Historian John Pryke writes about the 19th Century in Fordham.

The 19th Century saw progression with additional facilities and organisations being formed.

A parish constable was installed in 1810. The constables were the main law enforcement officers, before the Met Police was formed in 1829.

Private education existed in the village in addition to a school of some form in the Lady Chapel of the parish church.

But in 1844, a British School was opened in Mill Lane, founded by Philip Smith. But when Smith died, the school languished and no records can be found after 1855.

Ely Standard: This is Mill Lane where the school was based.This is Mill Lane where the school was based. (Image: John Pryke)

The schoolroom was in the grounds of the Congregational Chapel, which opened in 1818. This eventually became a home for the Sunday School and Boys Brigade.

The chapel was originally called ‘The Church of Christ of the Independent Denomination’. The Manse, to house the Minister was built a few years later.

In 1848, William Dunn Gardner of Fordham Abbey gave a piece of land on the corner of Market Street and Station Road for a national school, which was closely associated with the Church of England.

The school and headmaster's house cost £600 to build and was opened in 1849. It remained there until the 1970’s when a new primary school was built in Isleham Road.

Methodism began to flourish in this period and two Chapels were opened in the space of two years.

In 1849 a Wesleyan Chapel was built in Sharmans Road to replace a meeting House that was proving too small. It cost £400 to build.

A year later, a Primitive Methodist Chapel opened in New Path.

Christianity was at the heart of Victorian Society and the Church and Chapels enjoyed huge congregations, involving two or three services at each venue on Sundays.

A fire brigade was formed in 1889 and a ‘lock up’ and stocks were put in place for petty criminals at the rear of the brigade building on ‘The Pound’.

It had to be rebuilt on one occasion, after poachers set it on fire trying to rescue a comrade.

On the social side, a cricket club was formed in the middle of the century and a Farmers and Businessmen’s Society soon gained 120 members.

A Village Institute, provided social events for the community. This signalled the beginning of the Victoria Hall project.