General Chat

Helen, It's one of our favourite places for a day out, too. My husband and son took me there for my birthday outing last year, and we bought all sorts of things after browsing round lots of interesting shops, then went for a superb dinner at No 1 King's Parade. Drifting along the Cam, past The Backs, in a punt is a lovely way to while away an hour on a summer afternoon. Listening to Pink Floyd's 'Grantchester Meadows' takes me there in an instant. Thanks for the reminder on this cold, grey, wintry day! CB >|< X

Helen , Did you enjoy the records office? Very small but quaint. I could spend all day in there, shame they have to close for lunch! I do Lakeland Plastics, Past Times and Heffers when I go. I do tend to spend far to much money though. E-mail me about coffee. Viv

I think that's why they all ride bikes! I went by train, but I think there's a park & ride scheme as there were lots of singledecker buses with that on their fronts. Shops are lovely - they have all the usual Next/monsoon etc and being a university town there are excellent bookshops as well as lots of little esoteric ones selling t-shirts with witty slogans, handbags etc. I was very good and resisted. My husband gave me a silver handbag fund money box and I am not going to buy a new bag till I have saved up properly. nell

I love Cambridge but haven't been there for several years, we used to go there when we lived in Clifton beds 12+ years ago. Love the colleges and the river area. Used to be awkward for parking though. Ann glos

Cambridge is lovely - apart from the colleges and the river, there are some lovely buildings, including a little round church. But it is hazardous trying to cross the road without being knocked down by a bicycle! nell

Hi Nell Sounds like you had a great day. It's many years since I went to Cambridge, it was when we lived in Herts 15 years ago. Lovely place, we enjoyed going regularly in the summer. And I'm very envious of your trolley dash round Lakeland!! Mandy :)

I went to Cambridge yesterday to find Smarts Row, where my great-grandmother was born, and it wasn't there! I was not surprised that the house she was born in 1843 wasn't there, but the road has gone too! Fortunately, there is a paved walkway between the new housing which obviously followed the route of Smarts Row, and Staffordshire Street,where the family also lived, is still there though rebuilt. I then went to the records office and gave myself a headache going through the baptisms - she didn't seem to have been baptised, though her older sister was. Also found others who may be relatives, so I shall have to investigate further. While trawling through the list of marriages I found: KING CROTCH Underneath it gave groom Mr King and then "Sarah Crotch, daughter of Benjamin, hot presser by license"! I also had a good time choosing books in Waterstones - with tokens from Xmas, and had a mad trolley dash in Lakeland! nell

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