Civic Society of St Ives - 1988 to 1992

Civic Society of St Ives - 1988 to 1992

The Civic Society of St Ives annual reports and committee minutes from 1988 to 1992 reveal a town at a crossroads. Faced with rapid housing expansion, commercial growth, and shifting traffic patterns, a dedicated group of locals fought to protect St Ives' historic character.

Civic Society progress

By the late 1980s, the Civic Society was thriving, with membership peaking at 445 in 1988 before settling around 390. A successful open day in 1992 welcomed 18 new members, proving local civic pride was still going strong. 

The society continued to operate on small annual subscriptions, which rose from £1 to £3 in late 1992. Thanks to local fundraising, the group built a healthy reserve, with total assets topping £2,800 by 1991.

This financial stability brought real results. After thorough research and photography by dedicated members, the society won a major conservation victory in 1991 when the National Westminster Bank building was officially designated a Grade II listed building.

The former National Westminster Bank, St. Ives.

Significant leadership changes arrived in 1992. Hedley Grabaskey stepped down as chairman and was succeeded by Willie Wilson. Long serving secretary Molly Harrison retired and received lifetime committee membership. While members temporarily shared her duties, a new subcommittee set to work modernising the 1968 constitution to meet national Civic Trust standards.

Rights and wrongs

In 1989, the Civic Society proposed naming the new St Ives bypass Harrison Way to honour Bill Harrison, a founding member who helped secure the route. Although the Town Council supported the idea, Huntingdon District Council objected, calling the naming inappropriate and unnecessary. Following a plea from councillor Pree Newbon, the issue went to the County Council, who backed the proposal. Today, the bypass is known as Harrison Way.

However, the Society didn't always get it right. In 1992, they expressed alarm at plans for a boardwalk around Holt Island and rebuilding the Church Street bridge. They feared the island would suffer from vandalism like Barnes Walk and the Thicket footpath, and argued that fences, seats, and bins would disrupt wildlife.

Boardwalk around Holt Island, one of the features the Civic Society objected to.

The District Council felt the Society had jumped the gun. They were right. Today, Holt Island features all the things the Society feared, yet it remains a popular, thriving spot for residents and visitors.

Other issues tackled

The committee minutes from 1988 to 1992 read like a battle diary against insensitive urban design. The society fought hard against corporate eyesores in the historic conservation area, lobbying against oversized shop signs on businesses like Lo cost, Up the Wall, Lloyds Chemist, and Lady Jane. Their persistence paid off when Lady Jane was forced to tone down its bright, primary coloured brickwork and shrink its lettering.

Pedestrian safety was another major triumph. The society campaigned successfully for the pedestrian crossing on East Street and pushed authorities to install experimental bollards in Crown Street and Birt Lane to stop motorists using the town centre as a racetrack.

When the post office moved inside United Newsagents, members lobbied regional fire authorities and MPs over the lack of a wheelchair ramp and fire exits, refusing to let accessibility be ignored.

The group also took part in national anti litter campaigns and planted whitebeam and plane trees around Ramsey Road and North Road car park, as well as climbing shrubs to brighten up Free Church Passage.

Ongoing concerns

Despite these victories, much remained to do. The committee monitored growing housing estates, particularly at Burleigh Hill, concerned they would breach county planning limits. Proposed high density schemes north of St Audrey Lane and at Collingwood Farm also threatened local infrastructure. 

The Great Ouse flood plain needed protection too. The society strongly opposed commercial development there, warning that moving the Vindis garage onto the flood plain would trigger long term water problems. In town, slow repairs to Barnes House and properties along The Waits required constant attention, aggravated by vandals repeatedly damaging the new railings along The Quay.

New town centre traffic controls had a frustrating side effect. Heavy lorries and speeding traffic were diverted onto quiet residential roads like Cromwell Place and Westwood Road.

Future campaigns

The Society laid the groundwork for many local heritage assets we still enjoy today. They adopted the historic East Street Almshouses as a core project, working with trustees and planners to ensure restoration took priority over nearby development.

Renovated almshouses on East Street, St Ives.

They also funded green screening, pledging £300 for trees along a new river meadow to block commercial views from Bridge Terrace, and sowed wildflowers, cowslips, and poppies along Harrison Way.

Finally, they restored and repainted the original Huntingdonshire County Crest on the old police station wall in Priory Road, keeping the town's regional identity visible.

Involvement with other bodies

The Civic Society knew they could not succeed alone. They acted as a bridge between residents and local authorities, keeping steady pressure on the town, district, and county councils.

They also teamed up with environmental groups. Alongside the British Conservation Trust Volunteers, they planted wildflowers and donated to wildlife appeals, helping buy Houghton Meadows and Brampton Wood. They regularly backed the Council for the Protection of Rural England, even lobbying local MP John Major to protect hedgerows.

Locally, they sat on the Holt Island Liaison committee, joining forces with the RSPB, Wildlife Trust, and local Sea Scouts to co-author a sustainable, long-term nature reserve management plan with the District Council.

Ideas and inspiration

The Society continued to host monthly guest speakers. Talks covered the physical hurdles faced by disabled people navigating historic places like Cambridge, the ecology of the Ouse Washes, and the distinct folklore and history of Huntingdonshire Fen people.

Speakers tackled preservation architecture, warning against the plastic curse of modern Georgian developments. Others described the traditional labour required to maintain Britains oldest nature reserve and how artificial holts were built to welcome otters back to local waterways.

Bob Burn Murdoch walked members through a witty history of Huntingdonshire from Saxon times to the modern era. Dora Tack brought the house down with her humorous, poignant look at local life during the Second World War, sharing stories from her book. Bridget Smith gave an invaluable guide to local public Rights of Way, reminding members of their right to enjoy the countryside.

The legacy of 1988–1992

Looking back at these records, it is clear that the charm of today's St Ives did not happen by accident. It was saved by design, grit, and tireless volunteer work. The trees, architecture, and floodplains we see today exist because of the Civic Society's efforts. They remind us that a town's history is only secure if residents stand up to defend it.

To view the Society's Annual Reports for this period, click Civic Society of St Ives minutes 1988-1992.

To view more information about the Society's history, click Civic Society of St Ives.