Blue plaque

THE Eaton Socon Community Association is unveiling two blue plaques to mark the historical importance of cycling in the village.

The first will be unveiled at Hobbit Cottage, Great North Road, which was used by the North Road Cycling Club in the late 1800s as a stop-off point on rides between London and York.

The second plaque will be revealed at 28, Ackerman Street, where John Cecil Paget lived.

Now immortalised on the Willow Bridge portrait bench, Paget was a member of the North Road Cycling Club, held several speed records and invented the wet-weather cycling cape.

The plaques were researched and designed by ESCA, and join 12 others located in Eaton Socon and Eaton Ford.

ESCA chairman, Sue Jarrett, told The Hunts Post: “We’re looking forward to honouring the contribution made to cycling by John Cecil Paget and the impact the North Road Club had on Eaton Socon and the surrounding area.

“If you have an old bicycle why not bring it along on the 19th and show people what cycles were like before the modern, high-speed bikes.”

INFORMATION: The plaques will be unveiled on Thursday, January 19 at 11am, starting at Hobbit Cottage, opposite the White Horse pub, on Great North Road. For details call Sue Jarrett on 01480 216065.