The Bear Hotel in the 1920's.

The Bear Hotel in the 1920's.

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A lot has been in the press of late about bringing life back into the town. So I dug up this old photo taken most likely by Norman Greville photographer, who had his studio right across the street from the Bear Hotel. The store right next to the hotel in the foreground was James Moore, Men and Boys Outfitters, and the manager I remember well was a Mr. Bennett.



Another William Bailey Photo.

Another William Bailey Photo.

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This is another view of the east end of Cookham high street by William Bailey, taken again in the 1890’s. You will note that at the junction of the High Street and Sutton Road that the Tarrystone is missing. This was during the time when it decorated the Venables garden down Mill Lane. It is now located at the north-east corner of Sutton Road and Odney Lane, which is thought to be very close to the original site of Sarsen stone as a boundary marker.



When the Lady rode a bicycle.

When the Lady rode a bicycle.

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Another William Bailey photograph taken just over 100 years ago in the high street. It was thought that this lady was the Rev. Rogers daughter Kate, but then it was discovered that she would have been much younger than the lady in the photo. For those of you who also follow my Video and Still photography Blog, you will note how far we have travelled in this particular art form in just over 100 years (see http://victoriavideo1.blogspot.com ) I have just purchased a camera so small that it will operate at 60 metres in depth under the water, take videos, as well as time lapse photos. When my father and mother were born, man had not flown, except in a hot air balloon. Now look at what has been achieved.



The Old Quarry Ferry

The Old Quarry Ferry.

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In the first instance this ferry was started using a chain ferry to carry barge horses from one side of the river bank to the other. This was disbanded when tugs became the mode of power for barge traffic. It then became a crossing point for pedestrian traffice to cross. It was disbanded, as were the other village ferries in 1956. The old Quarry Hotel burnt down and is now replaced with The Bounty Pub. If you click on the photo you can see Winter Hill quite clearly in the background.

Haymaking at Sutton.

Haymaking at Sutton.

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This is another photo from the William Bailey collection, with my grandfather George Hatch leaning on the pitchfork with three of his local farm labourers. This photo once again is around the late 1800 to early 1900's long before the Astor family took over this land to add to White Place Farm. The photo below will give you the location of the hayrick:

 

 

The reason this spot was chosen for hay and cornricks was that it is located above what was known flood level, plus the easy access from Sutton Road. After his death in 1915, My grandmother sold Oveys Farm and moved to Wisteria Cottage, and the Astor's took over that acreage except for Widbrook Cottage, which for the longest time the Astor's wanted to aquire. You will also note in the first photo that a haymaking and harvest tradition of having a stone jar of ale was always on hand for the workers. This tradition was still kept up to and during WW2.

 





Village Playmates around 1900.

Village Playmates around 1900.

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In this photo taken around 1900 are the children of two Cookham families that went to school together and lived just across the High Street from one another. Taken at the gate of the Spencer home of Fearnlea. In front at thge left are Stanley and Gilbert Spencer. The girls are Amy, Flo, Sheila and Peggy, with my father George William Gray Hatch leaning against the gate post. The Hatch family all took music lessons from Mr. Spencer, with my aunt Sheila who went on to become a member of Covent Garden Opera. She also changed her name to Nell, I think she at one time aspired to being another Nellie Melba.