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Little Abington
Little Abington photos
Displaying the first of 6 old photos of Little Abington. View all Little Abington photos
Little Abington maps
Historic maps of Little Abington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Little Abington maps
Little Abington area books
Displaying 1 of 10 books about Little Abington and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Little Abington
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Cambridgeshire memories
Post Office Memories
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?
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
Building History.
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
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.
Doctor's Cottage on Church Lane
This lovely cottage looks like the one which was located near where I used to live and go to school back in the 1960s. If I am right then the curved space in the bottom right of this picture was the boundary of a school playground. The village primary school was directly across the road on Church Lane before it moved to it's new location. My family lived at 4 Church Lane between 1964 and 1969, before we emigrated to Toronto, Canada. I would walk past this cottage everyday on my way to school and stop to look at the beautiful garden. The man who lived there then was an elderly doctor. I would see him sometimes tending to his flowers. He had a lot of pink roses. I always thought that Church Lane was one of the nicest roads in Balsham located between the Holy Trinity Church and the bandshell on the village green. I haven't been back to Balsham since 1976 but would love to visit some day.... Read more
Uncle Arthur
I remember visiting my great aunt Alice and her husband Arthur as a child. I lived in Gloucester and visited with my parents and brother Richard. My great grandmother Emily Wilkins (Alice's mother) was still alive. I remember vividly the house martins nesting in the eaves of the thatched roof. I remember uncle Arthur with severe arthritis and being able to do little for himself. I have a tablecloth that belonged to great aunt Alice when she was a cook at Eton College. I also have memories of my father going to Balsham for the funeral of great grandmother Emily. Snowdrops were placed in her coffin from my brother and myself. My mother says it is the only time she saw my father cry was when Emily died.
I intend to visit Balsham in May 2008 that will be the first time since the early 50'5.
