1598 travel book: Paul Hentzner's Travels in England.
Observed that beds in the inns in Puckeridge were made by waiters - the first place where this had been noticed.
17 century offences.
Swearing.
Not attending Divine Service for 2 months.
Grinding malt on the Sabbath.
Keeping an alehouse without a licence.
Trading as a grocer or baker without having served 7 years as an apprentice.
1637 - The Bell was a common receptacle for cheaters and other lewd people.
Entertaining vagabonds at unreasonable hours.
1837/2 penalties.
3 labourers for stealing 2 sheep - transportation for life.
2 labourers for stealing 7 handkerchiefs - transportation for 7 years.
Fires
1702 - 9 inhabitants of Puckeridge totally impoverished when their houses were destroyed by fire - total loss £549-11-0. A charitable collection throughout the County was proposed.
1888 - 4 cottages at entrance to Puckeridge on left side of Standon Road, opposite meadow, completely destroyed.
1863 Railway
Early problems:
Aug 1863 - 3 acres of barley destroyed by fire caused by burning coal from engine.
Jan 1864 - Shunting engine left track at Standon.
Oct 1867 - Standon Station burnt down - rebuilt (1869?)
1866:
Special train to Broxbourne to connect with August Bank Holiday excursion to Hunstanton.
1888/90 Activities:
Black and white entertainment.
Summer outing (fortnight in Standon) for London children.
Visiting art exhibition
.
Total abstinence society.
Workmen's Institute acquired a piano and added games and reading to its activities.
Minstrel troupe.
Visiting theatre company.
Visiting menagerie (animals and waxworks).
Congregational Sunday School.
Display of lantern pictures.
Billiard tables added to Puckeridge Reading Room and Standon Workmen's Institute.
Concerts at Standon Workmen's Institute and Puckeridge Church School.
Cricket Club formed.
Home industry exhibition.
Fretwork Association.
School treat at Vicarage - 260 children from Puckeridge and Standon schools marched with banners and flags flying. Sports, swings, Punch, puppets (from Hamleys). Cricket match. A German band passing through the village was invited in.
Choir excursion to Margate (by train).
East Herts Choral Festival.
Talk on slave life by a former American slave.
Lecture on New Zealand hot lakes region.
Flower service at Congregational Chapel - flowers sent to London hospitals including Great Ormond Street.
Standon Fair.
Old Hall Green Fair - once considerable, almost died out, new landlord of Bay Horse trying to revive it - presented prizes for races.
Windmill Benefit Club Dinner.
Schoolchildren received a bun and sixpence at Christmas.
Puckeridge Hunt - internal disputes reached the High Court.
Volunteer Forces - annual camps in the County - no doubt included local men.
Shooting season postponed in 1889 because of late harvest.
1912 :
Scouts
Girls' social evenings.
Drum and Fife Band.
Entertainment "Sleeping Beauty" - 9 children, including Ivy Clark (Whitaker) and Emmie Whitaker(Chapman).
Reproduced by kind permission of Alistair Kennedy