100yearsofCoconuts have been donated copies of the Light Blues by Trevor Hobson-Frohock covering the period from the 60's
Everyone of a certain age will remember the Light Blue that was produced on a Saturday evening within hours of the match ending. Remember it was in the days before modern technology and techniques were in place.
Phones were hardwired in those days and reports had to be rung in by the journalist and then transcribed. It would then need to be set up manually so the paper could be printed. The Evening News offices were based in Newmarket Road at the time
Work on the evening started off (after a fish and chip supper) by sorting them into year order. It also gave everyone involved a chance to remember some of the highs and some of the lows during the period.
Shortly, work will begin to scan all the copies. This will be a considerable task and will take a while to do.
Once scanned the copies will be put on line for everyone to see.
You can also read Randall Butt story here www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/randall-butt.html
Randall has seen them come and he's seen them go. During a Cambridge Evening News career that spanned over 30 years, Randall Butt had a unique insight into happenings at Cambridge United. When he joined in 1973, Bill Leivers' side were about to have a crack at joining the Third Division. When he left to go freelance in 2004, United were staring into the abyss of administration and a return to non-League football.
In 2012, as the U's celebrated their centenary, Randall sat down to write his memoirs, starting from his early days in the South Wales valleys. Whenever we see him at the Abbey, at Fen Tigers speedway in Mildenhall or in the Cambridgeshire Collection, we try to persuade him to finish the job.
Did you work on producing the Cambridge Evening News Light Blue during the period it was being printed?
Can you provide the inside story of how it was produced, printed and delivered so quickly on a Saturday evening?
Was some of it printed during the week in advance of Saturday or was it all done on a Saturday?
If you did please contact us via the contact form below.
Please also contact us if you would like to know more about the project.
More photos below