Publications
New BAALHS book by Bob Ricketts
Bob Ricketts, local historian and chairman of BAALHS, has published a new book telling how Bedford was transformed unrecognisably after the Second World War. His story begins with the creation and implementation of a dramatic vision for a ‘new Bedford’, inspired by the iconic town planner Max Lock. How the town’s character and culture was changed by waves of immigrants from Poland and the Ukraine, southern Italy (The Guardian nick-named Bedford ‘Little Italy’), the Caribbean and the Punjab, creating much more diverse communities. The changing economy – the collapse of heavy engineering and arrival of new innovative ‘tech’ employers – Texas Instruments and RAE Bedford. Changing how we shopped – the first supermarkets (Fine Fare in 1960), estate shopping arcades, the Harpur Centre and retail parks. The clearance of town centre slum housing, high-rise flats and new suburban estates – Goldington, Putnoe, Brickhill, Elms Farm. New schools and the tussles with the Harpur Trust overnon-selective education; Bedford’s first university. Later chapters explore changing leisure and entertainment – the first bingo halls, Bedford’s short-lived dog track, lost cinemas and pubs, the early nightclubs and the rise and fall of Bedford’s live music scene – Cliff Richard, Helen Shapiro, The Beatles, The Who. Changing faiths. Visits and events: Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip; Churchill, MacMillan (his ‘you’ve never had it so good’ speech was made at The Eagles, Margaret Thatcher; the Festival of Britain, the 1966 Charter Year, the First River Festival. Richly illustrated with vintage photographs.
Copies available from BAALHS at baalhs.co.uk, at our meetings, the Eagle Bookshop and the Friends of Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Price £10 from BAALHS; £11 from the Eagle Bookshop.
THE LOST PUBS OF BEDFORD: A Pictorial Pub Crawl
Mike MacKechnie
133 pages
First published September 2025
Self-published
Available from Eagle Books
The 2020s have seen the growth of a niche local history genre of books on ‘dead’ or ‘lost’ pubs. Between 2022 and 2024 Lloyd Lugsden published three volumes on ‘Dead Pubs of Bedfordshire’. Last year, Mike MacKechnie published THE LOST PUBS OF BEDFORD: A Pictorial Pub Crawl’. His book is a welcome addition and is differentiated from Lugsden’s books by focusing solely on Bedford and structured around a series of historical ‘pub crawls’, taking as his starting point those public houses listed in Kelly’s Directories of the 1880s. He briefly records pub signs recorded from 1751. His first chapter is Bedford town centre from1880-1918. Then 1919-1970 Greyfriars, Cauldwell and Tavistock. Then 1971 to the present day ‘pubs you may remember’. The entries are well-illustrated with vintage photographs, many of which were unfamiliar to me. He concludes with a brief history of Bedford breweries, including Nash, Young & Newland, Newland & Nash, St. Paul’s Brewery, Charles Wells Ltd., Higgins & Sons, St. Peter’s Brewery, (Fuller’s), the Phoenix Brewery and brewery takeovers. Appendices include an 1884 map of the town centre, maps of Greyfriars and Cauldwell, and a timeline of Bedford pubs. There is also a useful index to pubs. All-in-all, an excellent history of Bedford’s pubs, written in an informal, readable style.
Highly recommended.
STEWARTBY REMEMBERED: A Historical account and personal memories
Joy Cooper
ISBN: 978-1-0684246-0-1
320 pages
First published 2025
Self-published
Available from Eagle Books
Many members will be aware of Stewartby’s origins as the county’s only ‘company village’. Joy dedicates her book to “To my parents, Bob and Sylvia, and the village of Stewartby, its families and its brickworkers, whose lives and labour shaped the community. This book honours the origins of the village and the London Brick Company that defined it. With the chimneys now gone, I have tried to capture what once was, so that its story and the everyday lives behind it, are not forgotten.” She narrates much of the history of the brickworks, but this is not a dry technical study. It is more akin to a wide-ranging oral history, describing what it was like to grow up, live and work in this unique community. Chapters cover the Stewart family – the founders, school days, Stewartby Village Hall, religion, Royal visits, wartime Stewartby, the Stewartby Club, sports and social life, the swimming pool, London Brick Company, foreign workers, and the LBC Fire Brigade. At times deeply moving, her account is enthralling and very accessible. Joy is to be congratulated on a great read.
Highly recommended.
CHICKSANDS PRIORY: ENGLAND’S MOST HAUNTED HOUSE?
Damien O’Dell
ISBN13:978-0-9552057-1-2
237 pages
First published November 2022
Tan House Publishing
Paranormal historian Damien O’Dell gave a fascinating talk to BAALHS in October 2025 about the history and paranormal events at Chicksands Priory. He explores the history, myths and facts about Chicksands Priory in this authoritative book. Damien explains how his interest in the reported sightings was sparked and initial Ghost Club investigations. There follow well-informed chapters on the history of the Medieval Monastery, the Osborn family who occupied Chicksands until 1936, the RAF base (1939-1961) and the USAF. A highlight is the series of photographs of the interior of the Priory, which you will not find elsewhere (photography is now forbidden in the house). Whether your interest is in the history of Chicksands and/or the paranormal there is much in Damien’s book to interest and entertain.
Recommended.
A History of Some Faith Groups in Bedford
Bedford Architectural, Archaeological
& Local History Society
This special issue of Bedford Local History Magazine celebrates the recent history of some faith groups in Bedford. We have tried to be as inclusive as possible, with articles ranging from twentieth-century-built Anglican churches in Bedford and Kempston, a recent evangelical church (The Miracle Church of God in Christ), Bunyan Meeting, the Society of Friends, the Salvation Army, the Jews in Bedford, the Moravians, Rev. John Priestley Wormoll and the revival of Roman Catholicism in Bedford, to the Panacea Society. The Spring 2024 issue of Bedford Local History Magazine includes an authoritative, colour-illustrated article by Paul Nicholson on A History of some Eastern Religious Groups in Bedford.
Bedford Local History Magazine is free to members of BAALHS.
It is available for £5 from the Eagle Bookshop,
16-20 St. Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2NN
https://eaglebookshop.co.uk
Life in Bedford During The Second World War
This large-format paperback tells the story of how Bedfordians’ lives were affected by the dramatic upheaval of war between 1939 and 1945. Peppered with the voices and personal experiences of men, women and children who lived through this turbulent period, it captures the life-changing ways in which, while the armed forces fought around the world, people on the Home Front fought their own domestic war locally. The book is illustrated with over 80 photographs, some for the first time.
Bedford Local History Magazine
The Bedford Local History Magazine is issued by BAALHS every Spring and Summer. Its aim is to encourage and publish original research on all aspects of Bedford’s history and heritage. The Spring 2024 issue includes a ground-breaking article by Stuart Antrobus on Commemorative Plaques on Bedford’s Streets – a study of their history. This includes, as an insert, a unique map showing all the town’s 91 plaques. A richly illustrated article by Paul Nicholson on A History of some Eastern Religious Groups in Bedford. Plus a Picture Quiz by Stuart and articles by the editor on The History of Bedford’s ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Town Bridges and Bank Buildings (1855-1938) – from Bank to ‘Vault’. Also reviews of three recent local books. Updates on local archaeological excavations and discoveries. Plus, reviews of new books on Bedford’s history and that of neighbouring villages.
As the Editor of the Magazine, I keen to encourage researchers, whether BAALHS members or not, to submit their research and, where I can, give advice and help to answer queries.
Bedford History Timeline
Written by Alan Crawley and Bob Ricketts and published by BAALHS, this unique volume is an illustrated ‘timeline’ of Bedford’s history from the sixth century to 1938, covering all the major events in the town’s history. It is dedicated to the memory of Richard Wildman, renowned local historian and former President of BAALHS. The text is matched on the left-hand pages with illustrations of key events, historic buildings, etc, sourced principally from The Higgins Bedford Art Gallery & Museum, Bedfordshire Archives Service and Bedford Borough Libraries. There are introductory chapters on the origins of the town and its early churches. The volume is indexed and has suggestions for further reading, should readers want to follow-up topics of interest.
Bedford Rocks
The Autumn 2023 issue of Bedford Local History Magazine (‘BLHM’) celebrates the national award by the British Association for Local History to BAALHS member and local historian, Stuart Antrobus for his ‘Outstanding Individual Contribution to Local History.
Articles include Bob Ricketts on ‘Bedford Rocks? Popular Music, Culture, and Rock & Roll in Bedford: Part 2 1968-1972’. This builds on Nicke Wilde’s ground-breaking article ‘Bedford Rocks? Popular music and Rock and Roll in Bedford 1955 to 1968’, which appeared in BLHM IN Autumn 2022. Also, by Bob, ‘A Tale of Three Tramways’ – the history of the former Bedford Waterworks Tramway at Manton Lane, the Kempston gravel pit railway, and the putative Bedford & Kempston Tramway, mooted in 1891. This is followed by ‘Saving our heritage – A History of the Bedford Society’. The Bedford Society was founded in 1966 to campaign against the threatened loss of many of Bedford’s heritage buildings. The catalyst for its formation was the founders’ vehement opposition to the proposed new river bridge at Newnham and what became Longholme Way. The bridge and relief road were eventually built, but only after two public enquiries and a delay of five years, but the Society secured improvements to the design of the bridge and, by way of compensation, substantial public open space. Amongst their successes were the preservation of the Blore façade of Bedford Modern School and the Regency-style Priory Terrace. Gordon Vowles concludes with a homage to historic Cardington.
There is also a review of Gordon’s recent book on ‘Henry Clutton: Victorian Architect of Gothic Revival Churches and Country Houses’.
BAALHS is keen to encourage, support and publish original research on the history and heritage of Bedford. If you would like to propose an article, please contact the Honorary Editor, BAALHS, Bob Ricketts at bob.ricketts57@gmail.com.