January 5th 1956

Funeral at Pentlow of Oliver Ives who died suddenly at his home, The Forge, Pentlow, he was well known in the district having been blacksmith all his working life, he was 70 of age.

February 5th 1956

Looking Back 65 years. Two young horses in the traces of a heavily laden wagon took fright at a train at Borley crossing and dragged the wagon over the driver crushing him to death.

February 9th 1956

A bird found on Friar’s meadow at Sudbury has been identified as a male Common Scoter a bird rarely seen on inland waters, it was found covered in oil by 13 year old Barry Chaplin.

March 1st 1956

A large gathering of friends attended the funeral service of Hugh Mayhew of Pentlow Street farm at Pentlow church, he was of a cheerful disposition and popular with everyone, he leaves a widow, one daughter and seven sons.

May 9th 1956

At the inquest on Flying Officer Edgar Musseti aged 23 of Kings Lynn stationed at Wattisham a verdict of accidental death was recorded, the Hawker Hunter he was flying crashed at Colne Engaine and the body was found at Pebmarsh, Squadron Leader John Steele of Wattisham said he could not explain why the aircraft caught fire, it had been asserted the plane caught fire about 5 minutes after take off, the pilot ejected, P.C.Swinburne of Earls Colne said that the following morning he went to The Moat at Pebmarsh where he saw an ejector seat in a field and 95 yards away he saw the body with an unopened parachute at Home Farm, Colne Engaine.

May 6th 1956

A writing set and bedroom slippers were presented by Harry Nolan of behalf of the customers of the Half Moon at Belchamp St Pauls to 70 year old Percy Shead to mark his retirement after 25 years as landlord of the Half Moon, he will be succeeded by Mr Staples of Leytonstone.

May 3rd 1956

Foxes during the severe winter have caused heavy losses of poultry in the Stour valley, there are reported to have attacked young lambs at Hepworth Hall near Halstead belonging to Mr W. Anderson and two young lambs were killed by foxes at Ferriers farm belonging to Mrs E.Ewers of Bures and also she has lost at least a dozen head of poultry, one local farmer has defended the foxes, he is Mr Arthur Cobbald of Acton who said neither he or his father had suffered losses of poultry in the last 60 years although there are plenty of foxes in the neighbourhood, he has at least two litters at present on his land and they caused no trouble provided the stock are properly cared for there is no need to worry about foxes.

May 0th 1956

Few of those attending Melford fair last week realise the centuries of tradition which lie behind
t
h is annual event of over 600 years, this fair was first recognised in 1330 when a charter was granted stating it should be of nine days duration, one of the conditions was that it shouldn’t be a hindrance in the neighbourhood, in the olden days the occasion took the form of a giant horse fair which would be set out on each side of the Bury road from the Black Lion to the High Street, horses would come from all over East Anglia and Germany and other places on the Continent, those who did buy would not dabble about in ones and twos, Bill Bantock of Preston rarely bought less than 60 horses, the present fair is a direct descendant of the pleasure fair which was held in conjunction with the horse fair, at one time gingerbread “men” were sold wrapped up in gilded paper hence the expression “take the gilt off the gingerbread”.

June 7th 1956

A Lyston farm worker, Wilfred Taylor, was fined £2 for driving his motor assisted bicycle without due care and attention at Foxearth at the junction of the Foxearth road and the Lyston turning, he appeared to have misjudged the distance of a van and collided with it.

July 5th 1957

Sgt Ernest Allen of the R.A.F. 28 whose parent’s live at 52 Bridewell street, Clare, was shot dead by three masked terrorists in a Nicosia suburb, Cyprus.

August 1st 1957

Four Friesian cattle were killed by lightning at Gestingthorpe, they belonged to Mr W.Prior of Hall farm, they were in a meadow on the Halstead – Sudbury road.

August 8th 1957

Thee inches of rain fell locally during the first 6 days of August reports Mr A.V.Geater of Foxearth.

August 2nd 1957

C.A.V. are to double the size of their factory in Cornard road, Sudbury.

August 9th 1957

A worn horse shoe of about 350 years old was found on the site of Borley rectory by Mr Sewell of Long Melford who was sorting over the soil excavated by a Whitlock’s Dinkum Digger, the horseshoe had a hole the shape a keyhole in it, the find was dated by Colchester Museun.

September 9th 1957

Top price of 150 guineas was paid by Major G.Philipson Stow of Long Green, Gloucester, for Foxearth Vanessa at the Red Poll sale at Reading.

September 6th 1957

Died at Walnutree hospital aged 104, George Barber who was born at Lt Wratting in April 1852, he lived most of his life in his native village, he never went to school and started work at the age of 7 scaring crows from a stack, he later became a horseman.
T
o be sold at Crows farm, Belchamp Walter by instructions from Mr Archie Cameron, all the farm equipment on September 28th.

October 7th 1957

Profound regret was felt in Cavendish on Sunday when it was learnt of the death in Cyprus of 19 year old William Robert Doe of Robbs farm, Cavendish, he was the younger son of Mr and Mrs T.W. Doe and was one of two soldiers killed when a land mine blew up their vehicle near Paphos, West Cyprus.

November 7th 1957

Between 170 and 200 mourners filled Cavendish church on Friday afternoon for a memorial service to 19 year old William Robert Doe who was killed in Cyprus the previous Sunday.

November 7th 1957

Jenny a one year old Khaki Campbell duck belonging to Mr Charles Cathery of School House, Pentlow, laid six eggs in one night, Mrs Cathery said there was no possibility that the eggs had been laid on separate nights, the bird had not laid for several days previous.

December 9th 1957

A record price of £19 per live cwt was paid at Sudbury Market for a cross bred Angus heifer which weighed 8 cwt, it was owned by Mr R.Basham of Belchamp St Pauls it was purchased by Mr J.Hale of Cavendish, a Red Poll steer belonging to Mr J.O.Brand weighing 8 ½ cwt was bought by Mr F.Ruse of Long Melford at £9 10s per cwt.

January 2nd 1958

A Long Melford shopkeeper, Mr Gordon Beales aged 59 was attacked in his shop on Saturday night and was taken to hospital with severe head injuries, Mr Gordon Bennet, a malster from St Catherine’s road, Melford entered the shop in Hall street and found Mr Beales with blood on his face, the police were called and he was rushed to Bury hospital, Mr Beales said a tall man with a trilby came into the shop and asked for a packet of cigarettes, as he turned to get them he was struck on the head, he thought he was a tramp.
W
h en an application for the transfer of the licence of the Pinkuah Arms at Pentlow to Mr Henry Kelling of Shepherds Bush was granted by Hedingham Magistrates the chairman Mr F. Woodcock wondered how it got it’s name, Mr H.E.Ward said he never been able to trace the origin of the name but he would endeavour to do so.

January 6th 1958

The villagers of Belchamp Otten are up in arms when they heard the remarks made by the Rev Powell of Belchamp St Pauls who it is reported at a meeting of Halstead Rural Council described Belchamp Otten as a decaying village and suggested that two bungalows for old folk should built at Belchamp St Pauls.
F
o otball. Braintree Nomads v Cavendish. Cavendish never really touched their real form although they defeated the Nomads 4-2, Pearson and Stumpy Stearnes turned in good performances.

January 3rd 1958

The Bayeaux Tapestry on which are woven scenes of the Norman Conquest of England, but says Mr L.J.Wickes of Newton Green an antiquarian who believes they may have been completed at Glemsford, Mr Wickes has strong evidence to support the belief, he says Glemsford was once the greatest seat of learning in England, when Edward the Confessor came from Normandy to England he brought many learned companions with him, a large number of whom formed a secular college at Glemsford, when Willaim of Normandy crossed the channel, his half brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeaux, commissioned Obo’s wife, the Countess of Albermarie and was given the Manor of Glemsford.

March 3th 1957

Retirement at Foxearth of Mr Stanley Mayhew who has retired after 27 years at Foxearth brewery, he was presented with a clock by Mrs H.Ward, from 1905 till the outbreak of war in 1914 Mr Mayhew was chauffeur to Mr David Ward, after the war he was taken seriously ill and spent two years in hospital, later he resumed light work at the brewery, Mr Harold Ward presented him with a cigarette case.

April 0th 1957

The golden age of hunting was between 1890 till 1900 said Mr .Gosling the M.F.H. of East Essex foxhounds when he addressed members of Sudbury Young Farmers, he explained that during that time there were no barbed wire and no electrified railways or anti- blood sports movements, hunting he said has been the heritage of this country.

April 7th 1957

At an inquest at West Suffolk Hospital Mr Ernest Mansfield of 3 Council houses at Pentlow described how he found his 77 year old father in law Frederick Theobald sitting in a ditch with his throat cut.

May 9th 1957

Among 53 policewomen who are to fly to Cyprus is Sgt Phylis Gobby who’s parents live at Finch Hill, Bulmer.

June 9th 1957

The Forestry Commission has given assurances that Arger Fen will be preserved and the public will still be allowed access.
T
h e agricultural, dairy and sporting estate know as Le Mote at Pebmarsh 375 acres was sold to Mr T.Hogsbjerg of Belchamp Walter at £27,000 on Wednesday.

July 0th 1957

Among the most successful of local breeders at the Royal Show at Norwich was Mr G.E.Colson of Rowhedge farm, Long Melford who won five awards with his Suffolk horse classes… Red polls belonging to J.O.Brand of Foxearth gained three succesess and the winning cow was Honest Quesada, owned by Mr A.H.Cobbald of Acton.

July 4th 1957

20 year old Kenneth Allen the Sudbury town footballer was publicly commended by Mr A.C.Philips the Borough Coroner for his gallant attempt to save a 9 year old boy who fell in the river Stour the previous day, Mr Allen raced from his home to the old bathing place and dive in fully clothed to bring the body of a boy, Allen Cockle, to the bank, the Coroner also commended another man named Cecil Bareham of School street who jumped into the water to help Mr Allen.

July 1st 1957

A wood pigeon which was shot last week at Poslingford was found to contain 44 snails in their shells and some barley.
C
a vendish Preservation Society has achieved victory in it’s four year struggle to preserve the famous Hyde Park Cottages.

September 1th 1957

A discovery of two 25 lb tins of high explosives under a corner of Nayland bridge resulted in traffic diversions being set up, two tins of about a 9 inch cube was found by Peter Danna, a labourer employed by W.C.French who were rebuilding the bridge, a member of the Home Guard told officials he thought the explosives were placed under the bridge on the main Sudbury to Colchester road in the event of invasion, one of the workmen said the first hint he had was a tube holding a wire was noticed on the wing wall.

September 8th 1957

Construction workers laying water mains at Borley near the church cut into what is thought was a small tunnel running across the road, whether it is a tunnel or a large drainage pipe it is not known, it measures 32 inches across and 27 inches high with an arched dome on top.

October 2nd 1957

One of the most brilliant and colourful displays of the Aurora Borealis in recent years was visible from Sudbury during Sunday evening, Mr Schroeder from Belchamp St Pauls, an amateur astronomer, reports that at ¼ to nine during Sunday evening, white rays appeared which seemed to come from a whitish arc and these reached a point almost over head these rays, gradually becoming indistinct.
F
o r sale at Kitchen Farm, Bulmer, 49 heavy milking cows, 44 store cattle, 50 pigs, 5 tractors tec.

October 9th 1957

It was announced last week by Lieut. Colonel W.H.Kingsmill, chairman of the Taylor Walker group that an offer to acquire the whole of the issued capital of Messrs Ward’s brewery at Foxearth had been accepted, this means 29 licensed premises owned by the firm will come under Taylor Walker group.

October 6th 1957

Grave concern at the wanton damage in Glemsford playing field was expressed at a meeting of the playing field committee last Tuesday evening.
T
h e closing of two public houses at Clare was confirmed yesterday at the Risbridge magistrate’s sitting at Haverhill yesterday, the closing of the Bear and Crown whose licensee for the past 47 years has been Mr S.Bareham on behalf of Fremlin’s, Mr Long applied for the transfer of the license of the Half Moon to the secretary of the firm was approved.

October 0th 1957

The crossing keeper at Rodbridge crossing, Miss Madeleine G.A.Von Debinska, was taken to St Leonard’s hospital after being injured when the 8-30 goods train from Cambridge collided with level crossing gates. Miss Debinska is a descendant of the Polish royal family, her brother, Prince Eric Von Debinska, lives in a cottage at Belchamp Walter., he and his sister are both British born, their grand father was a naturalised Englishman.

December 4th 1957

The pilot of an American Super Sabre was killed on Monday when his plane crashed near Sible Hedingham shortly after take off from Wethersfield, rescue workers struggled for an hour to extricate the pilot.

December 8th 1957

Patches of grass in Hall street, Long Melford, have been very much in the news of late months and questions have about them were raised at a meeting of the Parish Council on Tuesday, Mr H.G.Young sprang a surprise by declaring that a rat hole existed in a patch of grass in front of Bunyan Cottage, Mr P.Cadge said he knew of a rat hole in front of Thorpe House.

December 8th 1957

70 fat cattle were entered for Boardman and Oliver’s
a
n nual Christmas show at Sudbury, the show championship was won by a heifer owned by Mr Clowes of Dedham,
i
t realised £126 10s ( £11 per cwt to Mr Farnk Seppings of Sudbury.