Services

20,000 digitised items including census data, marriage registrations, wills, and school registrations, available to browse in the library

Haddenham Local History Archive

Haddenham Archive grew out of the passion of Freda Crofts, one of the pioneering volunteers who set up Haddenham Library as a community-led library in 2003. She was one of a series of dedicated local historians, who have gathered together primary evidence, like postcards and photographs, as well as notes, books, articles and other writings about the parish and its people. Some of the more delicate pieces of archive material, that require environmentally-controlled storage conditions, have been placed with the County Archive, but there are many items available at Haddenham Archive for public consultation.

Haddenham Local History Group, (HLHG) made up of a few parishioners with specialist skills, continue to digitise and research the history and people of Haddenham and Aldreth. They will help inquirers with questions about their family history and where to find relevant material, either within Haddenham Archive or elsewhere. HLHG regularly publish articles on local history topics in the Village Voice and maintain the archive for public use.

The picture of the Red Lion Inn being demolished in 1972 (as seen at the top of the page) is available to view within the collection of local photographs. A digitised version of the Ely Petty Sessions, that record the annual license applications, has been collated by HLHG, in which all the landlords of the Red Lion can be found. The Red Lion was one of the larger inns (17 of which are known between 1790 and 1960), and was used for public meetings and grand village celebrations as well as a pub and a place to stay. Another 27 beerhouses have been recorded over the same period!