What do you know about your ancestors?

By Peter Ibbett

What Do You Know About Your Ancestors?

Potton History Society has many photographs in their files of the folk who once walked the parish streets. Some of them are in the 1912 photograph of the Potton Wesleyan Choir. We know most of their names but very little of their lives.

Back Row:- W Goodship; J. Keeling; Mrs. Cooper; F. Spriggs; Mr. Page; J. Spriggs. Middle Row:- M. Spriggs; -- Lenton; Miss Richardson; Miss Clews; Mrs Spriggs; Mrs Keeling; F. Darlow; F. Goodship; B. Endersby; R. Giddings; H. Carter Front Row:- ---; H. Tysoe; Mrs Whittet; L. Hill; --- Lenton; C. Hill; M. Judge; Miss Gardiner; --- Endersby; J. Clark; T. Judge

The stories of most of these are now lost but there is one source of information that can help bring them back to life. The National Newspaper Archive has over 41 million newspaper pages of national and local life which (for a fee) are easily searched. The Biggleswade Chronicle of 16th December 1932 reported that:- ‘It was fitting that the first part of the service should be held in the Methodist Church where she had worshipped for so long and where she always took an active interest in everything connected with the Church and Sunday School. Mr. J. Keeling (Superintendent) Messrs. C. Spriggs. W. Emery and F. Darlow, teachers in the Sunday School, acted as bearers, for deceased had been teacher and also secretary of the School up to the time of her death. The girls of deceased’s class were all present at the service.’ The Beds Times of 9th December revealed that:- ‘Miss Gardiner, who was seventy-four, came to Potton about thirty five years ago as housekeeper for the late Mr. H. Tysoe. She was a Methodist and took an active interest in the local cause. Besides being a Sunday School teacher, she was secretary and treasurer to the choir. She had held other positions in the church, where her presence will be greatly missed. She had also been member of the Committee of the Nursing Association.’ The North Devon Journal of 29th December informed their readers that Sarah had been ‘a native of Landkey, (near Barnstable). The deceased lady had resided at Potton for a great number of years. She was known by many parishioners of the older generation and was for many years a regular reader of the “North Devon Journal,” and had contributed to its columns.’ (Via poetry written at 18 Market Square). Do look up the Potton History Society web site for more family information. Perhaps you could do your own research and add to our local archive. 12

Would you like to help those in need in your community to have a healthy diet?

The Veg Box Donation Scheme is a Christian charity which collects surplus fresh produce (vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, eggs, honey) donated by allotment and other growers, shoppers, supermarkets, distributors, and schools, and distributes the veg boxes on the same day to those households within the community referred to us as in financial need. Our recipients include older folk on limited pensions, professionals in financial need due to Covid employment cuts and lockdowns, single mums with children on limited salaries, and families needing help for many varied reasons. Each one has a genuine need at this time, especially with the Covid epidemic, and we provide a fresh food supplement to the essential food bank provision.

Can you help? There are many ways that you can assist us to provide a healthy diet to those in need:

 Volunteer to help set up the donation tables, pack the produce and deliver to the recipients. We operate an Equal

Opportunities policy – all are welcome, subject to a DBS check and referrals.  Donate fresh produce in Biggleswade on Fridays from 09:00-12:00, in the parking area, Biggleswade Baptist

Church, 24 London Rd.  Donate fresh produce in Potton on Saturdays from 09:0012:00, in the parking area, Potton Allotments, Everton Rd.  Contact us to collect your donations. Supermarket, school, and fruit/veg distributor donations welcomed.  Donate cash to enable us to purchase produce when the donations are insufficient, particularly at this time of year, or to support the wider organisation.  If you share our Christian ethos, apply to join the volunteer

Management Committee. We are looking for a Secretary, a

Marketing and Communications person, or anyone with other skills which could contribute to our vision to help those in need.

Contact Sharon Mey, vegboxdonations@gmail.com, 07944 730565, www.facebook.com/vegboxdonationscheme

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