Pakenham History : Pakenham-Village of Two Mills - NR Whitwell

My thanks to Mr. Stanley West, of the Suffolk Archaeological Unit, for his assistance and plan of the Roman Fort and for his information concerning the "dig" at Grimstone End in 1954.

Also to the Cambridge University Aerial Unit for copying aerial pictures and allowing publication of the Fort complex.

A good deal of my research took place at the Suffolk Records Office, where I received the utmost consideration and assistance. I was allowed to copy old photographs from Barker's West Suffolk Illustrated, 1907 and to have access to records and Directories.

As churchwarden of my parish church for 21 years, I naturally had access to parish registers, old writings, wills and especially information handed down from former curates and vicars. Similarly, as the Local Councillor and Chairman of the Parish Council for over 20 years to date, I have the old parish books and first hand information on local affairs, being very much involved at all levels of Local Government over a long period of time. Nevertheless, I would like to include all those who have imparted information that I have been able to use.

The figures quoted in the Profile are taken from the ten yearly census, the last being in 1981, also the census of employment of 1978.

I would also like to acknowledge the loan of old photographs obtained from James Peck, Charles Tipple and Harry Bridges.

My especial thanks to H.R.H. The Price of Wales who, on the occasion of being clothed with the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, volunteered at a special audience to explore the Royal Archives to name the members of the shooting party in the picture on page 94.

Publications already in existence include the following:

"Through Dust of Conflict" is a pamphlet recording the late Arthur Bantick's memoirs of his experiences in the First World War. He was born in 1894 and devoted 77 years to the church choir, being a member of the first Parochial Church Council in 1920. Having served the community as postman, he also entered into the sporting activities, took part in the concert parties, though his first love was his parish church. When he died peacefully on August 29th, 1979, at the age of 84, he instructed that the proceeds from the sale of his booklet should help with the restoration of the church he had loved and served for so many years.

"The Pakenham Pageant" was performed on July 17th, 1965, at Newe House. This four page folder was written by the late William R. Rayner and produced by Christopher Spicer, with many local players taking part and assisted by the vicar, the Revd. C.G.G. Pearson. This pageant commenced with a narration of pre-historic, Roman, Anglo Saxon, Norman, Tudor and Victorian Pakenham, ending with scenes from the Pakenham Nose Club and the Pakenham Concert Party.

"The History of Nether Hall" is a glossy booklet of some 16 pages, produced by the late William R. Rayner and is of interest to members of the Country Club and visitors seeking further knowledge about the various owners and the history of the Hall.

"A Reclamation" is a small booklet dedicated to eight men who overcame almost impossible difficulties and frustration - and water - to reclaim low meadows area on the manor farm in 1974. This little booklet describes the effort to win back a useless, dank, evil-smelling bog, which had existed for hundreds of years, into valuable pasture land for an expanding dairy herd. The coloured illustrations show the natural beauty of this part of the fen area. Written and photographed by this author, it ends:- "A completed exercise of enormous interest and satisfaction".

Footnote
Alas, having entered the Common Market, the combined efforts of all the dairy farmers have created a surplus of dairy products that surplus butter is referred to as a "mountain" and milk as a "lake". The Council of Europe cannot agree among themselves. Great Britain tells them she will no longer pay huge sums of money to support agriculture surpluses and so the wrangle goes on. Those who are left to produce milk do so on a quota basis, whilst Ireland will be allowed to swamp itself and be paid for it.
Under such a cloud of uncertainty, we decided to reduce our contribution to the milk lake by getting out of the enterprise altogether, instead ploughing our cow pastures and add to the cereals mountain.
It so happened that a dairy farmer in a neighbouring village was sick and tired of the Ministry of Agriculture condemning at every brucellosis test a few of his cows to be slaughtered, so reducing his livelihood little by little. Had the Ministry condemned his whole herd he would have received compensation, but this they would not do.
As he had invested a large proportion of his capital in a new milking parlour it was imperative that he should keep in full production. It so happened that through our Veterinary Surgeon he heard of my desire to sell. We negotiated a deal which meant that one morning I milked my heard and the same afternoon the new owner milked them on his own premises.
He was again in full production with a fully certified herd. I was a little better off but out of milk production!