The Old Vicarage B&B, Little Ouse

The Vicarage and church of ST. John the Evangelist, Little Ouse, stands in a remote position on the Cambridge/Norfolk boundary, 2 miles from the Littleport-Mildenhall road. It was erected in 1869 at the cost of Canon E. B. Sparke, Rector of Feltwell and son of Bishop Sparke. It appears though he may have visited, he never lived in Little Ouse. Being the rector of St. Mary’s, Feltwell from 1831 to his death in 1879.

It is a building of flint with stone dressings and slate roof, consisting of chancel with north vestry and organ chamber (organ now removed), nave, and north-west tower with clock (not functioning) and pyramidal slated roof. The ground stage of the tower forms a porch. The weather vane is in the form of a dragon. The tower contains three bells (now removed). The registers begin in 1867. The parish was formed the previous year from Littleport and the following Norfolk parishes- Feltwell St. Mary, Feltwell St. Nicholas, Hilgay, and Southery.

1869 to 2026 changes to the Church (now Church and Chancel a semi-detached residence):

• _{North-west tower with clock. The ground stage of the tower forms a porch.}
  • _{Clock – The iron dial (with roman numerals) although rusty, looks in a reasonable state from ground level. It is situated above the porch entrance. It looks like some plastic sheeting has been inserted behind. presumably to keep the birds from getting behind it. The clock is right twice a day! The hands show 6:30. The owner told me a couple of years ago that they had found the mechanism to it. Hopefully, it is still in the church.}
  • _{Porch – There are two large arched iron fret work porch gates which are now on two large posts at the garden entrance to the Church section of the now semi-detached house (Church and Chancel). The current owner took these off of the Church Tower porch many years ago and inserted a half-glazed door and surround to weatherproof the porch. the owner mentioned that they had obtained this large door from a Church that was being demolished. I believe that they mentioned Scotland.}
  • _{Font – I believe that the Church may still have its font. I saw a sandstone font that had been moved into the porch several years ago.}
  • _{Original Cast Iron Log burner/Church heater – This was still in the building several years ago. However, it had moved from its original location. If you look at the tower end of the Church you will see a chimney on the gable. This would have been the location of the original heater. You would have entered through the porch into the church and the heater was on the clerestory (back wall under the large window at the gable end). However, when the church was converted the Chancel area was split into a ground (which is now a kitchen) and first floor. The Iron heater was/is now on the first floor and a new chimney exit has been made for it in the roof.}
  • _{Dragon weather vane – This is still in place at the top of the pyramidal roof of the tower. However, currently the tower roof needs attention there is damage to the slates, lead work and guttering. The weather vane I believe does not turn anymore.}
  • _{Tower – the wooden louvres on the four sides of the Church bell tower had all but rotted/dropped out by 2015. The owner, has since removed these and inserted what appear to be metal framed, single glazed units in their place.}
  • _{Luddington Memorial Window – I haven’t seen this, would be good to know if it survived and where it was/is installed}
    • _{July 2026. I have talked with Ricky who has lived at the Church for around thirty years. She has no recollection of this window being present at the Church in her tenure.}
  • _{Graveyard – The gravestones are now either lent against the church or its outbuilding or are lying flat around the edges of the boundary of the property. The graveyard now forms the gardens for the two properties. Mainly laid to grass with some trees and planting and a separating wooden panel fence at the back. On the Church side there are various wooden workshop type buildings.}
• _{North Vestry – This is now part of the private dwelling known as the Chancel and the door to this (which looks original) is now the front door to this house, which forms the hallway into the Chancel/alter area, now a kitchen. There are many picture online of this on estate agent sites as it was sold on August 5th, 2016.}
• _{There are several additions to the overall external appearance of the Church, which perhaps make it more practical as a residence they include:}
  • _{There are several dormers projecting from the roofline on the Church as well as on the Vestry.}
  • _{Additional windows added underneath the clerestory windows around the church. On the side walls these are wider than the original windows.}
  • _{A conservatory type building added to the side wall of the house now known as the Chancel.}
  • _{A single garage added by the North Vestry, part of the Chancel.}

The Barbers Almanac and the Notebook have a few areas that need to be brought together, such as in the time of Capt. Robbins and Rev. Sydney Chambers. It appears that Capt Robbins performed services but all baptisms, weddings and funerals were conducted by Rev Chambers.

Vicars of Little Ouse

1860?

• _{The earliest entry in the baptism register is 2nd December 1860.}
  • _{https://www.engcam.org/index.php/ancestors/34-barritts-of-the-fenlands/12-st-john-little-ouse-and-brandon-bank}
  • _{It would be good to identify where this register is and find out by whom and where the the service was performed as this predates the new flint church and also the accepted start of the registers which is usually shown as 1867?}

1867 – 1877 – Rev.d Charles Sumpter Harris

• The Bishop of Ely celebrated the first mass at St John’s altar on Wednesday, May 6th 1869.
  • _{With the Rev.d Harris being listed in the Littleport notebook as 1867 – 1877, we. can assume that he started off his parochial duties at the old Anglican mission and School House in Little Ouse.}
• 6th, January 1872 – Baptism Record – Alice Maud Harris, Father – Charles Sumpter Harris (Vicar), Mother’s given name – Emily.
  • _{http://tinstaafl.co.uk/nbp/Church_Pages/ouse_lt.htm#:~:text=A%20single%20standard%20800%2Dentry%20register,it%20was%20viewed%20as%20is.}
    • _{It looks as if the Rev.d Charles Sumpter Harris may have been the first vicar of the new church at St John’s Little Ouse.}
    • _{Newton, William Fretwell
      Adm. pens. at Caius, Feb. 9, 1852. S. of Christopher, Wesleyan minister. B. Sept. 19, 1827, at Wirksworth, Derbs. Schools Clitheroe and Stafford. Matric. Michs. 1852; B.A. 1856; M.A. 1860. Ord. deacon (Chester) 1856; priest 1857; C. of St Bride’s, Liverpool, 1856-7. C. of St Mary’s, Bury St Edmunds, 1857-62. C. of Histon, Cambs., 1864-5. C. of Littleport, Cambs., 1865-76. V. of St Mark’s, Preston, Lancs., 1876-88. R. of Wambrook, Dorset, 1888-94. Died Sept. 19, 1894. Father of Herbert F. (1885). (Venn, II. 307; Crockford.) [Married, 20 Nov. 1862,at Histon, Cambridgeshire,, Sophia, dau. of the late C.P. Harris, of Newnham, Cambridge,, [Cambridgeshire [-co]] [-co]; she was a sister of Charles Sumpter Harris (1853) and a niece of William Smithies Beevor (1818) (P.J. Bamwell)]}
      • _{https://prestonhistory.com/sources-2/prestons-cambridge-alumni-n-p/}

1877 – 1882 Henry Brown

• 15th April 1877 – Baptism Record – Isobel Kirkwood Brown, Father – Henry Brown (Clerk in Holy Orders). Mother’s given name – Sarah Susannah
  • _{http://tinstaafl.co.uk/nbp/Church_Pages/ouse_lt.htm#:~:text=A%20single%20standard%20800%2Dentry%20register,it%20was%20viewed%20as%20is.}
  • _{The Littleport notebook gives the date of 1877 – 1882. Need to get the baptism record to see who performed the baptism on the 15th of April.}

1882 – 1889 Rev.d John Frederick Taylor Morse, BA Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

• _{(born 1839) – 43 when took post at Little Ouse – Kelly’s Directory 1892}
• _{The Littlebook notebook shows him as being Vicar 1877 – 1882. In Kelly’s Directory in 1892 they show him as still being Vicar and his Curate being Rev.d Evans? This needs validating.}

1882 – Rev.d John Evan Jones (Curate)

• _{Kelly’s Directory 1892}
• _{1887, March 4th, Friday – Letter to the vicar St George’s, Littleport from the vicar of Little Ouse, mentioning publication of banns and discouragement of civil marriages.}
  • _{https://calm.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=KP109%2f1%2f40&pos=59}
  • _{CalmRefNo KP109/1/40 – Reference number P109/1/40 – Repository. Cambridgeshire Archives}

1889 – 1901 C C Tucker MA

• _{The Littlebook notebook shows him as being Vicar 1889 – 1901}

1893 – 1898 Rev. Frank Harold Surridge has been curate-in-charge since 1893

• The following photograph shows Rev Surridge (ringed). The photo was taken between June and September 1890 during the Pioneer trek in what was later to be Southern Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe]. On July 9 1891, soon after his return to England, Surridge delivered a lecture to the Royal Colonial Institute (an earlier iteration of the Royal Commonwealth Society), entitled ‘Matabeleland and Mashonaland’. 
• https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-RCS-Y-03052-B/1 The names of the other officers and further details of the expedition can be found on the Cambridge and the Zimfield links contained on this page.

• Background to Reverend F.H. Surridge – taken from – https://www.zimfieldguide.com/sites/masvingo/photographs-taken-reverend-fh-surridge-during-pioneer-column%E2%80%99s-1890-trek-mashonaland?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Reverend Frank Harold Surridge (10 June 1862 – 4 May 1947) had originally gone to South Africa in 1883 and met Cecil Rhodes on the voyage and they remained friends. He was the Curate at Claremont, Cape Town and ordained a priest at Bloemfontein in 1890. On 26 May 1890 he accepted the post of Church of England Chaplain to the Pioneer Column.
• After the flag raising ceremony at Salisbury on 13 September 1890 and disbandment of the Pioneer Column, he travelled to Hartley Hills before leaving Mashonaland in 1891 and returning to England.
• On 9 July 1891, soon after his return to England, Surridge delivered a lecture to the Royal Colonial Institute (an earlier iteration of the Royal Commonwealth Society), entitled ‘Matabeleland and Mashonaland.’ This talk was illustrated with lantern slides of which these prints are presumably the originals.
• He was Curate at Holy Trinity, Ely from 1891-93 and then at Little Ouse, Suffolk 1893-98 before
• travelling to India where he took up various chaplaincy’s until 1905. He then returned to England and served as Curate in Devon, London and Essex; retiring after serving as Vicar of Elsenham, Essex from 1926-32. He lived in retirement at Dovercourt in Essex, dying there on 4 May 1947. He married, but with no children.

1901 – 1925 Rev.d Henry James Hall, MA University of Edinburgh

• _{Kelly’s Directory 1904} – _{shows Rev.d Hall being Vicar from 1901.}
• _{Littleport notebook shows Rev.d Hall being Vicar 1901 – 1925}.
• _{1917, May – In the May 1917 issue of the Southery Parish Magazine it was reported that a stained glass window in memory of John Luddington Peacock had been unveiled in the Church of England Church at Little Ouse, Littleport (the Church where his father was a churchwarden).  The window comprised two lights with St Michael on the right side and St George on the left side.  The window bore the inscription: ‘To the Glory of God and in loving memory of John Luddington Peacock, Lieutenant RE, the youngest son of John Luddington and Mary G. Peacock who laid down his life for his country in France on 1 July 1916.  RIP’.}
• _{1920, Little Ouse Church – A brass tablet was erected under the chancel arch to the memory of the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18.}
  • _{https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/NFK/Ouse_Little/Kelly1933#:~:text=LITTLE%20OUSE.,Brandon%20crk%20*%20Clarke%20Fredk.}
  • _{This tablet was removed when the church was decommissioned in 1976 and moved to St George’s, Littleport.}
• _{1923, September 21st, Friday – The Cambridgeshire Times (retrospective for 1923, published on Friday January 4th 1924) – Mrs H. J. Hall, wife of the Vicar of Little Ouse, passed away}
• _{1924, April 8th, Tuesday – The Cambridgeshire Times (Published, Friday April 11th 1924) – Ely’s new Bishop. Installation of the Rt, Rev. L. J. White-Thomson, D.D. at Ely. The newspaper article lists all the clergymen in attendance, including the Vicar of Little Ouse, Rev, H. J. Hall.}
• _{1924, December 15th, Monday – Barbers Almanac 1925 – Presentation by School children to Rev. H. J. Hall on his retirement as Vicar of St. John, Little Ouse}

1924 – 1936 Rev.d Fred Halliwell MA

• _{The Littleport Notebook shows the dates for Rev.d Halliwell as 1925 – 1936.}
• _{1924, November 7th, Friday – Barbers Almanac 1925 – Appointment by the Bishop of Ely of the Rev. F. Halliwell, of Rapid City Ruperts Land, Manitoba, as Vicar of Little Ouse.}
• _{1925, May 4th, Monday Barbers Almanac 1926 – Messrs. E. M. Rose and P. Clarke re­elected churchwardens for Little Ouse.}
• _{1925, June 7th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1926 – Egg Service at St. John’s, Little Ouse, and collection in aid of the British Legion.}
• _{1925, July 6th, Monday – Barbers Almanac 1926 – Tennis Tournament at Plantation House, in aid of S. John’s Church, Little Ouse. This was organized by Mr. E. M. Rose.}
• _{1925, July 18th, Saturday – Barbers Almanac 1926 – Garden Fete at Plantation House in aid of Little Ouse Parish Church Funds. The total proceeds amounted to about £100.}
• _{1925, November 3rd, Tuesday – Barbers Almanac 1926 – Rev. F. Halliwell addresses Mothers’ Union at the Vicarage.}
• _{1926, May 23rd, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1927 – -Special Sermons for S.P.G. at the (Littleport) Parish Church. Rev. Halliwell preached.}
• _{1928, October 7th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1929 – Harvest Festival at St. John’s, Little Ouse.}
• _{1930, August 27th, Wednesday – Barbers Almanac 1931 – Outing of St. John’s, Little Ouse, Sunday School.}
• _{1930, September 28th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1931 – Harvest Festival at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1931, September 13th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1932 – Rev F. Halliwell, M.A., Vicar of Little Ouse, preached at Parish Church (Littleport).}
• _{1931, September 17th, Thursday & 20th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac 1932 – Harvest Thanksgiving Services held at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1932, July 1st, Friday – Barbers Almanac – Sunday School outing of scholars of St. John’s, Little Ouse.}
• _{1932, September 29th, Thursday – Barbers Almanac – Harvest Festival Services commenced at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1932, October 2nd, Sunday – Barbers Almanac – Harvest Festival Services continued at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1933, April 14th, Friday – Barbers Almanac 1934 – Lantern service held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1933, July 21st, Friday – Barbers Almanac 1934 – Outing of Little Ouse Sunday School children to Hunstanton.}
• _{1933, September 22­nd, Friday and 29th­­, Friday – Barbers Almanac 1934 – Harvest Festival Services held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1934, March 30th, Good Friday – Barbers Almanac – Lantern Service at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse. The Vicar (Rev. F. Halliwell) conducted the Service.}
• _{1934, April 29th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac – The Sunday evening service at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, took the form of a memorial service to the late Mrs. E. Ward}.
• _{1934, May 20th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac – Rev. F. Halliwell, M.A., Vicar of Little Ouse, preached at Littleport Parish Church His subject was “The work of the S.P.G. in Canada.”}
• _{1934, August 26th, Sunday – Barbers Almanac – Rev. N. W. Shelton, Vicar of Littleport, took evening service at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, and the Rev. F. Halliwell, Vicar of Little Ouse, preached at the evening service at Littleport Parish Church.}
• _{1934, September 21st, Friday – Barbers Almanac – Harvest Festival Services commenced at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1934, September 23rd, Sunday – Barbers Almanac – Harvest Festival Service continued at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1935, May 24th, Friday – Barbers Almanac – Sudden death, at Charing Cross Hospital, London, of Mr. George Theodore Halliwell, at the age of 19 years. He was the only remaining son of the Vicar of Little Ouse (Rev. P. Halliwell) and Mrs. Halliwell.}
• _{1935, October 4th, Friday – Barbers Almanac – Harvest festival services held at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse. The Vicar (Rev. F. Halliwell) conducted all services}.
• _{1935, November 5th, Tuesday – Barbers Almanac – Rev. P. Halliwell, Vicar of Little Ouse, appointed as Rector of Broughton with King’s Ripton, Hunts.}
• _{1935, December – Barbers Almanac – Parting presentation at Little Ouse to Rev. F. Halliwell, M.A., who had been appointed Rector of Broughton and King’s Ripton, Hunts., after eleven years’ splendid work in the Little Ouse Parish.}
• _{1936, August 9th – Barbers Almanac – Induction of Rev. F. Halliwell at King’s Ripton Church, Hunts. The Archdeacon of Huntingdon (the Ven. K. D. Knowles), conducted the ceremony}.
• _{1936, October 2nd, Friday – First annual dinner of Littleport Butchers Cricket Club. The guests included Rev. F. Halliwell (Rector of Broughton with King’s Ripton).}
• _{1955, January – Barbers Almanac – Death, at the Clarkson Hospital, Wisbech, at the age of 77, of the Rev. Fred Halliwell, Vicar of St. John the Baptist Church, Parson Drove. He was Vicar of Little Ouse from 1924 until 1936.}

1936 – 1938 Rev.d T. W. Coombe MA

• _{Littleport Notebook shows the Rev.d Coombe as being Vicar of Little Ouse from 1936 – 1938.}
• _{1937, September – Barbers Almanac – Harvest festival services began at (Littleport) Parish Church. Rev. T. W. Coombe (Vicar of Little Ouse) preached.}
• _{1937, December 31st, Friday – Barbers Almanac 1939 – Successful concert in aid of the Church Repair Fund held at Little Ouse.}
• _{1938, February 24th, Thursday – Barbers Almanac 1939 – Successful concert held at Little Ouse, organised by the Church entertainment committee.}
• _{1938, June 5th, Whit Monday – Barbers Almanac 1939 – Enjoyable dance held in the Church Room, Little Ouse.}

1938 – 1940 Rev.d Malcom P. Shipman MA

• 1938, August 12th, Friday – The Cambridgeshire Times – There is a story on the Rev. M. P. Shipman moving to Little Ouse, it appears that his previous role was at Chatteris. – Note – the article has been copied badly and the right-hand side is missing. Need to source a complete article from the paper.
• _{1939, Census – People living at The Vicarage}
  • _{Daisy A Nicholas – Born 1897}
  • _{Gertrude Shipman – Born 1900}
  • _{Malcom Shipman – Born 1877}

1940 – 1953 Rev.d Isaac Ambrose Reynolds AKC

• _{Source, Fenland History on Facebook, Sarah’s Post – see comment below on bombing 31st August 1940, while a wedding being held in the Church.}
• _{1947, October – Barbers Almanac – Recent harvest thanksgiving sale held at St. John, Little Ouse, realised over £15 for the fund for paying for repairs to the church roof.}
• _{1947, October – barbers Almanac – members of the Prickwillow branch of the Mothers’ Union made a pilgrimage to the Church of St. John, Little Ouse}
• _{1948, March – Barbers Almanac – Rev. I. A. Reynolds (Vicar of Little Ouse), cycled the 29 miles to Wisbech to attend the funeral of a former Vicar of Little Ouse, the Rev. M. P. Shipman, M.A.}
  • What years were these?
• _{1948, March – Barbers Almanac – A resolution urging the Minister of Health to sanction the building of more houses in Littleport was passed at the annual assembly of the parish in the Town Hall. Following a strong appeal by the Vicar of Little Ouse (Rev. I. A. Reynolds) a further resolution was carried asking Ely R.D.C, to include that parish in their building programme}
• _{1949, October – Barbers Almanac – Services of harvest thanksgiving were held at the Church of St. John, Little Ouse.}
• _{1950, February – Barbers Almanac – Candlemass services held at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse. At the main service candles were blessed and distributed to all present.}
• _{1953, October – Barbers Almanac – Tragic death of the Rev. I. A. Reynolds, Vicar of Little Ouse. He was killed when his motor­cycle collided with an American seven­ ton truck at the junction of the Mildenhall and White House Roads.}

• _{1954, April – Barbers Almanac – Mrs Reynolds, wife of the late Vicar of Little Ouse, the Rev I.A.Reynolds, and her daughter Kathleen, left Little Ouse to take up residence in Ipswich.}
• _{1962, February – Barbers Almanac – Engagement announced between Mr. Ernest Reynolds, only son of the late Rev. I. A. Reynolds and the late Mrs. Reynolds, formerly of the Vicarage, Little Ouse, and Miss Janet Wiggins, of Ipswich.}

1954 – Vacant (No Priest)

• _{The Littleport notebook states that there was no priest in residence for Little Ouse in 1954.}

1955 – 1963 – Captain G.H. Robbins

• _{The Littleport Notebook lists GH Robbins start date as 1955, but gives no end date and is the last entry for Little Ouse clergy.}
• _{1955, September – Barbers Almanac – At a special service held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, Captain G. H. Robbins, of the Church Army, was licensed by the Bishop of Ely as evangelist­-in-charge of that parish.}

• _{1955, October – Barbers Almanac – Captain Robbins, evangelist-­in-­charge at Little Ouse, took his first service at Black Horse Drove. It was held in the Community Centre.}
• _{1956, April – Barbers Almanac – Following a fall from his auto­cycle, Captain G. H. Robbins, Evangelist­ in­ charge at St. John’s, Little Ouse, was admitted to the R.A.F. Hospital, Ely. The accident occurred on the Black Horse Drove Road.}

• _{1956, September – Barbers Almanac – A successful sale of work in aid of the Church lighting fund was held in the Vicarage garden, St. John, Little Ouse. It was opened by Mrs. Flanders Morton.}
• _{1956, November – Barbers Almanac – Remembrance Day—A large congregation of all denominations filled the Parish Church to capacity. The special preacher was the Rev R E. Tosteven, Bishop’s Chaplain and padre to the R A F Hospital, Ely. Services were also held at Black Horse Drove, Little Ouse, and St. Matthew’s.}
• _{1957, September – Barbers Almanac – To mark the end of the second year of the ministry of the evangelist in charge (Capt. G. H. Robbins) a special family service was held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1958, October – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins, of Little Ouse, conducted Burnt Fen Women’s Institute’s harvest festival.}
• _{1959, September – Barbers Almanac – Annual garden party in aid of St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, was opened by Mrs. Luther Gilbert. About £90 was raised.}
• _{1959, September – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins, of Little Ouse, conducted a harvest thanks­giving service at a meeting of Burnt Fen Women’s Institute.}
• _{1959, December – Barbers Almanac – The choir of St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, wore their new robes for the first time. The occasion was the annual carol service.}
• _{1960, April – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins of Little Ouse gave the last of his sermons on “The Fruits of the Spirit’· at the Parish Church.}
• _{1960, October – Barbers Almanac – Little Ouse and Brandon Bank Women’s Institute’s monthly meeting included a harvest service conducted by Mr. E. Youngs, of Littleport, and Capt. G. H. Robbins.}
• _{1961, March – Barbers Almanac – The Rev. V. H. E. Ritson, of Ely, preached at a Mothering Sunday Service held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}
• _{1961, April – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins, of Little Ouse, was the speaker at the monthly meeting of the Mothers’ Union (Littleport).}
• _{1961, September – Barbers Almanac – Mrs. T. B Gordon opened the Little Ouse Church Garden Fete Over £80 was raised.}
• _{1962, January – Barbers Almanac – A nativity play entitled “On Christmas Day in the Morning” was presented at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse. It was produced, by Capt. G. H. Robbins.}
• _{1962, November – Barbers Almanac – Meeting of St. John’s, Little Ouse, Parochial Church Council. A presentation was made to the Rev. Sydney Chambers, now retired. Apart from being Vicar of St. Matthew’s, he was for seven years Priest­ in­ Charge of St. John’s.}
  • _{In the Barbers Almanac for 1956, it shows Rev. Chambers as being the Priest in Charge of St John’s, Little Ouse and also St Matthew’s on the Wisbech Road. While Capt. Robbins is the Evangelist in charge. Furthermore, Rev Chambers is resident at the Vicarage of St Matthew’s, While Capt Robbins is resident at the Vicarage of St John’s.}
• _{1963, February – Barbers Almanac – St. John’s, Little Ouse, Parochial Church Council Meeting. Captain G. H. Robbins. Evangelist­ in­ Charge gave notice of his impending departure.}
• _{1963, June – Barbers Almanac – Meeting of Little Ouse and Brandon Bank Women’s Institute. A presentation was made to Mrs. G. H, Robbins on behalf of members in appreciation of the help she had given to the Institute during her stay at Little Ouse, Captain and Mrs. Robbins were shortly leaving for Nuneaton.}
• _{1963, June – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins preached his farewell address to the congregation at Black Horse Drove.}
• _{1963, June – Barbers Almanac – Captain G. H. Robbins, Church Army Evangelist, preached his farewell sermon at St. John’s Church, Little Ouse, and thanked his parishioners for their farewell gift of £25. Captain and Mrs. Robbins were leaving for duties at Nuneaton.}

• _{1963, December – Barbers Almanac – Children of Little Ouse Primary School and the Coronation School, Black Horse Drove, provided the background of a Carol Service held in St. John’s Church, Little Ouse.}

1973, May 12th – V. H. E. Ritson – Official Minister

• _{1974, January 24th – Barbers Almanac 1976-77 – Canon Ritson, “one of the best known and best loved clergymen in the district”, died at Mildenhall Nursing Home.}
  • _{Is Canon Ritson, the same person as the Rev.d V. H. E. Ritson?}
• _{Source, LittlePort Gazette}
• _{1974, June 15th, Saturday – The last entry in the marriage register for St John’s, Little Ouse.}
  • _{https://www.engcam.org/index.php/ancestors/34-barritts-of-the-fenlands/12-st-john-little-ouse-and-brandon-bank}
  • _{The last entry in the Marriage Register is number 400 for the marriage of Lloyd Harry Bamber of Littleport to Kathleen Mary Cousins, of 13. Council Houses, Little Ouse. The Vicars name is illegible.}

• The Church of St John’s Little Ouse and the Vicarage are closed (decommissioned) in 1976 and the war memorial moved shortly after to St George’s Littleport.

15/04/1977 –

• _{Source, LittlePort Gazette}

1977, December 15th – Rev. John Hunter Martin

• _{Barbers Almanac – The Bishop of Ely has announced that the Rev. John Hunter Martin, at present Vicar of St. Anne’s, Bermondsey, will become Priest in charge of Littleport St. George, St. Matthews and Little Ouse}
• _{1978, April 13th – Barbers Almanac – On Friday 7th, the Rev. John Hunter Martin was welcomed to the diocese, when he was licensed Priest in charge at St. George’s, St. Matthews and St. Johns by the Bishop of Ely at a service in St. George’s Church.}
• _{1979, May 18th – Barbers Almanac – A Church Party, a completely new venture in Littleport, attracted over one hundred and twenty people of all ages to the Village College on Saturday evening. The occasion came within twenty­-four hours of the institution and induction of the Rev. John Martin as Vicar of St. George’s, Littleport and St. John’s, Little Ouse.}
• _{1979, May 29th – Church records of St John’s, Little Ouse, transferred to the General Register Office}. _{Entry on Page 201 of the Marriage Register reads:}

• _{1982, November 29th – A statutory declaration to the Church Commissioners by the last Churchwarden of St John’s Little Ouse. Mr P Cousins, Black Horse Farm Cottages, Lynn Road, Littleport.}

1983, January 28th – The church is sold and becomes the former Parish Church of Little Ouse St John in the County of Cambridge.

• _{Later it is converted into two dwellings, known as “The Church” and “The Chancel”.}
• _{The Chancel was last sold in 2016 and is currently configured as a six bedroom house.}

1983, September 5th – The Vicarage is sold and becomes a private dwelling, The Old Vicarage.

• _{2015, July 7th, The Old Vicarage is sold and undergoes a renovation and modernisation.}

2020

• Cary and Ricki who bought St John’s Church, Little Ouse in the 1980s have now completed the double and purchased St Peter’s Church in Main Street, Prickwillow. Now named Prickwillow ArtSpace, it is an active arts centre. It was founded by artists Cary and Ricki Outis, who acquired and began converting the redundant St Peter’s Church into a studio, teaching space, and performance venue. The community-focused venue regularly hosts local exhibitions, live music, and workshops.

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