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Great Abington

Great Abington photos

Displaying the first of 7 old photos of Great Abington.   View all Great Abington photos

7
View all 7 photos of Great Abington

Great Abington maps

Historic maps of Great Abington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Great Abington maps

Great Abington area books

Displaying 1 of 10 books about Great Abington and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Great Abington

Great Abington memories
Read and share Great Abington memories

Displaying a selection of personal memories of Great Abington.
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Post Office Memories

Post Office c1955
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I was 6 mths old when my parents moved into Magna Close, my maiden name being Stenson. 1955 I was born. Well, I have many warming memories of my childhood in Great Abington, some of which relate to the post office. Harry and Hilda Jaggard owned and ran it then, Harry seeing to the post office side of things and Hilda looking after the shop. To this day I still remember the penny arrows, the 2d bars of Cadbury's chocolate, the toffee cushions, winter mixtures, fruit salad and black jacks (I'd love to be able to get 4 for a penny nowadays wouldn't you?), liquourice (comforts, bootlaces, pipes and catherine wheels), all manner of spellbinding goodies and Hilda, bless her heart, she had the patience of a saint as the village children would take what seemed like forever to try and get as many sweets as possible for our 3d or 6d. Treasured memories indeed. The vegetables got tumbled into the vast brass dish of the weighing scales and Hilda... Read more

Is This Correct?

High Street c1970
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I was a pupil at the local primary school in Great Abington. This picture shows the Old School House that the headmasters of the school lived in during my time there. The Village Shop and Post Office is the white building making up the corner of the road as it leads round to the right. The road that leads round the corner to the right was the main A604 towards Cambridge. This photograph must have been taken after the village bypass was built, since the triangle on the road was painted after the rights of way were altered to allow the High Street traffic to take priority. The High Street actually crosses the picture and is taken on the Hildersham Road into Great Abington High Street.  Also, I remember a lorry toppling over into the front grounds of the school itself just visible to the right of the house. You can see the black and white Armco barrier which was subsequently erected after this particular accident, again just visible where... Read more

Cambridgeshire memories

Building History.

High Street c1955
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The photograph shows a shop and house which my grandmother ran between 1931 and 1952. It was then run by my uncle until it was sold as a house in 1979. My grandmother's name was Colville and she ran the shop as a general stores. Before the building was a shop it was a public house called the Axe and Compass and part of the building was a cobblers shop. The building itself goes back to 1599.

The Grip

I moved into this cottage in 1953 with my parents and older sister. I remember very clearly looking out of the large window in the centre of the cottage wishing I was old enough to go to school with my sister. I was also very envious as she came home from school with a Coronation mug of the Queen and Prince Philip. When we first moved in, there was no inside bathroom or toilet and we got our water from a pump in the garden.  I always loved that house even though I am convinced I saw a ghost there when I was about 8 years old ! The house number was 28, our phone number was Linton 558 and my father's car reg no. was BLP 911. Isn't it strange what we remember!

My Mother's Memories

The College c1955
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My mother who is Dorothy Tofts (now Dorothy Rouse) was at the college when it opened in 1937. Mr. Tomlinson was Head Master. Mr. Swannel was her music teacher and drama teacher. Her sister Marjorie Tofts got married in 1938 and was the first bride to have her reception held at the college.

Born A Stone's Throw Away

The Church c1960
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I was born in 1959 at no 3 Church Green, Hinxton, 3 doors away from the church. I went to this church until I was 6 and I played in the churchyard.

Splashing

I remember walking and splashing in the ford with my family.

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