9 minute read
Memories of Needham
Local historian, Dennis Cross from Diss, shares with us his fascinating collection of old postcards, focusing on a different village in every issue. This time, we take a walk down memory lane in Needham.
This 1943 postcard shows Needham, looking towards Harleston. The population at this time was 276. At the time of this 1904 postcard, there were many thatched houses in Needham, and horse and cart was the transport of the day. New houses have now been built each side of the road, and the village was bypassed over 30 years ago, returning Needham to a peaceful setting.
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Looking toward Brockdish, villagers pose for the camera in this 1910 postcard. The Red Lion pub can be seen on the far left.
Needham church alongside the school, which was built in 1873 and enlarged in 1898. Mrs Knights was the headmistress at the time of this 1910 postcard. The school closed in 1959 and converted into a village hall. St Peter’s church has a round tower in the Norman style and contains three bells.
This 1920 postcard shows Needham Mill, which – in the early years – was called ‘Sparrow’s Mill’. The mill was used until 1934, and the machinery removed in 1940 for the war effort. A 1915 rural scene around Needham, taken by local photographer Mr Cann.
Needham Street in 1912 shows the Red Lion pub on the right, where the landlord was Charles Colton, and the Fishmonger’s Arms pub on the left. The Red Lion is still open.
The Norfolk Postcard Club meets regularly in Trowse in Norwich and new members are very welcome. Meetings have currently been suspended.
Dennis is also the author of several local history books that can be purchased by contacting him direct.
If readers have any local postcards of Diss or the surrounding villages, please get in touch with him after 7pm on 01379 651897. ©
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THE ECO AGENDA
Caroline Topping looks at some of the ‘SMART’ ways we can mitigate our impact on the climate
The climate is changing, so anything we can do to reduce our impact on it has got to be a good thing. But it’s hard to set ourselves goals and achieve them if we take on too many at once – and if the people we live with don’t embrace what we are trying to accomplish.
But those goals are a lot more achievable if we think ‘SMART’, and make each one Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. Each little pledge you make collectively will make a positive difference, you will be able to see what you are achieving, and over time you can hopefully bring the rest of your household along with you. I started my eco journey by creating ecobricks; items of packaging the local council doesn’t recycle, cut into pieces and trapped inside the ‘brick’. Then I decided to TerraCycle hard to recycle packaging. I now make a conscious effort to buy in independent shops, taking my bags for life and pre-used stretchy plastic bread bags. Saying ‘No to Fast Fashion’ wasn’t so bad. I had a wardrobe full of clothes, some actually dating back to the 80s, that I still wore, but I didn’t need any more clothes. Mixing them up with different scarves, necklaces, cardigans make them feel like different outfits. I now put all my coat hangers facing one direction and then once I have worn an item, rehang it, and turn the coat hanger the other way to see what I am and am not wearing. A decision can then be made to restyle, sell or recycle.
Also, trust in the ‘sniff test’. Every time you wash your clothes they shed microfibres which pollute our oceans. Small stains can be removed by hand and jeans don’t need washing after every wear. Wool is naturally odour resistant and won’t need washing that often. If you wear something and it smells OK, instead of washing it hang it up to air. When you do wash smelly or dirty items, check the weather forecast for a dry day so you can hang it outside. Tumble dryers use a huge amount of electricity.
Lots of people try different things during the year like ‘Dry January’, or ‘Movember’. I’m going vegetarian for a month, not leaping straight into vegan, as I won’t be able to do it. The idea is to help the planet, not set yourself up to fail and be miserable. I will plan ahead, pick a month, and commit to some meat-free menus. If we slip up, we have to forgive ourselves and try again. Just cutting down on meat consumption helps our carbon footprint. I love a glass of flavoured gin and lemonade, but went ‘Dry for January’. I am still dry at the middle of February, so meat free for a month should be a doddle, shouldn’t it?
If you are interested in looking at your personal environmental footprint, try this calculator at www.footprint.wwf.org.uk
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The Germination game
Not confident about growing plants from seed? Don’t panic… these top tips will help you achieve success with your seedlings
Don’t over water
This can be so tempting when you first grow from seed. Make sure the soil is damp, but not soaking wet, because leaving seedlings drenched in water will not help them thrive and could kill them off. Water every 3-5 days, depending on where you live, the temperature and the time of year. It’s often better to water seedlings from the bottom by placing them in a tray of water, but don’t leave them to sit in it.
Lots of light
Your seedlings need plenty of light, especially those grown early in the season such as sweet peas and cosmos. Without enough light they will turn ‘leggy’, which means they grow really quickly towards the light because they’re not getting enough. This will create slightly less healthy plants than those which get enough light.
Pinching
This is not a universal rule, but some plants do well from being ‘pinched’. This is where you pinch off the top leaves just above a set of leaves to prevent the plant growing taller, instead creating branching for bushier plants with more flowers. Use your fingertips or a clean, small pair of sharp scissors or pruners to snip off the top of the seedling stem, just above the point where a leaf or set of leaves connect to it. Don’t pinch right at the point where the leaves connect, or you may remove the bud that will become a new branch. Pinching will activate little buds which will create new stems. The auxin hormones will redirect to these new stems, bringing on new growth. Seedlings that thrive from pinching include cosmos, sweet peas and dahlias.
Air circulation
If you’re new to gardening, you might think that sowing as many seeds as possible is a good idea, just in case some don’t grow. But it’s best to sow seeds thinly, giving them plenty of space to grow, enough nutrients, light, and air circulation. A lack of airflow creates several problems such as wet or damp foliage, spores settling on leaves and unnaturally stiff stems on seedlings. If you’re keeping your seedlings in a greenhouse, open the doors during the day occasionally to allow plenty of air to circulate, particularly on hot days.
Thin them out
Plants don’t like to be crowded, and it’s the same with seedlings, which need all the sun and nutrients that they can get. It’s often better to have fewer stronger plants than a lot of weaker, less healthy ones.
Handle with care
If you need to move your seedlings, be very careful with the roots. Never pull the seedlings up from trays by the stem, always use a leaf. This will prevent the stem from snapping.
Many thanks to Elizabeth Fox from @therosepressgarden
