Author: Philippa

So, here we are in July 2026, it’s been far too hot for too long and now there’s a hosepipe ban. So what else do you need but a shady spot, a cool drink and something to read?

With the help of the Bluntisham 100 Club we have been able to have The Pubs of Bluntisham printed as a booklet and a copy is available free of charge to those that would like a one. These histories of each pub are also on the site, but it’s sometimes good to have something physical to read.

Copies are available in the White Swan, Village Hall, Barbers, the Gym, the Lounge and the Chippy for you to pick up one up when you next visit. If you don’t plan on visiting any of those places and would like a copy then please get in touch and we will get a one to you. You can contact us via the Facebook page, this website or if you email me at philippa.hope@bhp-pc.org.uk, we will get a sort one out for you.

Copies are limited, but there should be plenty to go around. We hope that you enjoy it.

To be a member of the Baby Boomer generation, you need to have been born between 1946 and 1964. Bluntisham was the birthplace of many of them. Indeed, our very own Helen Starling is one. Born towards the end of the boom rather than the beginning. She has been kind enough to share some of her memories of growing up in the village.  

Helen is a native of Bluntisham.  She will be known to many of you by her maiden name of Helen Crick. She attended the Old Day School and the Ivo School with lots of other people who are still in the village. Many of whom get a mention in her “Happy Memories”. Which you can find on the site here https://bhp-pc.org.uk/memories/

Along with the friends and families of those with whom she mixed growing up, there are tales of taping the Top 40 and having a paper round. Aspects of her experiences growing up will be familiar to many of us who are now of a certain age, so it’s really lovely to read about Helen’s experiences and compare them to your own.  

Thank you Helen for sharing it’s been a real joy to read your story and I am sure that many others will also genuinely enjoy taking a trip back in time with you.

In the summer and Autumn of 2025, I was fortunate to spend time with Nora Crick and her daughter Helen. Nora, now in her nineties was born in the village in the 1930’s and has spent most of her life living, raising her family and working in the village. Many will remember her from when she worked at St Helens School.

Nora was born in Wood End, the daughter of Ernie and Elsie Boulter and sister of Alick. Her parents worked for Fred Searle on his farm and much of Nora’s memories revolve around growing up in and around Wood End, the people that lived nearby, attending the old Day School, the impact of the Second World War on the village and a love of the countryside.

The village in the 1930’s and 1940’s was very different to how it is today. Many of the cottages, farms and other buildings are no longer standing, some of them are and may be where you live today gets a mention.

You can read about her memories of the village in the memories section of the website or follow this link https://bhp-pc.org.uk/memories/

It seems appropriate given the time of year, when plums and gages are all being harvested. That we have some new photos on the site showing the fruit harvest’s back in the 1940’s. All these photographs are courtesy of Nora Crick and Helen Starling.

Orchards and fruit growing are a large part of the heritage of our village. These photos illustrate this heritage, as they show Bluntisham families bringing in the fruit harvest during the 1940’s. All of these photos were taken during the second world war. Mainly women, children and men who were in protected occupations. The fruit was picked, sorted and then packed. Then it was sent to markets across the country via the Railway. In 1941, in the parish there were over 400 acres of orchard, so plenty to keep these people busy.

You can find these photos in the Residents section and the agriculture section of the site by following these links https://bhp-pc.org.uk/residents/ and https://bhp-pc.org.uk/agriculture/

Thank you to Helen and Nora for sharing. Also special thanks to Nora’s late parents, Elsie and Ernie Boulter, for their interest in photography back during the 1940’s. Which means that we are able to share their photographs on the site today, some 85 years later.

Earlier this year I was contacted by Pam Kipling. Living in London, she wanted to share with the project, her and her families long held affection and connections to Bluntisham. The daughter and grand-daughter of Lawrence and Harold James who both lived and worked in Bluntisham back in the early 1900’s. Bluntisham has always been considered home by her and her family.

Her grandparents Harold and Florence James, first lived at Bridge Farm, which doubled up as a pub, and then the Saracens Head, Wood End. Where again the house had multiple uses; as a small holding, builders yard and pub. Harold being a master builder based in the village. Her father Lawrence grew up in Bluntisham going to school in St ives.

Pam and her family have always felt a strong affinity for Bluntisham and earlier this Spring they came for a visit. I met with Pam and Husband Peter, she shared many photo’s and her childhood memories of the village and her visit’s home with her brother Peter during the summer holidays to Bluntisham. After our meeting and a pilgrimage around the village, they enjoyed a warm welcome in the White Swan.

You can find the photos across the site in the Heath, Wood End and Memories sections and you can read about her memories here

So thank you Pam and your family for sharing. I look forward to welcoming you back soon.

We have recently added a great article written by David Gedye detailing the history of Meridian Wood. This little enclave of calm at the top of Wood End, is testament to the dedication and hard work over the past three decades by David and his team of volunteers.

It tells the tale of a wood that wasn’t always there, despite how it looks today. A narrative on how the wood was first conceived, fundraising, securing the land. Moving on to its design, creation and growth and how to this day, it is beautifully maintained; a place for us all to enjoy.

David, has also shared some photos of the 10th Anniversary party held in the wood in August 2010. Some familiar faces clearly enjoying themselves on what looks like a beautiful sunny day.

Thank you David and all the folks that have helped, and continue to help with the development and maintenance of the wood, both in the past and today. Here’s to the 25th Anniversary party in 2025.

Please follow this link to take you straight to the page on the site – https://bhp-pc.org.uk/meridian-wood/

I don’t know when there was last skating on Bury Fen, I think that it was probably in about 2009 or 2010. The village was inundated with people from far and wide, all heading towards Bury Fen for a skate. Maybe with this current cold weather the fen will freeze and once again we may have some skating.

However, back in the late 1800’s Bluntisham was the centre for the game of Bandy and the home of the Bury Fen Bandy Club. A team lead by the Tebbutt family and who were involved in establishing the rules of the sport. A sport still played today around the world, and one that is officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

It’s quite a story and the Tebbutt family are famous across many nations for their development of the sport and how it lead to rink bandy and ultimately Ice Hockey. The story of the Tebbutt family, how they came to Bluntisham and how the sport developed can be found here – https://bhp-pc.org.uk/skating/

Just a reminder that Marian Land’s work on the history of the Bluntisham and Earith War memorial is still on the site and can be found here: https://bhp-pc.org.uk/bluntisham-cum-earith-war-memorial/

Her research includes detailed information on everyone with a link to the two villages who served in the first world war. Details on how to contact Marian are shown on the page.

Lest We forget.

Today we have added lots of new photos, all courtesy of Frances Tebbutt. This one is an aerial shot of Block Hill, taken we think in the mid to late 1960’s.

There are lots more photos in the High Street and Skating galleries.

Pictures of the Walnut Trees, both internal and external, the cottages at the bottom of the High Street and the Paddock when it was a tennis court.

The skating photos include photos of the Bury Fen Bandy Club team dating back to 1899 amongst others.

There are more to come soon, so please keep an eye out for new content and blog posts.