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Suffrage Movement in Peterborough

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04/03/1911

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Speaking with evident gratification following last week's speech by Mrs Pankhurst, Miss Tebbutt, a local militant suffragette, felt that it had 'done the cause no end of good'. However, when asked about the local membership, she was less enthusiastic, saying simply that, 'members are coming in well, but you see, we have only been really started a short time, so you must give us a chance. There are some who are hesitating, but you see, it is rather difficult to get the ladies of either Party to come out.' When asked if Peterborough would offer passive resistance to the census and Coronation fireworks in Peterborough, she felt that, as there were many business members in Peterborough, it would not be advisable for them to do this. Asked if any from Peterborough might go up to London to take part in the protest, she felt she could not say but personally, if she had not had business ties, she would join the demonstration. As to not filling in the census, Miss Tebbutt replied that to be in a position to make that protest one would have to be  the head of the house, so it would be no use refusing as she was not the head. (Peterborough Standard)

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

RAF , Battle of Britain , Americans , Peterscourt , Red Cross Club , Polebrook , Kings Cliffe , Glatton , Wittering , Westwood

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Airfields in World War 2

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1940s

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As the East of England is very flat and because of its relative closeness to mainland Europe, many airfields were established or enlarged during the Second World War, roughly one every seven miles. Several of these were around Peterborough, amongst them were:

RAF Peterborough (now the Westwood area of the city) was used as a training base for pilots. American servicemen were stationed there during the war and post-war French airmen were also trained there. It was not used for operational missions but was bombed several times.

RAF Wittering, established in 1916 as a fighter station for the Royal Flying Corps. In 1938 it became a fighter base, with Spitfires and Hurricanes based there taking part in the Battle of Britain. It was bombed at least 5 times, one attack in March 1941 resulting in the deaths of 17 servicemen. Post war it was a home for the British nuclear deterrent and a base for Harrier jump jets.

The American Air Force also had bases in this area, including at the villages of King's Cliffe, Polebrook and Glatton from which they launched daylight bombing raids over Germany in their B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. Clark Gable, the Hollywood star did his military service from Polebrook in 1943, flying combat missions as Major Clark Gable. In his time off duty he was very popular with the female population of Peterborough!  Peterscourt in Midgate was the base for the American servicemen when off duty, being known as, 'The American Red Cross Club'.

 References:

https://cambsaviationheritage.org.uk/

Haunted Peterborough, Orme,S. The History Press 2012

Images:

Peterborough Archives


RAF , Battle of Britain , Americans , Peterscourt , Red Cross Club , Polebrook , Kings Cliffe , Glatton , Wittering , Westwood

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