Cantley, River Yare from Old Postcards

The Norfolk Broads from Old Postcards

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Cantley, River Yare

The first thing you see when approaching Cantley is the enormous silos of the sugar factory. The factory was built in 1912 by The Anglo-Netherlands Sugar Corporation to process sugar beet, it was the first one in the country and had its own rail links and quay. World War 1 caused production difficulties and the factory closed in 1916 but the machinery was mothballed for more favorable times. Production was resumed in 1920 and by 1924 was processing 1500 tonnes per day. 1936 saw the formation of The British Sugar Corporation and the factory was taken into the organisation. Sugar beet deliveries to the factory both by rail and water had ceased by the 1960's, now it is delivered by road. Each year in the 4 months from October the factory produces around 1000 tonnes per day.

1907

A heavily laden trading Wherry makes its way up river past the Red House public house. There is no sign of the sugar factory yet to come, when it did the Wherries would have plenty of work delivering sugar beet for processing.

The Red House ( now Reedcutter ), Cantley. 2004

2004

The Red House pub ( now called Reedcutter ) dwarfed by the sugar factory built on the site in 1912.