Soham Roots Interactive Website - Looking Back: Soham stories, compiled by Mike Petty.

Looking Back: Soham stories, compiled by Mike Petty

Each evening I compile a ‘Looking Back’ column in the Cambridge News in which I feature stories from 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

These stories relating to Soham appeared in the Cambridge daily newspapers for the years 1897-1908, 1922-1933, 1947-1958 and 1972-1983.

The title changed from Cambridge Daily News to Cambridge News, Cambridge Evening News and then back to Cambridge News. Stories from May 1908 are from the Cambridge Weekly News. The actual newspapers are held in the Cambridgeshire Collection at the Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard and at Cambridge University Library

The Collection also holds other local newspapers back to 1762 with indexes to stories for every village in Cambridgeshire between 1770 and 1899. There are also newspaper cuttings files covering stories from 1958 to date. These are far more comprehensive than the snippets reprinted here.

I have full copies of many of the items listed together with similar stories for every village in Cambridgeshire.

For more details of these and other sources for Cambridgeshire history see my website www.cambridgeshirehistory.com/MikePetty or email mikepetty@tiscali.co.uk.

Mike Petty, 13a Reads Street, Stretham, Ely CB6 3JH – 01353 648106, 7th March 2009.

Looking Back: Soham compiled by Mike Petty

1897-1908

1899 Sep 20
Newmarket RDC heard that at Landwade there was a pump that had been erected by subscription, the piping had never been properly fixed and there was now a leakage. Complaints were made as to the indifferent water supply at Reach. There was a spring of good water near the Delph Bridge, which by reason of its being open was often full of tadpoles and other little animals. If a cover were put over it would be a good source of water. The inhabitants of Kirtling obtained a great deal of their water from a dirty pond. The water to certain homes in Soham was filled with dead cats.

1899 Oct 05
Richard Drake, machinist from Sutton, was summoned for permitting a locomotive to be used on the highway drawing more than three loaded wagons. P.S. Hodge said he saw a traction engine in Churchgate street, Soham drawing three wagons, a house van and a chaff cutter. The driver said that his master had expected they would be stopped. Fined 30s.

1900 May 4th
A most disastrous fire broke out in the centre of Soham which has reduced to a mass of blackened ruins an ancient hostelry, with its contents and outbuildings, a tradesman’s shop and houses, & rendered homeless a dozen persons. The old hostelry “The Fountain”, with its rooms panelled with oak, and interesting alike to the antiquarian and lover of old-style architecture, stood at the corner of Churchgate Street. It was built mostly of timber and had plaster walls, with lath and reeds between. The firemen succeeded in preventing the fire involving a tall building, used in years gone by as a steelyard, hay and straw weighing apparatus.

1901 Apr 17
A disastrous fire occurred at Soham vicarage. It is really in two parts, the old portion, used by the servants, being connected by a passage with the new wing in which the Rev J.C. Rust and his children were sleeping. The seat of the fire was in the old portion in a room used by the sons of the vicar as a carpenter’s shop. The cook and the housemaid were awakened by stifling smoke and clad only in their night attire, climbed on the roof. Practically the whole of the old wing was gutted, the furniture as wells as the belongings of the servants being destroyed

1901 Jul 31
Suggestions that the model cottage is not so comfortable as the old-fashioned thatched dwellings must not be accepted without some qualification. Surely nobody will contend that the thatched cottage, with a low roof and a ladder for a staircase, is more comfortable than the brick cottage. Very few have inspected the model cottage on Mr Crisp’s estate at Girton or they would not have committed themselves to such an unfortunate pronouncement. It is nothing short of a grave scandal that such large centres as Cottenham, Swavesey and Soham are in danger in the summer of suffering from a short water supply.

1901 Nov 21
Mr Benstead of Swaffham Prior asked Newmarket RDC to take over parts of the road which have been metalled by the Fen Reeves. Some councillors spoke in opposition. Mr Tebbitt said there was pretty much 100 miles of such roads in Soham and he would move that Soham Fen roads be served likewise. Mr Munsey said he would do the same as regards Fordham. It was decided to refer the matter to a committee to thoroughly consider and report.

1902 Sep 20
Soham Grammar School is keeping abreast of the times and of modern educational requirements. Under the present headmaster, Mr W.H. Mould, the number of scholars has risen from 20 to nearly 70. Though of ancient foundation a progressive spirit pervades the establishment as is evidenced by the addition of a laboratory and workshops. Here the art and woodwork master, Mr F.V. Worthy will instruct the boys in woodwork and the use of tools. The object is not to turn out carpenters; it is to train the boys’ faculties so they will have an intelligent appreciation of the value of work and of workpeople.
.
1903 Sep 30
Jonas Leonard of Soham told magistrates he brought the growing crop of oats on Mr Mainprice’s land and shocked it and raked between the shocks. The shocks were carted and the rakings left on the land with four sheaves, two at each end of the field to show the land was not cleared; this was the custom of the parish. But he saw some 30 people, mostly children, clearing the field, taking litter for pigs. The magistrates warned the defendants that they went on the land without authority and must not run such a risk again.

1904 Aug 15
Mrs Sarah Ann Edwards told the Soham court that she had several occupations and besides being a midwife and a washerwoman, prepared dead bodies for burial. She purchased a pony and lent it to her husband who went to Fordham with it. He got very drunk and went to the Windmill where the made a bargain for the pony with William Harlock. It was taken from the cart and replaced by another one. This was a broken-down creature, only fit for the knacker’s yard. When her husband got home she went in search of her own animal and found it in the Ely pig market. Harlock said he had bought it from her husband

1904 Sep 14
Four Soham passive resisters were before the magistrates for non-payment of the education rate. They were the Rev Shreeve Baptist minister, Rev H.C. Gant the Congregational minister, C. Fyson a wheelwright, and Frederick Owers. He was aged nearly 80 and had always paid his rates before but objected – ‘I expect I have got to pay, but that does not make a just thing of it any the more for that’. Rev. Shreeve said it was no pleasure for him to come to court; it was obnoxious as he had always been a law-abiding person but he had a conscientious objection to paying the rate

1905 Jan 18
The largest and most destructive fire at Soham in recent years took place at Cross Green. It originated in the roof of a thatched cottage occupied by James Boon, a horsekeeer. Although when first noticed the flames might have been covered by a bushel measure, they increased in size at an alarming rate and very soon the whole block was in flames. It spread with such rapidity that firemen had to leave their work and slide down the ladders with all possible speed. The cold was intense; there were several degrees of frost and the icicles formed on the burning buildings within a foot of the flames after the hose had been at work a few minutes. The town was empty, trade was at a standstill and everyone flocked to witness the destruction of the Old Malting. 050118 – 18b

1905 Jan 25 c
An inquest on a Soham lad heard that his death was due to his ignorance of the dangerous nature of the liquor of which he was partaking. Gambling had been going on at the George and Dragon and the King’s head at Soham. The licensees had provided dice and bottles of spirits as prizes. It was by these spirits that the poor lad was poisoned and as long as spirits are readily procurable such accidents must occasion.

1905 Apr 05
Magistrates refused to renew the licence of the George and Dragon public house at Soham. There were 14 fully-licensed public houses, 18 on beer-houses, two off beer-houses and one grocer’s licence for a population of 4,230 people – Soham must be a thirsty place, they commented. In the High Street there were eight pubs within 400 yards. The former landlord had allowed gambling for spirits on the premises and proved the dice and dice-box, but he had already been punished and it was not a disorderly house. 05 04 08

1905 May 05
Residents in Soham have to ‘fetch a pail of water’ from the public pump when they need it. But Mrs Brown of Bushel Lane complained: “It was a great trial to me. My back was so weak that carrying the pails would send pains through it of an excruciating character. It was when my first girl was born that I became so very ill. She was a very weakly baby and fretted continually. I became so knocked-up that I had to have someone in to do my housework. One night my husband returned to find me in a pitiable plight. Then I decided to take Dr William’s Pink Pills and I have not been ill since”. 05 05 13

1905 Nov 02
A halt occurred in Newmarket High Street when race traffic was at its height and Earl Cadogan’s motor brougham was slightly damaged. In slowing up the driver of a vehicle backed into the motor car, smashing a pane of glass in the side of the hood. At Soham a horse and cart belonging to a man named Johnson, bolted. He was hawking vegetables when the animal took fright at a firework exploded by some children. It was brought to a standstill by Mr Saberton the butcher but one of the shafts of the cart was broken. 05 11 02

1906 Feb 12
A crowd of 300 packed Soham court to hear a case involving a heifer. It had been taken to the washlands on which Isleham parishioners are allowed to put their cattle but had later gone missing. The loser said: “When I went to bed I asked the Lord to show me my heifer, and he showed me it in John Collen’s ground”. But he swore it belonged to him, and his wife remembered it being born. The case lasted until 7.30, the court remaining crowed until judgement was given. 06 02 12a-c

1906 Mar 06
An assault-at-arms at the Conservative Hall, Soham, included a ten-round boxing contest between ‘Happy’ Pinfield of Newmarket and ‘Porkie’ Archer of Soham. Pinfield proved himself the best boxer and hardly a minute had elapsed ere Archer had enough; he dodged through the ropes and hit behind the screen amidst the laughter of the spectators. Later Steve Canty guaranteed to defeat three men in nine rounds, but only two accepted the challenge and were quickly disposed of. 06 03 01b

1906 Jul 07
The Queen’s Arms beerhouse at Soham sold 30 barrels of beer a year. It was an old house, very low and in bad repair. There was little trade – during one afternoon the landlord drew one pint of beer and drank two himself. Soham was an increasing town, 200 new houses having been built during the last ten years but there were 34 licensed houses, one to every 124 persons. One was The Old Brewery whose trade was done among the low class labourers in the evenings – Sunday especially. Also: Cambridge - The Beehive, Golden Cross, Sawston – Flower Pot – all closed 06 07 07a & b

1906 Nov 16
The Compensation Authority considered claims for premises closed under the Licensing Act. They included a beerhouse at North Brook End, Steeple Morden, The Plough at Comberton, the Red Cow, Landbeach and Carrier’s Cart at Lt Shelford. Potton Brewery said they would lose £275 if the licence of a beerhouse at Heath Road, Litlington was taken away but accepted £240 as compensation. However Benskin’s Watford Brewery refused £251 for the Sun in Newmarket Road, Cambridge. also Stapleford Dolphin, Waterbeach Haunch of Mutton & Plough & Horses, Sawston – Flower Pot, Willingham – King William IV, Bottisham Plough, Soham Queen’s Arms and Old Brewery, 06 11 16a & b

1907 Jan 01
The County Road Committee decided that roads to Meldreth and Soham railway stations and carry a considerable amount of traffic. They should be accepted as main roads when brought up to a proper standard by the District Councils. But the Bourn to St Neots, Over to Willingham and Newmarket to Moulton roads only carried light traffic and should not be taken over. A bend at Kirtling is dangerous for motors but Lord North is willing to give up a strip for widening the road provided the county erect a fence. 07 01 17c

1907 Mar 13
The Bell Inn, Isleham owned by Messrs Treadway and Percy, Soham brewers, was built of reed and plaster and was in a good state of repair. It included a taproom, cellar and three bedrooms with a clubroom and stabling for four horses. The tenant had a van and went out to feasts, which helped him make a living. There was also a weighbridge which weighed 100 loads a year; the charge was eightpence and the carter allowed one pint of beer out of the money. There were 16 licensed premises in the parish with four within 200 yards – the Cock White Horse and Griffin alehouses and the Crown beerhouse. 07 03 13a & b

1907 Jun 15
Mr Hobbs of High Street Soham has found a gigantic mushroom measuring 50 inches round the head. All but the stalk was cooked and eaten and was of excellent flavour. Mr Hobbs preserved the stalk and a good many people called to see it. 07 06 15

1907 Aug 15
A terrible accident occurred at Prickwillow when a governess car, containing seven people, overturned and all the occupants were injured. Three were natives of the village and had hired a trap at Soham for an outing. On the return they mistakenly drove on to the old bank, at one time the main road to Ely, but now seldom used. As they attempted to turn round the horse, car and occupants went down the bank and into the dyke, a fall of quite 14 feet, being engulfed in the thick black mud. One lady is not expected to recover. 07 08 15a

1907 Dec 24
Mrs Mary Boon who kept a lodging house at Soham told an inquest that she could put up eleven men at her place. The deceased lodged occasionally with her and had been coming backwards and forwards several years. He was a steady man but had a glass of beer when he could afford it. His trade was to sharpen saws. Nobody knew his name but he answered to ‘Bill’. He had paid 4d for his night’s shelter and left for Ely but was found beside the road and died at Newmarket workhouse 07 12 24

1908 Jul 31
Twenty-six licensed houses are to close, magistrates decided. They include the Robin Hood at Litlington, Chesterton Long Reach,, Swaffham Prior’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the Three Jolly Watermen in Waterbeach Fen. But the Fox in the Wood at Soham and the Cock at Isleham were spared after Police Superintendent Winter failed to appear to give evidence.
CWN 08 07 31

1908 Sep 04
During the past few days several well known people have passed away at Soham. Ebenezer Taylor, cab proprietor, died at the advanced age of 78. He was in business for over 40 years & before the opening of the Ely and Newmarket railway line, 28 years ago, the supply of vehicles and horses was much more important than at the present time. Fyson Johnson, blacksmith, was in his 67th year, Martin Bradshaw, bricklayer was 73, and both were trustees of the Wesleyan Chapel. This succession of deaths has cast quite a gloom over the town. CWN 08 09 04 p8

1922-1933

1922 Jun 07
The monthly meeting of the Newmarket Rural District received a petition from Robert Leonard and 22 others living at The Cotes, Soham, asking the Council to extend the water main an additional three-quarters of a mile. In view of the great shortage of pure water in the locality of Soham and the comparatively close formation of the cottages with their 121 inhabitants, their application was one not only of necessity, but reasonable

1922 Jun 20
The annual church parade organised by the Soham Fire Brigade and Friendly Societies, in aid of Addenbrooke's Hospital, was held on Sunday, and once more upheld its reputation as being one of the leading functions of its kind in the county. Large crowds attended the proceedings, and graced by favourable weather, the event was a great success. The decorated car, proverbial to Hospital Sundays, brought up the rear of the procession and depicted a hospital ward. During the last year 11,000 patients had been treated at Addenbrooke's, 170 of which come from Soham, whose contribution during that period amounted to about 8d per head of the population

1923 May 31
A carter of Wicken was charged with cruelty to a horse by working it in an unfit state at Soham. Inspector Charles Taylor, RSPCA, said he was on duty at the Soham railway approach when he saw the man with a cart containing four fat pigs. The mare attached to the cart was lame. Defendant said the bay mare would not have been brought out but that the other horse was taken bad. P.C. Haines gave evidence that the mare was in pain and her foot was hot. Fined 2s.6d.

1923 Aug 24
The formal opening of the Soham water works took place yesterday. Mr Ransom said that Soham could now boast of a pure water supply, which, in view of the fact that less alcohol was consumed than in bygone years, was very necessary. Many would be grateful for the water and he hoped there would be further applications from the inhabitants, so that all would pay their share of the rates. The site of the water works joins the main road to Fordham. Here has been erected a magnificent water tower, substantially built in red brickwork, which constitutes a landmark for many miles around.

1924 Feb 24 c
A number of stormy protests were made by members of Soham parish council. It appeared useless for them to sit representing the parish and to pass resolutions and recommendations to the County Council if no steps were taken to put matters right. The county councillor should be asked to move for the reduction of the salaries of certain officials, owing to the lax manner in which they were treated at Soham.

1924 Apr 26
“A regular hive of industry, without a drone” and “one of the most thrifty and industrious parishes in England” were remarks when presentations were made to the Rev John Cyprian Rust who has carried through 50 years of faithful and devout service as vicar of Soham. Looking back he had seen the closing down of several beer shops and less drunkenness was his reward. People could scarcely believe how thrifty all the women had been. They had learned to live and keep a family on 14 shillings a week, supplementing it by little gains from the commons and so on.

1924 Jun 12
An eleven year old schoolboy was charged with stealing five boxes of chocolates, a quantity of sweets and oranges, and a tin of salmon the property of Mrs Susan Bird, confectioner, High Street, Soham. On Friday night the articles were safe in her shop window when she locked up at 10 o'clock. The defendant was standing against the same pane of the window that was afterwards found smashed. The boy said: “I broke the window with my hand”. He had been sentenced at a previous court to three strokes with the birch rod. He was sent to an industrial school until he is 16 years of age.

1924 Jun 20
The inquest took place upon the body of a Soham farmer and publican who was found hanging dead in a granary. His son saw him the previous day and there seemed nothing the matter with him, but when he asked if he would come with him to his work deceased replied he had “water springs” (billiousness). He had been attended for bronchitis and his one trouble was that he could not walk as far as he used to, his legs being rather bad. As deceased did not return for dinner that day he searched for him. The far end of the granary was dark and he was going to strike a match when a boy opened the door and he saw deceased hanging from a beam

1924 Aug 22
Much interest centred in the band concert and sports meeting held on the Vinery Road Recreation Ground, Romsey Town, Cambridge. The band contest attracted five entries – March Railway Silver Prize Band, Manea Silver Prize Band, Royston Town S.P.B., Soham Comrades’ S.P.B. and Letchworth Town S.P.B. There were two contests, a march selection, won by Royston, and a test piece when only four points separated the last three bands, the winners being Soham.

1924 Aug 28
The Medical Officer told Newmarket rural council that numerous wells at Soham had been found to be polluted with sewage and unfit for drinking purposes. “At present I have a list of 41 wells all of which have been condemned. As long as these wells are available to the public they will be considered as a potential source of danger. If the council take no action they are accepting a grave responsibility as any may be the starting point of an extensive epidemic of water-borne diseases”

1924 Nov 22
A deputation from the fire brigade attended Soham Parish Council. They reported that when the recent fire occurred at Mr Horley’s shop instead of calling the firemen someone forced open the fire station door and took out the Minimax fire extinguishers, one of which was damaged, while another is missing. The standpipe was also removed from its place and put behind the engine. Had it been a large fire this would have caused delay. It was agreed that only the recognised members of the Fire Brigade have the right to open the fire station door

1925 Jan 23
The County Education committee recommended that the proposals for the extension of the existing Soham Grammar School building be not proceeded with, that the buildings be disposed of and that the council sanction the purchase of “Beechurst” and a site of seven acres. The building to be adapted to provide for six classrooms and a chemical laboratory for approximately 160 pupils, and house accommodation for the Headmaster and eight boarders.

1925 May 15
The Ouse drainage question is still a burning topic in Soham. Two bailiffs visited a farm at Soham fen to demand rates amounting to £29. Apparently the money was not forthcoming for one of the bailiffs went over to a barn and taking down a halter which was hanging just over the top of a mangold cutter said, “I seize this”. A tall, well-built young lady of 16 also seized hold of the halter, and a struggle ensued during which she struck her arm against the mangold cutter, bruising it. Another young lady then came on the scene and struck the bailiff on the nose, causing blood to flow. Farmers think the Ouse Drainage Board was forced on them by the Government and that Soham is being asked to pay for works which benefit other towns who were not asked to contribute.

1925 May 20
The County Education Committee recommended the purchase of “Beechurst” for the purpose of carrying on a central school at Soham to provide an education of a secondary type for boys of the ages of 10 to 16 years. They also recommend the closing of Soham Grammar School and the disposal of the property. People who were not attached to Soham Grammar School for sentimental reasons would in time become just as proud of “Beechurst”. Coun. Beales said that if they could give their boys a good rural education and they could leave and help their parents, that was what people would appreciate.

1925 Aug 25
With regard to water supplies in the Newmarket rural district 83 of the 103 water samples taken for analysis were reported to be polluted. In Soham where about 100 houses were supplied from 56 polluted wells, 53 have been connected with the public water main and now of 1,1239 structurally separated dwellings 860 are supplied from the mains. At Bottisham 12 samples taken from different wells at the north end of the village all afforded evidence of pollution. In Linton a new public well has been bored into the chalk & consideration has been given to the provision of a new public well at Milton which it is expected will shortly be proceeded with.

1925 Oct 5
An inquest was held at Soham on the body of a boy aged 3½ who was killed by being run over by a threshing machine. The father said he was a healthy child and had often been with them in the yard and roadway when they were working. He was told an accident had happened and saw his boy lying in the road with his feet towards the grass and his head towards the crown of the road. His little head was crushed flat. The jury agreed that boys were very troublesome and would not keep away from engines. The only way was to give them a touch of the whip, but that would cause trouble with the parents. The jury handed their fees to the father of the deceased lad.

1925 Nov 26
A Soham farmer was summoned for employing a child under the age of 14 years ‘in such a manner as to prevent him attending school at Soham’. The school attendance officer saw a number of children working in a field picking potatoes. The farmer said he was most anxious to get his crop in before the frosts and he employed all the men and women he could get. The school had closed for a fortnight on account of the scarcity of labour so he did not think there was any harm in employing children. He was fined 10s.

1926 Jan 18
The spectacle of a heavily laden steam wagon careering backwards down Fore Hill, Ely, was witnessed by a large number of people. The wagon, owned by Messrs Clark and Butcher of Soham was conveying a large quantity of flour and the driver was unaware that as it was freezing the road surface resembled a sheet of uneven glass. All went well until the wagon had reached the top of the hill but then although the rear wheels were revolving they were not ‘biting’ the surface of the road. It came to a stop and began to slip back. It gathered momentum and presented a curious sight, the rear wheels revolving in the opposite direction but with no effect. Sliding past Ye Olde Tea Rooms it skidded along the pavement and came to a stop a few yards past the Rose and Crown.

1926 Mar 15
Much damage was done by a fire which broke out in a shop occupied by Thomas Stubbings, a dealer in new and second-hand furniture at the corner of Tanner’s Lane and Sand Street, Soham. The firemen soon got to work, but the fire had such a hold that nothing could save the contents so they turned their attention to saving some of the five houses adjoining. There was a shed at the back of the shop in which were stored a quantity of paraffin but by keeping the building wetted this was saved.

1926 Jun 10
A large bus belonging to Messrs Bowyer and Topper of Ely was returning from the Soham Grammar School sports, and was filled with Ely citizens, mostly ladies. Some distance from Stuntney a motor lorry, proceeding in the same direction, made an attempt to pass. The bus driver pulled off to the left but the lorry drove too close, knocking the hub of one of the wheels off. The bus turned to the left and rushed into the dyke, falling on to its left side with its radiator embedded in the bank. The occupants were in a serious plight with seats collapsing and broken glass flying about in all directions. Most of the ladies suffered from shock and it will be some time before they will recover from it

1926 Jun 30
Lively scenes were witnessed when Cambridge was “invaded” by visitors from Soham who came to protest against the sale of goods distrained by the Ouse Drainage Board from Barcham Farm for the non-payment of rates. No one could mistake their “leader”, Mr A.E. Elsden, who was attired in “cap and gown” and wore a large buttonhole of sweet Williams, supplemented by a rhubarb leaf. Another wore a slightly battered “topper” and enthusiastic supporters had rattles, concertinas and “screechers”. A blind man in charge of a street organ had been hired and did his work thoroughly.

1926 Oct 22
Soham Parish Council say that as their fair and feast were still wanted by the public the question of its abolition did not arise. Enquiries showed that many years ago the tolls had been taken by the Lord of the Manor, but certainly during the past 50 years he had neither taken tolls not exercised any control. They have no knowledge by what rights the stalls are placed in the highway though a search had been made of old parish books and documents.

1927 Jan 08
A verdict of “Accidental Death whilst in the course of his employment owing to an error of judgement on the part of the driver” was returned on a Soham roadman. He was at work with a steam roller on the Stetchworth to Dullingham road. A motor car came along, ran over the rough gravel and stopped twelve yards passed the roller. This had occurred hundreds of times; if a car came over rough metal in high gear it often stopped. The roadmen always helped & had given them a push. This time the driver, instead of getting into third gear, somehow got into reverse and on letting in the clutch the machine ran back and crushed the man between the car and the road roller.

1927 Feb 23
The dedication and formal opening of the new buildings of Soham Grammar School at “Beechurst” took place in the conservatory in the presence of a crowded assembly. The people of Soham were very proud & jealous of their school. They now had the opportunity for providing a secondary school with a rural curriculum to fit its scholars for a rural career. It showed the value parents attached to the education given in that school as the farmer would keep his son at school just as long as anybody else.

1927 Jun 29
Many will regret the death of the Rev J.C. Rust, Vicar of Soham. In 1863 he was admitted to Pembroke College when there were never as many as 30 undergraduates in residence. They might have excused their absence on the river by pointing to the fewness of their numbers but passed the resolution “That so long as there are 18 men in the college, Pembroke shall keep two boats on the river” and Rust was made cox. In 1874 the college living of Soham fell vacant and he was instituted. He was elected chairman of the Parish Council on its formation in 1895 and appointed a member of the first County Education Committee. He was vice-president of the British Esperanto Association and preached the first sermon in Esperanto.

1927 Aug 2nd
Messrs Hunt Bros, millwrights, Soham, sued Thomas Peake, corn merchant of Littleport, for work done. Defendant owned a mill at Littleport and had there two sets of stones. He needed a new bottom stone and a workman went to the mill and took the dimensions. But some mistake was made and the mew stone was found to be three or four inches too thick. That was a fatal defect. Their case was dismissed.

1927 Sep 21
Sir – The other evening I had occasion to be motoring on the Soham-Wicken road. The increasingly heavy traffic has reduced it to such a mess of pot-holes as to prove a nightmare to the driver. Although the car was carefully driven, more than once it was shaken from one side of the road to the other. Someone suggested that the holes would be filled when there were enough bodies to do so. Unless this road is soon repaired I fear many folk will be described like this: “They drove along the Soham-Wicken road, and, behold, when they arose next morning they were all dead corpses” – Much Perturbed

1928 Jul 13
The Henny Farm, near Ely, was offered for sale by auction. Described as ‘one of the best farms in the Ely district’ it has the advantage of being close to the Ely and Soham railway, adjoining Barway siding. It has an excellent house and homestead, five cottages, main water and a hard road through the farm. It was bought by auction in 1904 for £13,000 and a considerable sum has been spent on improvements. Seven years ago it would have made £20,000 at least. But the opening bid was £5,000 and it failed to reach the reserve price of £9,000 – under £20 an acre.

1928 Jul 19
Ely Urban Council considered the advisability of obtaining a motor ambulance. Cases were frequently happening where a person was ordered off to the Hospital at once. Last week frantic efforts were made to find an ambulance but the only vehicle that might be termed an ambulance was being used at a funeral and they had to telephone to Cambridge for one. This was a standing disgrace to Ely. Their friends at March had purchased a first-class ambulance for £880 and Soham had one.

1928 Aug 03
After a long period of inactivity the Stretham Sports Committee was reformed about six weeks ago and the outcome of their endeavours was a very successful show and sports on the Recreation Ground. This was formerly one of the most popular held in the vicinity and should all future events be as well arranged this enviable position will be soon regained. There was not a dull moment in the whole of the proceedings. The cycle events produced some keen tussles between S.G. Scott and W. Johnson and in the running events R.G. King of Soham took the hundred by a close margin.

1929 Oct 10
For 25 years the parishioners of Soham have been aiming to possess a church hall and at last it was formally opened. The building is a credit to the town; it is capable of seating 350 people and has a kitchen. Chairs have been obtained by voluntary subscriptions but a piano and billiards table is still required. There might be tennis courts or a bowling green alongside. The site had been bought in 1912 but then the shadow of the Great War prevented them proceeding until last year.

1929 Dec 10
Soham residents considered two schemes for the supply of light. One was from the Soham Gas Company, the other from Beds., Cambs. & Hunts. Electricity Co. There was little information on the Gas Company scheme; they didn’t know whether it would be driven by oil, gas or steam or how long it would take. The Electricity Company would supply current by overhead lines to a substation, it would be installed in a few months and they have an alternative generating machine in the event of a breakdown. This was the one agreed.

1930 Jan 09
A Soham grocer said he had started as manager of the Co-operative shop and then gone into partnership with John Everitt. They had bought a horse and cart and did delivery work, but found no cash. He had then started on his own and did well until the war broke out. Since 1913 five new competitors had spring up, three in Soham, one with motor vans from Newmarket and another from Ely. People also went shopping by bus. He had used some of the money of the Soham Slate Club, of which he was treasurer to pay his debts.

1930 Mar 21
At the last meeting of the Newmarket Board of Guardians important features of their 94-year history were recalled. Originally there were nine workhouses but a central workhouse opened with the removal of the inmates of the Soham workhouse in 1837. It was enlarged and rebuilt in 1902. Whatever else was said of the present Poor Law System which was now passing away, no one could ever say that it was not humane. They had to deal with men and women with whom life had dealt hardly and in no sphere of public service had such a demand for wise judgement and sympathetic action been more forthcoming 30 03 21 a & b

1931 Mar 13
The Conservative’s touring cinema vans includes talking as well as silent films. There was a crowded attendance at Soham Fen when the programme started with an Empire film, followed by a humorous cartoon showing how the rising tide of unemployment was stemmed by Stanley Baldwin in the guise of a plumber. There were talkies on the agricultural situation and a tour of a motor works together with pictures of the hardships suffered by town dwellers during the General Strike. The van will visit Croxton, Wicken and Chittering 31 03 13e

1931 Nov 13
The decision of the Theatres Committee not to allow Soham Electric cinema to open on Christmas Day is ‘almost tyrannical’, one councillor claimed. The public would have a perfectly free choice whether to patronise it or not. It was better than loafing about street corners or drinking in pubs. Some of the pictures were worth seeing, even at Soham. But family circles would be broken and the one meeting in the year would be destroyed. The council agreed that the cinema should be allowed to open. 31 11 13e

1931 Nov 20
Traffic Commissioners considered applications for bus services to Soham. A.J. Bailey operated a service to Newmarket on Tuesdays, chiefly for cinema-goers. He carried 259 passengers between January and June. However his application for a service to Ely was opposed by Ortona who’d started a service in 1921 – it was not a good paying route, the costs were almost the same as the takings. But Mr Bailey said local people favoured him and had “booed the Ortona out of Soham” 31 11 20c

1932 May 26
Bourn windmill worked until about six years ago when the sails were damaged in a gale. It was bought by Mansfield Forbes using money collected at an exhibition of Epstein’s ‘Genesis’ at ‘Finella’. Now it has been repaired by Hunts of Soham and will be presented to the Cambridge Preservation Society 32 05 26a

1933 Jan 26
The County Council want to restrict traffic in Minster Place and The Gallery, Ely to 10 mph. This would safeguard the cathedral against vibration caused by heavy vehicles. Mr Tyndall also said his shop had suffered, as did the King’s School, especially when the sugar beet lorries went past. But the A.A. said it was used by traffic from Soham to Lynn and the real remedy was an effective bye-pass and to extend Broad Street to Prickwillow Road. 33 01 26 & a

1933 Mar 24
Soham sewage problem – 33 03 24 & a

1933 Jul 03
One of the droves at Tile House Farm, Soham mere is to be made into a hard road, nine feet wide. Councillors inspected a reinforced concrete road made in Huntingdonshire some years ago, which tenants claimed was a success. But it is an experimental project: the sub soil was not the same so it might not stand the wear and tear and they could not claim it would last for ever. 33 07 03 p3

1933 Sep 27
Flying-officer Norman Styche, who formerly lived in Fordham and Cambridge, was one of two men who perished when their bomber crashed at Bamburgh after a successful “battle” against the Home Fleet. Having attending Soham Grammar School he had got books on flying out of the library and learnt all he could. He had previously been in two crashes, but was unhurt in both. 33 09 27

1933 Dec 06
Godwin Hunt was one of the most popular comedians and vocalists that Cambridge has ever known. Born at Soham, he was associated with many famous theatrical enterprises including the D'oyly Carte Opera before becoming Lay Clerk at St John’s College. He was the founder, 30 years ago, of the Magpies Concert Party which enjoyed a tremendous vogue when amusements were not so plentiful as today. Up to the war they were a male voice quartet but then it became a mixed concert party who travelled far beyond Cambridgeshire. 33 12 06

1933 Dec 18
Hardening Soham Mere roads – 33 12 18

1947-1958

1947 Jun 02
Yesterday, in the little fen town of Soham, the memory of two railwaymen who three years ago gave their lives that the town might be saved from complete obliteration, was remembered and honoured by Soham people. Local people recalled how in the early hours of June 2nd 1944 fire broke out in an ammunition train standing in Soham station. Driver Benjamin Gimbert of March, and his fireman Mr E. Nightall of Littleport uncoupled the blazing wagon and started to shunt it away from the town. Signalman F. Bridges of Soham was about to warn other rail traffic in the area when the wagon containing high explosive bombs exploded. Soham station was completely wiped out and Nightall and Bridges were killed. On the spot where the station was now stands a pre-fab hut which serves as a booking office, waiting room and control centre. But the match-boarding wall of the hut now bears a brass tablet which tells the story of Soham's escape from destruction

1947 Jun 12
A report by the Bishop of Ely's Advisory Committee on the Care of Churches considered eight churches which were in danger of partial collapse. Typical examples are the fine medieval towers of Soham and Orwell, the interesting chancel of Hatley St George, the roof of Caxton and almost the whole church of Wicken, which is splitting in half.. There were also a large number of churches where considerable repair was needed now to prevent serious decay later. Some of the failures could be attributed to soil subsidence or rough weather, but for the most part were due to the accumulation of repairs postponed because of the war

1947 Sep 03
A dangerous-looking U.S. Army 45 Remington pistol – a souvenir of the days when members of the American armed forces outnumbered the local populace - occupied the attention of the Newmarket Magistrates on Tuesday. Since leaving the possession of its former American owner the weapon had survived last year's fire at the Cherry Tree public house, Soham. The licensee (his present premises form the only pre-fabricated public house in Cambs having been destroyed by fire in September 1946), was charged with having unlawful possession of the pistol. The defendant came by the gun in 1944 when some American soldiers left it outside his premises. He expected them to return for it but they did not do so and he eventually forgot about it

1948 May 22
Soham, with its community minded population, can now boast one of the finest hard courts in Cambridgeshire, a court upon which two of the world's leading women tennis players have displayed their skills. Presented by the town by two of its leading citizens, Mr & Mrs E.R. Ennion. It perpetuates the memory of their son who was killed in action in Singapore. It lies in surrounding which have no equal in the whole county and last evening had the honour of being "christened" by Great Britain's two leading women tennis stars, Mrs Kay Menzies and Mrs Jean Bostock. The ceremony was watched by a large crowd.

1948 May 26
A chapter of accident befell Miss Kay Stammers, one of Great Britain's two leading women tennis stars, when she went to Soham recently. The purpose of her visit was to "christen" a hard court presented to the town. Travelling from London by train Kay intended to get out at Cambridge, but overshot her target and found herself in Ely. She booked a taxi to take her back to Soham but it says little for the local knowledge of the Ely taxi drivers for the car went straight through the village - which has one of the longest main streets in Cambs - and on to Newmarket. Eventually she arrived at Soham, where a mystified crowd awaited, only three-quarters of an hour late

1949 Mar 17
Isleham village dramatic society were due to begin a three-nightly run of “Charley’s Aunt” at the school hall at 7.30 pm. At 5 o’clock officials from the County Architect’s department refused to allow the play to go on as the hall did not meet the stringent requirement of the safety regulations. At 5.45pm the village crier was called out to go on his round giving news of the last-minute bombshell to the disappointed villagers. Bus loads of playgoers were due to arrive from Soham and Beck Row. After a lot of frantic telephoning the buses were cancelled and money refunded.

1951 Aug 16 c
An uncomfortable half-hour vigil by a policewoman, who remained cooped up in a hen house while she kept observation on a number of men on the Soham Recreation Ground, had a sequel at Newmarket court. Three men were due to appear, but not one of them turned up to answer a summons that they “unlawfully did play by way of gaming with cards a game of chance called ‘brag’”. She said there was a pile of coppers on the ground but they had been picked up before she could reach them. Defendants were fined 10s each and the pack of cards confiscated.

1952 Nov 19
The new Soham police station at the junction of White Hart Lane and Paddock Street is the most up-to-date and first of its kind in the county. Four houses are provided for the station staff and the office accommodation includes sergeant’s office, charge room and patrol rooms, in addition to garage accommodation. In charge of the new station in Sgt F.G. Brown who moves from Bottisham to take over from Sgt Miller who has been at Soham for the last five years.

1954 Apr 01
At the moment many Soham people work outside of the parish and the Parish Council are investigating the possibility of introducing light industries. It had been called ‘a land of milk and honey’ and it was a very prosperous agricultural area, even in times of depression, but every morning traffic left conveying people to work outside. The Downfields area was thickly populated and every one of them were exported elsewhere. For years the parish had up to 300 unemployed in the winter and it was time the Planners be asked to consider provision of light industry

1954 Jul 15
Members of the Band of Hope Union visited the East Anglian Egg Packing Station at Soham which collects eggs from producers over a large area, graded them for quality and distributed them to retailers. The station had started with very little money but by 1953 had a turnover of a third of a million pounds and handled over 11 million eggs. They watched skilled inspectors checking every egg under artificial light, modern machines grading them and stamping each with the official number and saw the electric incubators which can turn out 2,500 chicks a week

1954 Nov 10
A police officer began an inquiry after his curiosity aroused by seeing two boys’ bicycles lying on the grass verge beside a fenland road near Soham. As a result 14 children, six girls, appeared in court. A thirteen-year-old girl was charged with having had relations with at least eight boys since 1951, mostly on the way home from school. “This sort of thing seems to be so rife in this district as to show a deplorable state of affairs”, the magistrate said.

1955 May 03
Soham’s new County Fire Station opened in Fountain Lane. When the County Council took over fire services in 1948 the resources were lamentable. They decided that the rural district must be served first and so had erected the first new fire station there. With this up-to-the-minute building goes a modern type of water tender equipped with a short-wave radio and a device for control of fires in standing crops. The old appliance did not carry any water at all.
55 05 03b

1956 Mar 09
The East Anglian Egg Packing Station at Soham handled 27 million eggs last year. It started in 1935 with one lorry for collecting; now it has seven, covering the whole of the county. It is producer-owned and profits go back to members as a dividend and bonus on the eggs supplied. 56 03 09d

1956 May 05
The Diocesan Ringers rang the first peal since the war on the beautiful bells at Soham church. It was J. Burford’s composition of 5,040 changes of Cambridge Surprise Royal in keeping in complexity with the methods rung by the famous Soham Youths nearly 150 years ago. They commenced in 1790 and rang until 1830 after which nothing more was heard of their exploits and by 1874 ringing had practically ceased. It restarted in 1924 when, after renovation, a Cambridge Band rang a peal of Bob Major. After the war the bells were condemned as unsafe. Now much has been done to repair dilapidated fittings and no member of the band was unduly distressed on completion of the task, which occupied three hours 10 minutes.
56 05 05b

1956 Aug 01
Proposed alterations to the interior of St Andrew’s church, Soham have led to the resignation of the clerk to the Parochial Church Council. He feels it wrong to bring the choir from the chancel into the transept. “The choir is very small and I think the Vicar should have a go at getting a choir before tackling these alterations”, he said. It could be heard better in the new position but the seating was uncomfortable. He was the only one with the courage to speak out, others were against but they voted for the changes, said a parishioner. 56 08 01a

1957 Sep 30
Cottenham’s new fire station is the third to be opened by the County Council since 1948, following Linton and Soham. They also have a new fire engine with four-wheel drive, now all that is needed is a drill yard and training tower. 100 years ago the village had its fire brigade with an appliance pulled by horses. Now they have the most modern machinery manned by volunteers who could be called away from their work at any minute 57 09 30 & a

1958 Feb 21
Soham – Cambridge bus service proposed – 58 02 21

1958 Mar 13
The Soham Egg Packing Station handled a record 30 million eggs during 1957. Property in Brook Street is being developed to comply with the Factory Act as the present station was overtaxed. Producers should support such societies: there is a need to increase the consumption of eggs and imports could have a very large bearing on the price. 58 03 13a

1958 May 22
The new Cambridge Mayor is Leonard Wordingham, a respected member of the Labour Group. His employers, British Railways, have granted him a year’s leave. Educated at Soham Grammar School, he had been one of the best half-backs at Cambridge Town Football Club. He also achieved fame as a cricketer for Trinity Rovers – in his Bible Class days. He is the third Labour Mayor, the others being T.H. Amey and W.L. Briggs. 58 05 22 & a

1958 Sep 15
Soham fire Clark and Butcher mill – 58 09 15

1958 Sep 17
Light industries are needed to stop young people leaving the area. The rate of migration from Isleham had been amazing and 75 people leave Dullingham to work each day. The biscuit factory at Fordham has closed down because transport facilities were so bad that the cost of bringing materials more that outweighed the cheaper cost of labour. There were factory sites at Soham and the council was prepared to assist any firm wishing to move in. 58 09 17

1958 Oct 02
“The reputation of Soham is getting shocking and it is time that the young people learned to behave themselves”, a magistrate remarked. “It is getting to the state of a lot of Teddy Boys; if you had differences to settle, instead of creating this awful maul and fight, you should have gone with your father and talked the thing out”, he told a couple summonsed after a dispute at the Chequers public house, Fordham 58 10 02 & a

1958 Oct 17
Soham Village College, the sixth of its kind in Cambridgeshire, was official opened. The idea of a building which is a school in the day and a centre of activities in the evening and weekend was developed by Henry Morris, former Chief Education Officer and has helped to shape education throughout the country. The ultra modern buildings serve a population drawn from eight parishes. The day school provides instruction for 460 children aged 11-15 who are taught by 19 specialist teachers. Further educational studies commence this month. 58 10 17 & b

1958 Oct 28
Cambridgeshire Women’s Institutes fear the history of our villages will soon disappear in the welter of new housing estates. So they have organised a Village Histories Scrapbook competition to tell their stories from earliest times up to the present day. The histories have been compiled into books, many of them lettered and illustrated by hand. Cherry Hinton’s scrapbook was awarded top prize, followed by Soham and Papworth Everard. A special award was given to the small isolated Institute of Chrishall which made an outstanding effort. 58 10 28a

1958 Dec 19
Newmarket RDC has decided to erect units of old persons’ accommodation at Soham and Burwell. Each unit will comprise a sitting room with a bed recess and kitchenette together with a small wash basin. There will be communal W.C.s and bathrooms. They will be central heated though there will be a coal fire in the communal sitting-room 58 12 19d

1972-1983

1973 Mar 10
An ancient forest of bog oaks has been dug up in a 10-acre field at Soham Fen. A contractor ploughing the field only three inches deeper than usual found his plough catching two or three oaks in every run across the field. Mr John Fletcher who farms the field said; "I've been cultivating this land all my life and only struck the odd one, but this year its is just as if there is a whole forest of them. It has taken four men with two tractors a fortnight to clear the field. Some of the oaks wee 60 feet long and had to be cut into three parts before the tractors could pull them out". A National Farmer's Union spokesman said "The oaks lie at the bottom of the peat soil on the hard sub-soil. By ploughing deeper Mr Fletcher has struck this level". He said: "Bog oaks are not as common around Ely as they used to be as most of them have been cleared. They are several thousand years old"

1973 Mar 28
There is a serious housing shortage in Soham, one of the town’s representatives told the annual parish meeting. “We have been striving to get additional accommodation for Soham. We are in a very bad condition as far as houses and bungalows go. The housing list gets longer every month, and we now have a colossal list”. Work on Palmer’s Field development scheme, consisting of 11 houses and 22 bungalows was expected to start in a month or two. “We hope that early next year we will have some accommodation with which we can help some of these people on the housing list”

1973 May 17
The fens were yesterday swept by the most severe blow this spring, as high winds picked up the lighter peats in the Soham, Stretham and Mepal district, uprooting new sown crops of beet and carrots, which are particularly vulnerable. The blow appeared to be widespread and raged for several hours. There have been two blows so far this spring but neither has caused widespread damage. Last year, more than 10,000 acres of sugar beet had to be replanted after a blow at roughly the same time. A Soham farmer, Mr Guy Shropshire has been using a prototype machine which "plants" straw between vegetable rows to prevent wind damage on his 1,000-acre farm

1973 Jun 23
Two Mid-Anglia farm workers with 106 years service between them will be presented with long-service awards at the East of England Show. Mr Bertie Cowl of Soham can look back on 52 years on the land, most of them working for the same employer. Mr Harry Pryor can look back on an almost unbroken span of 54 years on the same farm at Great Shelford. Mr Cowl was born in Soham Fen. When the late Mr Herbert Bedford took over Fletcher's farm he joined him and has been there ever since. As farming has become more mechanised Mr Cowl has one special regret: "I particularly miss horses", he said. Mr Pryor who is 70 started on a farm at the age of 10 as a part-time cattle drover earning 3d a week. "We used to leave off school at 12 and then I'd run down to the village to take the cows from the fields into the barns for milking". He has never fully come to terms with driving a tractor and still looks back affectionately to when horse provided the power in the fields

1976 Jul 27
It is not very often that one hears of a big building project being completed on schedule but Cambridge builders John Brignell and Co are two months ahead on two major council housing developments at Tanners Lane and Berrycroft Soham. At a time when the building trade in general is going through a sticky patch, Brignells are full of optimism. They have just been awarded two substantial contracts at Fen Ditton, for 218 dwellings, and the King’s Hedges estate, Cambridge, for 167 houses, maisonettes and bungalows.

1978 Apr 03
A common language between social service departments dealing with baby-battering cases is urgently needed – that is the main finding of an official inquiry into the death of Soham baby Simon Peacock. The inquiry concludes that there was “an unfortunate combination of weaknesses in communication” between the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire County Councils. The recommendations were accepted by both the authorities involved

1978 Aug 11
A compromise has been reached on the route of the Soham by-pass which will soften the impact on the county’s last surviving remnant of the manorial open field system of agriculture. It will help protect the 80-acre Soham Green Hill site which is scheduled as of special scientific interest. It is rich in flowers such as meadow saxifrage, milkwort and five species of orchid and there are valuable old hedgerows and small ponds

1980 Dec 01
Soham Comrades’ Band is the new brass band champion of Cambridge, snatching the title from Littleport. Chatteris Town Band came third. Each had to play a march, a hymn and one other work. In the contest for small bands Waterbeach took the first prize, Wicken was second, followed by Cottenham, Haddenham and Burwell. Cottenham took the Cook trophy for the highest marks in the march with the Ernie Avery memorial trophy for the highest marks in the hymn going to Waterbeach. 80 12 01

1981 Sep 25
It has taken British Rail 37 years to honour two heroes of an ammunition train explosion at Soham, but now two inter-city locomotives are to be named after Ben Gimbert and Jimmy Nightall. Relations and railway officials will gather at March railway station for the ceremony. Violet Gimbert, Ben’s widow, said ‘Why didn’t they do this when he was alive?’
81 09 25a & b 81 09 29

1982 Aug 16
Greens of Soham new giant cold stores – 82 08 16