Soham Roots - First Aid Practise, World War Two, Soham.

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SOHAM PARISH
Genealogy and Local History, East Cambridgeshire

First Aid Practise
Soham
World War II.

At 11.15 a.m. on Sunday 3rd September 1939 Soham Residents gathered around their wireless sets and tuned into the Prime Minister Mr Neville Chamberlan, for his broadcast to the nation. His sad voice told of the final note delivered to the German Government calling for the withdrawal of their Troops from Poland then came the fateful words that no such undertaking had been received and that consequently this Country is at war with Germany.

The first air raid siren sounded in Soham on Monday 4th September 1939, which was probably a practice one.

The following images show the Soham Volunteers in their First Aid Practise at the Pavilion on the recreation grounds most likely in 1939.
The following was taken from a report in the local paper

First Aid Practise.
All Members and Probationers of the Red Cross ( Cambs 22 ) also the A.R.P.
Volunteers for the two first aid parties are especially asked to attend the opening first aid practice which will be conducted by Dr. H. C. Nickson in the large room at the Recreation Ground Pavilion next Monday at 8.pm. Uniform should be worn by The Red Cross Members and black tie and belt may take the place of the white apron.
Reported on September 8th 1939.


The above two photos were taken on the Place grounds (recreation ground today) in an area known as "The hole in the wall" thought to be the only gap in the wall that surrounded the earlier Place Estate, when it was a private mansion with its large gardens. The photo the right shows the Angel public house, now a private residence.

The photo on the left shows a view looking out of the back of an ambulance, looking towards Gardeners Lane, the photo was taken from the junction of Fountain Lane and Station Road. On the right shows more first aid practice on the recreation ground.

The photo on the left shows a man dressed up in gas attack precaution clothing. On the right shows stretcher bearers heading towards the Pavilion also showing the tennis courts on the Place grounds or what is today known as the recreation grounds.

On the left shows stretchers bearers in the Place gardens, also showing the Angel pub in Station Road, in the background. On the right shows first aiders, the initials on one of the helmets is "F A", we are unsure what this stands for, perhaps First Aid.

On the left shows more practice, again we think in the Place gardens, on the right shows a group in Pratt Street, in the background can be seen the Gardiners Arms public house, known today as Sundial House, after the old sundial on the end of the building, it is thought to have been built in 1781.

The photo on the left is thought to have been taken in the Place gardens. The photo on the right was taken on the Moat Field's, formerly part of the Morbey Estate, now part of the Soham Village College grounds.

Soham Cemetery Inscriptions.

This Record of the Monumental Inscriptions at the Fordham Road Cemetery, Soham, was made by Tim and Julie Webb of Soham between 2004 and 2010 as time permitted. This electronic version comprises the full text of the transcript, with the addition of photographs of the graves as well as purchase and burial details taken from the original purchase and burial registers.

Safe for all ages.

Quakers of Cambridgeshire
and the Isle of Ely.

This is a very interesting book that we have extracted the Cambridgeshire part from, the full title of the book is, A Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers, and was published in 1753, but gives accounts as far back as 1653, has many names from this area and details of what became of them including their punishments because of their Faith, is an absolutely fascinating read.

Cambridgeshire and
Huntingdonshire Leaders.

A great resource for anyone with interest in the political and social history of both Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire

Cures for Beasts.

This is a little handwritten book dated 1817 in our possession, that once belonged to a local Live Stock Farmer, it is unique and is a book of recipes of old fashioned Cures for all manner of disorders in Cattle, Sheep and Horses, you can read how they cured these things with local ingredients, some sound pretty hair raising. Only available from us.

CREDITS

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* Theme by and Webmaster Tim Webb * Thanks goes to all those people who have contributed to this website and to the Soham Roots collection.