ANSWER TO A JOHN MOYER HEATHCOTE (1852) PHOTO.

[ALAN GEORGE CLARK]

Whilst researching for my proposed book on "Cuthbert Bede" I just happened to try John Moyer Heathcote on the 'net (although I have already a substantial amount of information on him; he was a friend of "Bede" whilst the latter was curate of the combined parishes of Holme-with-Glatton 1850-54) - and up popped, under the British Photographic History site, a quite indistinct photograph by JMH taken c.1852, which the blogger (or anybody else) had no knowledge of its locality - thinking it might be a fen parish. It immediately roused my interest - as it looked very familiar to me instantly. I'm 99.9% certain that it is the parish church of All Saints' Elton, Cambridgeshire (formerly Huntingdonshire). I quickly compared it with a postcard photo I have (1912) taken from virtually the same angle, which confirmed my belief. I will shortly post this 1912 photo. I have in my collection, since the 1970s, a print of another photograph which JMH must have taken during the same visit (Conington is a good twelve miles from Elton), this is of Elton watermill. It shows attached to the end of the mill, the miller's thatched cottage, which was taken down in the 1880s; I will also post this too. Hope this proves noteworthy.