Golden Ball, 90 High Street, Bottisham

History of the Golden Ball

Listed Building

A pair of cottages, later Golden Ball public house, and now one dwelling. 1795.

Gold Ball, Bottisham (CambsCollection)

The horkey was held at the Golden Ball, kept by the Reeves for several generations. The cottage in the foreground where Mrs Ruse lived was pulled down in the 20th century.

Noel Newman, Recollections of Seventy Years’ Farming  in Bottisham: The harvest all gathered in after about a month’s hard work, there came the Horkey or Harvest Supper. This was held at the Golden Ball Pub. A very large joint of boiled salt beef was cooked by the landlord’s wife, Mrs Reeve, with onions and carrots followed by apple pie and custard, and cheese. There was beer and tobacco ad lib. It was a delicious meal, so large a piece of beef was seldom seen and always tasted good. The men used to bring their own knives, forks and spoons. We boys had ours in the kitchen as we were too young to be allowed in the licensed rooms. My father carved at the head of the table. Every man, sixteen or so, had as many helpings as he could eat and there was always some over. This was shared out the next night by the men with the largest families. After the meal, the loyal toast was give by mt father, and the Foreman proposed a toast to the ‘Master, Missus and family’ which was duly acknowledge. Then cam the old songs. First the Foreman with ‘Two little girls in blue’ or ‘The grand old mill, she stands there still and the stream runs y’libbly by.’ As each man ended his song he took a pull at his beer an called on his choice for the next singer. I can well remember the first lines of a few of the songs ‘Slap yitty dab, slap dab’, etc. I heard this on the wireless once, a few years ago. Rolph sung the ‘Yarmouth Races’, T Hiner ‘Take me in your arms, love’, someone else ‘The dying soldier’ and so it went on until closing time. The next day all had a day off, and some went to Cambridge to replenish their wardrobes.