January 1st 1952

Mr and Mrs John Stanhope of 60 High Street, Long Melford celebrated their golden wedding on Saturday, 58 years ago Miss Ellen Deeks of Southgate street married John Stanhope who apart from his war service has spent all his life in Melford, “you can’t find two better Melford names than Deeks and Stanhope, he was working at Kiln farm under the late Starkie Bence when he joined the 5th Suffolks in 1915 and went to Salonika, on being demobilised he returned to Kiln farm until 1921 when he went to the Station Malting under Frederick Branwhite.

January 8th 1952

The Old Country Club in Long Melford, stated in court to be a place “frequented by the upper class”, was struck off the register by Melford magistrates on Friday on the grounds it was not conducted in good faith. The club to pay advocates fee of £10 10s costs, the proprietor of the club Colonel Collon was fined £5.

January 22nd 1952

On Wednesday night a home made cake, bottles of beer and banners greeted Cpl Raymond Lewis back to his Belchamp St Pauls home at “Tripps Cottage” after 13 months in Korea, asked what he thought of Korea he said “it is the filthiest uncivilised country on God’s earth”

January 29th 1952

Flt/ Lt. Derek Wales of Finchingfield married Miss Pauline Gelley of the Cherry Tree Inn at Belchamp St Pauls.

February 12th 1952

Mr Remont Burke of the Aubries, Bulmer, who died last August left £105, 271, duty paid £22,000, he left £1000 to his secretary Robert Raymond.

February 19th 1952

It was a proud moment for Mr and Mrs Whymark of 17 Westgate street, Long Melford when they heard that their son Ivan was to be one of the naval party attached to the gun carriage at the King’s funeral on Friday, they were prouder still when they saw him on the television.

February 26th 1952

A cheque for a substantial amount to mark his 24 years as Rector’s Warden was presented to Mr W. Coe at the parochial at the church council at Foxearth on Thursday.

March 4th 1952

A large crowd outside the Town Hall at Sudbury caught a glimpse of 17 year old Peter Kerridge as he left handcuffed to a police officer after being charged with having stabbed and killed 26 year old Harry Case of 31 Humphrey road, Sudbury he gave his address as Blue Bridge farm, Halstead.

Mr John Vaughan Lambert of Foxearth is making a claim in accordance to a right of a 700 year old deed of service, he has the right to make and bake and serve wafers at the Queen’s coronation banquet, the right came into the family Lambert when they purchased Lyston Hall several centuries ago but little remains of that lovely Elizabethan mansion as it is being pulled down, the last member of the Lambert family, Mr Lambert’s grandfather left the Hall in 1913, the family are of Irish descent, the present Lord of the Manor was born in 1905, he was educated abroad and went into farming when he left school on the land his father owned, apart from Foxearth Hall he owns Lyston Place farm in all 1500 acres, he has a dairy farm at Lyston Place , he also has a flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep.

April 1st 1952

30 hours of continuous snow combined with gale force winds paralysed traffic in Suffolk at the week end.

April 15th 1952

Friars Street Sports Ground, home of Sudbury Town F.C. is being abandoned next Monday, the last Friars Street football match will be played and removals to the Priory Meadow will begin.

Popular West Suffolk farmer, Mr David Alston of Lodge farm, Alpheton, has been appointed chairman of the County Agricultural Executive by the Minister of Agriculture, he succeeds Mr Arthur Cobbald who resigned in February. Mr Alston has farmed in West Suffolk for the last 20 years, his father being one of the first Scottish pioneers to settle in the county.

May 7th 1952

Working seven days a week the Long Melford firm of Stafford Allen and Son is earning thousands of pounds for the economy by exporting to the United States the recently developed chlorophyll, they are one of the few firms in this country to manufacture this product.

May 21st 1952

Considerable damage was done to the Tower Mill at Belchamp Otten by fire on Saturday morning, the mill is owned by Mr Henry Cornell and was used to grind corn until two years ago, it was without sails and the top was exposed, the fire began on the 3rd floor and by the time the fire was controlled the whole interior was damaged severely, during the morning the owner closed the doors to keep children out, about ten minutes later his daughter in law saw smoke coming from the 3rd floor, it is thought that the sun shining through the glass ignited dry sacks.

June 4th 1952

Peter Kerridge a 17 year old farm worker from Blue Bridge farm, Halstead, was at Suffolk Assizes sent to prison for three years after being found guilty of manslaughter.

June 23rd 1952

Miss Stella Self aged 20 was on Friday elected carnival Queen for 1952.

August 6th 1952

. A lorry containing thousands of eggs from Suffolk farms was stolen in a daring robbery on Tuesday night Wednesday morning from Rodbridge, Long Melford, the lorry was found abandoned near Epping, the eggs were valued at £1500, they have not been traced.

At a meeting of Bures St Mary parish council Mr Fred Smith drew attention to the excessive noise made by men carrying out night soil collection on behalf of Melford Rural District Council, last Friday said Mr Smith they arrived outside my house at 3—10 am with a large motor vehicle, as the engine was still running at 3-50 I got up and went outside to find the men asleep in the cab, by way of explanation the driver said they have to have a break sometime and if they stopped the engine he would be unable to start it again.

August 20th 1952

A greyhound bitch was found with 9 puppies in a hedgerow when field of wheat which was being cut at Brundon Hall, Sudbury, last week, she was captured by the R.S.P.C.A.in a large baited cage, two Sudbury men claimed the bitch, one said they lost it last December,

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September 10th 1952

A memorial to eleven airmen who were killed in an air-raid on Wattisham aerodrome on

September 1st 1940

w as dedicated at Hitcham church on Sunday, the victims were buried in communal grave in All Saints churchyard at Hitcham, a large stone was erected there by the War Graves Commission,was unveiled before the dedication service.

October 29th 1952

Suffolk and Essex breeders were well represented at the Dairy Show at Olympia last week, Red Polls had their best showing for many years, J.O. Brand of Foxearth took away two awards, amongst the Friesians, Terling Breeze took a second place in the old cow class, Houghton Hall of Cavendish had a second class award for three recorded pigs.

November 19th 1952

Death on November 2nd of Charles Smith aged 82 of 6 Hickford Hill Belchamp St Pauls, he was born in Clare in Church Street, he commenced work at the age of 9 and completed 62 harvests without a break

December 3rd 1952

Messrs Stafford Allen of Long Melford have offered to pay £600 damages for causing pollution to the river Stour by a discharge from their factory during the summer.

1st prize for stout in the National Brewers Exibition was won by Messrs Ward and Son at Olympia in competion with brewers all over the country.

December 17th 1952

An Essex Home Guard Commander who gave Lady Hyde Parker of Long Melford a revolver because he thought she needed it for protection was fined £2.

Buyers from a wide area attended the sale of building material following the demolition of Lyston Hall on Monday, there was a strong demand for timber.

December 23rd 1952

Inquest at Alpheton on Friday evening on the pilot of a Meteor who was killed when his plane crashed on Thursday morning, Flt/ Lt John Gibbins aged 30 who died after a collision with another Meteor at 28,000 ft, it was reported he probably died from a broken neck when he used the ejector seat with the canopy closed. James Mott of Rose Cottage, Bridge Street, Long Melford, was commended by the deputy Coroner, said he heard a roar of an aircraft spinning down over Alpheton Hall farm, he rushed to the cockpit and found it empty, nearby he found the body of the pilot who was dead.

January 7th 1953

. Frederick George Reynolds of Springfield Estate, Sudbury, a silk designer, has received the B.E.M., the story behind this decoration is a moving one, he lost his right arm at Singapore against the Japanese but overcame his handicap to become a key man in one of Britain’s leading silk concerns.

January 14th 1953

5,000 people may be moved from London to Sudbury, this is the first official confirmation from Sudbury Borough Council.

A vacancy has occurred in a saw doctor’s workshop. Apply Wheeler’s, Sudbury.

Frederick George Chambers, a Pentlow man, is alleged to have changed his religion to that of a Roman Catholic and he says it is against his religion to handle weapons of war, he was fined £25 for failing to present himself for Z training, from March 1942 till March 1948 he served in the forces, as a Z reservist he was required to do 15 days training.

January 21st 1953

The opinion that if the development of Sudbury ever came about this town would become the receptacle for the “flotsam and jetsam” of the East End of London, Dr Norman made this statement at “any questions” meeting at Sudbury.

58 year old Stan Lord of the Chequers, Glemsford, has cycled the equivalent of five times round the world, Stan is a milk recorder for the Suffolk National Milk Records.

January 28th 1953

Letters to the Editor. Sir, Dr Norman is afraid the “flotsam and jetsam” of the East End will be his neighbours in a few years time, I am a Londoner who lived in the East End, I strongly object to his insinuation that some of my friends and parents are fit for nothing else but the garbage bin. L.G.Kirtland.

February 4th 1953

A large quantity of whisky, gin and other spirits were stolen from Messrs Ward’s brewery at Foxearth late on Wednesday or early Thursday morning. The robbery was discovered by P.C.Pitt who on passing the brewery on patrol at about five in the morning noticed a window open and went to investigate, he discovered that the store and offices had been broken into, about £15 in money was stolen and spirits valued at more than £800, it is understood a lorry was seen in Huntsman’s lane at about 2 a m .

By Wayfarer—Melford magistrates court must be one of the busiest courts in the south Suffolk, mostly interesting cases have been heard there for the third fortnight running, there were no cases for hearing at Risbridge court which are heard alternate fortnights at Haverhill and Clare.

Letters to the Editor. Sir, re Dr Norman, personally I thought he put it mildly, I had East Enders billeted at my cottage during the war, they were just plain filthy, I quite recognise many were nice evacuees, my neighbours had two little girls who required wings and halos. Part Timer.

February 11th 1953

Staff Sgt Charles Binaman of the U. S. A. F. of Wethersfield married Miss Pamela Beckett of South View, Belchamp Walter, at Belchamp parish church on Saturday.

March 4th 1953

The Glemsford bridge situated on an S bend along the Melford – Glemsford road is being re-constructed at a cost of £ 10,525,6s 6d.

March 11th 1953

Police officers intervened when gang warfare broke out in Melford last week, the battle was observed by a policeman who saw a galvanised sheet move and a hand appear at the top clutching an offensive weapon, 15 catapults were confiscated by the police.

April 15th 1953

Some of the writings which are alleged to have appeared at Borley Rectory were shown in close up on Sunday’s evening television on “What’s my Line” programme, “do you believe in ghosts” was asked by Gilbert Harding of Mr Philip Paul, on receiving an affirmative answer, Gilbert remarked “you must be barmy”.

April 22nd 1953

At a meeting of Pentlow parish council it was suggested that a new fire place be installed in the village hall to mark the coronation.

April 29th 1953

About 15,000 people packed Sudbury on Saturday afternoon when the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment received the freedom of the Borough from Councillor C.E.Grimwood

Glemsford people have learnt with regret that Mr H.A.Dowing, headmaster of Glemsford school is leaving at the end of the term.

May 6th 1953

Flying from Cambridge to Luton, Mr Marsh of Newmarket Road, Cambridge, was blown off course, he landed his Taylorcraft Auster at Waldingfield aerdrome.

Mrs Mary Ann Marsh of Rectory Cottage , Wickham St Pauls, has passed away, she was the mother of six sons and three daughters, it is noteworthy that all her sons have made their home in Australia.

May 13th 1953

Long Melford won the replayed Suffolk Senior cup at Portman Road 1-0.

May 20th 1953

Cavendish lad’s bravery. The bravery of an 18 year old Cavendish lad was rewarded on Friday when the chairman of Melford magistrates Mr E.F.Colvile, presented to Victor Stephen Turner of Peacock’s road, Cavendish, a parchment certificate awarded by the Royal Humane Society, Supt Butcher said in July last year Turner was swimming in the river Stour in Cavendish when a 12 year old Reginald ----dived in from the Essex side, the boy went under the water twice, Turner swam across and pulled him from the water to the bank, had it not been for the presence of mind of Turner the boy might have lost his life, Turner who is 18 years old is a bricklayer and learnt to swim at the age of 8.

June 24th 1853

At a meeting of West Suffolk Parish Councils Association at Little Waldingfield it was stated that many footpaths in the parish of Acton were under aerodrome runways.

There was a discussion at a meeting of Melford parish council about Melford fair and charters, many showmen have approached councillors about staying over Saturday, the Parker History says it was King John (1199 to 1216)

who granted Melford a weekly market on Thurdays and an annual fair, King Henry 111 confirmed and extended the original charter in 1235. Melford fair has survived for seven and a half centuries.

July 8th 1953

During recent heavy storms a hen belonging to Lavenham Hall went astray to lay her eggs, she settled down to sit and during one of the storms the hen was observed to be completely covered with water with the exception of it’s head, to the amazement of observers she stuck to her job and two days ago she was awarded with 2 chicks.

July 15th 1953

Champion Red Poll female at the Royal Show which was held at Blackpool was Pakenham Audrey belonging to Mr J.O.Brand of Brook Hall, Foxearth.

A dog and pet show was held at Highfields Lyston.

July 29th 1953

Wreckage was scattered over a corn field at Hill farm, West Wickam, Haverhill when a Meteor Jet crashed killing the pilot.

August 12th 1953

West Suffolk County Council has approved in principal the expansion of Haverhill to re-house 10,000 people from London.

An American commander of an air force in Suffolk has denied charges that American airmen fly low over villages to impress girl friends.

September 2nd 1953

For the first time in 15 years white bread was on sale on Monday, the Ministry of Food has ruled that the National loaf which cost 7d must be available along the white.

Farmers in East Anglia say gleaners have gone into the cornfields for the last time this year, wives and children will no longer follow harvest waggons across the fields, the reason is that post war mechanisation has put an end to gleaning as the modern combine harvester leaves no pickings, for centuries gleaning has been the perk for farm working families, one 70 year old farm worker widow said “I remember gleaning enough wheat to keep the family in home baked bread for many weeks and enough barley to brew enough home brew ale till next year with enough left over for the hens”.

September 9th 1953

It is believed another book on the Borley Ghost will be published soon, it has been suggested strange things have happened in the church which is nearly opposite the site of the burnt out rectory.

Giving evidence at Melford court P.C.Knock mentioned “Alpheton Skipper,” which puzzled magistrates, replying to the chairman, Mr H.Ruffle, P.C.Knock explained that the “Skipper” was a disused farm building which was often used by “gentlemen of the road”.

Allegations that both he and a linesman had been stoned by spectators was made by referee Smith of Colchester after the Sudbury – Clacton game at Priory Stadium on Saturday, Mr Smith told the “Free Press” that both he and the linesman had stones thrown at them and if they had got any guts let them come into the dressing room.

September 16th 1953

Jean Gooding of Lyston recently was lucky to visit Germany with other young people

from the district, the thing that impressed her was the great reception they received and that the German appetites were tremendous.

September 30th 1953

On Friday Messrs Boardman and Oliver conducted a live and dead stock sale at Lyston Hall Park on behalf of Mr J.V.C.Lambert who is moving from the district. Massey Harris combine £1,026—The milking herd averaged £44.

November 4th 1953

The first house on the new Woodhall Estate at Sudbury was occupied last Wednesday, the contract for building 76 houses at a total of £100,000 by Messrs Slater of Glemsford was one of the largest single contract for building ever undertaken in this area, Messrs Slater also secured the contract all the site works and sewage and water installations.

How two small boys aged 11 and 12 while attempting to smoke sheep’s parsley set fire to a stack resulting in £150 worth of hay belonging to Mr W,J.Miller of Cuckoo Tye farm at Acton being completely destroyed was told at Melford Juvenile Panel where they were dismissed.

A Long Melford milk roundsman Ellis Smith and his 13 year old son pleaded guilty to failing to shut and fasten the gates at Borley crossing was fined 10s with 8s costs, the boy was discharged, it was said that 10 or 11 trains pass the spot each day.

November 25th 1953

At Castle Hedingham Police Court, Fredrick Walker of Foxearth was charged with the larceny of £103 13s from the Parochial Church Council, he said the money had been stolen when he held the office. Case proceeding.

December 9th 1953

Mr Shepherd Collis Goodchild of Clock House farm at Glemsford has died at the age of 75.

Mr and Mrs William Cooledge of Temple End, Foxearth, celebrate their golden wedding today. They were married in Kilburn, London on

December 9th 1903

a nd came to Foxearth in retirement in 1928, they have one son and two grandchildren, Mr Cooledge joined the 1st Royal Dragoons in 1897 and served through the South African war, in 1903 he joined the Metropolitan Mounted Police while on army leave and was invalided out of the Police in 1928.

December 16th 1953

For gallantry in Korea, Capt George Cooper, son of Lt Col Cooper of Bulmer Tye House has been awarded the Military Cross.