Lost Cambridge

Summary It’s all in the keyword searches The British Newspaper Archive online has been a real game-changer in making local history much more accessible to the general public. It has also made searching for specific articles, events or individuals much faster than doing so manually. In the case of Frida Stewart, digital access has been essential … More Why digitising local newspapers is essential to help transform the study of local history

I took photos of the covers of most of the books that I have bought – most out of print second hand books, that I’m using for my research on Cambridge’s history. Have a browse clicking on the tiles below.

Summary An account from Frida’s talk in Stirling, Scotland in 1942 This book arrived recently This historical gem has arrived – written by fascist-smashing Cambridge hero Frida Knight pic.twitter.com/inEWhYcJJi — The Dragon Fairy (@Puffles2010) September 27, 2017 Writing under her married name, Frida published this book in 1975 – five years after her return to … More How Cambridge hero Frida Stewart busted out of a nazi prison in wartime France

Summary On rollerskating and ice skating in Cambridge – a look at the fate of the St Andrew’s roller skating rink. I learned how to rollerskate with the Cambridge Rollerbillies – one of the best sporting clubs in Cambridge. Although the modern day sport of Rollerderby is relatively new in Cambridge – the competitive team … More Rollerskating in Cambridge – over 140 years of it

Summary Part 2 of Eglantyne’s chapter on the history of Cambridge the town in the 1800s.  If you’ve not read Part 1, it’s here. “To pull down some, at any rate, of the worst courts, to force on to improved lines the building of the town, to drain it, to provide it with water — … More The beginnings of New Cambridge in 1800s by Eglantyne Jebb: Part 2

Summary Eglantyne Jebb’s history of 19th Century Cambridge – and the impact of huge population growth without the competent civic authorities to manage that growth Even today, many people outside the city still associate Cambridge with a university that bears the name of the town that was there before it. History tells us there was … More The beginnings of New Cambridge in 1800s by Eglantyne Jebb: Part 1

Summary They used to be a huge political institution, but today you will not find a single Conservative councillor within Cambridge’s city limits. How did this once mighty local party disappear from Cambridge’s local democracy? The Cambridge Conservative Party dominated local politics ever since they were formally constituted. If you look at pre-war Cambridge, the … More The collapse of the Cambridge Conservatives

Summary On how changing technology drove changes in social habits in Cambridge One of the things you notice when going through old local newspapers is how the public announcements of meetings list venues that don’t seem familiar to the present day. In Cambridge, the papers of 100 years ago list venues such as St Andrew’s … More How new technology changed Cambridge in 20th Century. Ft The Co-operative movement

Summary Florence Ada Keynes said that Mayor Horace Darwin (1896/97) was heartbroken that Belcher’s design was not carried by the council and ultimately rejected in a ratepayers’ referendum. These are the quotations of the guildhall we could have had. Pokey and unimpressive, the old Shire House in Market Square via Cambridge local historian Fonz Chamberlain … More John Belcher’s report for his 1898 Guildhall Plan

Summary: The Mayor of Cambridge Florence Ada Keynes (1932/33) spoke powerfully at a prize-giving in the city “Music is one of the wonders of the world. It has its origin far back in human history, and it has a great influence on human emotions. “At the same time, music is one of the most educative … More Mayor Florence Ada Keynes on music – February 1933