This month’s item was catalogued by our Committee member Andrew Martin, last month just before Christmas. It’s a framed photograph from 1909 of the Littleport Swimming Club Committee.
The photograph captures 16 members of the Swimming Club Committee on 16th September 1909, with the exception of one member – Heber G. Martin who was absent. The picture shows a group of men from Littleport who held businesses and/or positions of influence within the village in the late-Victorian and Edwardian period.
The photograph gives a snapshot of some of Littleport’s businessmen including James Little Luddington JP (Committee President), William Gotobed (Committee President), Frederick Fitch (Chemist), John Thornhill, Samson Spooner, Benjamin Arber (Mill owner), William Cragg (butcher), and a rare photograph of David Spencely – better known as ‘D. R. Spencely‘ who is usually behind the camera as a photographer of Main Street.
These surnames, and these men in particular feature heavily within the records that we hold in our archives, and therefore it’s good to finally put a face to a name!
Whilst Littleport never did get its swimming pool, despite campaigning for one, it did have many swimming teams who took a dip in the river instead. You can see items relating to this in our archive collection.
Latest Acquistions
Amongst our latest acquisitions, we have also received:
- Hope Brothers Ltd Kit Bag Stretcher (Ref: LS2025.0079)
- Littleport Skating Club ‘Amateur Race’ programme, 1907 (Ref: LS2025.0125)
- Postcard of group with a dog at the Transport and General Worker’s Union (T&GWU) at The Grange, Littleport (Ref: TGWU-238)
- Promotional postcard for Albert Hare as Benjamin Goldfinch from a performance of ‘A Pair of Spectacles’ at The Constitutional Hall.
