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Chapter 20Leisure, Recreation and Village Organisations:Snapshots through historyMost of the organisations and institutionspresent in the villages today have theirorigins in the 19th century. A microcosm ofBritish social history over the last 200years, it is possible to trace the developmentof these pastimes and preoccupations in arural context from sports, charity, friendlysocieties and entertainment.

Many of these organisations sprang up as aresult of the industrialisation andmechanisation of agriculture that developedin the late 18th century onwards. As lifebecame more organised on a national level,so Castor and Ailsworth formed football,cricket and tennis clubs, brass bands,friendly societies and self help groups.Some of these were a natural progressionfrom pre-existing organisations, others werecompletely new. Some, like the Foresters,the Excelsior Brass Band and the FireBrigade are now defunct. Others, such as the football and cricketclubs, the WI, and the Mothers’ Union have gone from strengthto strength. What follows is a brief history of villageorganisations and institutions.

Women’s InstituteThe first Women’s Institute was founded at Stoney Creek,Ontario in 1897 by Adelaide Hoodless and Erland Lee. Followingthe outbreak of the First World War in 1914, a conference wascalled in London by the Agricultural and Horticultural Union todiscuss the need for co-operation between industry andagriculture. As a result, the first WI meeting in the UK was heldon 16 June 1915, in Llanfairpwll Wales [1].

The Castor and Ailesworth WI held its first meeting in 1931. Itwas organised by the Hon Mrs Georgina Pelham of the ‘Cedars’.She was elected President with Mrs Annie Cooke as herSecretary. Until her retirement, Mrs Cooke had beenHeadmistress of Castor Infants’ School and village correspondentfor three local papers. They remained in office together until1947, during which time they established the organisation andlaid down the rules and regulations for the future. Since thenthere have been 13 presidents each giving their all to ensure thecontinuity of the group still enjoyed today. These have includedChris Sharpe who was President in 1952, Mrs E Taylor in 1977,and Lorna Gamlyn in 2003. The current President is Mrs WendyEagle. Living in South Bretton, she is the first non-resident to bePresident.

Fig 20a. WI Drama Group circa 1955 (l-r): Mary Coulson, Alice Smith, LilyThompson, Hazel Marsh, Jeanette Yates, Stella Mossendew, Florence Jackson.

Fig 20b. WI Castor and Ailsworth Village Sign – 50thAnniversary 1981.

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As an organisation, members have taken an active part inevery kind of community event within the village such assupporting fund raising efforts for church and chapel, andassisting the Parish Council with many projects includingkeeping footpaths open by walking them weekly andorganising rubbish collections.

Concerts and comedy plays by the Drama Group wereperformed for over 40 years, until it disbanded in the 1990s.In 1934 the Castor and Ailesworth WI achieved 78% in theNorthamptonshire Federation of Women’s Institutes AreaDrama Festival, and was awarded a third class certificate. In1953 a new group won first place in the Novice Class of thesame event and tied for third place in the Open Class. Thefollowing year it took first place in the Open Class.Subsequently the drama group was second in 1957 and againin 1963. It set a record in 2001 when Castor and Ailesworthwon the County Trophy for the fourth time.

The WI has made many gifts to the villages over the years.There are wrought iron pedestals in church and chapel, and ithas planted trees on the village greens. It has suppliedcrockery for the village hall and a story sack for thePlaygroup. To commemorate the WI’s Golden Jubilee,Castor and Ailesworth raised £400 to provide a carvedvillage sign and for the Diamond Jubilee members designedand made a collage wall hanging of a pictorial map of thetwo villages. It is on display in the church throughout thesummer and in the Ailesworth Chapel Schoolroom during thewinter. To mark the Millennium, a processional banner wasmade in cream and gold material, embroidered with goldthread. It hangs in St Kyneburgha’s Church. The WI hasbeen finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacant committeeplaces, and membership ebbs and flows. But those whoremain members have formed a strong loyalty to theorganisation and continue to value craft meetings, socialevents and fellowship.

Football ClubAssociation football in its present form began in 1848 andthe English Football League kicked off in 1888. Largely thepreserve of the public schools and their alumni, the gamestarted to take off following the introduction of the Saturdayhalf-holiday following legislation passed in 1874 which

completed the process of Saturday reduction begun in 1847. The resulting increase in leisure time combined with anincrease in real wages meant that by the 1890s football had developed into a popular sporting culture [2]. Castor andAilsworth FC has been in existence since at least 1894. A team photograph from that year shows members of the teamincluding J Winsworth, J Sismey, W Coulson, H Coulson, E Griffin and J Mossendew. A later picture of the teamtaken around 1900 includes names such as W Bell, J Gibbons, L Longfoot, W Popple, AP Cooke and H Pell.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the club enjoyed continuity, running both junior and senior sides. Players from thejuniors often graduated to play for the seniors. The junior side of 1925/26 included Bob Poll, Joe Hench, E Wyldbore,and Jack Coulson, who later turned out for the senior team in the 1930s.

Bob Doubleday was the Captain and Secretary of the Castor Saturday side in 1967-1968 season [3]. The club also ranan under 18 side established by Roger Parker. Fund raising at the club included whist drives held at the Village Hall. Atthe same time fund raising for the Sunday League side was organised by L Pell and J Wood. In the ‘67 - ‘68 season

Fig 20c. Village Banner – 60th Anniversary 1991.

Fig 2d. WI Millennium Banner (l-r): Doris Barley, LornaGamlyn, Margaret Sharpe.

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Castor lost two of its players to rivals. PeterSmith went to Kings Cliffe, and Alan Whitewent to play for Yaxley British Legion.

In 1977, the club put out two sides one in theMid-Anglia Sunday Morning League Division1, [4] the other in the Peterborough and DistrictSunday League Division 2 [5]. The club wasrun by G Foster (Chairman), G Boyall (ViceChairman), and C Bass (Secretary/Treasurer).

Garth Foster started the team with Roy Harkerbecause the then existing team comprised non-village players from the PeterboroughDevelopment Corporation – which had a treenursery on land on Splash Lane employing alarge number of people, many of whom did notlive in the villages. This PDC arrangement keptyoung village players out of the team and theytook little interest in the club. According tocontemporary player, Mark Smith, Garth wassurprised when mostly young players turned upfor the first game: Roy Harker said ‘there areplenty of young old boys in the village whowant to play football but can’t get a game inthe village side.’ Garth was fromNottinghamshire, where a young ‘old boy’meant a fit old man and was confused by youngand old being used in the same sentence todescribe the village lads.

The core of the team included Mark Smith,Garth Foster, Roger Brisbourne, PaulWinsworth, Kevin Conkey, Simon Clark andJohnny Neal and was run strictly forvillage/parish players. According to MarkSmith the Sunday morning team was notparticularly good, playing by the motto: ‘If youcan’t get the ball, get the player.’ This‘physicality’ would often lead to altercationswith the opposition including a stand up‘punch-up’ with Belmore FC in which DavidWhitby suffered a broken jaw.

The club folded for a while after Garth Fosterleft the village to take on a pub in Islington. Itwas resurrected in the 1980s and was runmainly by Simon Clark and later by MichaelSavage, Nigel Hill, David Hill, Phil Moore andSteve Henson. Lack of support and decentplaying and changing facilities meant a difficulttime for the club and it was wound up againuntil the mid-1990s. The current set up wasreformed in August 1996.

Between the ‘96 - ‘97 and ‘99-2000 seasons thePeterborough Sunday Afternoon League sideplayed at Station Road, Ailsworth but moved

Fig 20f. CAFC in 1934. Back row (l-r): B Poll, F. Sismey, T Hornsby, E Hammond, J Coulson, T Sismey, S Coles. Front row (l-r): E Wyldbore,

L Goode, J Hinch, T Hancock, F Bossom.

Fig 20e. Castor and Ailesworth Football Team in 1894. Pictured are W Cooke, W Fox, J Winsworth, A Cooke, Revd Collins, C Chapman,

J Sismey, W Coulson, W Kingston, J Mossendew, E Griffin (with ball), H Coulson and T Oliver.

Fig 20g. CAFC 1978/1979 pictured at the Station Road recreation ground;Back row (l-r): Mark Smith (on a 28 day suspension for fighting), KevinConkey, Russell Tooley, Garth Foster, Unknown, Robert Whitby, NigelDytham, Greg Boyall. Front row; T Cunnington, Chris Beecher, Simon

Clark, Gladdy Craythorne, Cliff Bass.

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from there to Woodlands the followingseason. Its best league position was fifthin Division 1 in 1999-2000. The teamalso won the Palazzo Cup in 2002-2003season. In August 2000 CAFC enteredthe Peterborough Saturday LeagueDivision 6 but had to move to a base atRingwood in Bretton because the StationRoad facility was not good enough. Theteam has consistently performed in theSaturday league rising to first place inDivision 4 in 2002-03, and finishing asrunners up in the PFA Cup in its firsttwo seasons in the league.

Until 2001-2002 the village teams werelimited to three non-village players ineach. Now there is no restriction on thenumber of non-village players but thereare still five or six players from thevillage and the surrounding parishes.

Cricket ClubCricket was popularised by the Victorians and there has been a cricket team in the village since 1869. In 1935 thePresident of Castor Cricket Club was Major C Pelham, team Captain was J Coulson and Club Secretary was F E Griffin.

Later, in the season 1953/54 the cricket team was runner up in the Stamford Shield played at Burghley Park. BertWoodward, W Sylvester, Alex Jakes, Ralph Jackson, Joe Woodward, Brian Sharpe, Gordon Glover, Herbert Jackson,Claude Sharpe, Jack Kingston and Alan Jakes were in the team.

The existing pavilion at the Cricket Club was completed in 1967. At the 1968 AGM held at the Fitzwilliam Arms itwas reported that it was built from club funds at a cost of £250 by Neaversons of Peakirk, with no need for a grant. Inthe late ‘50s and early 1960s the club house was an old Nissen Hut with no door. Club funds stood at £61 2s 6d. Theseason had been a success and saw them win the Stamford Shield. Jack Barlow was the club’s highest runs scorer andCliff Goode was the best bowler with a total wickets haul of 47 for the season. There were 28 members present

including Rev TP Adler (President),Mr L Pell (Chairman), Mr A Jakes(Secretary), and Mr R Coulson(Treasurer). All these were involvedwith the club over many seasons.

In 1977 the club officials were FCWinfrey (President), LC Pell(Chairman), and AN Jakes(Secretary). The ’77 season had beena successful season for the club withthe team winning the StamfordShield, the Stamford Spastics Cup,the Peterborough League JubileeShield, and finishing as runners-upin the League.

Castor Cricket Club has enjoyedcelebrity visits in the course of itshistory. England and Sussex Captain,Arthur E R Gilligan, visited in 1934in the company of the then famous

Fig 20h. CAFC 1998/1999 Harris Cup Runners up; Back row (l-r): Phil Moore,Matt Wordsall, Richard Craythorne, Stefan Coenan, Paul Gough, Ian Cooper,

Kevin Henson, Graham Snart, Kevin Conkey. Front row (l-r): Paul Smith, JasonMagan, Darren Burton, David Hill, Steve Henson, Dave Foster, Jason Reeves.

Fig 20i. Castor and Ailsworth Cricket Club circa 1953/54, runners up in the StamfordShield played at Burghley Park, Stamford. Back row (l-r): Bert Ward, W Sylvester, AlexJakes, Ralph Jackson, Joe Woodward, Brian Sharpe. Front row (l-r): Albert Berridge,

Gordon Glover, Herbert Jackson, Claude Sharpe, Jack Kingston, Alan Jakes. Thenames of the umpires are unknown. There is a match played between the Royal Oak

and The Prince of Wales Feathers in memory of Brian Sharpe, played in a spirit of funwith teams regularly numbering up to 20 a-side.

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cartoonist F H Cumberworth, to feature that day’s match for the News Chronicle. In the late ‘80s the club entertainedthe then recently formed First Class Durham County Cricket Club which included such luminaries as former Englandall-Rounder Ian Botham, Dean Jones (Australian Test Star) and Wayne Larkins (ex-Northants and England). JohnMoulds hit a fifty for the cricket club. In 1989 Castor won the South Lincs First Division without losing a match. Theside included star batsmen Dave Rager and Bruce Pell, who is Vice Chairman and has scored the most runs for theclub.

Castor has a tradition of producing good left-arm bowlers including the late Alex Jakes (1950’s), Terry Moon (1970sand 1980s) and John Mann (1980s and 1990s). All three performed with distinction for the club. John Mann even hadtrials for Gloucestershire.

Castor has always had a policy of playing both local villagers and players from outside the village. There are at leastthirty plus villagers currently actively supporting the club either by helping the social committee or by playing for anyone of the teams. In the ‘50s and ‘60s the club was able to field a team full of local villagers but always struggled atharvest time.

The most successful season in the Clubs History was in the year 2000 when the 1st XI won The Jaidka Cup, RutlandDivision One, and the John Wilcox Cup. The 2nd XI won the Rutland League Reserve Division One.

In 2001 the 1st XI were within one wicket of winning the Cambs & Hunts Premier League having seven overs at theoppositions last pair before ending up runners-up that year. In 2001 the 1st XI also won the John Wilcox Cup again,and the 2nd team won the Rutland League Reserve Division One (which they have now won four years in succession).

The club bar is currently run by Colin and Val Roberts. Since the 1980’s there has been a succession of volunteergroundsmen including; Colin Longfoot, the late Dave Mitchell, John Jarvis and Bryan Dellar. The current clubPresident is Jim Wood who took over from Charles Winfrey in the mid 1980s.

Other GamesDuring the 19th century other traditionalrural games became more organised.Ailsworth put a regular team in a localQuoits league. Two matches with scoreswere reported in the PeterboroughAdvertiser of August 28, 1880. It is notrecorded where the games were played butAilsworth won both convincingly. Playedin two innings between teams of 10, thetotal score against Wansford was 203 to130, and against Stamford 218 to 152. Theteam included the likes of local butcherand landlord of the Wheatsheaf JamesWarr, and farmer Joseph Popple. Castoralso had a quoits team that played from itsbase in the George and Dragon pub.

Brownies/Cubs/GuidesIn 1935 the Guides had around thirtymembers organised in four troops – RedRose, Forget-me-nots, Nightingales andRobins. The Captain was Miss Joan Strongof Stamford. Apart from working forvarious badges, the group was mainlyinvolved in producing Christmas hampersfor poor East End families shortlisted byvoluntary social workers. Hampersincluded food as well as items of clothinghandmade by each Guide.

Fig 20j. 1st Castor and Sutton Girl Guides c 1936: Country dancing team atChurch Fete. Back (l-r): Delsia Burton, Mary Cooke, unknown, Rose Taylor,

Irene Baker, unknown, Margery Barton; Front: Peggy Garfield, Winnie Ward,Betty Catmull, unknown, unknown, unknown.

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Following that there had been a change because, according to Mrs E Wing, the 1st Castor Guides were registered as acompany in April 1959[6]. Prior to that, the company had been run jointly with Glinton and Longthorpe. The Guidescelebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1960. To mark the occasion, the Castor Guides presented a water tap for the churchyard.

In the Silver Jubilee year of 1977 the Brownies were run by Mrs C Berridge (Brownie Guider), and Mrs C Boyall(Assistant Brownie Guider). The Guides were overseen by Mrs E Wing (Guider).

In 1935 Frank Sismey was Scoutmaster [7]. He was also Captain of the Bell Ringers for many years. More recently, inthe late 1980s, the cubs were run by PeterHuckle.

Tennis ClubThere has been a Tennis Club in thevillages for many years, at least since the1920s. It has often had a few problemsattracting members. In 1968 the clubabolished the visitors’ fees in a bid toattract new members.

In 1977 Colin Humphreys (President) andColin Brown (Treasurer) ran the TennisClub. The club was thriving throughoutthe 70s. In 1969/70 it had around 21members who played on two grass courtsnow located just off Holmes Close inAilsworth. Members at that time includedKevin Conkey, David Banks, SimonClark, Paul Winsworth, Julie Winsworth,

Fig 20k. Castor and Ailsworth Brownies and Guides c1956.

Fig 20l. Tennis on the court behind the Fitzwilliam Arms Pub around 1930. FrankSismey is on the right of the picture. The white cottage is now York Cottage. The

tennis court no longer exists.

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Margeret Hill and Helen Clark.

The Tennis club was not always located on the Holme Close site. In the 1920s there was a court behind the FitzwilliamArms pub.

Castor Bell-ringersThe bells of St. Kyneburgha’s Church, Castor were cast in 1700. As well as ringing for regular services the bells wereused to mark times of historicalimportance. An entry in John Halesdiary marked the funeral of the Dukeof Wellington on November 18,1852:

‘The Duke of Wellington was buriedin St Paul’s Cathedral. It was apublic funeral. All members of boththe Houses, barons and judges andlaw officers, as well as soldiers fromevery regiment, attended, besides thedifferent Companies and Orders ofGarters etc….A minute bell wastolled at Castor from 7 in themorning until 4pm.’

Rules and regulations of the CastorRingers dated 4th March 1879 andsigned by Rev John J Beresford [8],father of the novelist J G Beresford,were stringent. Any ringer bringing

Fig 20m. Castor and Ailsworth Tennis Club 1969/70. Pictured are back row (l-r): Kevin Conkey, David Banks, John Neal, MsTurner, Ged O’Callaghan, Julie Winsworth, Gareth Thomas, Colin Humphries, John Conkey, Bev Agness, Colin Brown, Lindsay

Agness, Keith Oliver, Freda Brown, Margeret Hill. Front row (l-r): Ms Thomas, Cathy Neal, Helen Clark, Kate Humphries, TessaThomas, Simon Clark, Paul Winsworth.

Fig 20n. Bell-ringers: Centre back: Frank Sismey, Jack Coulson; next row: MichaelLongfoot, Rev T Adler, George Sumner; Walter Longfoot; middle row: Len Sharpe, Bert

Ball, Brian Sharpe, J Plumber, unknown,unknown, Front: Win Sumner, W Vann,Margaret Bell (Sharpe), George Hankins, Sheila Ball (Roffe), J Mountfield.

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ale or causing ale to be brought to thetower would be fined 1s per offence.Swearing and the use of improperlanguage also attracted fines, as didlateness and unexcused absence. Ringingwas a male preserve until the 1914-1918war when women were admitted to belltowers as ringers for the first time.However, the Tower Captains have beenpredominantly men. Tower Captain in1952 was Mr Longfoot, who wassucceeded in 1953 by Frank Sismey whoremained Captain until the early 1980s.

Under the leadership of the TowerCaptain Tony Evans in 1999, two morebells were cast, baptised at the PatronalMass in honour of St Kyneburgha and StKyneswitha and then dedicated after being

hung, at a special solemn Evensong by the Archdeacon BernardFernyhough.

Since 1700 the bells have been rung regularly except in thewinter of 1962 due to deep snow which prevented the ringersgetting to the tower. The bells were also quiet between the years1926-1947. This was due in part to believed structural weaknessof the tower and the Second World War when the bells couldonly be tolled in the event of invasion.

The bell-ringers include the Hand Bell-ringers, run presently byMaggie Noble. In addition to church services, they play at theRoyal Oak around Christmastide and elsewhere.

The Excelsior Brass BandThe Castor Brass Band, formed in January 1856 under theleadership of Mr J Cooke, remained unchanged until at least1868. It comprised ten self taught tradesmen, all from Castor,who practised one or two hours, three nights a week. The band

Fig 20o. Bell-ringers in tower c1950 from (l-r): Jack Coulson,Len Sharpe, John Plummer, Frank Sismey, Michael Longfoot,

and George Hankins.

Fig 20p. Bell-ringers 2004 (l-r): Delia Caskey, Jonathan Ardron,Edward Baxter, Maggie Noble, Anna Reed, Bev Rigby, Trevor

Vercoe, Ginnie Sheldon; seated; Stuart Weston (ringing master),Steve Reed (tower captain), William Baxter (steeple keeper).

Fig 20q. The new bells being positioned for their Baptism July 1999. (l-r):Edward Baxter, William Baxter, Theo Hensman.

Fig 20r. Hand Bell-ringers at Christmas Party 2003, (l-r)Back: Alison Brown, Jackie Elliott (with blonde wig),

Bev Rigby, Ginnie Sheldon, Sue Sansom; Front: AlisonGibson, Maggie Noble (captain, with ginger wig).

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was engaged to play atvillage events includingthe annual meeting ofthe Ancient Order ofForesters held at theRoyal Oak in July 1858[9]. WT Cooke was thebandmaster in 1897 andcontinued in the postuntil at least 1935. Theband headed eachprocession during thevillage’s celebrations ofQueen Victoria’sDiamond Jubilee, playedselections of musicduring the day, andplayed for dancing in theevening. The cost to thecommittee of hiring theband was £8 10s a portionof which (£1 14s 6d) wasdonated by Cooke himself [10]. As well as his duties as Bandmaster, Cooke was a Castor-based builder andUndertaker.

Cooke also led the band at other Diamond Jubilee celebrations around the area, including the Helpston Feast, alongwith many members of the Ancient Order of Foresters.

The band played a prominent part in the Silver Jubilee celebrations of George V in 1935. It was at the head of aprocession held on Sunday May 12th made up of members of village organisations including Castor & AilesworthComrades, The Mothers’ Union, the WI, the Guides, The Girls’ Friendly Society, The Foresters and the Cricket,Football and Tennis clubs. The procession assembled on the Green and the Castor Reading Room at 10.30am andproceeded to Castor Church where a service of thanksgiving was held. The band also played during the sports that wereheld in the field behind the Village Hall, which belonged to Mrs Darby. The band’s fees were on this occasion £3 [11].

It was not only at Jubilees that the band performed. When the Rev JJ Beresford returned to Castor following hisBrighton wedding in 1865, the Castor Brass Band paraded the village and then played from the battlements of thechurch [12]. Rural entertainments were also to be had.

‘On Thursday week a large number of inhabitants of this village availed themselves of the fineness of the weather tomake a party. They therefore, with members of the Castor brass band, … selected a most pleasant and open spot in themidst of the wood and unloaded from wagons a goodly number of baskets, hampers etc. Cloths were spread out uponthe grass round which the guests assembled and dinner was served in the true gypsy style’ [13].

After the meal the company; ‘headed by the band repaired to an adjoining grass field where dancing and rural sportswere carried on’ [14]. After the party, the band led the people home through the villages playing ‘several lively airs’before the National Anthem.

In the late ‘20s and the 1930s, band members also formed part of the Castor Amateur Minstrel Troupe. It also had aregular engagement playing on the lawn at the rear of the Fitzwilliam Arms pub on Sunday evenings during thesummer. The band also practised in the ‘Tea-room’ there.

The ForestersThe Court Greenwood Foresters, No 1228, were formed in Castor in 1841 as part of the Ancient Order of Foresters,which started in 1834 in Leeds. It was a friendly society whose members assisted each other by paying into a commonfund from which sick pay and funeral grants could be drawn.

Fig 20s. Castor Excelsior Brass Band pictured in its full uniform circa 1900, back row (l-r): E Newborn, unknown, W Newborn sen, W Kingston, unknown, R Taylor. Front row (l-r): J Fox

(with drum), J Mossendew, W Cooke, F Tomlin, A Mossendew, W Bell.

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The structure of the Order consisted of Courts which were responsible for their own funds and for relief of their ownmembers, all decisions being made by democratic vote. The majority of Courts linked themselves into Districts formutual support [15]. The society grew between 1834 and 1912, but following the beginning of the Welfare State in1948 many Courts disbanded including Castor’s.

Castor’s Greenwood Foresters met quarterly at the Royal Oak where reports of its funds were made. According to theannual report of July 1858, the court had had receipts of £114 7s 11d and expenditure of £53 11s 4d, leaving a balanceof £60 16s 7d. At that time there were 119 members out of a population of just over 700 [16]. In its first 17 years thecourt had received a total of £1324 13s 9d, paid out £900 8s 5d and kept a balance of £424 5s 4d. In December 1862 ithad saved £30 during the quarter and £52 during the half year [17].

Other benevolent societies included the Band of Hope and the Coal Club/Medical Club, which provided mutual supportto their members in a similar way to the AOF.

The Fire BrigadeThere was a volunteer fire brigade based in a small station close to Castor village Green. It was in existence from atleast 1912 until the early 1960s. The brigade’s first documented action was at a fire which destroyed three cottages onStocks Hill in October 1912, which was reported in the Peterborough and Hunts Advertiser.

The fire ignited a beam in the chimney of one of the cottages and spread rapidly across the thatched roofs. Mr & MrsParker, Mr & Mrs Bell and family, and Mr & Mrs Tomlin occupied the houses. Mr Bell was a member of the firebrigade, and Fire Captain Cooke lived close by and was on the scene quickly, pumping water onto the blaze usingwater from his well via 700ft of hose, and saving the house of the Culpin family. Members of the brigade present at thefire were Capt W Cooke, A Cooke, CW Darby, W Bell, J Mossendew, L Longfoot, R Longfoot, WT Smith, W Gibson,R Taylor, W Fox, and H Sharpe, with ex Captain Harris. Another former fireman and local grocer, Mr Wootton,inaugurated a fund on behalf of the victims of the fire, which at the time of the report had raised over £30.

The Brigade was called into action again 15 years later when a fire broke out in cottages on Church Hill in July 1928.According to a report in the Advertiser the fire was started by sunlight reflecting through the glass of an open casementwindow and igniting the thatch. Two properties belonging to Mr & Mrs S Pendred and Mr & Mrs CP Jolley weredamaged. The Jolley’s daughter was able to rescue some valuable war memorabilia from the blaze. Mrs Fox, who ranthe corner shop, called the brigade, and Captain R Taylor, Lieutenant Bell and Firemen A Jakes and B Venters attendedthe incident.

Fig 20t. Foresters’ Parade passing the Royal Oak during the Castor Club Feast July 1907. Note the banner with the motto ‘Unityis Strength.’

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A pair of horses pulled the oldFire Brigade pump. DuringWWII the fire brigade had theuse of a Coventry Cumminspump, but it was never used anddone away with in the 1950’swhen the fire brigade disbanded.Ironically, the farm buildingnext to the Fire Engine Stationcaught fire a fortnight later. Members of the CastorAuxilliary Fire Service alsoattended the scenes of accidents.Bill Agness of the AFS was atthe scene of a fatal accident thatoccurred on December 26, 1957after an ambulance attending acall out skidded out of controlon Loves Hill and collided withthe stone wall bounding thepaddock behind Dragon House.The incident was reported in thePeterborough Citizen &Advertiser the following day. Thedriver, Sidney McCoombe,escaped uninjured but his mate, Alec Broughton, died of head injuries received when he was thrown from the vehicle.

Mothers’ UnionThe St Kyneburgha’s Churchbranch of the Mothers’ Unionwas established in 1897. In1977, the Mothers’ Union hadas its president Miss R Stokes.She was assisted by Miss GHeighton (Secretary) and MrsE Sismey (Enrolling Member).The organisations motto is‘For home and family.’ It isnow led by Jay Winfrey(President).

The branch celebrated itsCentenary at a special servicein 1997, at which a statue ofOur Lady and Child, whichthey had presented to thechurch, was blessed. This isnow in the Lady Chapel. The Mothers’ Union activelysupports the work of the churchin a whole range of activities.The members make up over

Fig 20u. Castor Fire Brigade during 1939/45. Those identified in the picture are Ernie Bell, Horace Winsworth, Jack Longfoot, Frank

Hammond, Arthur Foster, Charlie Bell and John Sharpe.

Fig 20v. Mothers’ Union members and other helpers preparing banners for Patronal Mass atCastor July 1999. (l-r): Millie Weston, Win Smith, Joyce Clarke (at altar) Vera Pell, Jay

Winfrey, Susan Sykes, Jennifer Sykes, Jackie Cook, Diana Burke. The Sykes family carried theSt Kyneburgha banner that year.

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100 posies every yearfor children to give theirmothers on MotheringSunday. They supportthe work of theChildren’s Society bymaking up over 150Christingles for theannual Christingleservice in December,and they look after theLady Chapel at CastorChurch. The Mothers’Union banner is carriedat all festal services inthe church, and theydecorate the bannerswith posies of flowers,topknots and ribbons forthe annual PatronalFestival in July.

The Evergreen ClubMrs Coulson (Chairman)and Mrs Garlick(Secretary) headed the Evergreens in 1977. Now, Bridget Goode looks after the organisation. The annual membershipsubscription for the twice-monthly meetings was 50p, with a 6p subscription per meeting attended. Members now takepart in social gatherings, bringing small prizes for Bingo, Whist and Raffle, and organised trips to places of interest.

There have been and still are many other clubs and societies in the villages over the years, The Art Group, Judo Club,Tai Kwan Do Club, Gardeners’ Club and so on. There have also been village associations that have united the villagesin joint activities including the Castor and Ailsworth Village Association (CAVA), and CASPRA, which haveorganised Firework displays and the annual Santa Claus parade respectively. These organisations have also beenresponsible for running some very ambitious village events such as the Pageant held in 1974 to celebrate the foundationof St. Kyneburgha’s Church.

John Howard

Notes1. See History of the Women’s Institute by Audrey Constance on www.womens-institute.co.uk2. Dave Russell, Football and the English, A Social History of Association Football in England, 1997, pp13-15.3. Peteborough Standard, 15 September 1967.4. Team: T. Lee, T. Enness, T. Hall, W. Wilson, S. Clark, J. Neal, G. Bircham, R. Whitby, R. Brisbane, K. Conkey, C. Beecher. Sub: P. Winsworth.5. Team: J. Garner, C. Bass, G. Foster, K. Oliver, G. Brown, J. Warters, G. Craythorne, C. Banks, N. Dytham, M. Garner, C. Beeches, G. Boyall. Sub: K.Conkey.6. Mrs E. Wing in The Castor & Ailsworth Book of Jubilee Celebrations, 1977, pp55.7. Castor & Ailsworth Book of Jubilee Celebrations, 1977, pp62.8. Taken from a wooden notice displayed in the tower. 9. Peterborough Advertiser, July 31 1858.10. Final accounts of Castor Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Festivities, June 22nd , 1897.11. Statement of Accounts, Castor Silver Jubilee Celebrations, May 6th 1935.12. Peterborough Advertiser, Sat June 24 1865.13. Peterborough Weekly News and General Advertiser, Sept 27, 1856.14. The Peterborough Weekly News and General Advertiser, Sept 27, 1856.15. Audrey Fisk, The Ancient Order of Foresters: Its Evolution, 2002 (www.foresters.ws)16. The Census of 1851 put the population of Castor at 772.17. Peterborough Advertiser, December 27 1862.

Fig 20w. An Evergreen Club trip to Hunstanton. (l-r): Millie Weston, Margaret Sharpe, GwenBerridge, Winnie Bushell, Kay Llloyd, Mary Lunn, Vi Jarvis, Bridget Goode (president), Richard

Wright (helper), Mary Jones, Charlie Jones; at table: Monica Pollard, Kath Henderson and DavidHenderson (helpers).

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Fig 20x. Two members of the Mothers’ Union being presented with 50 year membership certificates by rev Adrian Davies. (l-r):Mrs E Sismey, Mrs Bracey, Mrs E Goode, Mrs K Bell.

Fig 20y. The Ailsworth & District Ex-Servicemen’sAssociation Banner is received by Rev Adrian Davies for

Laying-up at Castor Church 1976.

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Fig 20z. Members of the Mothers’ Unionpreparing Mothering Sunday posies atJay Winfrey’s house. (clockwise) LornaSheppardson, Monica Pollard, Vera Pell,Joyce Clarke, Millie Weston (standing),Win Smith (standing), Rene Foster, GwenBerridge, Joan Marriott, Grace Gibbs.

Fig 20bb. Evergreen trip to London 2003.

Fig 20aa. Members of the Mothers’Union 1950s.Back (l-r): Rev T Adler, Mrs P Sismey,Mrs J Coulson, Mrs C Taylor, Mrs MCade, Mrs C Bell, Mrs S Mossendew, MrsV Pell, Mrs Ball, Mrs H Coulson, Mrs IVarnham (holding banner), Mrs L Goode,Mrs J Kingston, Mrs H Longfoot, Mrs KLongfoot. Front: Mrs Birch, Mrs B Pell,Mrs K Neal, Mrs G Dudley.