Earith, The River Ouse c.1955

Photo ref: E201021

I think this is my Grandad Wick Jakes

Well . . . not all of it! My dad was enlisted USAF stationed at Alconbury 1959-1960 and he found us a place on High Street that we shared with a number of other people. I believe it was one of the first three buildings backed up to the river, right downtown. I do know it was across the street and only three or four buildings down from the grocery store. Dad was out as usual and pregnant Mom was home ...see more

I was born in St Ives in 1939 but lived in Earith at what is now number 43. Next door was my Grandad's grocer's shop - Bert Russell. I moved to Peterborough in 1958 where I still live in Werrington Village. Earith was a good place to live - we had a main road, a good river for fishing and lots of characters, like Bill Hinkins, the coalman; Mr Pledger the High Street Farmer and Stan Doe, ...see more

In 1960 my father returned to England with the US Air Force, stationed in Alconbury. This was the first time he'd seen England again, having been shot down after taking off on a bombing mission in Germany, originating from a base in Bury St. Edmonds in 1943. He was a POW that escaped into France in 1944. In 1960 I was age 11 living with my parents in a 3 story brick home on High Street in Earith that was ...see more