Plea over Spalding water fountain, criticism for councillor and a WWII research plea

The opportunity now exists to restore some of that lost individual character to the centre, but no, it seems, the fountain is to remain hidden. And the town still left without identity.

What has the poor old Johnson Drinking Fountain done wrong? Installed in Hall Place in 1874, banished to the depths of Ayscoughfee Gardens in 1954, dismantled to Holbeach storage in 2018, then threatened with permanent exile to the distant cemetery, and now...? Consigned to Ayscoughfee Gardens again! Or so a council-sub-committee has decided.

There could be few less suitable places.

Wherever it’s placed in Ayscoughfee Gardens, it will be seen as some ornamental object or other, of no particular significance.

Whereas, as the centre of Hall Place, or, better, the Market Place – for which it was originally designed it would immediately become a striking focus, attracting attention, arousing visitors’ curiosity, an obvious place at which to arrange to meet. In short, it would be seen as important.

And important it is. The Johnson Drinking Fountain is a grand celebration, a great thank-you in stone. The lady it honours is Mary Ann Johnson. The act it celebrates was her gift of £150,000 (in modern money) to bring pure mains water to large areas of the town previously without it. The form it took was apt: a functioning, practical emblem of the pure drinking water her gift had made available. Before that, the poor had only, more-or-less contaminated well water. Hence , the average life expectancy in Spalding in 1850 was 23 years and nine months, and a third of children died before reaching five-years-old.

Thus, the fountain commemorates a key moment in the town’s public health, in its social history and its heritage. Mary Ann Johnson is a woman of whom we can be proud.

Only a town centre site could do justice to her invaluable contribution to its past wellbeing. Not secluded in a former pleasure ground of the local gentry. It needs a busy site among ordinary people. People whose ancestors she brought health and life to.

On Saturday, February 5, on a cold blustery day in Hall Place, 46 people voted to say where they would like the fountain to go. Town centre 44, Ayscoughfee Gardens 2.

Should the fountain be functional again? Yes 35, no 2, undecided 9. The figures speak for themselves.

Moreover, with South Holland District Council now committed to increasing footfall to regenerate the town centre, the fountain is a feature ready-made to uplift the centre and help give it the kind of individual character and vitality that will enhance its attractiveness.

Why waste it? In no way will hiding the fountain in Ayscoughfee Gardens increase footfall in the town centre.

John Charlesworth

Spalding Civic Society

He should sort out his own ward

I notice (South Holland District) Coun Gibson is vocal on the highways issues for the county.

I find this quite alarming given he is on the Highways committee for Lincolnshire County Council. Surely, he is aware of what’s going on.

How can he criticise the Tories. Our area in St Pauls hasn’t improved and what has he done so far to resolve it?

He seems intent on moaning about the Tories but isn’t doing anything for us. He is UKIP through and through and got in on his independent badge.

I didn’t vote last time as they are all as bad as each other but if you are going to moan at least stand up and be counted.

He wants to sort out the issues in his own area first and foremost.

Neil Sullivan

via email

Were you related to war vet Bert?

I am researching a Lancaster bomber W4948 which was shot down close to its base at East Kirkby, Lincolnshire on September 23, 1943. Five crewmen were killed but two parachuted to safety.

One of the survivors was flight engineer AW (Bert) Cherrington who was born (1921) and raised in Peterborough and died there in August 1913.

Bert flew 45 operations before demobilisation and, unlike so many World War Two airmen, enjoyed a long family life post-war.

I should love to contact anyone related to Bert who may have a photo or information about his life and particularly his RAF career. The Spalding Guardian carried a funeral notice in August 1913 which referred to Bert as ‘father, grandfather and great grandfather’ so there must be relatives out there.

David Nunn

52 Hardy Street, Kimberley, Nottinghamshire NG16 2JX, tel: 07986022492, email: david.nunn20@ntlworld.com

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: You may be pleasantly surprised by the Bible

What is your favourite story ? I suppose it depends upon how old you are. We start off with nursery rhymes and progress to more sophisticated tastes as we get older.

It might be a variety of fiction or factual accounts, biographies or autobiographies or a whole variety of other types of stories that are available.

The Bible is a book full of stories. It is divided into two parts, the Old Testament and the New. The Old Testament is the story of the Jewish relationship with God. It contains many of the stories that we know: Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale and many others that we are familiar with.

It is a testament to God’s active presence in the world.

The New Testament is the story of Jesus’ life on earth from his birth in Bethlehem, to his death on the cross and resurrection. The Jews were expecting a Messiah (King) who would restore their country to greatness and kick out the Romans who were occupying their country.

What they got was somebody completely different, somebody who gave a message of care and love for each other as God loved them and loves us in the same way.

The message is quite simple: “Love God and love your neighbour as yourself.”

What a wonderful world it would be if we could all live our lives in this way. Those of us who call ourselves Christians rely on the Bible to help us on our journey through life.

We don’t always get it right but with the Bible as our instruction manual we have a good try. If you want to know what it is all about read the New Testament. Go on, give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Rev Paul Winn