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Sawtry
Sawtry maps
Historic maps of Sawtry and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Sawtry maps
Sawtry photos
We have no photos of Sawtry, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Stilton| Abbots Ripton| Old Weston
Sawtry area books
Displaying 1 of 10 books about Sawtry and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Sawtry
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Sawtry.
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Sawtry 1901 And 1968
Somehow fate seems to draw me to places where some of my ancestors have been living, yet I was born in London. In 1968 I bought a house in Sawtry, off St. Judith's Lane, and where I lived until returning to Sweden in 1974. Now, thanks to the Internet I have discovered that my grandmother Jane's older sister Charlotte Braybrook, née Fairey, had a daughter Gertrude Annie, who, in 1894, married one, Joe Chamberlain. And yes, he was born in 1870 - in Sawtry St. Judith, and in 1901 Joe and Gertrude were living there. Unfortunately there is no further information available as yet regarding them, although I gather there is still someone of the name Chamberlain resident in Sawtry.
Despite having lived many years in Sweden, there have been links to various places in England, and places I have either visited or lived where others of my family have resided, and at the time I have known absolutely nothing of their existence or connections.
Fate moves in mysterious ways.... Read more
Cambridgeshire memories
Small Village
I was born at Alconbury but my grandmother, Mary Anne Draper rented a cottage on the Haggar Farm. I went to school at the tiny little school house and when I was 11 went to school at Sawtry. I have some really nice memories of Upton and growing up in a small village. I now live in Tucson Az, USA. I haven't been back to Upton in over 35 years. I know the village has changed and alot of the people have moved on but it would be nice to hear from someone who remembers the old days. I can remember waiting for the school bus to Sawtry when it was freezing cold, life was so simple then. I am pleased to say life is not so hard now but I do look forward to going back to Upton and to see my family. I would love to hear from anyone who lives there now.
North Road Looking North From Church Street, Fen Street Junction
Previous memories talk about The Talbot Inn and on the left hand corner (Church Street Corner) Marshall's the newsagents .
Before the village was bypassed around 1956 the Newsagents had previously been a Fish and Chip shop. This was one of two Fish and Chip shops in the village at that time, the second one being down the road to the right at the keep left sign in Fen Street. I remember the Fen Street shop as being owned by a family called 'Sansby'.
At this time the village also sported TWO bakeries one about 80 yards past the Talbot on the left and the second about 300 yards past the Talbot on the left.
The bakeries belonged to two families called Chapman. I presume they were related but I don't really know.
I do recall fetching freshly baked and still warm crusty loaves from 'bottom Chapmans', and on Thursdays newly baked jam doughnuts from 'top Chapmans'.
The village population of this time was less than 1000.
The bypass of... Read more
Stilton, Fen Street c1959
Looking at the photo of the row of houses from the top of Fen Street, the house nearest the camera was owned by my grandparents, Betty and Hans Claus and my mother Ann who at that time was about 8 years old (1959). The 3rd house along was also theirs which they had as the fish and chip shop. The house at the bottom of the road was the doctor's. They soon moved from here as the houses were to be demolished and they moved the the newly built houses on Church Street. I remember as a little girl (1970s) walking from Church Street to Mr Smith's store and hearing the bell ring when you walked in on to wooden floors, and all the shelves behind the counter with a ladder to reach all the things they sold.......happy days.
My Mums Home
My mum moved here when she was about 7 years old in 1959. Her mum and dad Mr and Mrs Claus owned the fish shop third closest to the camera. Her neighbour Mrs Sansby lived in the middle house. The house nearest to the camera is where my mum lived. She lived here until 1963 she was eleven when she moved. She had to move as the houses were about to be pulled down. So she moved up to Church Close where she lived until she got married. Her father Lothar Hans Claus is buried in Stilton Cemetary. He died in 1973. Her mother Betty is currently living in Orton and she is alive and well. I'm currently happily living with my mum in Fletton.
Anyone Remember?
I remember going to buy vegetables from Mr and Mrs Clitheroe (sp)?. They ran a smallholding in North Street, opposite what used to be the cricket field. They grew their own vegetables and kept chickens and rabbits.
In those days Stilton's only entertainment was the occassional garden fete and (once in a blue moon) a dance at the village hall. The cheese rolling started whilst I was still living in Stilton.
A walk 'down the fens' or up 'Hart's hills' was one of our childhood entertainments.
Does 'Dick Turpin' still do his ride through Stilton on stormy nights? LOL
War Years
My name is Pamela Alston, nee Earley. I lived in Alconbury village from the age of 5 in 1943 till the age of 15 in 1953. I went to the village school and had an exellent education, much better than my college educated children. We lived at the Globe House and my father Walter Earley transported prisoners of war to work, I remember the Italian prisoners made lovely jewellery from plexi glass and all hand painted. I remember the convoys on the Great North Road, Mr Thompson's bakery, Last's shop, the post office and Constable Everett. I have loads of good memories, and would love to share them with other Alconburians.
Pam Alston.
