We are fortunate that several early twentieth century photographers felt that it was worthwhile to come to Meldreth and take photographs of the village. Robert H Clarke from Royston and Bell's Photo Company of Westcliff-on-Sea are two such companies and on this page, I have attempted to catalogue and date the Meldreth postcards produced by Bell's. Each of their postcards of Meldreth has a six digit number, starting with "1023..". So far, we have identified a sequence of 71 numbers and from that sequence, have found and scanned all but three of the postcards (numbers 102330, 102383 and 102391). The evidence so far points to these photographs all having been taken in the 1920s.
Bell's took photographs not only of the Church and the village's quaint thatched cottages, but also of the school, the railway station and the newly built council houses, so creating an invaluable picture of the village.
Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to find a catalogue of Bell's postcards.
Thank you.
Reference Number | Postcard and Caption | Details | Date and/or Comments |
102329 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Station | |
102330 | | | |
102331 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Station Road, Meldreth (war memorial) | After 1920. The dedication of the war memorial took place in February 1920. |
102332 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Entrance to Meldreth | After 1920 (see above). |
102333 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Greetings from Meldreth | Multiview postcard showing Meldreth Church (102335), the Manor House (102345), North End (102340), High Street (102349) and Gilton Bridge (102338) |
102334 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Just a Card from Meldreth | Multiview postcard showing Allerton Terrace (102348), North End (102341), Meldreth Church (102335), The Gables (102343) and the Manor House (102346) |
102335 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Church | |
102336 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Church | Showing interior |
102337 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Doorway, Meldreth Church | |
102338 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Gilton Bridge, North End, Meldreth | |
102339 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Stream, North End, Meldreth | |
102340 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| North End, Meldreth | |
102341 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Jubilee cottages | |
102342 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| North End, Meldreth | |
102343 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Gables | |
102344 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Cross Roads, Meldreth | Final digit not clear, presumably "4" |
102345 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| "Manor House", Meldreth | Meldreth Manor |
102346 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| "Manor House", Meldreth | Meldreth Manor |
102347 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Kneesworth Road, Meldreth | Now known as West Way. The first row of council houses (pictured) was built in the 1920s and the first residents moved in in 1931. |
102348 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Allerton Terrace, Meldreth | After 1910/11, when the houses were built. (Two versions of this card exist, numbered 102348 and 105348.) |
102349 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Street, Meldreth | High Street, showing Keys Cottage in the foreground |
102350 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Wesleyan Chapel, North End | Message on reverse of one copy of this postcard is dated 1948 (postmark indistinct) (source: Ebay) |
102351 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Church | |
102352 | | Vicarage & Church, Meldreth | Postmarked 1930 |
102353 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Wesleyan Chapel, Meldreth | |
102354 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Mill, Meldreth | Topcliffe Mill
|
102355 | | Post Office Meldreth | Postmarked 1927 |
102356 | | "Malton" Meldreth | Postmarked 1926 |
102357 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Council Houses, Meldreth (North End, looking north) (last digit looks like 9 but guessing it is 7) | The land for the Council Houses was sold in 1921, and they are likely to have been built 1923-4. |
102358 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Council Houses, Meldreth (North End looking south + parish Room) | The land for the Council Houses was sold in 1921, and they are likely to have been built 1923-4. The parish room is shown in a dilapidated condition. It was certainly ruinous by 1942 and was demolished after the war. |
102359 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Schools | After 1910 |
102360 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Old Cottages, Meldreth | North End cottage demolished 1947 |
102361 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Old Cottages, Meldreth | Now no 13, North End |
102362 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Old Cottages, Meldreth | Thatched cottage, North End |
102363 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Old Cottages, Meldreth | Willow Way Cottages, North End |
102364 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Old Smithy, Meldreth | |
102365 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Stocks, Meldreth | |
102366 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Stocks, Meldreth | |
102367 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The "Sailors Return", Meldreth | |
102368 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Mill, Meldreth | Flambards Mill. After 1910. The photograph was taken after the mill burnt down (believed to be in 1910 or later). |
102369 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Mill, Meldreth | Flambards Mill. See 102368, above. |
102370 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Station | |
102371 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Station Road, Meldreth | |
102372 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| | |
102373 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Station Hill, Meldreth | |
102374 | | Rose Cottages, Meldreth | |
102375 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Orchard Cottage, Meldreth | Now known as Bramble Cottage |
102376 | | The "Dumb Flea" Inn, Meldreth | |
102377 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Donkey Hall, Meldreth | Before early 1930s. These cottages were pulled down by Charlie Plumb after 1931 when the residents were re-housed in the newly-built council houses in Kneesworth Road (now West Way). See 102347 above. |
102378 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth | Cottage in Whitecroft Road |
102379 | | Allerton Terrace, Meldreth | After 1910/11, when Allerton Terrace was built. The Railway Tavern is also pictured. |
102380 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Chiswick End, Meldreth | |
102381 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Chiswick End, Meldreth | Chestnut Cottage |
102382 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Chiswick End, Meldreth | Addleston Cottages |
102383 | | | |
102384 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Chiswick End, Meldreth | Showing the junction with Whitecroft Road |
102385 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Post Office, Meldreth | 1924? |
102386 | | High Street, Meldreth | The Old Bell Public House |
102387 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Old Cottage, Meldreth | Applecote Cottage |
102388 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Council Houses, Whitecroft Road, Meldreth | |
102389 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| "Manor House", Meldreth | Meldreth Manor |
102390 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| "Manor House", Meldreth | Meldreth Manor |
102391 | | | |
102392 |
Supplied by Ann Hanscombe
| Meldreth Court, Meldreth | |
102393 | | The Garden, Meldreth Court | |
102394 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Rockery, Meldreth Court | |
102395 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| The Fountain, Meldreth Court | |
102396 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Meldreth Mill | Topcliffe Mill |
102397 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Greetings from Meldreth | Multiview postcard showing Meldreth Church and vicarage (102352), Post Office (102355), Council Houses (102357), Railway Tavern (102379) and Flambards Mill (102368) |
102398 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Just a Card from Meldreth | Multiview postcard showing Meldreth Church and vicarage (102352), Post Office (102385), The Schools (102359), The Stocks (102365) and Flambards Mill (102368) |
102399 |
Supplied by Ann Handscombe
| Greetings from Meldreth | Multiview postcard showing the Post Office (102355), High Street (102349), Meldreth Church (102335), Topcliffe Mill (102399) and the Stocks (102365) |