A look at stories from the Rutland & Stamford Mercury archive from 10, 25, 50 and up to 200 years ago
With the help of the Rutland & Stamford Mercury Archive Trust, we look back through the newspaper's archive to find interesting stories from years gone by…
10 years ago
Designer takes microwave one step further
Microwaves are an essential household item for heating and defrosting food, but a designer has gone one step further and helped bring to life one which can instantly chill or freeze your drinks.
Fans of a cool beer or glass of wine on a warm summer's day will be toasting the idea from 23-year-old Emma Maskery who has been crowned winner of the Odd Invention Challenge for her Emma, who lives off Water Street in Stamford, beat off competition from more than 400 entries to impress the public and judges in the competition which is run by spirit drink.
Her design beat off competition from other ideas such as a karaoke shower and two way toothpaste to win a prize of £5,000.
The idea for the Freezer-Wave microwave popped into Emma's head in November last year. "I have a tiny kitchen with no space for a freezer but space for a second microwave," she said.
With the idea firmly in her head but with limited invention skills, Emma entered the competition by submitting her rough plans. Having survived the public vote, which whittled down the list to a top five for boys and girls, Emma was shocked in January to receive an email telling her she had been chosen by the judges as the winner.
I did not believe it. I sent an e-mail back asking if this was for real. Emma Maskery "I did not believe it," she said. "I sent an e-mail back asking if this was for real. "I did not think I would win. My invention is a bit ridiculous!"
Judges were inventor Colin Furze, from Stamford, who has a popular YouTube channel, and TV presenter Emily Hartridge.
Colin later built a prototype microwave. He himself has previously hit headlines for inventing the world’s fastest pram, a 46ft long motorbikes and a flame throwing motorbike.
The microwave works by flicking a switch which releases carbon dioxide into the microwave from canisters situated behind.
However, despite the judges being fans of Emma’s idea, she does not think it will go any further than being a prototype at this stage.
She said: “I’m not really sure about developing the product.
“I’m not sure how safe it would be. Right now there are no plans to make anything more than a prototype.
“It would be awesome though. I would definitely buy one.”
A night to support cancer charities
A Night to Remember held at Victoria Hall in Oakham on Saturday certainly lived up to its name.
More than 150 people attended the charity party night to remember loved ones affected by cancer and raise money for three local charities: Loros, Coping with Cancer and Hope against Cancer.
The main organisers of the event Alison Crowden, Nikki Loomes and Helen Bird were delighted with the response they received.
Nikki Loomes said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support offered to us from local businesses and individuals who have selflessly pledged their time, money and gifts to create a profitable and entertaining night.
"As a result we raised over £7,000 on the night." The party started with photos and a sparkling drinks reception followed by a magician, entertainment from the jazz pianist Jason Ashworth and a cheese and wine supper.
There was also an amazing auction and a raffle led by the master of ceremonies John Allman assisted by Jez Allman.
Lillian turns 100
Lillian White, from Bourne celebrated turning 100 years old at the weekend surrounded by her closest family and friends and said that the secret to a long life is a 'cheeky drink' and a 'sense of humour'.
Lillian, who has lived in Bourne for the past 23 years, celebrated turning 100 years old on Saturday with a birthday lunch at Toft House Hotel, but insisted that turning 100 feels no different and is just like any other birthday.
More than 35 of Lillian's close friends and family attended the celebratory lunch, organised by her nephew Stephen Cakett and his wife Jean, who travelled all the way from Perth in Australia to be with Lillian on her special day.
Stephen said: "Lillian is the first person I know to have ever reached 100, it's fantas-tic." Along with Jean who said: "I think she's incredible!" Lillian who grew up in East Ham, London with her younger brother, Albert and sister, Doris, has worked for most of her life in a number of different jobs, including helping out as a young girl in her father's fruit and vegetable store in London.
Lillian married her husband Harold in 1945, but he sadly passed away in 1989 and since then Lillian has lived independently in Bourne.
Lillian said that she enjoys living in Bourne and has made a lot of friends.
Lillian said: "I have a wonderful family, wonderful friends and a good sense of humour - that's all you need.
"I've had so much kindness shown to me and those people have always helped me out. I've sailed through life quite happily."
People rally in support for library
People showed their support for a library threatened with closure at an open day on Saturday.
The Friends of Deepings Library organised the event for the whole community, whether library users or not.
The group was set up under protest to look into the possibility of running the library - and last week Lincolnshire County Council's executive voted to go ahead with plans to cut £2m from the library service.
That decision means the number of council-run libraries will drop from 47 to 15, and the remaining libraries including Deepings Library, will either be taken over by voluntary groups and turned into "community hubs" or be replaced by a super-mobile library.
The aim of the event on Saturday was to beat the previous record of 329, set in 2007, for the most visitors to the library on a Saturday.
Chairman of the Friends of Deepings Library Liz Waterland, said: “In the end an astonishing 680 adults and children came through the doors.
“Everyone enjoyed themselves, with dressing up, quizzes, colouring, homemade cakes and a chance to find out about the library and our campaign.”
School are regional champions
Pupils from Stamford School are celebrating after being crowned regional champions for the East Midlands as part of this year's Coca Cola Enterprises Real Business Challenge.
The national competition that involves over 780 secondary schools across 1 region in the UK, put the pupils' budding business acumen and creativity to the test in a number of regional challenges. The team from Stamford School travelled to Pride Park in Derby to take part in the challenge, which involved developing a campaign to raise awareness for Special Olympics Great Britain, a charity dedicated to providing training and athletic competitions in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
25 years ago
Sponsored swim raises much needed funds
A sponsored swimming session has raised much needed funds for Kosovo. Members of the Youth group of St Guthlac's church, Market Deeping, did the fundraising swim last September.
Their efforts raised £140 which was handed over to the Red Cross (Kosovo relief) fund.
That was about half of the final total raised from the swimming, the rest was put back into the youth group.
Liz Waterland, of the Deepings branch of the Red Cross, came along to collect the cash and thank the group for their swimming endeavours.
The Rev Derek Earis, of St Guthlac’s said: “It was a great effort.
“They enjoyed their swim.”
Philip rewarded for keeping neighbourhood safe
Philip Day is all eyes and ears when it comes to fighting crime. And now the man who has helped make neighbourhood watch a success in Stamford has been rewarded for his work.
Mr Day, 77, became a neighbourhood watch co-ordinator in 1989 and swung into action, setting up a new newsletter, holding regular meetings, and encouraging greater co-operation with police.
With his help, neighbourhood watch now covers more than a third of the town and has a professionally produced newsletter which is issued every quarter to each member.
At the January meeting of watch co-ordinators at Malcolm Sargent School, in Stamford, Mr Day received a prestigious Community Service Achievement Award presented by chief superintendent Fiona Barber, of Lincolnshire police.
Mr Day said he felt the award should be shared by all those involved in Stamford Neighbourhood Watch.
He said: "This is a tribute to the whole organisation. We have a good future and we're already reaching out to a lot of people."
Coffee mornings raise over £1,000
A year’s worth of coffee mornings at Barnack’s The Acres have helped to raise a staggering £1,400.
Residents at the sheltered accommodation hold the coffee mornings which are organised by volunteer Val Dawson, every week throughout the year.
Last year £700 was raised and Mrs Dawson said to double the amount was absolutely brilliant.
The money will be split between the Hurst Ward at Stamford Hospital and the charity Alzheimer's Research.
Mrs Dawson said: “It was wonderful to raise this amount. Everybody has been brilliant and I couldn’t have done it without their help.”
Youngsters learn about Christianity
Ways of having a new start were discussed by youngsters at the Discoverers workshops in Stamford on Saturday.
The workshops, which are designed to look at 2,000 years of Christianity through a series of different drama and crafts activities, focused on the last week of the Millennium resolution.
The Rev Rosamund Seal said: “It went very well.
“We were looking at having a new start, new start Bible stories and how they can have new starts in their own lives.”
Celebrating Scottish heritage
A Burns night supper helped keep out the cold by raising £1,000 for a local church.
Parishioners at Little Bytham are saving up to replace the boiler in their church heating system.
And with games, a raffle and the traditional ‘killing’ of the haggis, the Scottish celebration proved to be the perfect fundraiser.
Reveller Jonathan Hill said: “We played a game called true or false which people paid money to enter to try and win a bottle of champagne.
“And the Poosie Nancy brought in the haggis which was then stabbed until it was ‘dead’.
But despite all the Scottish tradition, of the 87 people who turned out to the supper at the Lady Anne’s Hotel in Stamford, very few were native Scotsmen or women.
Mr Hill added: “A lot of people like going to Burns night parties just for the fun of it, and everyone said it was a very successful evening.”
50 years ago
A team representing Rutland Round Table has reached the semi-finals of a debating competition which was entered by 30 Tables in the East Midlands.
100 years ago
Infant Welfare Doctor - The Kesteven County Council on Wednesday granted permission for Dr. W. A. Hawes to be appointed to undertake duties in connection with the Infant Welfare Centre, at a fee of £1 ls. for each fortnightly session.
150 years ago
An inquest was held at the Town hall, Stamford, on Friday last, before J. E Atter, esq, coroner, on the body of William Biddle, a pauper, who had been missing from the Union House for about three months, and whose body was found in the River Welland, a short distance below Hudd's Mills, on the 4th. Mr. Laxton attended on behalf of the Guardians of the Stamford Union. Mr. George Henry Fisk, master of the workhouse, said the deceased was about 26 years of age.
200 years ago
There is a small close near the village. of Langham, in Rutland, which has for many centuries been known by the name of the Chapel Close; and it is supposed, from the rise of the ground in one part of the close, that a Romish chapel formerly stood on the spot, but there is not any record which shows how long it has been destroyed, though that event is supposed to have occurred long before the Reformation.
