Chatteris

Read and share memories of Chatteris and Cambridgeshire inspired by Frith photos

Graham & Fishers

The building nearest the camera on the right is (was) Graham and Fishers - founded by my great-grandfather Tom. His sons Alg (my grandfather) and Spencer worked in the business all their lives, and my father Douglas worked there until 1966. His cousin Richard also spent some time in 'the Shop' before setting up his own business further along the High Street.
The scene in the photo is actually very much as I remember it in my early childhood in the fifties, but it changed a good deal in the next 10 or fifteen years.
My parents and I had some rooms in the building, courtesy of my gt grandmother, Isabel (Bel), about 1948 - 50, and the window over the ...read more here
Contributed by Ian Graham

Graham & Fishers

The building nearest the camera on the right is (was) Graham and Fishers - founded by my great-grandfather Tom. His sons Alg (my grandfather) and Spencer worked in the business all their lives, and my father Douglas worked there until 1966. His cousin Richard also spent some time in 'the Shop' before setting up his own business further along the High Street.
The scene in the photo is actually very much as I remember it in my early childhood in the fifties, but it changed a good deal in the next 10 or fifteen years.
My parents and I had some rooms in the building, courtesy of my gt grandmother, Isabel (Bel), about 1948 - 50, and the window over the ...read more here
A memory of Chatteris contributed by Ian Graham

Growing up in Somersham

I was born in Somersham in 1940, in my grandmother's house, which was 1 West End.
My own house was known then as 6 Trinity Terrace, since changed to 90 High Street. Until the mid 1950s a lot of the houses were quite primitive, no indoor sanitation, the Terrace had a pump for the 6 houses.  The only heating was a fire in the living room, the bedrooms were always freezing.  My memories are of a friendly village although as youngsters, our only plan was to get out. I started infant school in what is now the library, and the junior school was closer to 'The Cross'.  Life, in retrospect, was simple and fun, we, as children, could be absent from ...read more here
A memory of Somersham contributed by Frances Marshallsay

holiday visits

In the early to mid 1950s I spent holiday time in Somersham - it was fascinating for a child from London, especially the little ditches and the wildflowers.  I stayed with "auntie" (Emma Goodchild), a relative of some kind through my maternal grandmother's family (surnames Duller and Dellow).  Auntie lived in the last house in Somersham High Street, it was amazing - no electricity and a pump for water in the kitchen (I especially liked taking a candle to bed).  Not so pleasant were the sanitary arrangements.  The name of the butcher also interested me and of course as a small child the sweet shop was a favourite.  In my memories the sun always shone and visiting auntie Gwen and auntie ...read more here
A memory of Somersham contributed by jacqueline peachey