Cottenham Data

Cottenham Scrapbook

Cottenham map, at time of Enclosure Act, date unknown

Mike Petty’s Cottenham Scrapbook:

https://archive.org/details/CottenhamScrapbook1897To1990/mode/2up

Note from SB of the Burkett family in 2021:

They [Burkett and Chivers families] moved to Histon we think because of the outbreak of Smallpox in Cottenham in the 1790s . Both Burkett and Chivers families originated from Cottenham as did my paternal grandfather Wallace Pauley’s family. My aunt told me that the Burkett’s being good Christian (Baptists) people preferred to give things away including things that did not belong to them. Their acumen for business was not ‘noted’ unlike the Chivers “ who had their heads screwed on better”.

Betsey Wood’s Dame School, Cottenham c.1840, location unknown

Samples of work from Thomas Legge’s School in Cottenham c.1860

Photo by F Stone, Cottenham, subject unknown (MoC)

Stripping bark from osiers for Mr Joe Munsey basket maker of Cottenham c.1900 (photo F J Smith) (MoC367/75)

From left to right,

Back Row: Miss Sanderson, Mrs Alfred Gifford, unknown, unknown, Mrs Fred Thoday, Ernest Munsey

Front Row: Mrs Richard Croxon & daughter, Mrs William Milton, unknown

Cottenham ladies with bicycles decorated to celebrate relief of Mafeking in 1900 (F J Smith)

Cottenham school staff in 1895, Alfred Goddard centre.

Cottenham girls in 1895, class of Clara Graves.

In 1937 Albert Victor Haird was a cycle dealer at 256 (164) High Street Cottenham. His father Edward George was a wheelwright in 1911; the family lived then  in Eastland Villa (location unknown).

A V and E G Haird, Cottenham (CC 29456) date unknown 1920s

Derelict shop in Cottenham High Street probably in 1974. Signs advertise hairdressing, singeing, shaving and shingling (MoC60/75)

1943

Cottenham cheese press, 1943 (MoC)

This was donated to the Folk Museum in 1943 by Miss Cross of King’s Langley. She had kept it for some years in hope of reviving the famous Cottenham cheese. Samuel Pepys mentions them with approval. The Press is a massive affair weighing about 5 cwt.

In Forgotten Heroes, Michael Bentinck tells the story of Bill Moody who had been brought up by foster parents in Cottenham. He joined the 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment  and was imprisoned by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore.