The Francis Frith Collection.
You are here: Home > Explore your past > England > Bedfordshire > Shefford
Massive Book Clearance - 50-70% off every Book online!

Shefford

Shefford photos (9 available)

Old photo of Shefford

Shefford maps (2 available)

Old map of Shefford

Shefford books (7 available)

Shefford memories

Be the first to add a memory of Shefford.

You can also read memories of nearby places in Bedfordshire below.

Bedfordshire memories

39 Mill Lane

Clophill, Back Street c1955

The gable end of the house on the left is 39 Mill Lane and Back St starts at the junction over the hill and not visible here. My father built the house about 1935 when he was about 21 years old. I grew up there until 1955 when it was sold and we moved from Clophill for a short time. We returned in 1957 and lived in the Old Police House in The Slade until I married in 1966 and brought my first home in Back St. I have traced my family's time in Clophill from about 1750 until 1980 in a new book which will shortly be available.
A memory of Clophill contributed by paul nichols

My House

Clophill, High Street c1955

This is where I live, it is no longer a village post office. It was built in 1680, and we are returning it to a residential property.
A memory of Clophill contributed by stephanie howson

Henry Tingey - Ancester

My great grandfather Henry Tingey, was born November 18, 1819, in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.  He was the son of James Tingey and Elizabeth Boniss.  James and Elizabeth, and family later moved from Bigglewade, Bedfordshire, and moved Lower Caldecut near the 46th milestone from London in the perish of Northhill.  The family of father and mother and two boys and four sisters were in the business of raising wholesale vegatable and garden seeds and were very successful.  
In 1849 the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, (Mormons) told their gospel message to Henry and his wife Ann Young, (daughter of James and Lucy Young).  Henry and Ann joined the Latter-Day-Saint church and migrated to America in 1849.  They ...read more here
A memory of Biggleswade contributed by Norton Cook

ampthill siren

Ampthill, Market Place c1955

My abiding memory of Ampthill is when I used to go to the Saturday pictures with my cousins and the fire engine would be called out. The only problem was the siren that called them out was the old wartime air-raid siren. What a noise !!! I lived in Maulden but often visited Ampthill. thanks for the memories. !!!
A memory of Ampthill contributed by christine ager

Extracts From Shefford & Bedfordshire books

Shefford, North Bridge Street 1951

Shefford’s title derives from the name ‘Sheepford’, an indication of its origins. Sheep on the High Street are a distant memory, but the town has managed to preserve a number of older buildings - including the 16th-century porch on the left. Despite its moderately tumble-down appearance, The Porch is now a bank.
An extract from from"Bedfordshire Photographic Memories".

Shefford, North Bridge Street 1951

Once an important market town, Shefford was blighted this century by through traffic; its central T-junction was a bottleneck until the town was recently by-passed. Here we look south down North Bridge Street towards that junction with High Street. On the left is Porch House, a heavily-restored 16th-century house, now a bank, with the pavement passing through its ground floor. To the right is W Caton & Sons, Wine and Spirit Merchants, as it says in faded paintwork on the gable of this 1881 building.
An extract from from"Bedford Photographic Memories".

Sandy, Bedford Road 1925

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.
An extract from from"Bedford Photographic Memories".

Ampthill, St Andrew's Church c1955

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.
An extract from from"Bedford Photographic Memories".

Bedford, the River Ouse c1955

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.
An extract from from"Bedford Photographic Memories".