Museum Closure for 2017 due to Renovation
With work soon to begin on the refurbishment of the Queen Elizabeth School, the Porch Museum’s last opening date for 2017 will be the 2nd July. Unfortunately it will not be until April 2018 when we are open again.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause (we will miss not seeing you) but you can still keep in touch via this website, we are always pleased to hear from you.
Best wishes from all at the Porch Museum and we look forward to seeing you all in April 2018.
Welcome To The Porch Museum Godmanchester
The Museum is housed in the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, a Grade II listed building situated in the heart of the historic town of Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire. We are an independent museum and a part of the Friends of the Queen Elizabeth School a registered charity. The museum is run by a small team of enthusiastic volunteers who work together to record the town’s history and its people. We receive no government funding and rely on funds from various organisations, donations and the generosity of our visitors to fund our projects.
One of the Porch Museum aims is to produce and show short films devoted to the history of the town. We want to capture, through the memories of some of the oldest members of our community, as clear a perception as we can get of the way life was in this lovely town during the first half of the 20th century.
Godmanchester is an unusual town because many of the old families who have lived here for hundreds of years and whose ancestors are buried in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, are still here. Markham, Arnold, Thompson and Mortlock are just a few of the many old names still represented here. In many cases we are recording not only memories of old Godmanchester from the vibrant and amusing senior members of these families, but through them the memories and experiences of their grandparents and great grandparents.
This way there’s every hope that we can bring to the community through snatches of remembered anecdote, at least an echo of how it was to live in Victorian Godmanchester.
Wanted - Pre 1980 Photos of Godmanchester
We are always interested in any images of Godmanchester your family may have taken in the past. We are not concerned about the quality or subject matter. Photo's can include family members outside shops, pubs, events, work places etc.
If you do have anything please contact us to arrange for us to make a copy of your image. Click here to send us a message.
The Godmanchester Stirling
This aircraft, captained by Squadron Leader Drummond Wilson, was one of 18 Stirling bombers which were part of a raid on the German city of Essen on the night of the 10th/11th April 1942.
Over the city they were 'coned' by searchlights and badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire.
Drummond, and his co-pilot 19yr old Sgt David Southey, coaxed the stricken bomber back to RAF Alconbury. However with wheels down on final approach they were ordered to go 'around' as there was an aircraft on the runway without permission.
As they flew over Godmanchester a damaged oil pipe broke, both starboard engines cut out and the plane came down in an area close to the A14/Cow Lane.
Drummond and the Mid Upper Gunner, Sgt Edgar Gould, were killed. Of the six that survived, three would not live to see the end of the war. The Navigator, Flying Officer Clifford Reeve, went back into the burning aircraft to rescue two crew members despite being severely injured himself.
For his actions that day he was awarded a military MBE which he received from the King in December 1942 at Buckingham Palace.
2013 - The Godmanchester Bomber
Author, Roger Leivers
Everything had been planned for a few months, as per usual all we needed was for the great British summer to deliver a beautiful day. And for once it came up trumps.
It was a very different day to the one back in November 2012, when a short email dropped into the Community Association website. It was forwarded onto me as I have carried out some 'war walks' around the town.
It was from a gentleman called Roy Palmer and he was enquiring about a Stirling bomber that crashed on the outskirts of Godmanchester back in 1942 and could anyone provide any background information.
A few emails later and I soon had confirmation of the crash and also a rough idea as to its location. Of course the obvious question was why was Roy interested ? Well it turned out that the pilot, Squadron Leader Drummond 'Jock' Wilson, had been an avid rally car driver before the second world war. He raced extensively in the UK and even took part in the Monte Carlo rally! Roy had purchased the car, a Squire Supercharged, some years ago and was now trying to find out more about the crash that claimed the life of its previous owner. Only seven Squires were built and only six remain, making it a very rare and extremely valuable car.