to fruition, but it opened the discussions further on improvements needed and paved the way to further planning. Note Lammas Land is called Lammas Ground. Most importantly the plans referred to using part of the land to be converted to a recreation ground with the combined aid of the Corporation and the County Council. This was part of the first movement to address the need and desire for a designated public recreation ground in the area. 
By the end of the 19th century, the question of suitable bathing areas was still a much-discussed topic. The River Cam and Snobs Stream in particular were still being frequently used as a bathing place. As this article, from the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, 7th September 1894, demonstrates:
“…an increasing desire to have a swimming bath for ladies, I would suggest a site behind Newnham Mill, where Lammas ground commences. If the bed of the stream [Snobs Stream] could be cleared out about twenty or thirty yards, the bottom concreated, and sides lined with enamel bricks, or, if too expensive, ordinary tiles, with a depth of from three, graduating to five feet, open at each end, so that the water might freely flow through, a strong wooden shed could be erected similar to the one now on the green, well lighted from the roof, with a sliding panel for hot weather, and the building would be complete. The interior might be fitted up afterwards with dressing boxes. A good entrance can be made from the Newnham side, opposite the schools – and will take in conveniently those who, I believe, will be the greatest patrons, the lady students at Newnham…” (British Newspaper Archive) The challenges presented by the lack of suitable bathing sheds was also mentioned in this letter in the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, 27th July 1894: “…I occupy a house directly opposite the Green and in full view of the bathers, and I have several females connected with my establishment, and the sight of nude men and boys running round the Green at all hours of the day, Sundays and week-days alike, is not a very moral spectacle for them. A great many people who cross the Green by the public path have expressed their opinion that the exhibition throughout the day is simply disgusting. I don’t think that in any civilized town in England that has bathing facilities would this be allowed. Bathing dress is an inexpensive item, and I think that all moral minded men would wish to see this disgrace to the town of Cambridge wiped out. I may add that a great many inhabitants of Newnham have expressed their opinion that the wearing of bathing dress while bathing (at least after 10 o’clock in the morning) is most desirable.” (British Newspaper Archive)
After 1900 there was further rapid development in the area, with sponsorship of the Cambridge colleges supporting this action. There were 160 new houses built including housing around Owlstone Road, Eltisley Avenue, Millington Avenue and Fulbroke Road, further defining Newnham as a distinct community. The commons and Lammas Lands, along with the college sports fields contained this new development to the south and east of the site, it is worth noting that today, Lammas Land along with associated green spaces continues to protect the area from in-filling development, which helps retain Newnham’s distinct character of a village like settlement.
On 9th August 1907, the Cambridge Independent Press, printed details of work to be carried out in the area, for widening Newnham Road presumably due to amount of new development going on. Note here we see the loss of a strip of the Lammas Land.
“Newnham Road – Continue the improvement on the south east side to the “Coach and Horses” involving the purchase of some houses, and beyond the “Coach and Horses” only, requiring a strip from the Lammas Land” (British Newspaper Archive) “Newham Road widening – Property on south-east side up to and including the “Coach and Horses” publichouse, and strip off Lammas Land” 27th September 1907, (British Newspaper Archive).
Spurred on by a letter received by the Council, from Rev. Symonds, of St. Mark’s Parsonage in Newnham, discussions to create a much needed and more formalised recreation ground, started to gain momentum by 1913 and several Town Council meetings were held regarding the matter. There was some little resistance to the proposals but overall the idea was approved, and the Council proceeded to acquire the land with the view of turning it into a recreation ground. On June 13th 1913, The Cambridge Independent Press published Town Council minutes, that provide great detail on the previous owners of the land within the site and the costs at which the Council would pay to gain the land.
“Newham Recreation Ground. The Commons and Paving, Drainage and Lighting (Joint) Committee reported that in April, 1912, a letter was received from the Rev. S. Symonds, of St. Mark’s Parsonage, suggesting that the Corporation should acquire or hire a portion of the Lammas Land, so that it might be free for children as a playground for the whole of the year. He pointed out that for eight or nine months in each year the Lammas land provided an excellent recreation ground for the young people in the neighbourhood, but from April to July the ground was closed just when it was most needed. The Commons Committee instructed the Town Clerk to communicate with the owners of the various Lammas lands as to the terms on which they would be disposed to convey their interests in the land to the Corporation, and in reply to his queries he received he received the following offers from the respective owners:- Gonville and Caius College – area, about 2a. 2r. 11p.; price £250 – the Corporation paying all costs, the land to be used solely for public enjoyment, and not for the purpose of building (except the erection of bathing sheds). St John’s College – area, 5a. 1r. 6p.; price, £254 – the land to be used for the purpose of recreation ground purchases paying all expenses of, and incidental to the transaction, subject to certain covenants, one of which would be the erection of an unclimbable iron fence along the driftway past The Grove; St Catherine’s College – area, 5a. 0r. 1p.; price £250 6s. 3d. The land belonging to Gonville and Caius College is next to the river, continues the report. And is not subject to Lammas rights, and would be an admirable site for additional bathing accommodation for women, which must be provided in the near future. The committee are of the opinion that for various reasons the whole of the land mentioned in the above schedule should be in the hands of the Council, and that the prices asked for are fair and reasonable. They therefore recommend that the land should be acquired on the above terms, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to apply to the Local Government Board for permission to borrow the necessary sum for the purchase of the land, including the payment of the costs. The committee too further recommend that in the meantime further provisional arrangements be entered into with the owners for the purchase of their interest…..It was quite clear that if the Council bought rights over this land, in respect of which they already owned some rights, they would have to go to Parliament in connection with the extinguishment of the common rights if the ground was to be turned into a recreation ground. The neighbourhood had at present no recreation ground at all. It was perfectly clear that the present system of Lammas rights was very unsatisfactory and wasteful. They had certain dominant rights. The land was under hay for the greater part of the year, and then in August or at the end of July the community went in as a right.” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk) “Cambridge Ratepayers. Inaugural meeting of the Association….”Highly-Paid Officials” Mr Daintry criticised the proposals to purchase the Lammas Land at Newnham for a recreation ground as an unnecessary proceeding. The rate-payers out to resist paying officials high salaries for soft jobs. Let them look at the officials in Cambridge, drawing hundreds a year. He called it legalised plunder. If they must pay these officials out of rates, let them pay what a private person would pay them, and not twenty times as much.” (Cambridge Independent Press, 20th June 1913, British Newspaper Archive)
Alongside the debate into the possibility of a recreation ground at Lammas Land, much was being discussed about the surrounding roadways and bridges over, and from the site. On the 20th March 1914, Cambridge Independent Press, published details into the discussion had, regarding this matter:
“The Present Position. At Present, Mr Raynes pointed out, that they had no right of access to the river on that side. They had to buy the Lammas Ground first. Then they would have to go to Parliament to obtain a private Act of Parliament – which they hoped to do next November – for extinguishing the rights of the Commoners over the Lammas Ground. That would enable them to deal with the Lammas Ground as a recreation ground and give them statutory powers to make either a road bridge or a footbridge and approaches thereto. So they saw that, for various reasons, they had not power at present to do what that meeting evidently would like done; but the Council had laid the foundations for doing it. Assuming that it was decided to build a foot-bridge or a road bridge, they had consider the bathing place, and attached to that came the question where they would land on the other side… He thought the committee of that Institute had been wise in saying, “let’s have a footbridge, because that’s the place, and we want the road bridge presently.” Mr. F. W. Chivers did not think a footbridge was necessary. If they had a bridge at all let it be a road bridge. (Hear, Hear.) Other Councillors Views” Councillor Peake said the question of Lammas Land would be settled soon. He did not see why they should wait until they had secured the land entirely before they considered what they would do when they got it. He thought £40 a reasonable figure for the footbridge. What they wanted was to get across the river. They wanted two bridges because there were two streams. If they wanted a road bridge they must make it well understood that they did want one. A footbridge would not be expensive. The Borough Surveyor had told him that £100 would be the outside figure. A road to approach the bridge would be expensive, but to make a footpath would not cost much. The cost of a footbridge would be little less that 1-15th of 1d rate. …If they waited until the Council were ready to give them a road bridge they might wait a very long time. At the request of Mr. Chivers, the Chairman then asked only ratepayers to vote with the result that the resolution was again carried by a great majority.” (British Newspaper Archive)
By the June of 1914, a year after the last detailed report, regarding obtaining the lands at Lammas ground to create a recreation ground, the inquiries were still continuing. The report by the Cambridge Independent Press on the 19th June 1914, contains fascinating detail as to the way the site was being used at the time:
“NEEDS OF NEWNHAM L.G.B. Inquiry into Proposed Recreation Ground…In the Cambridge Town Council Chamber on Tuesday morning an inquiry was held on behalf of the Local Government Board by Mr. Edgar Dudley, F.S.I., into the application of the Corporation to borrow £854 for the purchase of land in Newnham-road for the purpose of a recreation ground……The Inspector asked if there was any opposition to the application. No opposition was forthcoming. The Town Clerk said that the land to be purchased was subject to Lammas rights, which meant that people had common rights between the 12th August and the 6th April. What was going on now was that the land from August to April was being used for all kinds of purposes, for cricket, football, golf, etc. There was no golf course, play being with a club and bail. He thought that Lammas Land meant cultivated land thrown open after the harvest to common pasturage until sowing time. He had always thought that it was land for that purpose only, and that these cricketers, golfers, and hockey and football players had no business there at all. This fact was one of the reasons why they were now claiming that it should become a recreation ground. These lands belonged to various owners, to Jesus College, St. Catherine’s College, and others, and the lands were fenced only by hedges, badly fenced, for some of the boundaries were not marked at all. Speaking of the Gonville and Caius portion which joined the river, he said that this was not subject to Lammas rights. When the extension came into force in 1912 they took in a very considerable boundary here, and this piece of ground it was proposed to purchase should enable the “Newnhamites” to come over and bathe. The land would give them the whole right of the river along there. Directly after the extension here was a letter from the curate of St. Mark’s Newnham, begging them to take steps to get the land used for the purposes of a recreation ground. There was a very great want indeed for more accommodation for ladies bathing, and it was most important that the Corporation should have command of that bank of the river. The total area required was over 14 acres. It was difficult to find any land near or round about to compare with it, and he knew of no other land subject to Lammas rights. The Inspector: Supposing I am a commoner and want to put my cow on your recreation ground? The Town Clerk: That is the point. We have to legislate for that, but I don’t think the difficulty will arise. I don’t think it will interfere with the use of the ground. The Inspector: But it would be rather awkward if my cow strayed to the middle of the cricket pitch. The Town Clerk: It is extremely difficult to know what these rights are. We might allow such-and-such a portion of it for pasturage all year round, and in exchange for that takeaway the rights of pasturage on the other portion. It can only be by legislation. Mr Carter Jones mentioned that St. John’s College made a reservation that a strip of 40 feet on the south side should be reserved for a roadway. Mr. Hawkins: Apart from the recreation ground need there is a great need here for communication with the station and Cherry Hinton. We had a public meeting and we sent in a petition to this Council, and we really wish for this to go through before we can move in the other matter. Ad. Spalding: There will be strongest possible objection to any road which interferes with in any way with our bathing spaces. The Inspector: I cannot deal with access to the station now, but if it is done it must be done before the recreation ground is dedicated….” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
However, with the start of the First World War in 1914, proceedings became halted and the development of the recreation ground and the new roadway were not fully examined and moved forward, until after the end of the war.
By the August of 1914, with the commencement of WWI, Lammas Land was given over for the use of a soldiers camp, as were many of the other open spaces and commons within Cambridge. The Cambridge Independent Press gives this brief report on 24th August 1914:
“Cambridge people are adding to the comfort of the soldiers encamped here. A refreshment tent has been set up for the artillerymen on the Polo Ground at Trumpington with another on Mr Matthew’s meadow, Cherry Hinton Road. The Church Institute allows soldiers the use of their billiard table. There is a reading room in the Newnham School for the camp on Lammas Ground and a games room at the Prospect Church in Eden Street with writing material and picture postcards. Many socks for soldiers are being taken to the small striped tent on Midsummer Common and shirts would also be appreciated” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
Despite the war, or perhaps because of the need for good road networks during this time, continuing improvements took place along the Newnham Road, by the Lammas Land. As recorded by the Cambridge Independent Press on 7th May 1915:
“…the Corporation was making an improvement all along the line of the street that led from Newnham Mill up to the Lammas Lands. Some Improvements had already been made and widenings. These plans dealt with the reconstruction of the end house known as the Coach and Horses, next to the Lammas ground. Eight to ten feet of the ground now occupied by the house would have to be taken into the road and the result would be that the house would have to be rebuilt.” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
The soldiers camp didn’t appear to be on the site for very long and by 1917, due to the continuation of the war, there was now a national food shortage and all land that could be used for such purposes as growing food, particularly any green, open spaces and common lands, were being acquisitioned for this purpose, Lammas Land was no exception. The Allotments Committee were given special powers by the Government to seek out and use this land. Meetings were held in Cambridge as early as January 1917 to discuss which land could be used for allotments, almost immediately after the first Cultivation of Lands Order was passed by Parliament on January 19th 1917. The Cultivation of Lands Order was made, due to the threat from U-boats having the potential to destroy merchant shipping, which in turn would drive the country to starvation. Non-compliance of these Orders, for those receiving them, could result in heavy fines. From this date forward, meetings were frequently held between the Town Council, the Allotments Committee and other involved parties, to discuss the use of the Lammas Land for this purpose. There were many articles in the local Newspapers detailing these meetings held to discuss the matter, such as in The Cambridge Independent Press 13th April 1917:
“With regard to the resolution received by the Allotments Committee… asking the Council to break up the Lammas Land at Newnham without waiting for formal authority from any higher authority, Ald. Dr. Dalton said he wished to state what the position now was. There were no less than 50 applicants waiting to be satisfied. It was on January 15th that the Council passed the resolution that the Lammas Land should be broken up, and from that day to this nothing has been done. Every time he went into the district he was asked what was to be done. Day followed upon day, and nothing was done. Unless the land was broken up during the next fortnight it would probably be too late. He knew the Council were doing their best, and had the support of the War Agricultural Committee.” “Mr Raynes said… a large number of applicants from the Newnham district. Although that was very near the Lammas Land, it was a long way round to it by Newnham Mill… He believed the Council would be asked to pass an emergency resolution asking the consent of the Commons Committee to erect a temporary footbridge across the river to the Newnham Mill so that people might come across it, over Coe Fen…[it was] moved that the authority of the Council be given for the erection of a temporary footbridge as an emergency measure on Sheep’s Green.” (British Newspaper Archive)
By the 28th April 1917, only a couple of weeks after the above report, this letter appeared in the Cambridge Daily News, detailing the interesting construction of the footbridge connecting the Lammas Land and Sheep’s Green:
“A Clever Improvisation. Crossing Sheep’s Green the other day I noticed a number of men under the direction of the Borough Surveyor and the Highways Inspector engaged in making a footbridge over the Mill Stream [Snobs Stream] to connect Sheep’s Green with the Lammas Land. The bridge has been very cleverly improvised. Two pairs of tram rails, bolted end to end, each rail being 20 feet in length, were used to span the stream, the centres being supported on wooden piles placed in the river and the ends resting on concrete, and upon these rails the wooden floor of the bridge, four feet wide is laid. The bridge appears to be admirably suited to its purposes and should be extremely useful, because besides enabling allotment holders to get to their land, it will afford a much needed short cut to and from the station for the people who, live in the Newnham district. Incidentally I noticed that digging operations were in full swing on the Lammas Land, which appeared to be turning up extremely well.” (British Newspaper Archive)
The Cambridge Daily News, 18th May 1917, described in more detail, the purchasing by the Town Council of the parcels of land within the Lammas Land and their intended use as allotments:
“Cambridge Allotments - Committee Take Over More Land for Cultivation – Purchase of the Lammas Land -…. “The Lammas Lands. Ald. Young asked about the purchase of the fee simple of the Lammas Land at Newnham. The matter had already been discussed by the committee that he was on, and he thought it had been dropped for certain reasons. That was afterwards found to be a mistake, because it was the war that intervened, and the matter was not dropped for any other cause. Mr Conder said he was glad the question had been raised, and expressed the hope that something would be done towards purchasing the fee simple of the land, which had been held in abeyance since the war. The offer was still open. He did not know what committee the matter should be referred to. He thought that in dealing with it it would be advisable to take notice that if that land was available at once, it could practically all be used for allotments, and would return a very considerable revenue, sufficient to get a very good interest on the purchase money. Everything was ready for signing. If they could not borrow the money it might be advisable to purchase the land out of revenue. Mr Raynes said he remembered moving the report to the Council under which they decided to acquire all four plots from the different owners at a cost of about £1,200. The report passed the Council unanimously. They also had the advantage of dealing with a certain street improvement which was being undertaken at Newnham. He should very much like to see the scheme carried out. They could deal with the street improvement, the improvement of the commons, the bathing places, and also the bridge. It would be an enormous benefit to the town if they could decide to have the land, and later on, after the war, apply for a loan for the purpose.” (British Newspaper Archive)
Not all had been forgotten about the use of the site as a recreation ground, the idea of which was kept floating in the background whilst the more pressing needs of the country were at stake. Cambridge Daily News 22nd June 1917:
“…Those who were at the Boy Scout’s rally would realise what an immense acquisition this land would be to the public. It would be necessary to apply to Parliament later on, in connection with other matters, for authority to buy out certain rights of parishioners of St. Mary’s and St. Botolph’s, but there were only two or three, he thought, now existing. Mr Condor seconded, thinking that any town might be glad to avail itself of such an opportunity of adding its open spaces. Mr Turner said he believed that the idea was that part of the ground should be used for allotments. Would “recreation” include allotments in the terms stated. Mr. Lunn asked why it was laid down that the land should be used for a recreation ground only. He thought the Council should be able to do as they liked with the land they purchased. It might be wanted for the allotments or many different things. Mr. Raynes said the conditions stated were imposed by the vendors before the war and before the necessity for providing allotments arose. They could only use the land subject to the Lammas rights, which would not include allotments. If they applied to extinguish the Lammas rights they should apply to use the land for allotments. He did not think the vendors would be unreasonable in varying the restrictions; he thought this might be left to the Town Clerk in setting the draft contracts.” (British Newspaper Archive)
Two of the Conveyances to the Council acquiring further land portions of Lammas Land from the colleges:
Gonville and Caius Indenture to the Borough of Cambridge, 1918. Cambridge City Council
St. John’s Indenture to the Borough of Cambridge, 1918. Cambridge City Council
With the end of WWI, the need for the allotments on Lammas Land diminished and Lammas Land gradually reverted to its pre-war condition, spurred on in part by the severe flooding all over Cambridge in the February of 1919. Lammas Land and the surrounds commons, streets and Snob’s Stream bridge were submerged, once again, as in the not too distant past, effectively cutting off the inhabitants of Newnham from the town, showing this area could still be vulnerable to such forces of nature.
The site was fully owned by the City Council by 1921 and deliberate creation of a recreation ground took place during the 1920’s. By 1923 The Corporation Act had enabled the Council to extinguish Lammas rights over Lammas Lands in Newnham.
Cambridge Independent Press, 24th September 1920: “… As to Lammas Land, there was a strong feeling in that district that a recreation ground was desirable… and this possibility must be looked forward to…Councillor D. J. Freyer said he had for a long time hoped to see the conversion of the Lammas Land into a recreation ground. There were a great many children in the district, and they were always about the roads. Now that this question was being discussed, he hoped they would acquire enough land to get this piece turned into a recreation ground as soon as possible. (Applause.)” (British Newspaper Archive)
The long discussed and much needed roadway, that would connect Newnham with the east of Cambridge town and provide a link closer to Cambridge train station was constructed. The Fen Causeway, as it was named, was opened in 1926, and took in some of the Lammas Land to the northern boundary and provided a connecting road which traversed two bridges, going over Snobs Stream and the river Cam, further dividing the land up and providing the boundaries that we are more familiar with today.
In 1926, the new recreation ground at Newnham officially became named as Lammas Land. This article in the Cambridge Chronicle, 28th October 1926, gives some detail about the naming of the site:
“The name of a well-known onion – Nuneham Park – as a fitting one for the new recreation ground at Newnham, because of the many tears it has caused on the ground of cost, was suggested by Councillor Edwards at Cambridge council. Another name proposed was Lamentations Land as a perpetual reminder that they had been guilty of the most extravagant and wilful expenditure of public money. Finally the Council decided on Lammas Land. It would signify that the ground formerly opened during certain seasons of the year was now closed permanently against any private owner’s rights and the public had the rights for the whole of the year” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
Map showing the boundaries of Lammas Land and the new Fen Causeway:
In 1928 there was a petition for a putting green on the site, this never went ahead but interestingly, around the same time a rockery was being constructed at the entrance to Lammas Land, this is no longer to be seen:
“…The rockery being constructed at the entrance to Lammas Land is being made from pieces of old and disused cattle troughs from Midsummer Common..” (Cambridge Chronicle, 14th April 1928, Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
The Newnham Bowls Club was founded in 1928, and the City Council provided a bowls green on the newly formed recreation ground. Today the Bowls Club still occupy a made-for-purpose club house, on the north west of Lammas Land and the original bowls green is still in use, being considered one of the best in the county.
Originally, a purpose-built toilet block was situated in an attractive cottage style building at the north west corner of the site, as shown on the map, and in the picture below. This building has been refurbished and repurposed as a commercial building now occupied by City Cycle Hire who have leased the building from Cambridge City Council for the last 17 years. The public toilets are now to be found in the south east corner of the site by the paddling pool.
(Cambridgeshire XLVII.NW (includes: Cambridge; Coton; Grantchester.) Revised: 1938, Published: ca. 1946, Ordinance Survey.)
(Photo: M. Bullivant, 2019)
In the summer of 1931, calls for cricket pitch to be provided on the site came into debate as shown by this article in the Cambridge Chronicle, 17th July 1931:
“The question of cricket on Lammas Land, Newnham produced a spirited debate: old ladies crossing the grass might be hit with the hard cricket ball. The Commons Committee is going through a spasm of kill-joy spirit: boys played on the streets but as soon as they went to open space they were told they must not do so. Perhaps a soft ball could be used – or a golf ball. Newnham Institute sought permission for a cricket pitch, but this would turn it into a second Parker’s Piece.” (Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
By the 1930’s the large paddling pool was provided, which remains in use on the site today. It is the largest of the type in the whole of Cambridge, regularly drawing large crowds of children and their families.
Photo: Lammas Land Paddling Pool. (Cambridgeshire Libraries c.1933/1939)
1939 both football and cricket matches were being playing on the recreation ground, amongst various other events that were taking place at the site.
(1939, British Newspaper Archive)
(Cambridge Daily News, 11th September 1939, British Newspaper Archive)
(Cambridge Independent Press, 18th August 1939 – British Newspaper Archive)
With commencement of World War Two, Lammas Land, once again, was utilised for the war effort and some of it was returned to allotments again. As these Cambridge Chronicle articles show: 1942
“Our parks in wartime…show how public demand for allotments is being met. The Lammas Lands at Newnham are now being dug over by men and women to help in the ‘grow more food’ campaign. In another part of the same park is a spacious slit trench to hold four people where excavation cannot exceed two feet..” (Cambridge Chronicle, 3rd November 1942, Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk) “Civil Defence Committee consider invasion plans; will be shelter provision for 26,000; Coleridge Road and Lammas Land recreation grounds to be cultivated for foodstuffs..” (Cambridge Chronicle, 14th March 1942, Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk)
After WWII, Lammas Land, once again, reverted back to its use as a recreation ground.
“Countess Mountbatten of Burma visited Cambridge to receive the gift of Fitzpatrick House in Barton Road and declare it open as the new county headquarters of the St John Ambulance Brigade. Then on Lammas Land she inspected more than 300 men, women, boys and girls who make up the Brigade and presented the Grand Prior’s Badge to nursing cadet Averil Turville.” (Cambridge Chronicle, 29th April 1957, Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk) 
Surveyed / Revised: Pre-1930 to 1959, Published: 1960, Ordinance Survey
A new threat touched the park in 1971, with the Western Relief Road that was proposed to cut across Lammas Land, parallel to Fen Causeway, however, this prompted mass protests and the scheme was thwarted.
With all of the improvements in and around the site, it still continues to be a place that is affected by the will of nature and in 1971 the Cambridge Chronicle reported the following flood:
“Operation Mop-Up got into full swing as flood waters subsided after nearly two hours of rain in 24 hours. In Cambridge the river burst its banks from Lammas Land in Newnham to Pye’s in Chesterton where the playing fields resembled a lake.” (Cambridge Chronicle, 14th November 1974, Mike Petty, www.mikepetty.org.uk) 
The site, from the air, looking north, 1975 - (CUCAP 08-11-1975)
Along with the large paddling pool, the playpark at Newnham is well loved by many, in part due to the large variety of playpark equipment.
Photo: M Bullivant c.1981, Lammas Land, Newnham playpark
There has been a refreshment kiosk by the paddling pool for generations and is currently run by a private company, Crofters, who lease the building from Cambridge City Council.
There is potential for historical and archaeological work to be carried out at the site, for features preserved beneath the surface and in history, including research that could be undertaken for discovering more about the social history of the development and use of the site as a public park. which provide great opportunities for both public engagement, volunteering and education. However, care must be taken to preserve and protect what remains beneath the surface at the site.
Today the park itself continues to provide a much needed, large green space with a variety of parkland features such as the waterway, mature trees, sports areas, play areas and pleasant walks. The site has extensive historical value, from its design as a City Park, through to the way in which it has developed and been affected by some modern development and traffic threats, along with its transition from ancient common land to an extensively used public park. With the historical mill leete of Snobs Stream running along its eastern boundary, the site also has an aspect of industrial history providing a further fascinating area of interest.
If you have any pictures or memories of Lammas Land (Newnham Park) that you would like to share and have added below, please do feel free to get in touch via the 'Contact Me' form and I will add them for you and they will also go towards the memories of Lammas land section of the book when I get round to finishing that :)
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Jesus Green is a 11.3ha Cambridge City Council owned public park, within the Market Ward of Cambridge and lays to the immediate north of the City Centre. It consists of large open green spaces, a variety and abundance of trees and shrubs, a contained play park, skate park, tennis courts and a large public Lido. The site is situated within what was once a much larger area of historical common land within the River Cam corridor. Victoria Avenue, which bounds the site on its eastern side, separates Jesus Green from Midsummer Common, providing distinction from its previous use as common land to an area of public park. On the north side the site is bound by the River Cam, on the south side the site is bound by a stream called Jesus Ditch which separates the park from the grounds of Jesus College. Park Parade and its small development of early 19th century houses mark out the western boundary of Jesus Green.
The site of Jesus Green is in close proximity to what is now known as Castle Hill and which, since at least Roman times, has been used to defend the strategic river crossing and associated settlement that is now the city of Cambridge. Whilst Jesus Green is close in proximity to this important site, it has probably remained undeveloped as a result of its low lying, poorly drained nature and the soil type more unsuitable for cultivation.
There is some archaeological merit to the site with records of various items having been excavated or recorded including Palaeo-channels, burials, Plague victim inhumations, Nuremberg tokens and Air Raid Shelter/s. There is the potential for a number of features to be present if excavations were to take place.
c.1688 - Part of Loggan's Map of Cambridge, showing the tree planting around Jesus College adjacent to Jesus Green
Before enclosure took place in the early 19th century, the site formed part of an extended stretch of ancient common land that lay within the flood plain of the River Cam. In 1802 and 1807, the west and east open fields were respectively enclosed. In 1841, the Town Council proposed to enclose the main part of the fields; however, this was prevented due to public opposition.
View of Jesus Green, on the righthand side of the River Cam, from Castle Hill. Showing its use as common land with cattle grazing and the bridge across the river. c.late 1700’s. (Cambridgeshire Collection, A1838 3210)
Regulatory powers over the commons were given to the council in 1884 and were
strengthened in 1922. Later, the land was incorrectly classified as recreational and this has continued. In 1965, when the Commons Registration Act was passed, Jesus Green was not registered as common land. While contested in 1982, this was unsuccessful and as such the land remains classified as recreational and not common land. 
View of Jesus Green on the left-hand bank of the River Cam, looking west towards Cambridge Town. Again, showing the use of the site as grazing common land. C. 1840’s. (Cambridgeshire Collection J15 28925)
Many physical changes have occurred to the site, in particular between 1886 and
1997. A major change occurred when Jesus Green was segregated from Midsummer Common by the building of Victoria Avenue in 1890. This signified a very different approach being taken to the management of the land, with Midsummer Common being retained as informal open grazing land and Jesus Green being developed more formally as a public recreation ground. 
View north along Victoria Avenue. Courtesy of Cambridgeshire Collection (B.Vict.KO 39088)
Much of the original layout from this period is lost through development that has since occurred, however, the original layout of the paths and avenues on Jesus Green, although changed to an extent, remain largely intact.
The site was made good use of during the First World War with the 6th Division using the site as a camp before deployment.
6th Division, 1914, camped on Jesus Green during WWI. (Cambridgeshire Collection)
The 1920’s saw significant development with the construction of an outdoor swimming pool (Lido), putting green, tennis courts, Bowling Green, and a formal space for cricket and football. The character of the site changed from being an open meadow-like space to its current form, as a more formal multi-functional recreational ground.
 The significant changes to the park are shown by the map above. Courtesy of Cambridge City Council
There was also some increased use on the site for seasonal and annual events. One such event was the annual Horse and Cab show which ran for several years.
The late 19th century and early 20th century saw the layout of avenues, reinforcing
the formal character of the site. There was no record of the presence of trees prior to this date. The most dominant of the avenues runs between Victoria Avenue and the Lock and is lined today by mature London Planes. The nature of one of the avenues has changed over time with the introduction of somewhat smaller flowering species; this is retained to this day.
The 1970’s and 80’s saw further changes to the tree planting scheme with significant planting of limes and beeches.
Built features of the site have also been developed over the years, including, of particular note, the lock keeper’s house that is Grade 2 Listed, the public toilets, and community building, known as Rouse Ball Pavilion (no longer in use).
Later developments have included the construction of a large play area and skateboard park providing modern facilities and increasing the range of activities available, particularly for children and young people. A refreshment kiosk is also provided.
The Jesus Green Lido (opened in 1923), shown in the pictures below, is still in use today and still very popular.
The infrastructure required of a modern park such as bins, benches, and signage completes the transformation to a multi-functional recreation ground with a wide range of features available to the public. Notwithstanding the very significant changes to its original land use, elements of the original Victorian park layout remain. The site has significant historical value. A community project, looking at the social history of the site may identify many important socially historic events.
The park itself continues to provide a much needed, large green space with a variety of parkland features such as the waterway, mature trees, sports areas, play areas and pleasant walks. The site has extensive historical value, from its design as a City Park, through to the way in which it has developed and been affected by some modern development and traffic threats, along with its transition from ancient common land to an extensively used public park.
I will continue to to update this post with more in-depth history of Jesus Green as I go along, I just like to get the basics up so that they are available for anyone who is interested :)
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Just click on the green button below :)  Marie Cruden (married to George Cruden) and her sister-in-law, Violet Cruden (married to Arthur Cruden) on a motorbike outside houses on Oxford Road, Cambridge - if you know the make and model of the bike then do get in touch :)
Cambridge University Press Memories by Elizabeth Toller-Brown, I started work at Cambridge University Press (C.U.P.) in August 1968, in the ‘Assessors’ office; a section of the accounts department. I was just seventeen years old. This was the start of a big adventure for me and it continued for the next three and a half years.    During this time, I grew up, had great fun, in so many ways and made more mistakes than I care to mention, but all in all, it was generally a happy time. I left before big changes took place there and I am glad I did! I had enjoyed some of the best years C.U.P. had to offer. In my time there, I worked just a few offices from my beloved father, Eddie Toller. He had worked at the old C.U.P. building, in Trumpington Street, from the age of fifteen and had worked his way up to become one of the managers and ‘Production Liaison Officer.’  Ed Toller (my dad) In my father’s previous office, in the front corner of the second floor of the old Pitt Building, he had a huge wooden desk; full of interesting things like putty rubbers, that a child like me could squeeze and squash and a swivel chair, which I could spin around on, when I went into ‘town’ and called in to see Dad.  Eddie Toller's office (blue arrow) in the Pitt Building, Cambridge University Press Across the road from this lovely old building was a hairdresser’s shop; Reid’s. One day, for fun, the employees lifted the cover off the man hole in the path and kept popping a hairdresser’s dummy head out, much to the surprise of passers by! This was one of the amusing tales Dad told us, when he cycled home, had his dinner (including a dessert), a lie down on the bed and then cycled several miles back to work! We lived in Netherhall Way and I don’t know how he did this, but he was very fit! He had done the same when we lived in Oxford Road, until 1954. It was much easier for Dad to cycle to and from work when the new building opened in Shaftesbury Road, in 1962.  Eddie Toller working at his desk, C.U.P. I had not been able to take the eleven plus exam, as I was in hospital at the time (another story!) and I felt cheated, as they had said I was “university material” and going to college had been my childhood dream. From my later years at secondary school, I determined to work at the new ‘Press’ with my father and my brother-in-law, Mick Brown. Several of my mother’s Hatchman cousins also worked there, but at that time, I did not know them. When I eventually got a job at the Press, after doing two other mundane jobs, to pass the time of waiting, I found that my office was on the second floor, near my Dad’s. I was to be surrounded by a number of other ladies, mostly around my own age and our poor male boss, Jack Whybrow, had his desk at the back of our office. What goings on he had to endure each day! He was such a quiet, gentle man, nearing retiring age.  Michael (Mick) Brown All of the offices and workrooms were built around a square of gardens, with other workrooms leading off on one side. This meant that we could look out of our office window and see people across the way; great fun for them and us; we fun-loving, giggly girls!  Me & Margaret outside the Press at lunchtime...and I was never going to wear mini skirts! One day, I was about to go on one of my walk-arounds, to take papers to other work departments like ‘Compositors’, ‘Readers’, ‘University’, etc. when my friend, Tina Leland, put her black cardigan over her head and a white band across her forehead and sat in my chair near the window, telling me to tell those in the opposite room that we now had a nun working in ‘Assessors’ and of course, they then looked up to see if they could see her! Tina sat there singing ‘Ave Maria’ and saying she was ‘Mother Inferior’! That was just one fun time I remember. We were paid on the 28th of each month and my friend, Carol Hurst, and I would go to town in the lunchtime, on pay day, get some cash out and go shopping in the ‘Alley’ boutique in Falcon Yard, to ‘Primavera’ gift shop on King’s Parade and on the market. I sometimes bought gifts for my Mum and maybe pear drops or sherbet wafer rounds for my Dad, which he enjoyed eating from his desk drawer. Of course, we also bought L.P. (long-playing) records, too. The other lunch-times were usually spent in the large staff canteen, eating cheese rolls, or we might go for a walk to nearby Finches Walk or somewhere local. On Friday evenings, Carol and I would go to the Press discos in the Pavilion, which was then a very small building in the grounds. The disco was run by three of the apprentices, whose work I mainly dealt with; Barry Reynolds, Graham Cherry and Roy Fabb. It was, of course, called the R.C.F. Disco! ‘My’ apprentices included Barry Reynolds, Roy Randall, Graham Cherry, Roy Fabb, David Pearson, Alan Pell-Coggins, Graham Pegg, Noel Woodgate and Roger Thwaites. I also had to assess how long jobs would take for those in ‘Comps’ (Compositors), ‘University’ and ‘Journals’ departments. The men often tried to get me to give them longer time to do jobs, so that they could get more bonus minutes! I enjoyed working out the times for jobs and I could spot mistakes on proofs easily.  Me on my way to my office - taken by John Bowman, who always took photos of C.U.P. employees' Carol and I loved these wonderful times. We dressed in the latest fashions and wore quite a bit of make-up, which we took great care applying! We loved dancing at the discos and were pleased when reggae and bubblegum music came along, enjoying these, as well as the usual soul and pop music. In those days of the late sixties to early seventies, bands were always called ‘groups’ and bands were a larger company, playing ballroom, jazz, classical music, or whatever Another use for the Pavilion was as a rehearsal room for the C.U.P. Singers. I had a small group of my own among this group of people, called ‘The Press Gang.’ As a larger group, we sang songs from the musicals, a medley of London songs and many others and my little group sang things like ‘Morningtown Ride’, ‘Michael Rowed The Boat Ashore’ and other folksy songs. I played a 12-string and other electric guitars, which I frequently changed at Ken Stevens, in Petty Cury! We did many gigs all around Cambridgeshire and nearby Suffolk.
In my office, among others who came and went, were: Carol Hurst, Gill Hurst, Julie King, Tina Leland, Teresa Georgi, Boosha something, Iris Squires (a lovely older lady), Helen Sweet, Yvonne Pope, Margaret, (who later married ‘Pressite’ Dave Allen), Janet Ayers, Paula McKnight. In Dad’s outer office were Mick Brown, Brian Allen, Tony Littlechild, Colin Walsh, Carmen Raghaven. I knew everyone at the Press and I loved my job and work colleagues. I think it’s sad that all girls do not enjoy that camaraderie with work colleagues and the chance to enjoy the dances, discos and parties that were connected with work, in those golden days; along with the socialising and fun experiences galore, including swimming together at Parkside, which went well until my bikini top came undone in the pool once and the Compositors manager, Gerry Haslop, told everyone about it the next day! All Press employees were photographed by one of the ‘Readers’ named John Bowman; a quiet, reserved person usually, but a keen photographer. Ah, happy days! Elizabeth Toller-Brown. April 2021 2011 Diaries Had a lovely walk round Teversham recreation ground recently - Teversham is a small village just to the north of Cherry Hinton, east of Cambridge – If you don’t know it, you’d miss it, Teversham 'rec' is on the High Street/Fulbourn Road but it is set back from the road behind the houses. As you come through Teversham from the west/Airport Way you have to go through the village and just as you are coming out of the housing area you’ll see a small car park on your left hand side. Pull in here and park, if driving. Then you just follow the track way which goes north, for about 2 or 3 mins. There are two separate gates/entrances on the left hand side as you walk down the track and you just go through one of these. You’ll discover a lovely big open park field with a little shelter block and a play park in the corner. It is backed by arable fields and the perimeter trees are tall and very Victorian in appearance. It’s just one of those nice, different places to know about. In the summer it’s worth taking a couple tennis rackets and some balls as there is a little grass, unfenced court on one side. You’ll also see some great retro play park equipment, still going strong – things like the old Wickstead horse and bars to swing on – like those of us who were kids in the 1970’s and 80’s will remember :)      2011 Diaries I am pleased to announce that we have another new Cambridgeshire Community Archive Group (CCAN). The beautiful village of Elton in the very far north west of Cambs has joined our brilliant community archives network. They have a very good village society and have a wonderful heritage project on the go, with exciting events such as their very own ‘Big Dig’ and the involvement of the whole community and village school is something to be admired, I had a lovely visit to see them and was made very welcome. I am really looking forward to seeing the Elton CCAN group additions to the CCAN website. CCAN is Cambridgeshire’s online community archive, a place to see old pictures, photos, written and recorded memories, pod-casts and video clips along with living history, as groups record their activities from today for the history of tomorrow.  Elton Society 2011 Diaries I had a nice time visiting the very active St Neots Community Archives Group the other week. This is a great CCAN group, very busy and full of ideas and upcoming projects. The St Neots CCAN group includes adjoining parishes such as Yelling, Eaton Socon, Wyboston, Staploe and Paxton to name but a few. The group met for their meeting in the St Neots Musuem which is well worth a visit if you are ever that way. I am particularly fond of this museum as it is home to a life size wall chart depicting my relative, James Toller, The Eynesbury Giant. St. Neots Community Archive has been set up to collect information about the past from the above-mentioned parishes and the surrounding villages. If you have any pictures, old maps or interesting stories that you would like to be included in the St. Neots Community Archive, please contact Pam Ostler at St. Neots Museum or Sue Jarrett at ccanstneots@gmail.com If you would like further details of how to have your own CCAN site then please get in touch.  St Neots CCAN Group  James Toller Last week I visited the Soham CCAN (Cambridgeshire Community Archives Network). They are a very active lot with their history in Soham! There are several history related groups and even the museum, which will soon have a home and all the groups are linked one way or another. The Soham CCAN group have been working on some great research projects such as the evacuees, the Jewish School and they have been busy collecting and recording oral history around the town. I really enjoyed my visit to the group, as not only were they a lovely bunch but I also used to live in Soham and I always enjoy my visits back there.  2011 Diaries I had a lovely visit out to the brilliant new Community Centre and café in Cottenham a couple of weeks ago. I had a nice meeting there with Cottenham Community Archives Group (CCAN) and was so impressed by all the hard work and interesting things that the group are working on. They already have 20 pages, with over 360 old and interesting pictures already!!! The wonderful new Community Centre and café is well worth a visit if you are going through Cottenham and is a fantastic example of a community lead centre with such a great buzz about it. To find out more click here - http://cottenhamcc.org/ To get involved with the Cottenham Community Archive and find out more just visit Cottenham CCAN Are you interested in local history, or just in finding out more about the place that you live? Do you have any stories about Cottenham that you would like to share with others? To find out more about this project contact the Cottenham Village Society or email cottenhamarchive@live.co.uk  Cottenham Community Centre  Cottenham Community Centre  Cottenham CCAN & Cafe 2011 Diaries This is another lovely old recreation ground, you can quite often catch a nice game of cricket there. You can also see the 'Magic Roundabout' ! There are 2 play areas, one is on the south side for younger kids and then there is the 'old school' play area by the entrance on the north west. This is where if you are lucky you will see the big old roundabout - The 'Magic Roundabout' - turning round and round, slowly, all, it seems by itself. We sat and watched it for ages and no, it's not because someone had not long been on it! There was no wind as such and the thing seems to turn on its own, presumably, due to the bumpy ground it sits on. Anyway I jumped on and had a go and made myself feel really dizzy :) There are definate earthworks across this rec, signs of the activity of Stapleford hundreds of years ago. There's plenty of wide open space and nice trees about, so it's well worth a visit.     2011 Diaries The Beechwoods I went for a lovely walk to the Beechwoods the other day. I have gone to the Beechwoods since I was little girl, I once found a butterfly brooch in there! It’s a lovely place and well worth a visit especially if you haven’t been before. Cambridge has some wonderful places to go for picnics, walks and to take the kids and dogs and even better most of them are free. Just over halfway into the Beechwoods is a hollowed out area in the natural chalk, which we used to aim for as kids - many kids called it 'the skull' due to it's rounded shape. We would run up and down the sides of it. The Beechwoods is on the Gog Magog Hills in Cambridge. Take a look at the Wildlife Trust’s website page about the Beechwoods where you’ll find a map and directions along with information on the history and info about the nature and wildlife you can find there. Wildlife Trust - Beechwoods   2010 Diaries
I have a nice big class to teach Landscape & Local History, at Guilden Morden and the people are very friendly. We’re now past the half way point of the course and will be having a break for half term. Even when teaching you always learn so much and as Guilden Morden is on the other side of Cambridgeshire to where I live, it isn’t somewhere I know very much about but the lovely thing about teaching the subject that I am doing, is that I get to learn all about that area from the students. So far we’ve had some fantastic artifacts brought in by the students to show things they have discovered themselves. There was an amazing prehistoric hand-axe found in the fields in the area – something I would love to find myself! And this week a stunning Nordic designed artefact made from horn or bone found in the Fulbourn area which is thought to be perhaps a handle for something. I can’t wait to see what turns up over the next half of the course! 2011 Diaries I visited the Ely CCAN Group yesterday, at their meeting held in Ely Museum. Ely CCAN group is a friendly and very active group and I was pleased to see some familiar faces there. Many of members of the group also attend Mike Petty’s Fenland Fridays at the Ely Library. The Ely CCAN group have a great working relationship with the Ely Museum and have a good balance of members doing different tasks such as oral history interviews, area photographs and local history. A well known local photographer had also attended the meeting yesterday to bring along some of his amazing photographs for the group to see and add. I used to live in Ely myself, so I'll have to dig out my Ely photos and write up any tales I have and add them to the Ely group! ELY Community Archives Group Are you interested in local history, or just in finding out more about the place that you live? Do you have any stories about Ely that you would like to share with others? You can contact the Ely Community Archive Group through the Ely Museum on 01353 666655 or email us at elyarchive@hotmail.com  Ely Community Archives Group 2011 2011 Diaries I have been helping out with a fantastic new project in Stilton, Cambs. I had been meaning to go to Stilton for a long time, I always thought I'd take an afternoon drive out there to visit and buy some Stilton cheese and then go on to Melton Mowbray to get a pork pie and then find another local foody place, just for fun. When I finally managed to visit Stilton a few weeks ago I was surprised how close of the A1 it was. I had always noticed the signs for it on the A1 when going up towards Peterborough but thought that it must be several miles away, when in fact it is right next to the A1. When you enter Stilton - which is in Cambridgeshire - you immediately take note of the impressively wide main street, which you'll soon realise was the original 'A1' or rather the Great North Road. It definitely has the 'Roman Road' look and feel about it but most likely goes way back, as a routeway, into prehistory. The current A1 is a bypass to Stilton. The next thing you'll notice are the wonderful old and impressive buildings lining this road. Several of which were very large coaching houses for weary travellers of the past to take rest. I had a lovely meeting with the Stilton history expert in one of these, now restored, coaching inns, where we discussed all the exciting plans for the upcoming projects in Stilton including Stilton CCAN, Stilton Cheese, Films and Heritage Centres :) One of the rooms we had coffee in was called the Turpin room, where the famous Dick Turpin, Highway Man, is reputed to have stayed. We of course had to eat lots of different Stilton cheeses!!! https://www.ccan.co.uk    2011 diaries I had the great pleasure of giving Cottenham Village Society a talk on the same night that they celebrated their 40th Anniversary! It was a really special occasion and so good to see that societies such as these across the county can go on for so long and still remain active, interesting and be such an important part of their village life. Cottenham also has its very own CCAN group and it is going very well, with enthusiastic group members adding archives to the site. Click here to find out more.    I had a lovely evening a couple of weeks ago at the Haddenham & Aldreth 1940’s pre-event to their amazing Blossoms & Bygones weekend which is coming up in May. The chapel in Aldreth was decked out in 1940’s gear, from banners and flags, clothes and furniture to a gramophone (working and playing great tunes) and original film projector and reels. The building was packed out for this lovely gathering and the evening kicked off with Mike Petty giving us a great talk about Cambs during WWII, I then followed with a brief stint about 1940’s makeup and style, finishing of the evening with a local chap giving his memories of the war - and of course there was a couple of lovely tea breaks with home made cake and bread and butter pudding. I can’t wait until the main event in May :) Pictures below from the evening and then the main event. In the meantime why not check out the Haddenham & Aldreth CCAN Group! 3/08/2010 The other night we went for a walk up at Wimpole Folly. I love it up there, I have done a good bit of archaeology research and landscape history around Wimpole Hall itself and have loads of great memories of past field trips, with people like Twigs Way (Garden Historian) and Alison Taylor (Archaeologist), doing things like surveying and working out where the old villages used to be. The Folly is part of the landscape of Wimpole Hall and if you park up the little side road, near the folly, there is a public footpath and gate so that you can go for a nice walk. For the first time ever, I saw cows in the field that we needed to walk to. We made our way across the field up to the folly almost going from tree to tree incase the cows were bulls! The folly looks like a kind of castle ruin but that is exactly how it was designed to look. Once you get up close you can see the red brick work faced by limestone which creates this illusion. It was built as a feature in the grounds of Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire. Phillip Yorke (1st Earl of Hardwick), was the owner of Wimpole Hall in the mid-late 1700's and he commissioned Mr. Sanderson Miller to design the folly in 1751, it was later re-built by 'Capability' Brown in 1769. Most of the folly is set out as ruins but the Gothic tower was designed to be used. The tower is a four story structure and was a great place for the gentlemen to go off to play cards and get up to other 'activities'. Wimpole Hall itself is now a National Trust property. I love old parks and gardens and especially all of the garden features like follies and grottos :)    8th Dec 1963 - 10 days after the funeral of Ada Broom (formally Cruden, nee Hatchman). St Giles Cemetery, Huntingdon Road Cambridge
 1955 - Arthur Cruden (at back leaning on chair) with some of the Westley Family, Oxford Road, Cambridge.
 11 Sep 1931 - Passport of Violet & Arthur Cruden, Cambridge.  11 Sep 1931 - Back of passport of Violet & Arthur Cruden, Cambridge.  1931 - Violet Cruden - nee Westly - Kidd & Baker Cambridge The Blitz Studios Photography
 Old photograph of George Cruden, 2nd from top left. Cambridge Military.
 c.1935 - Back garden of Oxford Road, Cambridge. Bottom left to right - Connie Toller (nee Broom), Ada Hatchman (prev. Broom/Cruden), Marie Cruden, Violet Cruden. Top left to right - half seen probably Bill, Ed Toller, George Cruden, Arthur Cruden.
  My Great Uncle Arthur Cruden at the 1st Camb. HQ in Cambridge. 1925
 Stroki Cullins, 7 Packham, 6, 5, 4 Dant (Selwyn), 3 Wilkinson, 2, Bow Cruden (Arthur), Cox
This is my Great Uncle Arthur Cruden rowing on the River Cam by Stourbridge Common. |
