The Francis Frith Collection.
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Kempston, Bedfordshire

Kempston photos

Displaying 3 of 8 old photos of Kempston.   View all Kempston photos

Kempston, the Mill c1960 photo

Kempston, the Mill c1960

Kempston, the Barracks c1955 photo

Kempston, the Barracks c1955

Kempston, the Cross Roads c1955 photo

Kempston, the Cross Roads c1955

Kempston photos
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Kempston maps

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

Kempston map

Historic map of Kempston

Bedfordshire map

Illustrated Victorian map of Bedfordshire

Kempston map

Historic Map of any Kempston postcode

Kempston maps
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Kempston books

Displaying 2 of 7 books about Kempston and the local area.   View all Kempston books

On Sale! 70 off

Luton - A History & Celebration
Hardback
rrp £15.99  £4.80

On Sale! 70 off

So You Think You Know? Luton
Hardback
rrp £8.99  £2.70

On Sale! 70 off

Bedfordshire Living Memories
Paperback
rrp £11.99  £3.60

Kempston books
View all 7 Kempston and Bedfordshire books

Memories of Kempston

Kempston memories
Read and share Kempston memories

Displaying a selection of personal memories of Kempston .
Add your memory of Kempston or of a photo of Kempston.

Swimming in the river at Kempston

Great times were had at the river at the bend as we children called it, we would make mud slides down the banks.  What fun we had.  There was always a good crowd there on a Sunday afternoon, but now its all quiet, no swimmers, the bend has long since gone.

Shared on 23 July 2007 by Jackie Fleming.

Bedfordshire memories

SILVERY OUSE

I was a summer season driver of these boats during my college holidays in the early 1960s. We operated four boats, Silver Foam, Silver Stream, Silver Crest and my own boat, Silver Dawn, which I believe came from the Norfolk Broads.
The mornings were spent at Fenlake cleaning and polishing to the high standards demanded by Mr Smith (`The Guvnor`). We then came up through Bedford Lock for an afternoon of trips. We mostly ran to Newnham Bridge, but occasionally ventured to Queens Park, although the river was shallow here and I once hit a submerged log by the Britannia Ironworks. Some evenings we ran private hire work and I twice drove the regatta boat (mainly supplying crates of beer to the umpires!). My fellow driver, Stan, nicknamed me 'Dexterous Ted' after the well-known cricketer, Ted Dexter, either as a compliment or a joke.

Shared on 20 May 2009 by Edward Donnelly.

I was a projectionist at the Picturedrome

I worked there for a few years with Stan Hunt at the Picturedrome, and the Plaza which was nearly opposite across the river was owned by a man called Mr Cheetam. I also worked at the Plaza as a relief projectionist and also another cinema in Ampthill owned by Mr Cheetam.
They were great days and I now live in Leicester but now see that all four cinemas in Bedford are gone, what is left? I thought the Picturedrome and the great cinema The Granada were listed buildings so who had them demolished should be shot. These cinemas have brought great memories to a lot of people and been destroyed by Bedford Council.   
Don't you think the Granada would have been great for live shows. What a big waste but thinking about it all, councils like wasting money and never mind listed buildings, demolish them.
I still like to visit Bedford allthough many changes have happened and I have reunited wth Stan Hunt's son Lesley who now works at the cinema complex in Bedford and Michael who worked at the Plaza cinema. Sad to say that Stan has died. I suppose we all have to get old but memories of Bedford will always be there.
Eric

Shared on 13 July 2008 by Eric Bootles.

Working memories.

I was the main weekday driver of the launch photographed during the student holiday periods of 1955-1958.  When I drove it, the name was 'Silver Stream'.  It was the largest of a set of three electric launches which carried paying passengers for trips of about 40 minutes duration from the steps on the downstream, north side of the town bridge.  Typically this launch would carry about 40 passengers maximum.  Silver Stream was a magnificent launch to drive, giving a silent drive, almost no water disturbance up to the 6 knots maximum for the river, and had a tubular rudder form which surrounded the propeller.  This permitted a very tight turning such that most of us could turn round in places where the river was reduced in width to one and a half times the launches length.  The two sister launches were smaller.  Silver Spray was a shorter less sleek version of Silver Stream and had a single section canopy (possibly in the background of this photo coming downstream).  It would seat around 30 people.  Silver Foam was a conventional shaped craft with square bow and stern and seating about 15-18 passengers.  During the 50s these launches were owned and operated by a Mr Smith from his home on the riverside near Cardington.  The premises are now somewhat extended and known as The Barns Hotel.  The barn which I believe is now the present hotel's restaurant, was the winter quarters of this fleet for servicing etc.  I was told that Silver Stream and I think Silver Spray started in the pleasure market in late Edwardian times.  Silver Foam having a less elegant profile was probably added later.

Shared on 06 April 2006 by Mr Pc Hedgecock.

Extracts From Kempston & Bedfordshire books

Displaying a selection of extracts from Frith books about Kempston, inspired by Frith photos.

Bedford Photographic Memories

Sandy was originally a modest Roman settlement on the Roman road between St Albans and Godmanchester; in the 18th century the town became important for its coaching inns servicing the Great North Road. However, it is a somewhat bitty town, and the market square is a distinct disappointment. Here, a little further north up High Street, we look west along Bedford Road. The late 19th-century town hall is on the left. By 1925 it was the Astor Cinema, and is now the Roundabout Club, for there is now a roundabout roughly where the photographer is standing.

This is an extract from Bedford Photographic Memories.
Read more and see photos from this book.

Bedford Photographic Memories

Going east from Market Place along Church Street, we reach the small square with the brown stone church on its north side, a curiously villagey one for a town. On the left is the cliff-like Dynevor House, with 1725 on the rainwater hopper-heads, three storeys of box sashes and a corniced parapet. No 36a on the right is late Georgian, while the Feoffee almshouses are late 16th- century timber-framed under the render.

This is an extract from Bedford Photographic Memories.
Read more and see photos from this book.

Bedford Photographic Memories

The riverside willows on the north bank have only recently been pollarded in this view, in which an eight rows past. The opposite bank is Long Island. The small landing stage on the right was built here to close off the boat slide, which is just behind it.

This is an extract from Bedford Photographic Memories.
Read more and see photos from this book.