“Village Voices”: Stories and Memories from the Cambridgeshire Fens

A collection of oral histories and personal recollections from villages across the Cambridgeshire Fens, capturing everyday life, work, humour and memory through the voices of local people.

Exhibition: “Village Voices”

This exhibition presents a rich collection of individual memories drawn from oral history recordings made in Fenland villages between the 1970s and 1990s.

Compiled by Lorna Delanoy and Valerie Bloye, the booklet brings together:

• Personal stories
• Local knowledge
• Humour and anecdote
• Reflections on change

It is the third in a series based on recordings held by Lorna Delanoy (see introduction page).

 

 

1. A landscape of voices

A map in the booklet shows the wide geographical spread of contributors:

• Ely at the centre
• Villages including Sutton, Stretham, Wicken, Willingham and Cottenham
• Links stretching towards Cambridge and Newmarket

(see page 2 map)

This reinforces the idea of a shared Fenland culture across multiple communities.

2. Memory as history

The introduction emphasises that:

• These are transcribed voices
• Speech patterns are preserved where possible
• Memories are sometimes fragmented but deeply authentic

The aim is not polished history, but lived experience.

3. Haddenham: landscape and local history

Several accounts focus on Haddenham.

One describes:

• The site of a former pest house
• Brickmaking and early industry
• The evolution of village buildings

Another recounts the development of:

• shops
• chapel buildings
• local businesses

(see pages 5–6)

4. Characters and storytelling

A key strength of this booklet is its vivid characters.

For example:

• George Amory, remembered as a Hill Row storyteller
• Known for recounting Feast Days, rivalries and local events

Stories include:

• Village rivalries (Sutton vs Haddenham)
• Feast Day celebrations
• Practical jokes and humour

(see page 7)

5. Rural ingenuity and survival

Many stories describe:

• Hunting and trapping
• Working with limited resources
• Making use of what was available

One account recalls:

• catching birds for food
• improvising tools and methods
• navigating laws and restrictions

These stories reveal both skill and necessity (pages 7–8).

6. Work and farming life

Agricultural life is a constant presence.

Accounts include:

• Horse care and working practices
• Transporting goods by horse and cart
• The transition to tractors

Work was:

• Physically demanding
• Highly skilled
• Central to identity

(see pages 11–12)

7. Childhood and play

Childhood memories are particularly vivid.

Activities included:

• Making toys and games
• Catching birds and eels
• Playing marbles and outdoor games

Children often created their own entertainment using:

• natural materials
• simple tools

(see pages 13–14, 17–18)

8. Changing technology

The booklet captures the transition from:

• Horse power
  to
• Mechanised farming

Examples include:

• Early cars and tractors
• Changing transport systems
• Decline of traditional rural skills

(see pages 11–12)

9. Women’s lives and domestic experience

Mabel Demaine’s contribution provides insight into:

• Domestic routines
• Food preparation
• Village social life

She describes:

• family gatherings
• Feast Week traditions
• community celebrations

(see pages 15–16)

10. War and wider experience

Some contributors describe experiences beyond the village.

For example:

• Service in the First World War
• Travel abroad (including Africa)
• Work outside the Fens

These accounts connect Fenland life to global events (page 19).

11. Everyday humour and perspective

Humour runs throughout the collection.

Stories include:

• misunderstandings
• practical jokes
• ironic observations

These moments reveal:

• resilience
• community bonds
• a distinctive Fenland voice

12. Continuity and change

Across all the accounts, a common theme emerges:

• A world of hard work and limited resources
• Gradual transition to modern life
• Strong continuity of identity and place