Historic Photos

Old and historic Photos of Ilmer

The Green

The photo above shows Valerie Alsford's refreshments at the 1978 Church Flower Festival, organised by Janet Wilson of 2, The Green. The photo is taken from the driveway of Old Orchard.

The large tree in the background collapsed on 10th March 2019

Horse and trap beside The Green, published in the South Bucks Star, 19 Aug 1988

Celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of VE Day on the village green, May 1995

A village that 'marks time' - The Daily Sketch

The Daily Sketch was a British tabloid newspaper published from 1909 to 1971. It was known for its extensive use of photographs and illustrations. In 1935, they ran a feature on the village of Ilmer.

Elizabeth Kingham née Claydon, married William Kingham of Ilmer and lived in one of the 3 cottages known as Close End Cottages. Widowed in 1929, she died in 1939 aged 76. Mrs Goodchild is likely to be Annie Goodchild (née Smith), wife of Harry, a stockman. The daughter is likely to be Elsie Dorothy Goodchild who married Gerald Knight.

The vehicle pictured is probably a Morris Eight saloon produced between 1935 and 1948. The same, or another similar vehicle can be seen in a 1948 aerial photo from Historic England.

Aerial Photos

The following photos are from Aerofilms, taken in 1948. Click on the photos to zoom in.

Ilmer Lane and what appears to be a hayrick.

Ilmer House. A passenger train is on the railway line.

Ilmer in the middle, North Mill in the foreground, and Lockington (Hermit's Wood or Hermit's Copse), the home of Charles Belgrove, in-between.

Bumpers Farm, Church Close and Ilmer to the right of the railway line. Longwick is at the top left with Risborough in the distance.

The glass houses of the nursery, now Ilmer Meadows, beyond the railway line.

The glass houses of the nursery, now Ilmer Meadows, with Close End Cottage. In the foreground is the field now containing the Battery Energy Storage facility. A freight train can be seen on the railway line.

Lower Farm, Ilmer Halt, the glass houses of the nursery and the barns of Manor Farm.

Ilmer House and the Church. The Church chimney is clearly visible. Manor Farm is at the top right and a small barn can be seen behind the tree in what is now the horse paddocks top left. On the right is the Old Vicarage.

Ilmer House, the glass houses and water tower of the nursery. Manor farm.

Ilmer House. Adults and children are walking on the road past the village green and appear to be looking up at the aeroplane.

Ilmer House, the Church and vicarage, Manor Farm. The nursery water tower can be seen.

Ilmer House, Manor Farm, and Close End Cottage in the distance. Bumpers farm cottages (since demolished) in the far distance.

Ilmer House

Ilmer House and Lodge Cottages (now demolished), which occupied the site of present-day Folly Cottage.

Shellstar at Lower Farm

Dutch barn at Lower Farm, approximately 1963.

Lower Farm with a sign saying "Shellstar Limited". John Tarlton SC72, 1972.

The white, former cowshed in the centre was constructed between 1903-1904. It was described^[1] in a letter of October 1903:

At the Lower Farm a cow house of bricks and a tile roof of sufficient capacity to tie 16. cows with a mixing house of the same materials adjoining.

Construction, along with a similar cowshed at Manor Farm and a farm house at Coldharbour, was paid for under the will of Moreton John Edward Frewen and the beneficiary and "tenant for life", Miss Elizabeth Moreton. The cost was paid out of the proceeds of selling the adjacent land to the Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway for the new line.

Ilmer Halt

Ilmer Halt was an on-request station which opened 1st April 1929 serving the London and North-Eastern Railway Company. A passenger census in the week to 20th January 1962 showed on average five people joined or left the trains each day at the halt^[2]. Passenger services from the halt were withdrawn from January 7th 1963 after almost 34 years of operation.

A group of men using the Halt platform to watch over the adjacent field. One man is using a megaphone.

Towards 2000

This fascinating documentary was commissioned and sponsored by the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish Council to create a time capsule of our community in the year leading up to 2000. The idea was suggested by Councillor Dorothy Brock of Meadle. Originally sold to villagers on DVD, the video made a loss of £320 in the year to 31st March 2001. This film captures the unique spirit and daily life of Longwick and its surrounding hamlets.

The full DVD^[3] is 1 hour 32 minutes long, of which 5 minutes cover Ilmer.

Do you remember this project? Do you recognise anyone, or perhaps even a younger version of yourself? Share your memories and stories!