The Old Butcher's Balsham (RGL 2022)The Old Butcher, Balsham
History of the Old Butchers
The Old Butcher’s Balsham (RGL 2022)
Balsham – A Village Story 1617 – 2017 states that the premises appear on the 1617 enclosure map of the village,
1756: William Arch, tailor
Mid 1800s: grocer and draper
Late 1800s: glazier
1874: anon map numbers two cottages here, 124 and 125, Widow Webb and George Goward.
1919: It became two cottages with one used as a soup kitchen with the widow owner ladling out bowls to the needy at 1d a bowl.
1920: property sold to William Alfred Prince for £20. In the same year William Ince, butcher, purchased the property from William prince for £80.
Each of the dwellings consisted of two rooms and downstairs and two up. A slaughterhouse was built at the back for killing pigs which villagers brought him. The two round metal signs on the front wall were originally brewery signs. When the Bell Inn changed from one brewery to another in the 1920s Mr Ince purchased them from Mr Rickwood.
1936: Mr Ince sold his business to Frank Norden including his special recipe for curing ham.
1950: abattoir part of business ceased. Norden invested in a telephone and rethatching of the roof.
1955: business sold to Mr and Mrs B Brown.
1960s: whole ground floor used as shop with rooms above as storage.
2016: Ceased operation as a butchers and is now a coffee and cake shop.