Trams at Last

23/01/1903

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It was on this Friday that the long-delayed Board of Trade inspection of Peterborough's new tram system took place - officialdom always takes its time, you know. Two trams left the depot for the Market Place to pick up the official parties. When everyone - including the inspectors - was on board the first car, the driver set off with a fearful jerk, throwing virtually all the officials off their feet! One wonders whether this was a case of nerves, carelessness or intent - we'll never know that. However, the driver reversed the car, made a fresh start and moved off in an extremely smooth manner. The second car followed on, carrying several members of the council and members of the press. Despite this faulty start, the trams passed the test with flying colours. The Peterborough tram service was formally approved and trams from Long Causeway to Walton and Dogsthorpe were able to start carrying passengers. At this time, the Peterborough Electric Traction Co. had twelve open-topped trams for the service. Why, you may ask, were the trams open top? It was because roofed trams would have been too high to pass under the Rhubarb Bridge! (Mitchell, Neil, Streets of Peterborough, 2007; Peterborough Advertiser)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

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Edith Cavell Commemorated

09/12/1916

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Edith Cavell spent only a short part of her life here in Peterborough - working in a pupil/teacher capacity at Miss Gibson's school in Laurel Court. It was here that she learned and mastered the French language that proved so useful to her in Belgium. She was not forgotten in Peterborough, and was rapidly accepted as a Peterborian following her death. It was on this day in 1916 that an Irish blue marble plaque in her memory was unveiled by Dean Page in Peterborough Cathedral. This is widely believed to be the first commemoration stone/plaque in the country dedicated to her. It reads:

Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints. In thankful remembrance of the Christian example of Edith Louisa Cavell who devoted her life to nursing the sick and for helping Belgian French and British soldiers to escape was on October 12th 1915 put to death by the Germans at Brussels where she had nursed their wounded this Tablet was placed here by the Teachers Pupils and Friends of her old School in Laurel Court.

As well as this plaque, Edith is remembered in the name of Peterborough's modern hospital complex and a city-centre car park. (Liquorice, Mary, Posh Folk: Notable Personalities (and a Donkey) Associated with Peterborough, Cambridgeshire Libraries, 1991: People of Peterborough, Peterborough Museum Publications, 2009)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.