Potton History Society

Our Featured Archive is on the subject of an old book called 'Provincialisms Of Bedfordshire' by J.W. Burgon from 1868. He was at the time in Oriel College, Oxford.

The book itself is in a terrible condition but, as it has been scanned to our digital archive which will ensure that a best possible copy will be maintained for future generations. The book is a fascinating alphabetical snapshot of many lost sayings but it is surpising how many are still in use.

Slide one is the frontis piece, slide two is the letters B and C and slide three is the letter C.

Please click on the image to the right to see the full document.

To the right you can see a page from the Census Returns for neighbouring village Dunton in 1911.

Each page states that the Census was in the Civil Parish of Dunton, The Rural District of Biggleswade and the Parliamentary Boroughof North Bedfordshire,

Within its first three pages we see the name of Mr Carter. The Carters were the main landholding family of Dunton. Newton Bury is long gone and was once a seperate hamlet.

Click the image to download this file.

June's selection this week from our archives is a story from the 'Bedfordshire and Luton Topic'.

The article was published in January 1967. It contains adverts from Potton shops and businesses (namely:- Tysoes, the Potton Timber Company, J Jackson's Butcher's shop and Alan Norman's Garage.

The picture to the right is the first page of the article.

Click on the image to the right to see these documents.

This month's featured Photo Archive (PA12) is taken from our Commercial (Agriculture) files.

Slide One shows harvest time at Tithe Farm (George Bartle, J & H Kidd and Ada Bartle). Slide Two shows harvest time at Wrestlington Road (Albert Dean & Ted Gravestock). Slide Three shows farming photos circa 1915. The picture to the right is of George Bartle.

Click on the right image to download as a pdf file.

Previous Photographic Archives

Farming And Market Gardening In Potton - June 27th.

As a curtain raiser to our trip to the Rural Museum, we look at the history of farming in our Parish.

For those of you still keen to come on the trip please contact the Society. Please be aware that tickets are on a first come, first served basis.

The photo to the right showsKing George planting a tree in Potton.

The talk will take place as usual at 8pm in the Community Centre, Brook End. Admission £2.00 Non-members. Members free.

Why not join one of Bedfordshire's most active Local History Societies?

Membership available now.

Please see the 36th Programme for a full guide to our talks in 2012.

Please click on the image to download the latest newsletter as a pdf file to catch up on news and many interesting articles.

Newsletter 52 contains articles about Two PHS Community Heritage Projects, Bus Rides Of Yesteryear No 1, A Newspaper Delivery Boy Remembers, The Great Storm Of Potton In 1697, The Continuing Story Of Potton Flower Show, Bus Rides Of Yester year No 2, Letter To The Editor, A Brief History Of Theobalds, An Email From Clive Makin and Dig And Sow May 2012.

Following on from the Society's talk on last year's Dig and Sow project which mobilised a huge section of Potton to the dig we finally present the full report.

As you know the whole project was a part of the Cultural Olympiad. Praise must be given to Mike Horgan who won us the funding and did much of the preliminary work.

The project was co-ordinated by Cambridge University's Archaeological Department and, for the first time, here is the full report for the day.

Just download the parts below and assemble them after printing off. The last file is a selection of the day's official pictorial collection.

If any of you would like a complete set of full size photos please contact the Society.

Part 1 - Test Pit Locations

Part 2 - Pottery Distribution Maps

Part 3 - Full Pottery Report

Part 4 - Fauna Remains Report

Part 5 - Potton Depth Natural List

Part 6 - Potton Finds List

Part 7 - Flint Report

Part 8 - Archaeological Time Line

Part 9 - Official Photos Of The Day (selection)

To visit the Dig & Sow official web site please click here.