"Cambridge History by Cambridge People"

In 1961, because of improvements to roads in the village, Stapleford lost a number of buildings. One of those to be demolished was a much-loved shop, that was affectionately known as Bird's. The shop had begun life as a carpenter's before becoming a grocer's shop. Over the years the shop was run by various people, including Miss Mary Camps, James Wisbey, John Simpkin and Frederick Matlock before being taken over in the mid 1900s by Mr and Mrs George Bird. They improved the postal side of the business, which had been there since the 1860s. After George Bird's death his wife continued the business for a time before handing over to Stanley Smith, who had a new Post Office Stores built nearby in the 1930s. One oddity was that at one time there was four 'birds' in the shop: Mrs Bird, Miss Sparrow, Mr Dove and Mr Finch!

At the same time the village lost two cottages, further down London Road. Also due for demolition at this time were some 200 year-old tiled cottages in Church Street, as they had reached the end of their useful life.