Bulmer History

On this section articles about Bulmer, a House or Building, present or past will be added. Building into, what is hoped, an interesting history of Bulmer, click on the image to read & discover the history.

To read an article that appeared about Bulmer in

The Times on 3 June 1953

click on the title below
"Diversions of the Village"

Why not come along to the next Bulmer History Group meeting. Looking towards Gestingthorpe, and our conservation site

Everyone welcome, entrance is always free.

Friday October 10th 2008
There will be three speakers talking on diverse subjects for no more than twenty five minutes each. Peter Minter will reveal the connections between 'Bulmer and Wartime Airfields', Margaret Mills will discuss and display 'Domestic Bygones', whilst Ashley Cooper will describe life in medieval Bulmer in, 'Trespass and Ducking Stools- a Bulmer Manorial Court'.
Meetings are held in the Village Hall at 8pm. Entrance Free

Will include Tom Dickinson speaking on 'Law and Disorder in Bulmer & District' and Andrew Phillips will speak on 'Sudbury the Crucible of English Independence'.

Did you know there was a website for Sudbury History Society, click here to view.

A NEW BOOK was launched in OCTOBER 2004 of Bulmer's reminiscences "IN TULIPS TIME" - the memories of Philip 'Tulip' Rowe (1871 - 1955). This is the first volume of Philips memories, which are being edited by his grandson Robin. Copies are available by calling me on 378155

The diaries are a superb source of local history and provide a 'craftmans' view of life in the village in the late Victorian times. Copies of the book are available from book shops in Sudbury.

The latest version of Bob Hawksley's book 'Snapshots' photographs of Bulmer taken by his Father during 1929 - 1945 has arrived from Australia where Bob now lives, if you would like a copy you may find a copy for sale on e-bay.

If you would like a copy of the definitive history about Bulmer "Bulmer then & now" of which all proceeds are donated to the Village Hall (Ł7.50 per copy plus P & P), then please telephone me on 378155 or by sending a message via 'Your Comments'

DIVERSIONS OF THE VILLAGE

It is the glory and the paradox of Great Britain that on its small surface it contains such rich, contrasting diversities of character and habit, accent and occupation, and yet presents to the world at moments of crisis or rejoicing the spectacle of a united nation, speaking with one voice. Each little community within it has its own personal way of expressing itself and paying its tribute, and yet that way echoes the ways of thousands of others; the pattern in outline is repeated up and down the land even if the details, the emphasis, vary, and to understand how one particular village commemorated Coronation day is to understand how all did.

Bulmer might not like to hear itself described as a typical village, but it is typical enough and Miss Mitford would delight in it as a near relation of her own. It is within 60 miles of London, yet it is primitive enough for pumps to supply the water and electricity is not for all it lives by the land. It has a population of 530, of which 150 are children, but even here, in the true English way, there is diversity and two distinct communities, the Street and the Tye, a mile or so apart, make up the whole. The Tye, which lives on and near the London-Sudbury road, where council houses have been built, is younger and more modern in its approach. It supplies the dashing element in the village cricket team, while from the Street, staider, more conservative, come Experience, wheeling a slow left arm, reminiscent of J. C. White, and Middle-age, rotund and bespectacled, poking away for 10 minutes and one run.

For today's occasion, which opened at 9 a.m. with an interdenominational service at the parish church of. St. Andrew, preparations had been made as long ago as January 13, when a parish meeting was called. Later, three sub-committees were set up, one for sports, the second for entertainment's, and the third for catering: a slight contretemps occurred here, as an over-zealous male threatened to poach on exclusively feminine preserves, but, thanks to that superb faculty possessed by villages for overcoming awkwardness's by ignoring them, all came right in the end.

Meanwhile, it was becoming clear that the village would have about £100 to spend, £50 from a special rate and £50 odd from voluntary subscriptions. Bulmer, in its matter-of- fact, down-to-earth way, is extremely independent and intended from the start to rely on itself for its own entertainment. Four shillings a head does not sound much, but, with good will and ingenuity, it can go far enough. For Coronation mugs for the children £15 was allotted; £45 for catering: £15 for beer (three firkins of mild and one of bitter); £12 sports prizes; £10 entertainment's costs and prizes; £4 towards the fancy dress parade, and £5 for flags and bunting.

The figures plotted the course of the day private parties round such television sets as the village possessed; at 2.15. The fancy dress parade, which was spoilt by rain, the sports, the sideshows in the village school, the children's tea, the adults' tea, tugs-of-war, children's games, the exercise of local talent (there, but needing digging out), a pause while her Majesty and the Prime Minister spoke; then supper and dancing in the village hall.

BULMER HISTORY

DIVERSIONS OF THE VILLAGE