Sawston Village History Society

Sawston Village History Society Members' Meeting, Thursday 8th December 2005, reported by Liz Dockerill

Eric Jacobs started the evening with a slide show walk through Sawston illustrated with old picture postcards. He began at The Spike with views of Miss Dickerson and Mrs Mack outside their shop where they also served teas to weary travellers. This and Mrs Langley's shop (formerly Mrs Spire's The Spike Stores') are now private houses.

There were views of London Road Council Houses (1922), the White Horse (Pampisford) and The Doctor's Corner both postmarked 1904, and also one of the entrance to the Old Yard (Thos. Sutton Evans' leather works) of the same date. Also included was the Drying Shed, now sadly dilapidated in spite of being listed as Grade 2*. A view of the leather workers showed them in smart shirts, ties and waistcoats.

Burnand's Place appeared to be called Cole's Place and there was also a postcard showing Reg Hull's garage. The Fire Station sign was clearly visible between The Bull and the White Lion and further on there were views of Peasgood's shop in the 1940s.

The most up to date postcard was a special limited edition offer by Royal Mail of the red telephone kiosk in a winter snow fall printed in 1991 which had been photographed by Margaret Badcock. Sawston Hall gates were next, 1909, and then a postcard of Sawston Hall sent by Mr Huddleston to an acquaintance in Germany. St Mary's Church featured next with various slides including one of WWI conscripts whose names are listed on one of the pillars.

There were various views of The Cross: one in 1904 showed the iron railings which surrounded it together with a gas lamp and a pump. Sawston Industrial Co-operative Society (Andrew McCulloch) came next followed by Coulthard the Chemist (The Town House) and the Maudslay bus. Next were the Nurses' Houses, built on the corner of Mill Lane and High Street and then pulled down again within a very few years, and we remembered Mrs Chiltern, the midwife, who lived there.

Then came Ivy House, The Fox and Banham's Garage (Vindis') and from there we were taken up Hillside past the Congregational Chapel and The Greyhound and on to the Cemetery and Cemetery Chapel and Moule & Metcalfe's garage. There was a brief trip down New Road with the Council Houses (1928) on the left and Spicer's Theatre (cinema) on the right (1932) and finally a 1914 postcard of Spicer's cottages.