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Elm memories

Here are memories of Elm and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Elm or a Elm photo.

Changes

I grew up in Elm, as did my dad, in his days he had the tram, and canal, lots of fields and very few houses. In my days of growing up, we had plenty of apple orchards to play in and only 2 estates, within the past 10 years or so we now have an extra 2 estates. The village is becoming a popular place to live.

Memories of Cambridgeshire

Smedley's by P.A.

These memories actually date back to the summer of 1967 as well as that of 1968. Sometimes, there was no work in the fields, or I needed money because I was such a lazy fruit picker. So I left Leverington and applied to be hired at Smedley's in the evening after tea. It was marvellously quick and simple to get work, there were no formalities, no red tape at all. We seasonal workers just got a clocking card, and I am not even sure they knew our names. Two to three hours later, at about 8 or 8.30 pm, we gave back our card at a small cabin, and the accountant gave us the cash through the window. Most of that cash was spent without delay at the pub, either in Wisbech, or at the Rising Sun in Leverington. Very often my job was to sit next to a line of small rails on which freshly sealed tins of food rolled along flat stretches or long bends, or up and... Read more

Market Place c1965
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My family and I are convinced I am the man walking next to the man in the jacket and tie who appears to have his arm around a child. The Austin A40 pick up truck in the foreground behind the telephone box could be the one I owned at about that time.

English Brothers.

The Docks And Timber Yards c1955
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The opened sided storage sheds were owned by English Brothers.

The Harbour Line.

Look carefully between the first two trees on the left of the photograph. In the gap with the house in the background you will see a horizontal dark line which follows to the right. This is the railway line called the Harbour Line which operated until about 1967. The engine was driven by Mr Charlie Rands, who lived in Elm Road. In the main I remember it carrying timber from English Brothers, although it would have carried perhaps produce to and from Smedleys. It was only separated from the park by a post and wire fence.

The Hope Inn

The Hope Inn c1955
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I think it was 1949/50, I remember living along the canal side, Trafalgar Row it was called, over the other side from the Hope Inn.  Somehow I think it was further up than Somerfield almost opposite the Empire.  Most of my family used this pub as their social outlet for weekends, remember no TV, bingo or much else then.  I remember the landlord and landlady a Mr. and Mrs. Firth and they had a son I think he was called Trevor.  I never did see inside the pub, I used to have to play in their yard or sometimes I would be able to sit in the kitchen when it was colder. I can't quite see my house from this photograph but the next photograph I can see it exactly only because my father painted the passageway opening to the other terraced houses a brilliant white!  Oh happy days!

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