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I lived in Meldreth as a boy from 1970 to 1974 and have never been back, but I think of it often. Greatly impressed with this site and hoping to visit in the not too distant future.
I grew up at North End! My friend was living in the farmhouse next door to Miss Nodder. She was in a small house, made when houses were thrown up between the wars. She had a vegetable garden. Being disabled was a challenge, but her brother made sure she was alright. I stayed in with Miss Nodder, and she told me many things, and I drank tea in the kitchen, and made up her feather bed! Happy memories!
Thanks David, I’d appreciate if you could email me the pdf. I will give permission for you to have my email address
Del
I have the Patten family tree back to Henry Patten d 1590 (+ his will in 6 pages that mentions armour amongst other things). Not sure how this works but I’m happy to email the pdf on request.
Hi David, My GGG grandparents were Simon and Sarah Patten. I’ve gone back to 5x gg William Patten. You mentioned Henry. Would you know if he was Williams father?
I have been completing my family tree and came across a copy of the Rodgers family tree on this website, which is my tree. My grandfather was Leonard Rodgers. I contacted Kathryn the author and she kindly filled me in on the history. Frank would have been my great grandfather. My father Michael Leonard Rodgers was adopted by his son Leonard Rodgers. What an interesting find and a very sad but interesting story. My search for family continues and I hope to find living relatives at some point.
We are researching my husband’s family who originate from Meldreth, Therfield and Melbourn.
My husband is descended from:
John Hale b. 1806 Meldreth (3 x great grandfather) Wife: Ann Preston b. 1804 Cambridge
John Preston Hale b. Meldreth 1836 (2 x great grandfather) Wife: Mary Ellis Woodcock b 1839 Melbourn
Archibald Ernest Hale b. 1866 Melbourn (great grandfather) Wife: Elizabeth Smith b. 1870 Wymondley
Archibald Eustace Hale b. 1900 Melbourn (grandfather) Wife: Edith Lilian Pigg b. 1900 Royston
John Preston b. 1935 Melbourn (father) Wife: Catherine b. 1933 Scotland
In reply to Jill Rogerson’s message on here about her Grandfather Lancelot Hale b. 1883 (my husband’s great grand uncle) we have photographs of him and his wife. We also have press cuttings from his time in the Home Guard in Melbourn.
We would love to hear from anyone who shares common ancestors and has family photographs or stories to share. We are happy to share our photos too.
I note that many Hale descendants have Preston as a middle name, as do my husband and son. We assume this came from Ann Hale née Preston.
Gus Hale was my husband’s great grand Uncle. It would be amazing to find these drawings.
Apparently Gus was a talented artist – we still have some original artwork of his.
Winifred Priscilla Webb was my Aunt.
Elizabeth and Bernard Webb were my Aunt and Uncle.
Arthur Ford is my grandfather. I too work at the Atlas, now called Etex Eternit. I have worked there for 35 years now. I started off in hand moulding then moved to number 10 machine doing shift work. It’s very modern now, compared to those old days!
My Uncle, Walter Reed, was the postmaster from 1963. My grandmother, Kathleen Hammond also stayed in the Post Office at that time. I stayed during the school holidays, which meant 7-10 weeks a year in the 1960s.
As a native of Melbourn I knew all the workers shown in the picture from the 1950’s and went to Melbourn school at the same time as Norman King and Derek Pettit who was in the same class. Joe Cooper was the other cowman who worked with my father, Tom Wedd, and both worked on the harvest during the summer. Joe Cooper became the landlord of ” The Carriers Arms” in Dolphin Lane, Melbourn which is now a private house. I have a link to this pub as my Grandfather, David Wedd, was landlord in the early 1900’s.
My father, Tom Wedd, and his brother William Wedd both worked at Sheene Farm for many years. My father started work at age 11years and later was one of two cowmen who managed the dairy and the cattle until it was closed in late 1950s or early 1960. As a boy I worked on the farm during the summer school holidays taking the horse and carts to and from the fields to the stacking area. These were long days for a young boy working from 7am to 7pm.
Very sad to read this. I was at Richard Hale from ’78 to ’85, and a member of Hale rail (for which I still have the pass for an early lunch). Mr P always good value – I’m pretty sure he always said his French accent marked him out as being from le South (as opposed to a Parisian). Pics of him on Disused Stations website in Hertingfordbury. A top bloke, and I was very glad he made it into some train-related occupation!
Would love to talk to you about the Newell family, as I’m related to them as well from Tadlow branches
I am extremely grateful to have been one of the lucky group of Scouts led by Steve Marshall during this period. My most vivid memories are of the summer camps, desperately hoping it wouldn’t rain and trying to ensure that everyone had tucked the edge of the groundsheet into the tent so that it didn’t make a channel for the water to flow inside, drenching all of the occupants. Also, cooking every meal on an open camp fire with fuel foraged from the surrounding woods (nobody enjoyed collecting the wood from what I can remember!) and the traditional last night meal of beef stew, which despite all efforts always welded itself to the bottom of the billy can, taking what seemed like hours to come off before it would pass muster with Steve. There were many more subtle lessons though, which I didn’t really appreciate at the time; the gentle introduction of leadership roles from a relatively early age, and the challenges and rewards of working with the Eagle Patrol. I wholeheartedly agree with Steve that the Scouting movement is a ‘good thing’, perhaps even move so today in this technological age than it was 30 years(!) ago and I would actively encourage any young person to get involved in it. The lessons learned and experiences gained from having to rely upon yourself and your team mates are not only immensely enjoyable at the time, but will stand you in good stead for years to come – they certainly did me!
Excellent presentation of the old and new.
Is there a link between the Meldreth Mortlocks and the following Mortlock family? William Mortlock (12th September 1693) of Castle Camps Cambridgeshire, who married Keturah Hannibal 11th October 1715, William Mortlock Gender Male Burial Date 17 Jun 1763 Burial Place-Trinity Parish, Ely Cambridgeshire FHL Film Number2112078 Reference ID1763
Does the Ellis family of Meldreth have any connections with the Ellis families of Hinxton?
I am the great great grand daughter of Alfred Augustus Paul Jenkins Wing. His son Harry Wing was my great grandfather. Thank you so much for keeping all of this precious information on your site.
The Green Man was originally a guildhall and was built in the 1490s.
Yes we all skinny dipped in those days to learn to swim; it worked well.
Lots of memories of being in the Rhythm Rascals
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