The Grange, Littleport

The Grange, TGWU Convalescent Home, Littleport

History of the Grange, Littleport

The Grange on the right was built by Canon E B Sparke, vicar of Littleport, in 1855, for £15,000.

A successor vicar, Rev Samuel Perry, considered the property too far from the church, so sold it to Thomas Peacock, founder of Hope Brothers’ Factory. Peacock vastle improved the house with many additional rooms, as well as garden features such as tennis and croquet lawns and an orchard of 300 fruit trees.

1896 William Cutlack bought house

1912 offered to County Council as a sanatorium but then left vacant

1915 – 1916 Belgian Refugee Colony run by Evelyn Radford and her sister Maisie until May 1916.

https://www.radfordtrust.org/history/jennet-campbell-mbe-illustrated-lecture/part-1-the-early-years

1918 The house became a prisoner of war camp and that German POWs were used as labour on farms.  (Littleport Society Magazine no.93) The Ely Standard newspaper from the beginning of 1918 describes how German POWs were being used in agriculture and drainage projects in Littleport, Isleham and Downham. After the war ended and jobs were required local people protested at the use of POWs.

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1918 purchased by Frederick Hiam.

A newspaper report of October 11th 1918 says that The Grange was previously the residence of William Cutlack who had offered it as a sanatorium. It was found unsuitable for the purpose however and the offer could not be taken advantage of. The house was lent by Mr Cutlack for the establishment of a Belgian colony, and later it was purchased by Mr C Ambrose of Stuntney.

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1920 sold to National Union of Vehicle Workers as a convalescent home

WWII: RAF hospital

After WWII: Convalescent Home for Transport and General Workers Union

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The Convalescent Home of the National Union of Vehicle Workers at The Grange, Littleport, Isle of Ely, opened in 1921, was taken over by the TGWU and its facilities extended to all members.

For more information about the former TGWU Convalescent Home see:

https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/TGW/1/04/E/578