Three Blackbirds, Woodditton (RGL2025)

Three Blackbirds, Woodditton

History of the Three Blackbirds

Listed Building

Inn, C17 with painted date 1642 on modern plastered wall.

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Up until the mid-thirties The Blackbirds public house received its beer in wooden barrels from The Star Brewery then situated along the newmarket Road in Cambridge. …. Laury Bernol Holland, affectionately known “Tailor”, the elderly innkeeper of the The Blackbirds, together with son Jack, ran the village undertaker’s business as well carrying out building and general carpentry work. … The large yard at the back of the pub comprised a miscellaneous collection of barns, sheds, heaps of sand and other building materials, together with a club room with an old piano, used for social events. behind the yard, ducks dabbled in a muddy-sided pond adjoining the farmyard. The whole premises acted like a magnet to the village boys and luckily for us the owners had four grandsons of school age living with them (Raymond, Donald, Phil and Michael Diffey, and so they took a tolerant attitude to our frequent visits. (p40)

Most farmers laid on a traditional “Hawkie” to celebrate the successful harvest home – a slap up meal with plenty of beer. usually the Hawkie was held in the evening but the workers on Stan Hensby’s farm got together at midday in The Blackbirds clubroom. (p46)

Three Blackbirds landlord Tailor Holland fully occupied with his building and undertaking business, left the main running of the pub to his well respected wife Edie. She kept and orderly house and had a reputation for standing no nonsense from customers. (p56)

The King’s Dragoon Guards set up camp in Stetchworth park and their light tanks and Bren-gun carriers were soon clattering through the village. A few of the camp personnel wearing the regimental double-headed eagle badges, used to visit The Blackbirds during the evening. My family got to know John Crotty the Regimental Sergeant Major, a charming devil may care irishman who later distinguished himself in the North-African desert campaign. (p71)

(R H Vincent, A Tanner Will Do)