The Soame Pump
The Soame Pump
The grand opening
The opening day of the Soame memorial pump on 29th May 1913 was obviously a popular and exciting event with many turning out in their finest to hear Canon Hoare declare the facility open.
Leading a horse to water
The railing around the pump was useful for tethering horse like this one who may well have belonged to some of the soldiers here frequenting S. W Bruce repository.
A photo from the late 1930s
The photograph from the late 1930s shows a different kind of horse power! Possibly the driver was visiting A F Barwick’s shop just behind the pump which was a hairdresser and tobacconist.
The Soame Pump
The John Soame Memorial Pump is one of Aylsham's best-known landmarks. Standing at the junction of Penfold Street and Cawston Road, it was presented to the town in memory of John Soame (1834–1910), a respected local farmer and parish councillor. The gift was made by his nephew, John Soame Austen, a wealthy financier born in Aylsham, whose family had lived in the area for more than 300 years.
The attractive oak shelter, topped with a traditional Norfolk reed thatched roof, protects an artesian well reaching 170 feet (52 metres) below ground. At a time when most homes relied on shallow private wells, which were often contaminated, the pump provided the town with a reliable supply of clean drinking water. It remained an important public water source until mains water finally reached Aylsham in 1938.
The pump was officially opened on Thursday 29 May 1913, when Colonel T. W. Purdy formally presented it to the Parish Council. During the ceremony, Canon Hoare accepted the gift on behalf of the town, praising the constant supply of "pure fresh water".
The first person to draw water was Mrs Soame, after which pennies were scattered for local children to collect - a memorable celebration recalled by generations of Aylsham residents. John Soame Austen also provided a £100 endowment to ensure the pump's future maintenance.
Although no longer in use, the beautifully preserved Soame Pump remains an enduring symbol of public generosity and civic pride, reminding visitors of a time when access to clean water depended not on a tap, but on a hand-operated village pump.
Kate Read
Kate Read is an award-winning children's author, illustrator and collage artist based in Aylsham, where she owns One Fox, an independent shop and studio on Red Lion Street. Named after her acclaimed debut picture book, the shop showcases Kate's beautifully illustrated books, prints, cards and gifts, while her studio upstairs is where she creates her distinctive paper-collage artwork.
Originally trained as a theatre designer at Wimbledon School of Art, Kate later graduated from the renowned MA in Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University. Her illustrations are created using hand-painted and mono-printed paper collage, producing richly textured images inspired by nature, wildlife and storytelling.
Kate's first book, One Fox – A Counting Book Thriller, received international acclaim, being shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Klaus Flugge Prize, while also receiving an Ezra Jack Keats Honour in the United States. Since then, she has illustrated numerous books for leading publishers including Pan Macmillan, Nosy Crow and Quarto, with her work translated into many languages and enjoyed by readers around the world.
Alongside her books, Kate has created illustrations for the National Trust, board games, editorial projects and commercial commissions. Through her work, she combines artistic excellence with a love of colour, texture and the natural world. From her studio in Aylsham, Kate continues to create artwork that delights children and adults alike while contributing to the town's thriving community of independent artists and makers.
Visit Kate's website by clicking here
All historical images reproduced here courtesy of Aylsham Town Archive, a part of Aylsham Town Council
