Jim Baldwin Publishing Solutions

Fakenham, Norfolk

Free downloads

You may know that Jim suffered two strokes recently. As he fights back towards fitness, Jim produces short articles on the history of some of the military facilites in and around Fakenham, as well as some musical memoirs. These are free to download as pdfs:

  A Bombs at Sculthorpe
The ‘special building’.
  Aircraft on Loan
Interesting arrivals at Sculthorpe.
  Allies at Odds
The gradual takeover of Sculthorpe from RAF to USAF.
  America next the sea
How Wells missed out.
  Barns Hall or Barons Hall
The Gwynns and Fakenham.
  Bombing up at Sculthorpe
The bomb loading pit at RAF Sculthorpe.
  Books by the Thousand
Printing in Fakenham
  Crash
Vampire Mk5 crash, 1955
  Chapel Tales
Fakenham’s methodist chapel and Jim’s family connection
  Connections
When Jim’s interest in RAF Sculthorpe started
  Coxford Heath Decoy Aerodrome
The decoy aerodrome near Tattersett.
  Decoy to confound
RAF North Creake.
  Fake News
Counter-intelligence
  Fakenham and the Great Western Railway
The link between GWR and Fakenham‘s print industry
  Fakenham pump
The once important utility of Fakenham’s centre
  Fakenham's Old Mill
What does this mound of ivy conceal?
  Fakenham's Railways
From 1849 to the 1960s.
  Feeding The Printing Presses
John Garrood’s invention for the print industry.
  From The Garden To The Sky
Jim’s early days of plane spotting.
  Harpley Dams
How Mr Wilson’s quarry helped to buid a railway and then helped to win a war.
  Harpley Dams update
Further information comes to light.
  Hills and Holes
The terrain of Fakenham.
  Hobnobbing with well-known musicians
Some of the professional musicians that Jim has met over the years.
  Ink Under The Fingernails
Jim’s career in the printing trade.
  Jets
The arrival of jet-engined aircraft at Sculthorpe.
  Jiu-Jitsu, the still secret operation
A risky operation from Sculthorpe.
  Letter from Fakenham
Fakenham’s postal service.
  London, Fakenham & Reading
The story of printing in Fakenham.
  Musician’s Tales
A few anecdotes recalling Jim’s musical adventures.
  News From Fakenham
Local newspapers past and present.
  Off-duty at Sculthorpe
Sports, leisure and entertainment for personnel and families.
  Off the Rails
Jim recalls a minor derailment on the Fakenham East level crossing.
  Peace camps at Sculthorpe
Remembering the presence of CND at the base.
  Play It Again Sam
Experiences with recording.
  Project Ruby
Joint testing programme.
  Rectory Tales
Fakenham’s rectories.
  Reminders of the Second World War
Remembering some of Fakenham’s defences.
  Residents of Sculthorpe
Aircraft types stationed at the base.
  Roads around the aerodrome
Lost and rerouted roads through the years.
  Sculthorpe co-locations
How various nearby stations and facilities were linked with Sculthorpe.
  Sculthorpe and the Local Economy
The contribution of RAF Sculthorpe to the local area, its economy and people.
  Sculthorpe at Home
Open days at the base.
  Sculthorpe: Lots to see
Sculthorpe as a standby airfield
  Sculthorpe Opens For The Third Time
Change of use, 1967 into the early 1970s
  Sculthorpe - The Early Days
The construction and early years of RAF Sculthorpe.
  Security at Sculthorpe
Protecting the base.
  Schools in Fakenham
Education through the years.
  Speculation about Sculthorpe
Many ideas were discussed for the redundant base.
  Spying from Sculthorpe
RAF Special Duties flight, 1954.
  Spotting at Sculthorpe
Jim started spotting planes at RAF Sculthorpe as a schoolboy.
  Spotting days
More on Jim’s aircraft spotting.
  The Air Ministry at Fakenham
Aerodrome repair depot in Fakenham used during World War 2.
  The Methodist Story in Fakenham
The long and varied history of Fakenham’s Methodist chapels.
  The Red Barn Mystery
Sugar beet storage or something more sinister?
  The Story of The Electrons
Fakenham’s first beat group.
  The Turkish Affair
How the US Airforce came to Sculthorpe.
  The Wensum by Fakenham
Bridges, mills and a change of course.
  Uninvited guests at Sculthorpe
Some unusual arrivals.
  Uniforms
Army uniforms
  US Military arrival at Sculthorpe
Activity in 1946/7.
  What next for Sculthorpe?
Life after the USAF.
  What’s in a name?
The origins of some of Fakenham’s place names.
  White Horse Street
How it changed over the years
  Who Built Victorian Fakenham?
Local builders of the time.

Other essays

  Records - Don’t always believe what you hear
Jim’s thoughts on who played what.
  More Label Mysteries
Manufactured bands of the 60s and early 70s.