The building of the playground took place in 1973 and 1974. A lorry load of huge telegraph poles arrived and were driven into the ground by a pile driver so platforms could be built between them. This was a long before health and safety protocols were as officious as they are nowadays and children were allowed hammers, saws, ropes and various other dangerous implements to build dens, swings and other structures. The tall perimeter fence was built by volunteers and my brother and I spent a day helping my father nail some of the vertical planks in place. Its rough wooden appearance would give the playground its nickname ‘The Stockade’. Reproduced with kind permission from The Museum of Cambridge and Ian Rawlinson.
To read more, please go to https://capturingcambridge.org/arbury/arbury-adventure-playground/.
To see more or Ian’s work, go to www.ianrawlinson.com
