Not Many Wise

Category: Earith – historic

The Earith village surroundings:

Earith village is situated between the River Ouse and ‘Bedford’ rivers in the county of Cambridgeshire, UK.
Being in the fens it is very low lying and the hand-dug New Bedford River has earth banks above roof height.
Near this river is the earth remains of a Roman fort and by that a metal dome relic from WW2.
This was one of the Earith Homeguard defences where a small number of men could fix a Bren machine gun to fight off Nazi paratroopers.

See an after-school’s club that used to run in Earith Primary School called Earith Storykeepers.

The real-life story of the 1930s onwards in Earith village:

All the following articles were written by John Wales at various stages of his life and describe his school days and farming life in Earith village.
Discover the games that were played out on the playground, the school routine, and a look at the old original metal bridges.
Take a walk around the 1930s roads in Earith and learn about the different buildings…

Here are the articles in this category:

[1] John (Jack) Wales: Earith early years, born 1925

Earith, which is on the river Ouse, in the 1930’s is noted as a holiday resort and in the summer months many people enjoy themselves fishing, boating and swimming in this river. Our house, which is situated in the High Street, commands an excellent view of the fens, and it overlooks the river Ouse…
[2] 1930’s school playground

1930’s school memories: I remember when I was in the infants class Mr Jewson, who lived nearly opposite the playground in the house called ‘Cavendish’ used to go to Mickey Day’s sweet shop and buy a large paper bag full of liquorice Allsorts. He then came to the playground railing and threw the sweets out as though he were throwing corn to chickens…
[3] Outside play in 1930′s Earith

Among the games we boys and girls played in the playground in 1930′s Earith were ‘Big Harry’ and ‘Little Harry’, both forms of Tag. The boys also played a very rough contact game where one team jumps onto the bent backs of the other team and tries to break the chain…
[4] 1930’s Earith getting to school and learning about farming

In 1930’s Earith the causeway was flooded, as it usually was every winter then, the children would be ferried across by Harry Harper in his boat. Some children, mainly of the business families and some farmers and fruit growers would go to private schools in St Ives…
[5] Old bridges at Earith

Here is a picture of the Earith Suspension Bridge – known then as the Earith High Bridge… Below is the old Seven Holes Bridge at Earith where there were seven sluices. The modern sluice now stands at the same location…
[6] At school in 1930’s Earith

Lessons with ‘Gandhi’ at school in 1930’s Earith. Before each day’s school the bell on the roof was rung by an older boy and we all lined up in the playground under our respective teachers and filed quietly in. When I was in Standard two we had ink pens to write with…
[7] 1934 Earith The Bunny Fellowship

The Hospital Sunday Parade in 1934 Earith with the Hunts Post Bunny Fellowship, which raised money for the County Hospital…
[8] 1930’s Earith Annaul Parade for Cottage Hospital

1930’s Earith Annual Parade to raise money for Huntingdon Cottage Hospital in the 1930’s …
[9] Earith 1930’s early school days

My life in Earith early school days was now becoming more industrious. I had been moved up from the Infant Room, as it was called, into the Standard One, where we had ink to write with and real books with lines. Shooting paper with elastic bands was about the only thing I can remember…
[10] Elizabethan Shilling found in Earith

A well worn Queen Elizabethan Shilling dated 1566 found by John Wales in 1933 in North Halls field, Earith Fen. How much was that worth in Elizabethan days: About three and a half days pay* for a Pikeman in the army…
[11] Huntingdon Grammar School days

Being in the third form of Huntingdon Grammar School we have a fair amount of homework. We have Physical Education twice a week and a games period on Friday afternoons. We play football in the winter, cricket in the summer and in between these two we have cross country runs. In the Physical Education period in the summer we go bathing…
[12] Evocative walk Earith British School and Chapel Lane

This used to be a lovely kitchen garden at Earith, Cambridgeshire belonged to Miss Parren the big house on the front. We used to go and play croquet there. Very old red brick wall — hand made. Threw stones at pear tree and cut the pear off – just like that!…
[13] Evocative walk; 1930’s Pubs in Earith

1930’s Pubs in Earith, there was a lot! Earith was well served with Public Houses. Beer was brewed on the premises and many people supplied their own tankard, which was kept at their preferred public house. ‘The Anchor’ (situated near the pond) was kept by Walter and Violet Broughton…
[14] Albert Maile’s Garage Earith

Albert Maile’s Garage Earith, Albert nicknamed ‘Tutsy’ lived at the house now known as the ‘River View’ pub. He’s standing by an old Grantchester car…
[15] Evocative walk, Bridge End and Earith High Street

The cows used to walk through Earith High Street, here to the Washes. These good ladies complained bitterly about the mess on their doorsteps. Mrs. Harradine used to ride a tricycle and she would hold on to a cow’s tail to be pulled along. Pledgers and Darbys cowherds as well as our own all used this road…
[16] Evocative Earith walk; graves and rolling in the aisle

On my evocative Earith walk I remember Derek Broughton’s 8 year old brother got knocked over by the only car in the village, broke his leg and went to hospital and then died with Meningitis whilst still in there. I can remember standing on George’s corner and Lew provided his lorry. It was covered in wreaths — the first time we had had a big Funeral, you know, coz he wasn’t very old, was he?…
[17] Earith British School 1930’s

I started in the Infants Class at Earith British School, known as Standard 1, and my teacher was Miss Chapman and she lived with her parents and sisters in the Railway Gatehouse near the sluice, at the Hermitage, Earith. We used an Abacus to learn to count and also learnt how to lace up our own shoes and boots properly!…
[18] Evocative walk; Earith skating to other places

Earith skating: Her father said; “Come on, get your skates on we will skate over to see Uncle so and so at Houghton (skating all the way on the river). The river was frozen and they could do in those days. So they skated all the way from here (Earith) and got to St Ives and up to Houghton Mill…