Reality Checkpoint

Reality Checkpoint is the name given to a lamp-post in the centre of Parker's Piece, which is believed to be the oldest electrical lamp-post in Cambridge.

On researching the age of the lamp-post it was hard to locate a date for it's original erection, there are rumors it was put up in 1894, after it was requested the year before by local residents. It is also reported damage was made to it during the VJ celebration by American GI's and in 1947 repair work by local firm George Lister & Son was undertaken.





There are many tales of how it got the name 'Reality Checkpoint' and below is four of the more well known stories.

Story 1 : In the early part of the 20th century this area would become very foggy during the autumn months and it was hard to see even directly in front of you, so you would have no idea where you were. It is thought  people would stumbled through the fog and reaching the lamp-post they would know they were at the centre of Parker's Piece  and because of this it would give them a sense of reality to their location.

Story 2 : After a night of drinking in a nearby public house it is thought when a drunken person crossed Parker's Piece and reached the lamp-post this was the time to walk like a sober person, like in the real world and reality, it was a sign to snap out of the drunken state before passing the Police Station in Parkside.

Story 3 : The lamp- post is found in the middle of two paths that intersect, so anyone who is in a daydream and don't turn into reality will more than likely walk into the lamp-post, hence 'reality 
checkpoint'

Story 4 : The lamp-post marks the end of the University and the beginning of the town ( Mill Road side ), so you were either entering or leaving reality.


There are many more tales, but these are the more commonly known ones.

It is believed the name was first painted on in the early 1970s by students from the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology ( now known as Anglia Ruskin University) and since been repainted on number of occasions when it got removed. In recent years it as been scratched in the paint work.

In the late 1990's a unofficial plaque with it's name was added, but was later taken down by the council.

Queen Victoria's Coronation Celebration on Parker's Piece.

On the 28th June, 1838 Parker's Piece, named after Edward Parker in 1613, was home to a remarkable feast to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria. It is recorded that 15,000 of the towns poorer inhabitants attended the celebrations.


In the centre of the piece was a orchestra which performed from a bandstand covered in flags and flowers. Below the centrepiece bandstand was a extensive promenade area for those who had purchased tickets to help pay towards the costs of the celebration. Around the promenade was space occupied by 2,762 Sunday school children, and then, like spokes from a wheel were 60 tables to cater for 12,720 adults. At hand on the day were 351 stewards, 547 carvers, 441 waiters, 297 beer- waiters and 41 tapsters. There were 7,029 joints of beef, mutton, pork, veal and bacon, this worked out about 1lb of meat per head. Also available was 72lb of mustard, 125 gallons of pickles, four-and-a-half thousand 2lb loaves and endless supplies of salt. For sweet there were 1,608 plum puddings available.

The dinner began at two o'clock after grace had been sung, and while the meal was being ate, the band played and the combined choir of King's and Trinity Colleges sang. After completing the dinner everyone sang a special grace composed for the celebration, then pipes and tobacco were placed on tables, and glasses were charged from 99 barrels of ale, and the mayor proposed the Queen's health, it was responded with a deafening cheer, before everyone sang the Nation Anthem.

At five o'clock, led by the mayor and the band, everyone marched to Midsummer Common for rural sports and to see Mr. & Mrs. Green ascend in a balloon ( it later descended near Fulbourn ). A firework display ended the celebrations.

The day had been a wonderful success, it was the only day that week which had see good weather. The poor who were unable to attend from age or illness were entertained in their homes, and so were those in the workhouses.

The whole celebration cost £1,709 19s 6d. in documents I found in the Cambridgeshire collection, but other sources have said it totalled to £1,767 14 shillings and 10 pence.