Then and Now: Grantham Civic Society writes about horse bolting before crashing into a window

The ‘school run’ is not just a recent phenomenon, writes Grantham Civic Society.

In June 1896 George Anyan, a farmer from Braceby, was driving his daughter Ethel, aged 11, to school in Grantham in a pony and trap.

When they were coming down Somerby Hill, a rain storm began and George put up the large gig umbrella. The horse was spooked and bolted and Mr Anyan was thrown immediately from the trap. Ethel managed to stay seated all the way down Somerby Hill and onto Bridgend Road. As the horse slowed to turn onto London Road, Ethel jumped to safety and the scared horse with trap, continued, running down St Peter’s Hill and the High Street.

At it approached Guildhall Street, it attempted to make the acute turn into the street, but the angle was too sharp and the horse and trap crashed through the plate glass window of Messrs Lord &Co.

Two plate glass windows were shattered and the wooden shafts at the back of the window. The cheese and bacon in the window was covered in broken glass. The horse had cuts to the head and neck, but the injuries were not serious and it recovered and was back to work within days.

George sustained bruises to his side and hip and Ethel had a contused elbow. The damage to the window cost £8 but this was covered by the ‘Grantham Plate-glass Insurance Company’ and the window was repaired promptly.