Look back through the Stamford Mercury archive to see what was happening in mid-June
The Stamford Mercury Archive Trust volunteers look after the heritage of the Mercury, which includes a collection of newspapers dating back to the 18th Century.
Here we take a look into the newspaper archive...
10 years ago - June 22, 2012
Plans showing how a bridge could replace a busy level crossing are set to be unveiled.
Network Rail is holding a public exhibition about its plans for the level crossing in Tallington a the village hall from 2pm to 8pm on Tuesday.
The company will show the results of a study into whether the crossing could be closed and an outline design to demonstrate that a road bridge could be built over the railway tracks.
The crossing is a notorious hold-up for motorists in the area.
A Network Rail spokesman said: “What we are presenting is an outline design to demonstrate that the scheme is viable.”
Tallington parish councillor and resident, Ken Otter, who has been campaigning to close the crossing for six years and helped arrange the exhibition, was told that the plans for a bridge will be on display.
He said: “There will be plans of the route where the bridge is going to go to allow the public to comment on where improvements may be needed to protect their property from noise and sight disturbance.”
The secretary of the Mercury’s archive trust has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
John Smith said it as an “honour” to discover he had received the British Empire Medal in the list, which was officially unveiled on Saturday.
Mr Smith, 72, of St George’s Square in Stamford, has been involved with the Mercury archives for 12 years and was instrumental in getting a £300,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund which enabled a five year project to restore the Mercury’s archives.
Mr Smith said: “It was officially announced on Saturday morning but I was told before and had to keep it quiet. I was very surprised to get the letter telling me about it.”
Mr Smith added: “I was very touched actually. I have worked very hard on this project and it was very touching to think that other people have appreciated that as well.”
Plans for a 1,500-seat football stadium and dozens of new homes could be decided next week.
Stamford AFC and Burghley House Preservation Trust have applied to demolish the Daniels stadium in Kettering Road and build 54 homes on the site, along with 20 affordable homes in Barnack Road.
They also want to build a new 1,500-seater stadium in Ryhall Road. It would include a training pitch, clubhouse, function rooms and office space.
The three applications will go before South Kesteven District Council’s development control committee on Tuesday and have been recommended for approval by officers, subject to a range of conditions.
The stadium conditions include limits on the noise output of the tannoy system, the requirement to create suitable access and pathways and a limit on the number of car boot sales that can be held per year.
They also forbid use of floodlights on the main stadium and the training pitches between 10.30pm and 7.30am.
All three applications are linked and the developer says it needs planning permission for all three sites to make them viable.
25 years ago - June 20, 1997
Villagers could face 14 years of dust, noise and heavy lorries if a proposed giant quarry at Greatford, near Tallington, is given the go-ahead by Lincolnshire County Council.
Ennemix Construction Materials Ltd has applied to the county council for a sand and gravel extraction site covering 106 acres.
The quarry will be twice as big as one planned for the Burghley Estate, near Pilsgate, and 2.2 million tonnes of sand and gravel will be removed from the site at a rate of around 160,000 tonnes a
year.
Extraction is expected to last up to 14 years, and thousands of people in the surrounding area could be affected by dust, noise and heavy lorries from the plant. Access to the site would be along its eastern boundary at King Street.
Around 74 out of the 76 lorry movements every day are expected to run along the A16 through Market Deeping, with the other journeys going north through Bourne.
The plan has prompted Greatford Parish Council to call an emergency meeting for everyone who may be affected by the plan at the village hall on Thursday at 8pm. Representatives of Ennemix have also been invited.
All Saints’ Church, Easton-on-the-Hill, has been awarded a £24,000 lottery grant to celebrate the year 2000.
The village church has been given a slice of £3 million set aside by the Millennium Commission. This generous sum will benefit the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers’ project Ringing in the Millennium.
More than 400 parishes applied for grants, but only around 100 projects were successful.
Grants were given where bells might have been silent for many years, needed restoration or replacement to make them easier to ring, especially by young people.
The Easton-on-the-Hill project involves casting three new bells to increase the existing ring to six, and hanging them in a new steel frame to replace the unsafe medieval timber frame.
Work will cost more than £40,000, and the grant for All Saints’ is one of the first to be awarded.
Peggy Bonner, appeal spokesman, said: “We were thrilled when we found out about the award. It was a huge undertaking, and the Stamford Mercury was very good about covering many of our fund-raising events.
“It was a matter of the whole community coming together to raise an enormous amount over a short period, and was a great effort by everyone.”
Stamford Town Council is determined to make itself more accessible to the public and let people have a say on important issues.
The council will hear reports from outside groups and bodies at its meetings in an effort to improve community awareness.
The decision was made at a meeting last week after a discussion started by Coun Rudi Brennan who believed the council needs to review its role in the community and become more proactive.
He said: “We are all here not for personal gain, but for the benefit of Stamford and our wards.”
He tabled a motion to set up a multi-party working group, but Coun Elisabeth Keddell proposed an amendment to the motion setting aside time for interested groups and outside bodies to report back to the council. The amendment was passed by nine votes to six.
50 years ago - June 23, 1972
A cut-price store in Stamford is coming under fire from suppliers – because it gives shoppers too good a deal.
Two dozen manufacturers have written to the High Street store of Chemcuts telling the shop to put its prices up to recommended levels.
Some have threatened to stop supplying the shop, and others say they will take legal action unless the order is obeyed.
For two years Chemcuts, which opened another branch in Grantham six months ago, has been selling nearly all goods except medicines at about 10 to 15 per cent below manufacturers’ recommended prices.
But already director Mr Ray Guess has had to charge more for some of the cut-price goods.
And he was in gloomy mood as he told a “Mercury” reporter that he would probably have to bring the rest into line with the big chain stores.
“If I don’t there’s a good chance that I will be taken to court. I don’t think the manufacturers are joking.
“On the other hand, if I do put my prices up the whole point of the shop’s existence will be lost and we just will not be able to compete with the big chemists.
Mr Guess said Chemcuts had done well because of fair and competitive pricing that was helping the housewife to keep down her shopping bill.
Greatford School was crowded with parents of pupils, school managers and friends, when Kesteven County Council’s plan to approve the closing of the school was discussed.
The meeting was in complete agreement in their determination to oppose the closure of the school.
Correspondent to the managers, Mr. J. B. L. Fitzwilliams, pointed out that the Education Committee’s policy was to close small school, but he emphasised that the facilities at Greatford were excellent and that the nearness of the school to the home was an important factor.
Other parents mentioned that one of the first questions they considered when buying a house in the village was the proximity of the school, and to deprive a village of a school was to destroy the community sense of the village.
It was also pointed out that the Education Committee had underestimated the size of the Greatford school during the next five years.
It was decided to hold a further meeting to consider what further action should be taken before the County Council meet on July 25.
A last-ditch bid to stop Stamford being swallowed up in the big shake-up of local government swung into action at the week-end.
Representatives of about 40 urban, rural and parish councils were asked to back a scheme to make Stamford the centre of a second-tier district council.
The rallying call came from the Bainton and Ashton Parish Council, who came up with the save Stamford scheme.
Councillors have sent a letter to the Government urging them to reconsider the proposals to merge Stamford with Grantham Borough, Bourne Urban and South and West Kesteven rural councils.
Stamford Borough Council gave the go-ahead to the merger two weeks ago.
Based on Stamford, the proposed new district would have a population around 90,000.
100 years ago - June 23, 1922
In Aid Of Girls’ Club – The proceeds of a dance on Friday night in the grounds of Rock Lodge, Stamford, were in aid of the Stamford Girls’ Club.
Football Captures – The Stamford Town Football Club, following up its intentions of securing a good team for next season, have secured the signatures of several well-known local footballers, including E. Tye (Fletton), full back; P. Hanger (Kettering Town and Leicester City), Geeves (Fletton), half-backs; T. Heeley (Desborough) and A. Walker (Fletton), forwards. The majority of last year’s players have signed on.
Cycle Accident – An unfortunate accident occurred on Friday when Mr. C. H. Grundy, saddler, St. Mary’s-street, was thrown over the handlebars of his bicycle, causing injuries to his legs.
“Alexandra Day” - A sale of flowers, fruit, plants, vegetables, dairy produce, poultry, etc., will be held on Alexandra Day (Friday, June 30), at 22, High-street (lately occupied by Messrs. Oates and Musson), on behalf of Stamford Infirmary. Gifts of goods or money are solicited, and as far as possible all gifts for the sale should be delivered at 22, High-street, on Thursday next, between 2 and 4 p.m. or early on Friday.
Stamford’s Welcome – On Wednesday, the following wire was despatched by the Mayor of Stamford (Coun. J. W. Pepper) to the Prince of Wales:-
“To H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, Buckingham Palace, London.
“Heartiest congratulations on your safe return to our dear old Motherland. I am sure the impressions left by you on distant shores will be appreciated for many years to come.
“James Pepper, Mayor of Stamford.”
Bourne
Local Wedding – A wedding of much interest to this locality was celebrated at the parish church, Wisbech, when Mr. George Leonard Foley, son of Mr. E. A. Foley, North-road, Bourne, led to the altar Miss Olive Gertrude Fisher, daughter of the late Mr. Edward Fisher, and of Mrs. Fisher, North End, Wisbech. The bride, who was given away by her brother (Mr. Harold Fisher) was attired in a dress of black and white silk stockinette, and wore a black hat. There were no bridesmaids, the ceremony (which was performed by the Vicar) being of a very quiet nature on account of the recent bereavement of the bride. Mr. Wilfred Tuck, of Bourne, officiated as best man. Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Foley, who were receipients of numerous costly presents, are spending their honeymoon on a motor tour of the Yorkshire coast and the Lake District.
n Anniversary – The anniversary services in connection with the Wesleyan Sunday school on Sunday and Monday were conducted by the Rev. G. Kirby White, the circuit minister.The service in the afternoon consisted mainly of recitations by the scholars. The singing was under the conductorship of Mr. T. Rickard. The collections totalled nearly £16. On Monday the scholars had their annual treat in Grimsthorpe Park.
150 years ago - June 21, 1872
In digging foundations for villas about to be built near St. Michael’s new rectory-house, the labourers have this week come upon several human skeletons. The site is that of the church of the Holy Trinity or that of the church of St. Stephen, both of which stood between the Carmelite Friary (Infirmary) and St. Paul’s-gate, and overlooked the Grey Friary on the opposite side of the road. These churches were destroyed by the Lancastrians, and the parishes were united with Great St Michael’s in 1553. Some who have visited the spot think the remains are those of the victims of the plague, which carried off 700 people in Stamford in one year. The Corporation caused to be erected in 1602, on the site of the White Friary, a cabin “wherein persons affected with the sickness called the plague should be kept,” and in that and the following year money was ordered to be collected for the maintenance of the sufferers. Those who died in this cabin were perhaps interred in the neighbouring grave-yards of Holy Trinity and St. Stephen. St. Michael’s register records a burial in Trinity churchyard in 1604; and according to St. John’s register the plague appears to have been at its height in the months of May, June, July and August in that year.
A meeting of the Stamford Assessment Committee was summoned for Tuesday last to receive new valuation lists, but as only three members attended at the time appointed (Messrs. Bromhead, Paradise, and Greenwood) no business could be legally transacted for some time. At length Mr. H. Wright appeared, and the majority of the lists were then received and signed. Three were returned for amendment, viz. those for Bainton, Ryhall, and Whittering. It was resolved to allow the officers who prepared the valuation lists one shilling a page for their labour and six pence per mile for attendance.
The shambles, rebuilt in 1751, alluded to in last week’s Mercury, were those that stood in the street alongside St. Michael’s church, and not the present row.
The Stamford Mercury staff (some being accompanied by their wives, and the whole party numbered nearly 70) had a day-trip to the International Exhibition on Saturday last week. The Great Northern Railway Company liberally undertook the conveyance of the excursionists to and from London by express for a single fare, and the expenses of each of the employees were kindly defrayed by the trustees of the Newcomb estates. The weather was exceedingly fine, and on arriving at the metropolis at 9.45 a.m. the party dispersed in every direction, with a view either of seeing old friends or visiting the “lions” of the place. Most of the company, however, met again in the printing department of the Exhibition, the chief attractions being the “Walter” press, which prints the Times supplement, and a splendid machine by Marinoni, which produces the Echo. A very pleasant day having been spent, King’s Cross was left at 8.30 p.m., and Stamford was reached after a comfortable journey of a minute or two more than two hours.
On Friday last a child about a year and a half old, whose parents lodge at the Rolt’s Arms public house, Scotgate, Stamford, fell out of one of the upper storey windows into the street. It was picked up for dead, and a doctor was sent for, but although it had fallen from an altitude of 16 or 20 feet it was found to have sustained comparatively little injury. The face and head were cut, but no bones were broken.
200 years ago - June 21, 1822
There is an expectation of a considerable entry of horses to-morrow for Stamford races, which are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in next week. The time of starting each day is to be two o’clock exactly.
l An inquest was taken at Barrowden, Rutland, on Monday last, before J. E. Jones, Gent, coroner, and a respectable jury, on view of the bodies of Ann and Mary Archer, two infant twin children, of that place. It appeared in evidence, that the children were suffering under a bowel complaint, for the relief of which the mother (a woman of good reputation and very kind to her family) applied for some Dalby’s Carminative to a neighbour, who not being provided with this medicine, advised the used of laudanum, which being given in too large a quantity, unfortunately produced the death of both the children on the following morning. The jury returned a verdict that they died from the accidental use of an improper dose of laudanum. We hope the publication of this fatal circumstance will operate as a caution to persons, not to have recourse to this dangerous medicine, being ignorant of its powerful effects; and to country drug-vendors, to be particular in their enquiries as to its application.
On Wednesday another inquest was held by the above coroner, at Wardley, on the body of Matthew Burt, of Leicester, who was on Tuesday evening driving a load of flour to that place from Mr. Gilchrist’s of Stamford, when, being in a state of extreme intoxication, and having a leading horse in his team nearly blind, in Wardley-lane he allowed the horses to get off the road, and the waggon was in consequence overturned upon his body, by which he was crushed as to cause his instant death. Verdict, accidentally.
On Saturday last a poor man of the name of William Woods, a pauper in the workhouse at Deeping St. James, was found dead, hanging by the neck to the bed-cord affixed to a peg in the wall. An inquest was held on the body on Monday, by S. Edwards, Gent. coroner, when it appearing in evidence that the deceased had for several weeks laboured under deprivation of reason, a verdict of lunacy was recorded.
On Sunday inquest was held at Bicker, before C. Marstin, Gent. Coroner, on the body of Jane Edwards, who had arrived there in a cart on Friday, and by one o’clock on Saturday was a corpse. Verdict, died by the visiting hand of Providence. And on Monday Mr. Mastin held an inquest at Heckington, on a child named Sarah Green, who having sustained much injury by dreadful burns received about a fortnight ago, languished until Sunday morning and then expired. Verdict, accidental death.
We from time to time have attended to the requests of correspondents and given place to their communications on the subject of reductions of rents, in the hope that in a plain statement of facts there could be no offence.