About us

All projects need to have a starting point and the Far Cotton History Group decided that we should have our starting point about two hundred years ago. However, the real starting point is how the History Group itself came about.

At the end of 2004 beginning of 2005, Age Concern in conjunction with Northamptonshire County Council's Neighbourhood Learning Project set up an over 55's group which became the Cotton Go-Getters. This group met once a week with speakers on various topics of interest, keep-fit activities and a meal.

One of the speakers was Ruth Thomas, and her chosen subject was "Reminiscences". Ruth was so impressed with the wealth of local knowledge shown by a great many of the Cotton Go-Getters that Neighbourhood Learning set up a course entitled Reminiscences, where people could view slides and talk about their experiences growing up in Northampton. It was at this reminiscence course that the idea of the Far Cotton History Group to focus on the lives of everyday people of Far Cotton and Delapre was first mooted and eventually formed.

The formation of the Far Cotton History Group coincided with news that the area was to get its own Community Centre and it was thought that our project could make a contribution to the Far Cotton and Delapre Community Centre.

Many of our members are from families that have lived and worked in the area for four generations or more. Their knowledge has been the driving force of this project. All members of the History group have contributed in some way, whether it is sharing knowledge, carrying out research or contributing photographs, books, documents and family memorabilia - it has all been put to good use.

Our thanks must also go to the Local Heritage Initiative, the Heritage Lottery fund, Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency for the generous grant that made this project possible.

To round off this introduction, we would like to think that this is not just a history of the area. We hope that our group's work will provide a resource for future generations and that they will add their own experiences of growing up and living in Far Cotton. In other words, that it becomes a living History.

Do you have information about Far Cotton that you can share with us?

Perhaps someone in your family lived or worked in Far Cotton or went to school here and you have old family photographs or other memorabilia you can share with us. If you do, please let us know. Click the button to send a message.

You can join us!

The Far Cotton History Group meets every Tuesday during term time from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at the community centre adjacent to Far Cotton Recreation Ground on Towcester Road.

There is a small subscription per week payable on the day, which includes refreshments, as well as a warm welcome. Each week we try and arrange a speaker that will talk about aspects in some way relating to Far Cotton. We also set up study groups to research various aspects of Far Cotton's past and have produced a book and DVD. We intend to complete other projects like this in the future. Newly found pictures, documents or recordings are shared with group members, stirring old memories are stirred and opening new avenues of study.

If you would like to find out about joining the group, please contact us.

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