The Bridge Fair

21/09/1439

Information

No one is sure whether the king was there or not but, on this day, King Henry VI gave Abbot Richard Ashton permission to hold an annual fair on St Matthew's Day and the two following days 'at the bridge of Peterborough by the River Nene, as well in the Country of Huntingdon as in the Country of Northampton, on all sides of the bridge'. Thus, the Peterborough Bridge Fair was born. After morning prayers, the notables of the city formed a procession and the town crier read the proclamation at the fairground. The modern proclamation dates back from 1878, and it asks all persons to 'behave soberly and civilly, and to pay their just dues and demands.' Since this foundation, the fair has always been opened by proclamation. Exactly 572 years later, the Peterborough press reported that 'fun lovers flocked to the official opening of the Bridge Fun Fair last night. The Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Paula Thacker, led a procession from the Town Hall, in Bridge Street, to the entrance of the fair. After the official opening, the mayor returned to the Town Hall to host the traditional sausage supper.' (Tebbs, H.F., Peterborough, Oleander Press, 1979)

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

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Mary Cooke's Dower House

1863

Information

Several buildings on Priestgate are worthy of merit through age and architecture, but none are as unusual than Mary Cooke's Dower House.

The house is correctly credited to the hand of Thomas Alderson Cooke, owner of Priestgate Mansion. However, it has been incorrectly associated to the divorce of his second wife Charlotte Squires. It was originally believed that the dower house was given to Charlotte when she and Thomas divorced. But newspaper reports from the time reveal that Thomas had the marriage annulled. Because they did not divorce, no money or property was owed to Charlotte.

Furthermore, documents kept in Northamptonshire Archives reveal that the dower house was not built until 1840's, over 20 years after his annulment! By this point Thomas had moved on to his fourth wife Mary. His will of 1854 reveals how he had left the house for his 'dear Mary' to live in upon his death. A later conveyance from 1863 from Mary Cooke detailed:

'[Thomas] Cooke devised to his wife for her life the mansion house he had lately erected next door to his mansion, together with land he had lately purchased extending southward from the garden wall.'

Sadly, there is no evidence that Mary lived in the house. Thomas died in 1854 and by the 1861 census she was already living in London with her daughter and son-in-law (who was also her step son) and conveyancing relating to the house gave her address as London too.

The house is now a day nursery. The spire was added by previous owners who used it as a church.

References:

The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 2204

Abstract of conveyance from Mrs Mary Cooke and others to William Vergette, ref ZB1826/01 accessed via http://nro.adlibhosting.com/ (Northamptonshire Records Office)