Carpenters have been around in Three Holes since the early days.
John Seba, age 25, was a carpenter from March working in Three Holes in 1851, according to the census. His wife Mary was a local and they had a 4-month-old son John W. One of his jobs was building the mill, called Old Betty, or Old Betsy, which was on the Popham’s Eau near Nordelph. On a plaque on the outside was written:
“J.H.Marshall, Officer, 1853 July 6. James Seba, Millwright, by John Seba. Thomas Maycroft Millowner.”
Later, George See was a wheelwright in 1937 (according to Kelly’ Directory), and had the carpenters shop opposite the Red Hart. Local stories have it that the carpenter’s shop used to have Tabernacle written on the front. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a Baptist preacher who was at Waterbeach between 1850 and 1853, and it is believed that he preached at the Three Holes Tabernacle. He was apparently a great orator and preacher – because the Baptists needed a huge amount of space for this sermons, they built the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, which held 5,000 people, although it eventually burned down. He wrote 50 volumes of sermons and then withdrew from the Baptists in 1887, as they were too “modern” for him.
The carpenters shop then became the coal yard, and is now the site of a bungalow.
Later, Sam Williams was the blacksmith but his card read: ‘Cart, Van and wagon builder, Wheelwright, carpenter and undertaker, Repairs of every description. Painting. Rubber tyres’.
Many years later, my Dad, Stuart Carnson made furniture in his shed at the bottom of the garden. Our house was at the top of Mumby’s Drove, on the left. He also had a lathe and also turned out bowls and light stands. He decorated his woodwork with relief carvings; a large cross that he made hung at the west end of Upwell church for many years. He looked after the carvings on the pews in the church and I remember him being fanatical about tracking down any woodworm.