Lakenheath in 1965

The population was approximately 1980. (In 1996 c.5500.)

The Police Constable, Mr.Rogers, retired in June. Lakenheath then had no full-time policeman - coming under Brandon.

The Road Sweeper, Mr.Cash, had a new barrow.

A new reservoir for water was opened on Maids Cross Hill. The water tower on Wingfield Road was dismantled. Before this many houses in the vicinity were almost without water for much of the summer as pressure was so low.

Many cottages in the village were still without an indoors supply of water and had to rely on a tap in the yard.

In May 1965 connection of houses in Lakenheath to the new mains sewage system was completed. Work on the system had started in September 1963. Pumping stations were erected to the rear of Nos.164-70 High Street and at Quayside and the sewage works were erected in the Fen.

Dr.Garlick held his surgery at Chalk Farm. Miss Pollard was the District Nurse and lived in the 'Nurse's Cottage' off Wings Road. Mr.Challacombe, a dentist, visited the village fortnightly - holding his surgery in a small house on Mill Road. Here too, on alternate fortnights, a visiting optician attended.

Bliss Estate built a bungalow on Broom Road for Mr.R.Crofts, Under-Manager. The Manager, Mr.Duncan, lived in one built in the 'Woodlands'.

There were three builders operating in the village: Diver & Son, J.H.Bennett and Gathercole & Sergeant.

There were many smallholdings producing vegetables and fruit - which was packed and sent off to various markets. Beef cattle were raised and battery fowls kept. A considerable quantity of flowers was grown. These were boxed and collected by Taylor Balls of West Row and taken by road to Covent Garden. Some went by rail to the Midlands and Scotland.

A Turkey Farm on Sandy Drove raised about 5000 birds each year. It was managed by Mr.Hutcheon.

A knife grinder, Mr.Morley, still came around with his barrow eqipped with a treadle operated grinding wheel.

The village's last blacksmith's shop closed with the death of Mr.Fred Smith, aged 75. It stood in Back Street, behind the 'Plough'.

A new road, ('Highfields',) linking Cemetery Road and Broom Road was constructed - openeing the way for J.H.Bennett to build the 'Highfields Estate' between that road and 'Roughlands' form 1967 onwards.

The WW.II Women's Land Army Hostel, (which had been rented to homeless families,) was demolished to make way for the construction of new sheltered homes for the elderly.

All houses were required to have bathrooms and flush toilets and to be connected to the mains sewage system and grants were available to householders to enable this to be accomplished.

Many old flint and clunch cottages were demolished at this time to be replaced by new brick houses or bungalows.

Palmer Drive was named in 1965 - after Fred Palmer, aged 96 years - then Lakenheath's oldest inhabitant. Mrs.Drew was the oldest shopkeeper.

Mr.H.Smith, a local farmer, resided at Lakenheath Hall.

The Lloyds Bank Lakenheath branch operated on certain days each week from a room in 'Post Office House'. mr.Mallett was Sub-Postmaster.

Shops in the village in 1965 included

Mrs.Neilson - general stores 
Mace's Store - grocery 
J.W.Flack - hardware 
T.Rolph - electrical 
Miss Palmer - dressmaking Co-op - with grocery, greengrocery, butchery and drapery departments. 
H.J.Callis & Son - butchers 
Peter Vine - butchers H.Flatt - cycles, toys 
M.Gathercole - grocery, greengrocery 
Mr.Taylor - pharmacist ('Goward House') 
Mrs.Drew - sweets, tobacco Hunters Store - grocery, greengrocery, bakery
Johanne Rutterford - general store 
Reginald Moss - barber 
'David's' - drapery 
F.G.Coleman - general store (Ersiwell Rd.) 
Fish Shop

There were two garages - 'Lakenheath Garage' (Pooley & Rackham) and 'Central Garage' (Whiteheads) and H.Flatt also had a filling station.

There were also two dairies - Cook's Dairy (G.Cook) and High Street Dairy (Mr.A.Wortley).

Mr.Manders was appointed Headmaster of Lakenheath School.

The Youth Club hut was in Station Road but plans were passed for a new one to be erected in the Playing Field.

Peter Vine's butchers shop moved from the premises which had been a butcher's for 100 years to its present site.

Hunters Store introduced 'self-service' - the first store in Lakenheath to do so.

Hammonds old bakery closed on the death of Mrs.Hammond, aged 95 years.

A room in the chemists at 'Goward House' was used once a week by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. 

Acknowledgement: Most of the information quoted above has been taken from a scrapbook for 1965 produced by the Lakenheath Women's Institute and now deposited in the Suffolk record Office, Bury St.Edmunds. 

© R.A.Silverlock. Nov. 1996.