VILLAGE EVENTS

2nd May – the first Village Garage Sale was held at houses throughout the village. Maps were sold at the village shop and the proceeds went towards the new Skateboard Park at the Recreation Ground. It was very successful.

June – this month saw the retirement of a local doctor and resident of Great Chesterford, Dr John Eaton. The driving force behind Medics which was launched in 1978 and is run from the Chesterford surgery on the High St, Dr Eaton was a local GP for over 20 years. He remains a Medics Doctor.

13th June – the Little Chesterford Annual Fete – successful as usual to the tune of £3,700 – a record amount to be divided between the Village Hall and the Church Fund.

26th – 28th June – Great Chesterford Carnival Weekend

26th June – Chesterford’s Got Talent – talent show for talented locals.

27th June – Discovery Trail – walk around the village to discover some beautiful gardens – cream teas in the Chapel.
Quiz Night at the Community Centre.

28th June – Fete at the Recreation Ground

12th Sept - Gardening Society Flower Show – held at the School – very good turn out as usual.

   

Aug – Little Chesterford’s first Autumn Fair held in the Church grounds raised £1082 for Church Funds.

3rd Oct – the 18th Great Chesterford Steam-Up raised a large amount to be shared between the Essex Air Ambulance and Medics.

28th Nov – the Church Christmas Fair was held in the Community Centre, this year with a free puppet show. Proceeds to the Church.

12th-14th Dec – the second Christmas Tree Festival to be held in All Saints Church, Gt Chesterford was even more successful than last year, and looks set to become an annual event.

 

LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Meetings

23rd February – George Stacey Gibson by Jeremy Collingwood.

6th April – History of Anglia Ruskin University by Tony Kirby

12th Oct - showing of Gilbert Stephenson’s Village Film, copied onto dvd from video. This film showed Chesterford in the 50s and was updated in the 70s. The quality has suffered over the years, but the LHS still managed to make a substantial amount from selling them at £5.00 each.

30th Nov - 1000 Years of English Churches by Chloe Cockerell – an excellent speaker.

The Local History Society was successful in its application for a Grassroots Grant, allowing the purchase of two sets of large floor-standing display boards, and one set of tabletop screens. These have been used at every meeting, allowing the display of materials from the Recorder Collection to be seen and used. It is hoped to use them in a larger History Exhibition.

 

The Society has also been able to swell its coffers by the sale of DVD copies of the Village Film and the Jubilee Film – sold at a cost of £5.00 each. They made perfect Christmas stocking fillers.

 

NEW ACQUISITIONS

CHE 517 Miss Pye’s Tablecloth – Miss Pye was Headmistress of the local primary School. She was presented with the tablecloth in 1965, embroidered with the names of all the children and teachers.

CHE 538-561 The Chesterford Association Archive – the Association was formed in 1974 in response to a proposed housing development in Great Chesterford. It continued until 1995, fighting off various attempts to change the village for the worse (in their minds), and taking up various other planning questions. The archive is substantial and varied, and is especially interesting for anyone looking into planning and development from that time, as it contains all the District and Local Plans, and a full list of planning applications from the period.

CHE 562-4 Three photographic postcards of scenes in Little Chesterford after the fire of 7th April 1914 - one shows the fire engine at work.

CHE 566 Souvenir Teapot – a matching teapot for the milk jug added to the Recorder Collection a few years ago. Dates from circa 1900.

CHE 567 Mainline Maniacs CD – the Mainline Maniacs were a skiffle/Lonnie Donegan type group of the 70s who played in the Station Restaurant in Great Chesterford. This CD is a recording of them playing at the restaurant in Nov 79. It has been released in memory of a group member who died of cancer a few years ago. All proceeds from the sale of the CD go to a Cancer Charity. They also played at the Crown & Thistle.

 

KATE MCMANUS
CHESTERFORDS LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER