October 2017, from Sarah
I was wondering if you could help me, I am trying to find out the reason for the naming of yellow brick road, I saw on your site said that it was felt that it was due to the yellow sand used on some of the pathways, however recently I have been told that it is due to the yellow bricks produced in Exning and the actually original path extends from Exeter road right though Studlands estate.
I was wondering if you have more information or could guide me in the right direction of how I could find out more about this area.
This query came up previously (Correspondence March 2015) and we cannot add much to what was said then. Burwell Brick Company produced yellowish bricks but the connection with Newmarket seems somewhat vague. In any event the path is tarmac for most of its length.
October 2017
Eric Noble asks if pre-NHS records of admissions and discharges from White Lodge Hospital are still available, his soldier father was a patient there just prior to D-Day.
Sandra Easom has confirmed that they are held at the Bury St Edmunds County Record Office and has given this link to help http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=537&page=41
September 2017
Another correspondent asks if we know of the existence of detailed admission and discharge records for the old Newmarket Workhouse and says he has tried the County Records Office at Bury St Edmunds who advise that such records no longer exist.
We are unable to help but if anyone knows where they might be found we would be interested to know.
August 5th, 2017
John Wake has written in about the old Grosvenor Yard and its residents. Great to see this article on the yard. My dad was born there in 1929. Would be great if the dapper gent in the picture was my grandad, Scot(t) Wake. I have no picture of him. Do you have any other details at all. Dad’s old house is labelled on one of the plans amazing. All the best John Wake
btw we moved back to Newmarket when I was about 4. We lived in the ‘slums’ on Icewell Hill, eventually progressing to King Edward Rd. I ended up at the Grammar School via Laureate c.p. Your site brings back many thoughts as both dad and mum have died. Mum only a few weeks back. A lump in the throat at times.
2 views of the old Grosvenor Yard from the Peter Norman collection
John is referring to our article on the old Grosvenor Yard, you can go to this from Index on the opening page of this website – Rodney (webmaster)
June 2017
Ted Robbens has written in about the famous jockey Sam Chifney (jnr) and has sent a picture of his gravestone in the churchyard at Hove.
“You may already have this information: I just came across a photo of the gravestone for Sam Chifney Jr. in Hove Sussex. The web site that it is on do not have any idea of who he was but they want to retain the copyright of the photo (see attached) so it cannot be published. However, I will try and find the grave in the next few days and take my own photo and send you a copy if you so wish. I live not far from Hove so should be able to visit the church (St Andrew’s). His wife Mary Sarah Perren (daughter of trainer Thomas Perren) is also buried in the same plot.
The story goes that his gravestone only said, “of Newmarket” and that seems to be the case. No mention of his career so I guess that was his wish. The Chifneys were very successful jockeys and were well known racing personalities at Newmarket but were not great observers of the law. Both father and son served time for gambling offences or violence. Much can be read about them on David Rippington’s Newmarket Shops website, which has its own dedicated search facility (webmaster)
March 2017
We have had an enquiry about Chapman’s 1787 Map of Newmarket asking if we are able to confirm that this was the first or definitive map of early Newmarket and if so where the originals are held. Also, if it is still possible to get reprints?
Sandra Easom replies: Newmarket Local History Society has often referred to one of these maps (1787) and a small section of it was published (2000) in our 2 volumes ‘The History of Newmarket and Its Surrounding Areas’. The original maps are very large and show the wider area surrounding the town as well as detailing Newmarket itself.
However, these books were originally issued for local schools, libraries and record offices. They were never put on sale for the general public although a number of people did publish copies from us. There are no spare copies remaining but both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Libraries and the County Records’ Offices do hold publicly accessible copies. Newmarket Local History Society currently does not sell images of any maps we hold, mainly due to possible copyright issues.
Apart from the above-mentioned public sources (although there must be many copies in existence) other holders of Chapman maps, known to us, are The National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art (formerly the National Horseracing Museum) in Newmarket (https://www.palacehousenewmarket.co.uk/palace-house/heritage-centre ), The Jockey Club (Newmarket) and Newmarket Town Council. If you contact them directly, they might be willing to help you.
There is an interesting, illustrated article about Chapman’s maps in the Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society Vol LXXX 1991. You can access this for free via the Archaeology Data Service: http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cambridge_antiq/contents.cfm?vol_id=953
You might be interested to know that we have an older map – John Kirby’s Suffolk 1764 – but this is a Mediaeval “ribbon style” map showing Newmarket and other towns with the roads connecting them. Little detail of Newmarket itself is supplied, as the focus is to show how to get from one town to another. Chapman’s maps are the first modern style maps of Newmarket of which we know and, it seems, the first maps to depict the town as it was then.
David Rippington has also commented: “The oldest map of Newmarket is also by Chapman and it’s nominally dated 1768. The 1787 map is a later revision and there are also a variety of versions / copies of that map with various lettered keys on it showing the occupancy of the stables in the town at that time. A section of Chappman’s Map covering party of the town centre also appears on my Newmarket Shops website, under the Waggon & Horses Inn page.”
February 3rd, 2017
from Jan Marsh :- Can you help me please. I am tracing a family history of Ivy Margaret Enoch b. 1903. In 1903 the family is at Harkness Villa, St Mary, Newmarket and in 1911 they are living at 8 Hillside Terrace, Laceys Lane, Exning, Can you tell me which schools would have been open at that time so that I can go to Record Office to trace any school records that may exist.
The Enoch family was involved in horse racing, but I am difficulty in tracing the family between 1911 and 1936. Thanks for any help you can give me.
The schools would most likely have been St Mary’s Fitzroy Street and the Exning Village Schools, both C of E. The Enoch family of Newmarket were quite prominent in horseracing (as trainers) and a grocery shop in Newmarket High Street in the late 19th and early 20th century (Geoffrey Woollard, Tony Pringle and David Rippington)
January 31st, 2017
from Mike Mingay :- A map of the location of the original swimming pool at Brickfields as used by Newmarket Swim Club has come into my possession please see attached. I wondered if it was of any interest? The old map shows the existence of the pool roughly midway between Exning and Fordham Road.
Tony Pringle writes “Somewhere between Hyperion Way and Heathersett Close, to the east of the “river”. I am sure somewhere there is an aerial photo showing it. My Dad used to refer to it as “The Dip”, as opposed to the ‘modern’ pool at the White Lion.
Photo – Peter Norman (note deluxe changing rooms (L.N.E.R.?) map Mike Mingay
The pool was still in use by the Swimming Club until the outbreak of WW2, overlapping with the new pool at the White Lion in town.
January 6th, 2017
from Shirley Case: – I am wonder if you could help me, I am 65 years of age and was born and have lived in the town all my life.
My grandmother Mrs Francis (Molly) Hubbard lived in a large Victorian house called Zurich Villa. It stood at the end of the small cul-de-sac in Granby Street that runs up toward the railway lines, the house overlooked the signal box and had a bus depot was next door.
The house was demolished around the early 1960s..My grandmother did not own the house she rented and as it had eight bedrooms she took in lodgers when they visited the races, I believe the property belonged to someone rather influential, but I could be wrong. I am sure a man called Les Lake would come to collect the rent.
I have such happy memories of my grandmother and this old house and would love to either find a picture of the house or some history relating to it, I would happily come and visit the History society with more information or to learn how I could achieve my quest.
David Rippington has contributed this information: – In 1936 Zurich Villa and Zurich Cottage were in Dean’s Road, which is that short road that cuts off Granby Street going towards the railway line (next to where Tyre services used to be, Heaton Bros – forage merchants before that). The occupant of Zurich Cottage at that time was Harry Flat.