The Wade Radford Archive

Today when I was going through a box of Zines I uncovered ‘Haughley: On Polaroid’. This was one of my ‘unofficial’ releases I had, had printed when I was gearing up to leave; I suppose it was my way of leaving a small mark of appreciation. I printed only 50 and left them at the Post Office. 

I moved to Haughley in December 2019 – A quiet, unassuming village located on the edge of Stowmarket in Suffolk. Of course you can guess what materialised a few months later come March 2020 and Coronavirus. However, I was very lucky to have endured that time in a beautiful historic cottage, in the beautiful countryside … and as a bonus next door to a small shop!

I created the zine in question when I was approaching leaving Haughley in June 2022. A change of circumstances prompted the move, but I often think fondly of Haughley; dare I say, miss it! I’ve moved around in pure chaos over the years, rental after rental never feeling like home. I purchased a flat once, that didn’t even feel like home! Haughley admittedly felt the closest to home beyond the house of my youth. 

‘From the ‘Haughley: On Polaroid’ Zine (2022) Copyright Wade Radford.

My cottage was located at Number 48 on Old Street. As you stepped inside you were instantly taken by the beams and wooden flooring, the character , and not least the large fireplace – a fire that was often roaring! It was a mix of the old and the new. The front of the property retained many of its original features – the living room and the two bedrooms upstairs. Built onto the back lovingly was a kitchen, bathroom, utility area, and a fantastic garden in which I enjoyed growing Lupins and various colours of wall climbing roses. 

It was bliss! 

As the lockdown sun burst down incandescently in 2020, and we all dealt with our mixed emotions of the time, I pondered… at least we had the garden! 

My days would be spent getting up, taking a stroll along ‘Old Street’, seeing Heather in the post office to send out the days orders and then taking my dog Blair around the King George playing field and to the fields beyond … before the developers moved into the area and spoilt everything! 

A cottage as you walk from Haughley to Dagworth. (2021) Copyright Wade Radford.

It was stereotypical quaint countryside bliss alright! Of a D-Day morning they’d sound out the bomb alarms from a time gone by, and on a Remembrance Sunday the green up by the bakery would be home to silhouettes of fallen soldiers – I believe this made the national press once! Haughley loved a bit of bunting; any typical British celebration you could begin to even imagine would feature a plethora of the stuff…stand still long enough in Haughley and you’d get ‘bunted’! As for the Jubilee celebrations, I can comment that they were large and enjoyed, but as a self confessed anti-monarchist who considers it all a load of bollocks- I was hiding! Still, everyone seemed to have fun! 

By the green was ‘Palmers Bakery’, a Haughley business dating right back, with a family of somewhat village royalty! The Palmers were always the first to host village celebrations and seemed to display a real community front. I can vividly recall seeing an old black and white news video done on Palmers, maybe from the 50s/60s- but don’t quote me on that – The young lad in the video would grow up one day to head the business. I adored the old school Palmers delivery van that they’d park out by the green on occasions; that truly was a treat to behold! 

Scan from ‘Haughley: On Polaroid’. Copyright Wade Radford.

During the summer Haughley hosted its open gardens , a chance to have a poke around; and for many residents to feel a surge of garden envy. I didn’t open my garden! Although I found it enjoyable to partake in the ‘nosing’ my own patch probably would have been categorised under ‘wild’ as I was doing my best for the preservation of the bumble bees – thus, the Lupins! 

I had taken over the rental of the property from a man named Pip who had been involved in the local Church – I forget his exact role! In the early days he’d often knock the door and stand to have a  natter with me. He was a pleasant chap, one of those who just seemed to exude positivity and pleasantry. Shortly before or after my move I had heard Pip had sadly passed away – I had enjoyed our conversations, and his warm welcome to me when I arrived. 

I felt Haughly had its typical share of Brit eccentrics – BUT potentially they felt that way about me! The village had a nice tradition of leaving out ‘take what you want’ boxes in front of owners houses. Boxes filled with bric a brac and as the title suggests, you take what you want! I once joined the tradition and did the same, only to have a ‘local character’ return a Blu Ray, citing that it wasn’t working! I explained what a Blu Ray was –  I had my suspicions he didn’t know! He proudly puffed out his chest and announced ‘I have a DVD and video combo’ – hilarity! He seemed to be looking for a refund on the free item! The same character would proceed to knock the doors one night when Philip (Prince) passed on and toasted each doorstep with a swig of Brandy – He later that night went into the CO-OP drunk only to fall through one of the isle shelves! 

Snow fell one February, proper snowfall – everything covered in a deep blanket! I remember walking my dog across the fields at twilight and capturing one of those memorable moments, a visual capture of how the snow and ice seemed to twinkle and the sky, the surroundings all seemed a misty deep blue hue. I can remember the air, the cold, the sight so clearly – It was simply gorgeous! I’m more of an Ebenezer than an ‘Elf’, but at Xmas time you could take a late evening walk and be the only one out, Xmas lights adorning the houses twinkling, each street so quiet and meditative! The church would stand proudly beyond the Palmers Bakery and post office, its floodlight making it a beacon on the horizon. 

‘The Green’ – Many events would take place on this grass. This is where the silhouette soldiers are displayed for remembrance. Copyright Wade Radford.

If something springs clearly to mind when I think of Haughley it is that of Pheasants! I for one enjoy them and that crazy little sprint they do across the road. One particular field in the village was home to many of them! 

I left Haughley, and for me it was super British, though often the reverse of the life I come from, or the values I hold – But I felt a genuine connection to the place all the same! Its residents were friendly (often hilarious), and you kinda got the feeling you’d drifted off the beaten track and the world outside didn’t even exist!

Wade Radford (Mar 2024) 

Re: Haughly on Polaroid Zine.