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Events - Season 2024-25 A large audience braved a very chilly January evening to hear speaker Terry O’Donoghue’s talk on ‘The English Civil War in Bury St. Edmunds and Suffolk’. A complex subject, emanating from Charles I’s adherence to the Divine Right of Kings; his idea of government was diametrically opposed to that of both Parliament and army. Charles was often in Newmarket being very keen on horse racing and it was here that Parliament asked him to sign a militia bill. His refusal to do so, plus his obstinacy on other matters, meant that the ‘die was cast’ and unrest, rebellion and finally war was inevitable. Suffolk in the 1640s boasted a prosperous, advanced economy; a thriving merchant class which, like the majority of the East, supported the Parliamentarians. In the larger towns such as Bury there were some rich families still loyal to the king, however the area saw little real action – the famous battles being elsewhere. In 1645 General Fairfax and the politically astute Puritan, Oliver Cromwell, set up the New Model Army, a strict and disciplined force which subdued any local aggression and skirmishes around Bury and Newmarket. Fairfax, a man of military action, went on to control the 1648 eleven week siege of Colchester, whilst the Earl of Manchester, another strict Puritan, proceeded to purge the ‘papist’ clergymen. Charles and the Royalists were defeated by 1646. The King became a fugitive in disguise before being taken back to London to face his January 1649 execution. Parliamentarian Puritanism did not sit kindly with the English who were to endure the banning of Christmas, maypole dancing and all kinds of fun, as well as the destruction of much beautiful religious idolatry and stained glass in Suffolk churches by the ‘butcher’ William Dowsing, whilst the hunt for witches by Matthew Hopkins went on unabated! It was not until the 1660 Restoration of King Charles II that some semblance of normality was reinstated. From - https://www.suffolkvillagesigns.co.uk/glemsford The current Glemsford sign was made by Graham Chaplin from Buxhall of painted galvanized steel in 2009 replacing the original sign at the same location. There are three buildings on the sign starting with the church of St Mary on top of the sign, this is connected by a winding road down to the old boarding school which is now the Glemsford Primary Academy. The road to the left leads to the 16th century Monks Hall. Below the school is a horse and cart representing agriculture in the area. In the centre of the sign is a group of Morris dancers, known as the Morris Dancers of Little Egypt set up in 1992. There is also a wig at the top of the post representing Arnold and Gould wig makers which were set up to process horsehair in 1907. On the other side is a guardsman helmet. A teachers mortar board and quill pen are there to represent the old college from the Middle Ages. The gap in the middle is the river Glem. The flowers at the bottom of the sign look like Wood Anemones. Another excellent turnout of 53 members and visitors who were held really spellbound by Bryan Thurlow’s dramatized presentation of the sensational, yet tragic, story of the poor village maiden, Maria Marten, and the Red Barn. We were taken to 1820’s Polstead to meet Thomas Marten, the molecatcher and father to pretty Maria, at that time working at the rectory as a child minder. She soon attracted the attentions of the wealthy Corder boys from the big hall. The eldest, Thomas gave her a child, another babe arrived from one, Peter Matthews, and it was not long before she was pregnant by the youngest, Wiliam Corder. All records show that the young squire William was a thoroughly ‘bad egg’ – a liar, a cheat, a deceiver and a habitual thief (pigs being a speciality!), to name but a few of his endearing qualities. The baby died shortly after birth and William, perceiving the situation as socially unacceptable, saw fit to dispose of the body whilst, to appease Maria, offering to marry her on the day following an evening rendezvous in the Red Barn, one of their romantic venues. The rest is history. Maria was never seen again; William, now in London, explained her disappearance with a fistful of lies. Eleven months later, after her step-mother’s prophetic dream, her bullet riddled body was discovered buried in the Red Barn. William was arrested and duly hung at Bury St. Edmunds jail in front of an enormous cheering crowd enjoying a glorious day’s experience! Ghoulish pursuits and a host of money making schemes to view the dissected corpse and skeleton followed, whilst in later years the story was to become the stuff of legend via books, plays and numerous productions of horrific melodrama. April speaker, Ashley Cooper, kept a very large audience thoroughly engaged with his entertaining talk on ‘Heroes and Villains of our Locality. Part 2’. This was further enhanced by the lively and amusing paintings of Benjamin Perkins. Following a detailed resume of Part 1 starting with the great Roman chieftain, Caractacus and the warrior queen Boudicca, down through the centuries to the martyred King Edmund, the (probably less than sainted) Archbishop Simon of Sudbury, on to the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, one of the most cruel villains of all, we arrived in the days of Oliver Cromwell when a Puritanical obsession reigned. This led to one, William Dowsing and his band of thugs, who systematically ravaged and defaced our churches. Medieval stained glass windows were smashed and every semblance of decorative effigies and carvings were destroyed. Moving on, John Winthrop from Edwardstone migrated to the nascent United States with other Pilgrim Fathers to help found Massachusetts. The 17 th and 18 th centuries saw discovery and identification of flora and fauna led by John Ray whose meticulous drawings of orchids are still revered. Botanists Joseph Andrews and Sudbury born Mark Catesby followed, the latter exploring in Florida, Carolina and the Bahamas. The 19 th century saw a pair of local tight-fisted misers; one, William Jennens from Acton, whose huge wealthy estate took so long to sort that only the lawyers were the beneficiaries, was said to have been the inspiration for Dickens in his darkest novel, ‘Bleak House’. Subsequently, Hardy was inspired to write ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ upon hearing of a local man who had sold his wife! Murderer, William order,from Polstead, he of the Red Barn fame, was another villain, whilst on the plus side, Thomas Clarkson from Wisbech was instrumental in abolishing the slave trade. Ashley concluded his talk by nominating his own 20 th century heroes, namely Fred Pawsey and Sue Ryder (Cavendish residents) and those WWII soldiers sent to Singapore only to be captured and imprisoned in the infamous Japanese camps. The relatively recent excavations at Clare Castle proved a most interesting subject for the last talk of the present season. During 2018 – 2021 speaker, Jo Caruth, worked with Suffolk Archaeology and a large number of local volunteers digging trenches in both the outer and inner baileys of the well-known Clare motte and bailey castle which was built just after the Norman Conquest. Jo itemised the finds from the earlier digs of 1951 and 2013, plus the railway construction dig of 1865 when the gold reliquary cross, the most notable find of all, was discovered. This was possibly dropped by castle visitor and later owner, Cecily Neville, mother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III, in the 15 th century. Probably the most famous resident was Elizabeth de Burgh (b.1295 – 1360) who inherited the castle and spent a great deal of money on it. Evidence from the dig, assisted by the geophysicists, showed thriving occupation, many clay ovens, a large building, kitchens, possible stables, kennels and chapels, also signs that further ramparts once existed. A good number of human remains, male, female and children, were unearthed, some from the Anglo Saxon period which supported the theory of a probable cemetery for the Saxon town. Piles of animal bones confirmed the meat-based diet of the Medieval period. More esoteric finds included beautifully decorated floor tiles, colourful pieces of stained glass, parts of an unusual comb, a 7/8 th century brooch, a very rare Saxon coin and, most strange of all, the claw of a bear; he/she must have been imported for entertainment purposes!

Glemsford Local History Society is dedicated to the study and distribution of the details of Glemsford's past. Preserving Glemsford's past for future generations Glemsford Local History Society Glemsford is a village in the county of Suffolk in England. It sits on a small hill above the River Stour and the River Glem, from which it takes its name. Glemsford is an ancient village, dating back to Domesday, and before. Although it may have acquired its nickname only last century, it is possible to trace the history of the village across many more centuries through the huge variety of buildings and fieldnames. Find out more Latest Publication This latest publication by the Glemsford Local History Society is a longoverdue reprint of a book, the text of which was dictated to a schoolboy, Perry Baxter, of what was then Clare Middle School as part of a history project in December 1978. He is a grandson of Ted Hartley, whose memoriesthese are. The resulting tape was then transcribed by his father Terry, Ted’s son-in-law and subsequently published. We are delighted to have since been able to digitize the text and photos belonging to the Hartley family in order to produce this edition. The book is available at our monthly meetings and from Glemsford Library, Hunts Hill Stores and Willow Tree Farm Shop. However, if you live some distance away you can still purchase the book by contacting us. Events Find out more - Current and Previous John Miners Horsehair Tales September 11th 2025 Annual General Meeting Members' Talks October 9th 2025 Kate Jewell O'Donoghue 'By The Moonlight I Must Go To My Bed.' Schools and Education in Medieval Suffolk November 13th 2025 Christmas Social . December 11th 2025 Adrian Tindall 'The Monastery Alone A City.' 1000 years of the Abbey of St Edmunds January 8th 2026 Andrew Mowbray Virtually Colchester February 12th 2026 Julie Whittle A Bulmer Family during World War II March 12th 2026 Pip Wright A Picture History of Margaret Catchpole April 16th 2026 NB Third Thursday Mark Bailey The Impact of Global Climate change on the East Anglian Coast 1100 to 1600 May 14th 2026 A Summer Outing To Be Arranged About Us Find out more Glemsford Local History Society has been active for many years now, and is dedicated to the study and distribution of the details of Glemsford's past. We aim to encourage the better understanding of the past and present through lectures, activities, visits and research. Meetings Find out more The Society meet on the second Thursday of the month in Glemsford Primary Academy Hall at 7.30pm. We have a wide range of speakers, visits to places of local interest and other events to celebrate our life in ‘Glorious Glemsford’. Membership costs just £12 per annum. Visitors £3.00 per time. The People of Glemsford Find out more about the families of Glemsford throughout the centuries from personal accounts to sourced information. Find out more Tracing your family tree? We are not a family history society and do not hold census or similar records. You may find the information you require at the following web site - Suffolk Archives There is also a Suffolk Family History website which may be able to help with your enquiries. Our secretary will always try to answer general questions about the village, based upon her own personal knowledge and not on formal research. If unable to answer a query herself, she will pass it on to someone in the village, whom she thinks might be able to help. This of course may take some time. If you have information on particular people or properties in Glemsford, which you would be willing to have added to the website we would of course be delighted to receive it. We currently have the following requests for person identification. (Click) Display Cabinet from the Arnold & Gould horsehair factory Link to horsehair factory video on the industry page

George cross awarded to Frederick Craddock for bravery in a tragic accident. A George Cross in Glemsford for F. Craddock You are here: Home : People & Memories: George Cross Sourced by Val Ost Frederick John Cradock was born into a large family in Acton, London in 1888. A boiler-man by trade, he worked for Kensington Borough Council for many years. In 1907 he married Annie Edwards in the Kensington District. He enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery in 1915 and went on to serve in France and Belgium with the 156th. Brigade during the Great War. He and his wife had 9 children in the East End of London, before moving to Suffolk around 1937. They settled in a cottage at Thurston End, along with their youngest daughter, Joan. Whether any other of their other children, by now grown-up, also moved with them, is not known, nor is the starting date of Fred’s employment at Glemsford Flax Factory, on the Lower Road (where Philips Avent now is.) On Tuesday 4th May 1943 a horrific and unimaginable accident occurred in the boiler-room, where Fred was doing routine maintenance on a boiler with his friend, Albert Sterry (who at that time lived at 71, Brook Street). Suddenly the valve, on which Albert was working, burst and filled the room with steam and scalding water, threatening the life of Albert. Fred was above the boiler and could have climbed down and escaped to safety. However he called for a ladder and climbed down between the boiler and furnace in order to rescue Albert. Despite several determined and brave attempts he, too, was overcome by the heat, and scalded to death. Albert Sterry was later dragged out and found to be dead. At the time, Fred’s daughter Joan, who had previously married Charles George Plumb, from Pentlow, was working in the canteen at the factory. It must have been a horrific shock for her to learn that her father was involved. Albert Sterry (age 56) was buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Glemsford on 8 May1943, and Fred Cradock (age 57), on the same day in Hawkedon Churchyard. There is no gravestone for Fred Cradock at Hawkedon, but, according to Gladys Seabrook, he was buried quite close to the lower, or southernmost, gate in the churchyard wall. At the Inquest, attended by Fred’s son Edward Cradock, the Coroner stated that the two men had been “blowing-out” the boiler – a procedure carried out twice a week in order to remove any sludge from the bottom of the boiler. Apparently Sterry had opened the valve, but was unable to re-close it. When it was later examined by a Factory Inspector a small nut was found lodged in the base of the seating of the valve. It was found not to have come from any bolt inside the boiler, but it might have dropped into the boiler when it was first installed. Nothing visible externally would have warned anyone of this defect. The Verdict was one of Accidental Death, with no evidence of negligence. Dr.Tylor, who confirmed the causes of both deaths said “…..Cradock appears to have lost his life because he was anxious to save his mate. If he had not been so anxious he probably would have escaped. This is the sort of conduct we must all admire very much.” As a result of this brave act, Frederick John Cradock was posthumously awarded the George Cross Medal in September 1943. On hearing of the award Fred’s widow, Annie, said “His four soldier sons would be specially proud of their Dad, who sacrificed his life in such brave circumstances.” Val Ost, who now lives in Albert Sterry’s house, has, after 6 months searching, managed to trace two of Fred’s grandchildren - but the whereabouts of his medal is not yet known. She writes: I would like to publicly acknowledge the following people who have each completed a link in the chain of my research: Angie Linnett : Daphne Seabrook : Gladys Seabrook : Jo Pask : Bill Welsh : Mr. Ablitt ( Bells Lane) : Eric Plumb (Pentlow) : Nellie Smith ( Gt. Missenden) : Mr. And Mrs J.C.Plumb : also thanks to publicity from East Anglian Daily Times, Suffolk Free Press ( for access to their archives) and “ Let’s Talk” magazine. We surely can’t have so many George Cross Medal holders in Glemsford , that we can afford to forget him!! A very brave man indeed. No/Rank/Unit/Occupation Boilerman DoB - DoD 1886, Acton, London - 4th May 1943, Glemsford, Suffolk Biography Frederick J Cradock served in First World War, enlisting in late 1915 in the Royal Field Artillery as No. 245358, with the rank of Driver. He served in France and Belgium from early 1916 with 156th Brigade (Territorial)/R.F.A. He was discharged in the summer of 1919 when his Army number was 885763. TLG/Citation: 10th September 1943 The KING has been graciously pleased to award the GEORGE CROSS to: - Frederick John Cradock (deceased), Boiler Man, Glemsford, Suffolk. An explosion occurred, with the result that a boiler house was filled with scalding steam and water, and a man was trapped in a well between the furnace and the boiler. Cradock, who was on top of the furnace, could have jumped to safety on the side away from the steam, but he refused to do so and, calling for a ladder, turned into the escaping steam and attempted to get down into the well to haul out his workmate. Before he could do so he was overcome and severely scalded. He staggered away from, the steam and at this point could still have jumped to safety but, despite his terrible injuries, he returned to make a second gallant effort to get down into the well. He died in making the attempt. Cradock showed outstanding heroism and gave his life in an endeavour to save his workmate.

Archive of Glemsford Local History Society newsletters and publications Publications By Rev K Glass A short history of Glemsford St Mary's Font You are here: Home: Publications Below you will find an archive of the Glemsford History Society Publications and Newsletters. Click on descriptions below to search newsletter.pdf for full article Summer 2021 no 46 The boy who burned down a barn [part 2] Transportation by Barbara Richardson-Todd Landscape Gardening in 18th Century by Stephanie Prythergch-Hemphill The Waterworks Tower by late Gillman Game 2008 first published Spring 2021 no 45 Somerton Church 1538 Edmund Hibble of Somerton research by Linda Ronalds The Organ of St Mary's Church by Patrick Hemphill The Boy who burned down a barn [part 1] by Barbara Richardson-Todd Winter 2020 no 44 William Oliver 1804-1853 Halstead An Artist in the Garden by Jenny Wears Glemsford Telephone Exchange from 2007 by Gillman Game Autumn 2020 no 43 Charity Schools in the 20th Century by Stephanis Prythergch-Hemphill Glemsford Flood 2004 by Patrick Hemphill Henbane in Glemsford by Robin Ford Summer 2020 no 42 Trade and industry in Suffolk in 19th Century by Stephanie Prythergch-Hemphill Field names by Jenny Wears Taxes by Jenny Wears Shepherd Collis Goodchild 1878-1953 foamer and landowner Spring 2020 no 41 Village Education in 19th Century by Stephanie Prythergch-Hemphill Glemsford Schools by Jenny Wears WW1 POW Camp by Jenny Wears Summer 2019 no 40 History of the Susan Pearman Cup of Gardening Club by Richard Deeks 1994 Autumn 2018 no 39 The 15th Century House moved from Glemsford to California by Jenny Wears The Conservation of St Mary's Font by David Newell Spring 2018 no 38 Transported Burglars from Glemsford [part 2] by Jenny Wears Attempted Murder and Suicide in Glemsford [part 2] by Jenny Wears A Police presence in Glemsford Winter 2017 no 37 Transported Burglars [part 1] by Jenny Wears Riot Night December 2017 memoir of Ernest Ambrose of Long Melford Coals for Glemsford by Jenny Wears Autumn 2017 no 36 St Mary's Font by David Newell The Morris Men of Little Egypt 25 years by Neville Parry Spring 2017 no 35 The Brook St Nissan/ Romney Hut memoir by John Suttle plus notes by Rowland Hill The Manns Soap Boilers by Jenny Wears Winter 2016 no 34 The Ship A long lost Public House by Jenny Wears The Wool Cloth Industry by Jenny Wears Autumn 2016 no 33 Glemsford Urban District Council 1896-1935 Summer 2016 no 32 The Bells of St Mary's by Jenny Wears Canon Algernon Ogle Wintle Rector of Lawshall and Barrel Organs Glemsford Farms 1994 by Gillman Game Glemsford Fire Brigade Spring 2016 no 31 Peverells and George Cavendish by Jenny Wears E W Downs Engineering in Glemsford. A report on a talk by Donald Roger-Brown from 1998 The Stormport Saga of George Lane by Patrick Hemphill Report on talk by Pip Wright 2016 Alice de Bryne of Acton Winter 2015 no 30 Jocelin of Brakeland Autumn 2015 no 29 Mary Holmes School Mistress in Glemsford by Anne Edwards Glemsford Station A Victorian Home 1943- 51 by Celia Hall Summer 2015 no 28 The Welsh Miners' Strike the Glemsford Connection by Sid Watkinson Glemsford Methodist Church by Marilyn Nash Glemsford Station 1943-51 A child's eye view [part 3] by Celia Hall Spring 2015 no 27 Glemsford Station 1943-51 [part 2] by Celia Hall Autumn 2014 no 26 Woodfield Alley to Shitpot Alley. Map and changes of names Bernice Victor Goodey WW1 by Glenys Day Glemsford Station 1943-51 A childs eye view [part 1] by Celia Hall Spring 2014 no 25 The Butterwort and the Paper Mill Autumn 2014 no 24 The Silk Mill in Peril Spring 2013 no 23 Parish Council acquire telephone box Old Street Names [part 2] by Jenny Wears Vernon Bode The West Drayton Druid by Pat Currie Autumn 2012 no 22 Old Street names [part 1] by Jenny Wears Spring 2012 no 21 Abraham Slater A Glemsford Baize Maker by Jenny Wears Callis, Methold and Wimbus. A Manor within the purlieu of Glemsford by Pat Currie Autumn 2011 no 20 The Glemsford Workhouse by Jenny Wears Spring 2011 no 19 The Glemsford Crane Henry Kolle and Sons London Horsehair Manufacturers Winter 2010 no 18 A Glemsford Walking Tour Autumn 2010 no 17 Spring 2010 no 16 A Present from Glemsford Autumn 2009 no 15 Deaths of Frederick John Craddock 1886- 1943 and Albert Sterry at Flax factory Lower Rd. Lost Mills of Glemsford by Jenny Wears Autumn 2009 b Autumn 2008 no 14 The Origin of the Glemsford Station Spring 2008 no 13 The Glemsford Waterworks by Gillman Game Summer 2007 no 12 Happy Vaccy [part 2] by Jean Cook A Glemsford Family 19th Century [part 3] by Sheila Willmoth Spring 2007 no 11 Glemsford Post Office 1898-1932 by Gillman Game Happy Vaccy Evacuation to Glemsford [part 1] by Jean Cook 2007 Wolsey's Faithful Servant George Cavendish Summer 2007 Autumn 2007 Spring 2006 Autumn 2006 Childhood Memories by John Slater Spring 2005 Early 19th Century Apprentices in Glemsford by Eileen Lynch Autumn 2005 1999 Vol 2 Ed 2 Colonel Meek The Pearman Family Glemsford Wills by Eileen Lynch Skeletons 1851 Spring 1998 vol 2 Ed 1 Pub Games in Suffolk by Sid Watkinson Chequers Cottage by John Slater Spring 1998 Autumn 1995 Spring 1995

King Charles III Coronation 2023 A selection of photographs from the Coronation Exhibition at St. Mary’s Church, Glemsford. Celebration with neighbours and friends at Melton House, Hunts Hill, on the afternoon of Sunday 7th May, 2023. Pauline & Patrick Currie(hosts), Pat & George Flinn, Dawn & Bob Crick, Margaret & John King, Janet & Clive Austen, Gillian & Steve Paterson.

Facilities Telephones and Exchanges Glemsford first had a manual telephone exchange which opened in late 1907 or 1908. Pictures below show the first ATE and the telephone box located at Fair Green. The tired looking but much loved telephone kiosk at Fair Green had a thorough makeover during the summer of 2024 complete with new windows, signage and paintwork. Volunteers from Glemsford Local History Society undertook the work with a grant from Babergh District Council, courtesy of Cllr Stephen Plumb. The kiosk has been owned by the Parish Council since 2011. In keeping with a village heritage asset, vintage photographs will be displayed in the kiosk capturing the immediate street scene of days gone by. Below; The K6 Telephone Box - https://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk/kiosks/k6/ Photograph as recorded by the K6 project on March 25th 2023. Photograph by kind permission of Paul Bottomley. Link to K6 Project Two photographs from an earlier refurbishment completed in 2012. Interesting to see The Little Cottage at 13 Fair Green in the background, that has been considerably remodelled in recent years! The kiosk after refurbishment by history society members as at October 2024 The first Automatic Telephone Exchange (ATE) in Glemsford was located in Egremont Street. The exchange came into service in about 1930 replacing a manual exchange opened in late 1907 or 1908. It ceased operation in February 1974 when lines were taken over by the current exchange. It is now privately owned. Glemsford Telephone Exchange is located in Angel Lane and serves Glemsford and the surrounding area. It came into service in February 1974, taking over lines from the former exchange. Back to top

Public Houses in Glemsford and their history Pubs You are here: Home : Buildings and Streets: Pubs This house in Egremont Street is an excellent example of a "Yeoman's House", it was built about the year 1420. It was restored earlier this century and has a wealth of old woodwork. It has an original window of the type made before glass was used which is complete with slots and shutters. For many years it was the Greyhound Inn and the old brew house at the rear still has an old wooden mechanism for the control of ventilation during the brewing process. It lost its licence in 1907 and a fine story is told of the final night at the Greyhound. Apparently a coffin complete had been obtained, and after closing time a procession carried it, and presumably the spirit of the old Inn, to the churchyard. The quantity of free beer consumed on this occasion is still the subject of comment in the village. The Black Lion, opposite the School. The Crown Inn: one of several fine hostelries in the village, it was closed in 2009 by a brewery company, but re-opened by enterprising new owners in 2011.

Information relating to the history of the Parish and Church of Glemsford Anchor 11 A History of St Mary's Church Font You are here: Home : Buildings and Streets: Church and Chapels : A History of St. Mary's Church Font By David Newell I have been involved with the conservation of St Mary’s Church Font for nearly three years now and by the time you read this I am hopeful that work will have started on the conservation project. (Phase 1 to start on August 23rd 2017.) We believe that the font was installed in the church sometime between 1350 and 1450, so it is about 600 years old. We have baptism records going back a long way but not all the way back to when it was new although we know who the Rectors were during this period. The list of Rectors is on the wall in the south aisle of the church. Which of these Rectors was the first to use this brand new font? Was it John Rauf (1373-1381) or, later in our time slot, John Dalden (1443-1471), or one of the five Rectors in between, and who was the first child to be baptised in the font? We can only speculate who the first child was – so I will! Was the baby boy or girl the child of one of the two landed families in the village – the Goldings or the Mondes – or the child of a local tradesman, the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker? Maybe the child was the son or daughter of an agricultural labourer who grew up, married and died here in Glemsford and is buried in the churchyard, but this is not very exciting. What if…!!! I am now letting my imagination run away with me. If our child was a boy born at the end of the 1300s he could have found himself as one of the archers at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. All communities were required to provide part-time soldiers in the event of war. “Indentured retinue” or “household retainers”. King Edward III declared in 1363: “if he be able bodied, shall, upon holidays make use, in his games, of bows and arrows… and so learn to practise archery.” Our child, from an early age, would have been required to practise archery every Sunday. At the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V’s army consisted of about 6,000 men, 5,000 of which were archers, against 30,000-40,000 French, mainly knights on horseback and men-at-arms (foot soldiers). Some 10,000 French died that day, with less than 400 English losses, so it is almost certain then that our child would have returned to Glemsford and lived out his life in peace; brought up a family who, in turn, would have been baptised in our font – and so on for many generations. A fantasy maybe but there is an historic family saga here waiting to be written, not by me. Where is the novelist in the village? Back to top

A list of former shops of Glemsford, with photographs and details supplied where possible. top of page Shops You are here: Home : Buildings and Streets : Shops Below is a list of former shops of Glemsford, with photographs and details supplied where possible. Scroll through or click on a quick link below for a specific shop. Bird's Bakery W.J.Cutting Shops Reggie Underwood's Butchers Art Chinnery's Shoe Shop and Repairers Cutting’s Grocery shop Grocer's shop Jim Moss' Sweetshop Mrs Maxims Shop British Legion Hut Bullingham and Maxim’s Butchers Lee’s Haberdashery Lee's Garage Mealham's Fish Shop A.J. Long's Garage Birds Bird's Bakery This is a well-known bakery until the late 70s/early 80s and one of three in the village I recall. Mr Bird’s bread was very popular. Many people called him the Midnight Baker owing to his bread always being ready early in the morning. The bakery was run as a delivery business rather than a shop but he did make the most delicious cream horns with confectioners’ cream sitting on a bed of bright red ‘jam’! Also his bread was like none other – quite doughy with a well-baked crusty top - as it was cooked in a faggot oven, a rarity even then. W.J.Cutting Shops Mr. Cutting, and in later years his three sons, ran a number of shops in this part of the village. Cuttings were wholesalers and here ( the present day terraced housing) stood a large warehouse which stored an enormous collection of hardware goods – spades, forks, buckets bins, pots, cutlery, crockery plus smaller items needed for gardens and home maintenance. According to the older photograph I think that the hardware shop (and possibly groceries as well) was formally housed in what is now the Chinese takeaway; however I can only remember the takeaway as primarily a grocery shop – see photo dated c. 1938– where in the fifties we would go to buy all food essentials. They had a bacon slicing machine and wire cutters for cheese; they used sugar paper cones to put most dried goods in e.g. sugar, sultanas, currants etc. and they were expert at making the cones really quickly! Also I can remember the large tins of biscuits, some of them labelled ‘Broken’ which were very popular as they were much cheaper and quite exciting as you were never sure what the mix would be. Should you also need any hardware items you were able to go towards the right of the shop where a part of the counter could be raised allowing customers to go behind, turn right and walk down a little slope into an extra part where a host of hardware was available. By the late sixties/early seventies this shop dealt purely with hardware as the groceries were moved to the shop opposite the Angel. W J Cutting Reggie Butcher Reggie Underwood’s Butchers Right next door to Cutting’s and near the narrow iron grille/gate through which the rubbish blew, was the butcher’s shop, small and compact but sufficient. I understand that the iron grille was the entrance through which the cattle were driven before reaching the abattoir situated behind the shop! I remember regular visits to the shop with my mother; of course in those days people were fairly canny shoppers and were quick to complain if they were sold poor quality meat. I remember taking my baby son in his Silver Cross pram down there once or twice a week in the early seventies and just parking at the side of the road having no fear of cars; somewhat different with traffic today! I can also recall beef mince at a very reasonable price and making the most delicious cottage pies, very succulent and crispy simply because the meat was loaded with fat! I have never emulated them since, needless to say. Back to top Art Chinnery’s Shoe shop and Shoe repairers In the fifties this was a much visited shop as money was tight and shoes had to be repaired regularly. Mr.Chinnery was a talented cobbler and always came up with a mending solution. Rumour in my family was that whilst he was a life-long bachelor he had been known to have had some kind of relationship with my spinster aunt, Bessie, my dad’s oldest, and in my eyes, sternly terrifying sister! Later I would visit Art to have broken sandal straps repaired and shoes re-soled. Although he sold shoes they were very utilitarian, work boots etc. (certainly NOT high fashion), however he could be relied upon to provide children’s plimsolls for school. In later years he also ran a business of repairing and renovating second hand bicycles and many were the bargains found there. Art Chinnery Shop? Shop I think at one time this may have been Prentice’s Butchers shop but not sure. I can remember this shop as being owned and ran by Mrs. Bowers. I think she sold a variety of fancy goods ranging from children’s clothes, wool and threads to the odd crafty and general household items. Her husband ran an electrical business, thus it was also possible to obtain here electrical bits and pieces Lees Lee’s Haberdashery and later Cutting’s Grocery shop In the fifties this was a haberdashery store which my mother would visit quite regularly to buy wool, thread, underwear, stockings and the like. I recall the older Mrs. Cutting serving behind the counter and when you entered a bell above the door rang where upon she would appear from the outer regions because she and Mr. W.J. Cutting owned and lived in the large house. By the seventies the shop had been completely converted into a new self-service grocery store and here again, as I only lived just up Hunts Hill, I would bring the pram and later pushchair, safely leaving the sleeping baby outside, to do the shopping. It was much easier and quicker than trips to the supermarkets today when you think about it. On the retirement of the Cutting family the grocery business was sold and the shop ran by a number of other people until it closed. Lee’s Garage This was a very thriving garage dealing with Austin and then British Leyland until Mr. Lee retired. Part of the garage premises became a video shop, probably in the late eighties/early nineties, and did good business at that time I imagine. Joe Joe Hurndall’s Men’s Barber shop I knew Joe Hurndall well as his elder brother was married to another one of my dad’s innumerable sisters! His shop was a small wooden hut as I recall with a bench, a barber’s chair and a couple of shelves containing relevant items for sale including the inevitable condoms secreted at the back; these were a source of much speculation. I did not really visit Joe’s hut until I took my son down to have his hair cut in the seventies, it then being the fashion for little boys to have quite long hair and fringes. In later years I have received from Paul a certain amount of abuse re. his boyhood hair cut which he likens to a pudding basin! What was I thinking about etc?? On reflection the answer is that Joe was an expert in short back and sides and we young mums were trying to avoid that! I was told also that one customer requested an Elvis Presley hair- cut only to find he had been given a short back and sides! Upon complaining he was told that Elvis himself would have received exactly the same! jim moss Jim Moss’ Sweetshop In the late fifties this was a real heavenly emporium for children. Mr. Moss sold really cheap black jacks, chews (very fruity), everlasting strips and best of all, broken Smiths crisps, really fatty but delicious, for just a halfpenny a pack. In addition to this you collected Green Shield Stamps so that you could send away for a free, red, plastic record rack for all your Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, Elvis and Cliff 45s! (At least that’s what I did!) I was told that the young lads would visit the shop, request something for Jim to get out back then, in his absence, promptly pinch anything going! British Legion Hut + Doctor’s Surgery Not a shop but worth a mention. I was aware of the black wooden British Legion Hut being a kind of social club/drinking establishment for years but have no memory of events there other than occasional visits on days when it doubled as the doctor’s surgery. You had to go up some steps to enter the building. Inside there was a waiting room and when the doctor called you into his surgery you had to go through two doors thus to ensure privacy from those still waiting. The hut was demolished c. 1970. The present day Social Club was opened in 1968 I think and it was built on the site of a large orchard. Legion hut bullingham Bullingham and Maxim’s Butcher’s shop (right side of Hunts Hill partly on site of the Social Club): I remember this shop really well as I lived opposite and it was well used by my family. Ollie Bullingham was the father of Doris who died only recently, and Will Maxim lived in the house which is now The Briars Residential Home. There was a large metal gate which was kept shut when the shop was closed and behind it roamed an ugly looking bull terrier reminiscent of Bill Sykes’ Bullseye, and always ready to bark at passers -by in an evil kind of way. Mrs. Maxim’s shop (left hand side of The Briars): This was a sweet/cake shop long before I was born and as the picture shows sold lots of things. Mrs. Maxim was the mother of Will Maxin, the butcher. My mother told me that the very first time she had ice-cream it was from this shop – in those days ice-cream was a kind of custard confectionary. mrs maxim 28 28 Hunts Hill I lived here from c.1953 and later from 1968. Obviously Not a shop, but as the picture shows there was a small matting factory here at one time run by my great-uncle, Bert Smith. Grocers Grocer’s shop top Hunts Hill Now a hairdressers, this was formerly a Grocers and Drapers but not in my time. I can only remember it as a general stores run by Mr and Mrs Mead. It was well used and stocked fresh and tinned food, vegetables, fruit plus some other non-food items. When the Meads retired c.1980 it continued in this capacity for a number of years before becoming a hairdressers and estate agents – now back to hairdressing! A J Long A.J.Long’s Garage (right side now Hunts Hill Stores): In the fifties Mr. Long ran a garage for repairs and a coach company. It later became Pearson’s Trucks. These were big and noisy particularly when you heard them leaving very early in the morning. Often they carried perishable goods and when parked overnight the drone of their refrigerator units was not recommended for a good night’s sleep! In the mid- eighties, the garage was set on fire. At about 3am we saw a car containing a barking dog and a man running to get into it. Not many minutes later the garage was ablaze and virtually destroyed. Back to top Mealhams Mealham’s Fish shop Variously described as selling in addition to fresh and fried fish, poultry and rabbit skins, I have no memory of this although I do remember a Mrs.Mealham living there.

History of industry in Glemsford Industry You are here: Home : Buildings and Streets : Industry The history of industry in Glemsford is varied. Below you will find the information we have gathered so far. E.W Downs The Flax Industry The Old Wheelwrights Horsehair Factory Matmaking The Silk Mill E.W Downs The place of an engineering company in village history E.W. Downs Ltd, today best known for its products in the area of potato harvesting and grading, the company has been active in Glemsford (just off Fair Green) for over 150 years. The company can be traced back to the work of a blacksmith, using his ingenuity and skill to repair and modify various items crucial to the work of local farmers. Typical of that sort of work, Mr Downs was called upon to carry out other tasks too; several church towers around Suffolk contain bells hung by Mr Downs. Glemsford's own church (of St Mary the Virgin) had its own bells completely re-hung in 1863. Other examples are to be found in Long Melford and Chevington. From the 1840s, the original Edward Walter Downs turned his hand to manufacturing new pieces of agricultural machinery. Suffolk, however, was never a county solely dependent on agriculture, being, as it was, one of the leading cloth manufacturing areas in th e country from the middle ages onwards. Villages like Lavenham and Kersey are world-famous, but Glemsford too had its wealthy clothier community as is witnessed by the number of prosperous hall houses in the village. However, as the Industrial Revolution took hold, and the focus of the cloth industry shifted to the developing towns and cities of Lancashire and Yorkshire, so the traditional weaving centres of East Anglia declined in importance. One of the effects in a village like Glemsford was the concomitant development of the mat-making and silk industries, providing a form of employment for the people of the village, often within their own homes. The mat-making industry used coconut fibre as its raw material, and Downs found new work in the manufacture and repair of the various machines used in the process. (Evidence of the importance of mat-making to the village is further demonstrated by the fact that the original "seal" for the village school, opened in 1874, was a combination of a matloom and a palm tree, and, of course, Richard Deeks famous account of the Long Melford riot of 1885 is called "The Matmaker and the Magistrate".). By referring to company documents and illustrations, Mr Rodger-Brown highlighted this early change in Downs' fortunes. At one time, there were 9 separate mat-making operations in the village. Samuel Downs (son of the original E. W. Downs) developed the work of the company, often demonstrating his skills by creating bespoke pieces of equipment to suit individual customers particular needs. Foreign competition hit the company badly, particularly as native producers of coconut fibre began to get involved in the manufacturing side of the industry. At the end of the Great War, Downs had reached a low ebb, which is when the business was acquired by Mr Rodger-Brown's father. The revised business maintained its interest in the matting industry - in fact, expanding into carding and shearing machines, as well as producing "plantation" machinery such as were needed to remove fibre from husks. A further connection with the past was maintained with the employment of W. H. Playle, a cousin of Samuel Downs, as senior foreman. Upon the death of Mr Rodger-Brown, senior, in 1955, the company was kept going by his wife - Donald's mother - with the help of just 4 employees. The company then began a gradual transition back towards its agricultural origins. In 1967, it produced its first piece of farm machinery since 1860 - a powered hopper for stock feeding, designed by Donald himself, and in 1968, Downs produced the first piece of potato machinery, a line for which the company is now so well known. Despite ups and downs in the agricultural market, and the fortunes of the company, the story continues to develop. Downs now employs 45 people on its site in the heart of the village. Annual sales now exceed £3 million. It has been rewarded with gold and silver medals from the Royal Agricultural Society of England; purchasers have included the former Soviet Union and the present Czech Republic - in fact 40% of its sales are for export. Its products have ranged from the relatively humble potato harvester to giant elevators for grain storage and a "banana tractor", designed to run on an aerial cableway. Most recently, the story has turned full circle, because Downs were again commissioned to re-hang the bells in Glemsford's own church tower. Glemsford Local History Society is most grateful to Mr Rodger-Brown for his contribution to the activity of the Society. It proves just how much the activity of historians is the activity of the present. It also shows quite forcefully the extent to which Glemsford is still a living village. e w downs flax Flax Industry This photo, of the workforce there in the 1950s, gives an indication of just how important British Flax was as an employer in the area. We know quite a lot about the Horsehair, Coconut Fibre and Silk industries in the village but Val Ost's work refers to the old Flax Factory on Lower Road, where the Avent works is now. Together, the photos suggest some sort of continuity of an industry which has left a mark on the village. The traditional view has been that the production of Flax, and Linen, was an irregular occupation, growing in importance in wartime, when extra linen was needed for sheeting, bandages and such-like. Certainly, we know that there was an influx of Land Girls during the Second World War, to work in the Flax Industry. This older photograph on the right, shows employees at another Flax Factory in the village - The Croft, off FLAX Lane. wheelwrights The Old Wheelwrights The old wheelwright's shop on Tye Green, for long the home of the Hartley family. Horsehair factory Horsehair Factory Peter Dickinson's memories of the horsehair factory in Glemsford. The Horsehair Factory by Peter Dickinson A recently discovered video of the horsehair factory. Matmaking Matmaking In 1980, Richard Deeks published The Matmaker and the Magistrate . In many ways, the book broke entirely new ground in the history of Glemsford. It is, specifically, a study of the 1885 Riot, but has broader importance. Before its publication, little had been done to investigate the history of the village in any detail, with the exception of the Reverend Glass' s broad-sweep Ice Age to Now study, A Short History of Glemsford , published in 1962. After The Matmaker and the Magistrate , many, including Richard himself, began to look in something approaching academic detail at this great village, and it is no exaggeration to attribute to Richard the foundation of Glemsford Local History Society and, in turn, this web site. In his opening chapter, Richard talked about the background to the various textile industries - particularly horsehair and coconut fibre - that existed in Suffolk in general, and Glemsford in particular. Matmaking by Richard Deeks The Silk Mill The Silk Mill A wonderful view of Glemsford Silk Mill, with the huge pond apparent. Silk weaving has happened in Glemsford since the 1820s. Back to top

Events - Season 2023-24 A chilly January evening saw an amazing audience of nearly 80 members and visitors turn out to thoroughly enjoy a scholarly, erudite and entertaining talk on ‘The Black Death in Suffolk 1348 – 1500’ given by speaker, Mark Bailey. The Black Death was the greatest catastrophe in recorded history, a terror which struck communities worldwide. Believed to have originated from ground boring mammals such as marmots, the disease mutated to the human race becoming airborne and spreading rapidly. Shown firstly(1346) in European shipping routes, by 1349 it had moved to Suffolk along the main arterial routeways. Records show that 46% of parish priests died and were replaced, whilst in dense areas of poverty struck populations with poor nutrition, the disease reigned supreme! Coupled with a time of dramatic climate change (1351 was extremely cold), the vulnerable and frightened population had only one choice and that was to turn to God. Believing He had brought this horror upon them as a punishment, their faith strengthened, and to appease Him, avoid purgatory and protect their souls they turned to the church. The period from 1350-1530 in Suffolk saw money spent on the building and enlarging of many fantastic, large perpendicular churches, Long Melford and Lavenham, to name just two. This was made possible also by Suffolk’s prowess in the sheep and wool trade, and later with ‘ cheap and trendy’ textile production, which generated the enormous wealth needed. Mark concluded his talk by itemising the significant changes wrought by the Black Death many of which led to a much better life for the smaller communities of survivors. In fact, during the later period, records show that Suffolk, along with London and its proximity to the continent , became the most dynamic and flexible economy in the UK. An excellent much appreciated talk!

Source of information for genealogy in Glemsford Families You are here: Home: People & Memories : Families The Allen Family The Allen family were involved in an alarming fire in 1896 on Egremont Street . Henry Allen (above), who was rescued from the great fire of the 1890s, lived for virtually the whole of the 19th Century, and by the time of his death owned several properties in the area around The Cock and The Angel. History of the Allens Alarming Fire! The Butcher Family A family of weaving and silk work The Watkinson Family Sid Watkinson discusses The Oakley Family Ben Oakley has been sharing some information regarding the Oakley family who lived in Glemsford since at least 1624. Ben has links to Farrance, Humm, Hartley and Theobold in his family tree. Members of the family lived in Old Chequers as well as many other houses around the village. If you would like to get in touch with Ben you can visit his website here or send an email If you have links to the Oakley family and would like to share information. The Brown Family Find out more about the Brown family of Glemsford. The Pearman Family Information regarding the Pearmans. We have been advised the picture below is of the Hart family. If anyone can confirm, please e-mail