Then and now: Grantham Civic Society writes about St Wulfram's Church curate who lived

Many will remember 41 Swinegate on Church Trees as the home of the dentist. During the 1850s, when Benjamin Street was a curate of St Wulfram’s church, he lived in the house. He provided important information about the history of Grantham that would have otherwise been lost.

He was born in London in 1811 and died in 1892 at Barnetby le Wold. His first wife was Jane Eliza Battye, who he married in Wellington, Shropshire in 1838. At the time of his marriage, Benjamin was a tutor on the Lough Crew estate in Ireland.

The couple had a daughter Augusta Matilda, born 1841, but Jane died in childbirth. With his second wife Mary Platts, Benjamin had Caroline Mary, born in 1849, Margaret Ann, born 1851, Alfred William Frederick born 1852, Julia Louisa, born 1854, Florence Nightingale, born in 1856, Charles Tidbury, born in 1857.

Alfred became a surgeon and Lt Col in the army and served in Helmund, Afghanistan, at the battle of Maiwand, the defence of Kandahar and a battle and Burma. Charles became a senior physician and was the medical superintendent of a hospital in Lancashire.

Augusta married Frederick Horatio Street a merchant sea captain, while Caroline died aged 30 in Barnetby le Wold, Margaret became a nun, Julia died aged 4, while Florence was an artist and sculpturer.