Our Stamford, Rutland, Bourne and the Deepings news from 10, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 years ago
We’re on our weekly stroll down memory lane looking at news from up to 200 years ago.
Our Rutland & Stamford Mercury Memories is produced thanks to the support of the Stamford Mercury Archive Trust.
10 years ago
Three peaks to support colleague
Air force personnel will scale three mountains while strapped into 35kg bomb suits in aid of a colleague who is being treated for cancer.
Members of 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron, based at RAF Wittering, will climb Snowden, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support later this month.
The challenge is daunting enough on its own.
But to make things even harder for themselves, the group will wear the Explosive Ordnance Disposal suits used during operations for the entire walk.
And just to round things off, they will also cycle between the three peaks.
The group took on the challenge in honour of Flt Sgt Tommy Tomiczek, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Sgt Mark Williams will be among the climbers. He said: “We wanted to do soemthing above and beyond what is normally done.
“Something harder and more eye catching. The Three Peaks have never been done in a bomb suit.
The group are fully aware of how difficult the challenge will be. Sgt Williams added: “Movement is very restricted. It’s very hot and very cumbersome.
“We usually only go about 200m, although we have all spent up to eight hours in the suit.
“It will just be a case of digging in and going for it. But it’s not as hard as what people with cancer have to face.”
Pupils become lawyers
A group of gifted and talented pupils from Uppingham Community College have taken part in a law school experience at De Montfort University.
The pupils, Eliana Lambert, Karalaini Kataiwai, Billy Henshaw and Alex Thompson, were given the chance to gain a range of new experiences including a mock trial in the university's law court; access to the law library; and an insight into law-making.
At the end of the week they put on a mock trial for the family, where Eliana was the defendant, Alex the clerk, Billy was part of the jury and Karalaini was part of the defence team.
Sun shines down on county show
The sun shone on the first Rutland County Show at the new showground as more than 13,000 visitors passed through the gates to enjoy a host of fun and entertainment.
Despite bad weather leading up to the event, organisers said the 182nd show at its new home in land north of the Oakham bypass "couldn't have gone better".
The event showcases the best the county has to offer in livestock, produce and crafts. Highlights on the day included an appearance from the Cottesmore Hunt, the new craze horse boarding - in which a skateboarder is towed by a horse - and a demonstration from the RAVC Military dogs from Melton Mowbray, where visitors got to see how the dogs are trained for a variety of roles.
Visitors also enjoyed taking their own dogs around a jumping course. Show director Emma Dodds said: "It was a brilliant day.
"We had record numbers through the gates and with it being so close to the town so many people walked to the show. We've had lots of nice comments and some lovely feedback.
“People said it was a traditional county show and that's just what we wanted it to be.”
Exhibitors came from all over the county to show off their breeds, with more than 150 cattle, 200 sheep and 100 goats.
25 years ago
Primary school summer fair is a success
Pupils, parents and teachers turned out in force to enjoy the many attractions at the annual Linchfield County Primary School summer fair.
Under brilliant May sunshine, revellers let their hair down by having a go on a bouncy castle, and events such as a raffle, a tombola, children's competitions and stalls of all kinds added to the atmosphere.
Headteacher Ken Bunch said: "It was a fabulous day. We always seem to be lucky and get good weather for the fair every year.
"Members of the Deeping St James School of Dance and a gymnastics display group came along to entertain the crowds and were really good."
Another popular attraction on the day was a football competition in which youngsters Nathan Symonds and Jordan and Callum Clark showed off their soccer skills.
The fair, which is organised each year by the Linchfield County Primary School Association, looks to have raised more than £1,500 for school funds through the sale of raffle tickets and other items on the day.
Pupils experience Victorian times
Pupils of Stamford School Junior School got a taste of Victorian England during a look through the archives at Stamford Library.
The pupils, who are focusing on the period as part of their school history studies, went along to the library with their teachers to investigate the past.
The group of 29 pupils were shown around the library's history resources by customer liaison officer Claire Leach.
Claire said: "It was a really enjoyable visit. The girls took a real interest and by the end of the afternoon we had difficulty dragging them away."
The pupils were shown old editions of the Stamford Mercury covering Queen Victoria's visit to Stamford in the 1840s.
They also learned how to use a library catalogue, how to find information on the shelves, and were given a series of tasks to complete within the library during their visit.
Miss Craig, headmistress of Stamford School Junior School said: "The children enjoyed their visit enormously. Many of them were still talking about it in school the next day.
“Their history curriculum combines studies of the local area so it was good for them to find out a little bit more about Stamford's past.
“Hopefully we can maintain strong links with Stamford library.”
Cold weather doesn’t stop 168th show
The 168th annual Rutland County Show is being hailed a great success by organisers - despite the cold weather.
Grey skies and a chilly wind on Sunday prompted fears of a low turnout, but people turned out regardless.
Attendance was believed to be as good as last year's record-breaking crowd, and the free bus from Uppingham to Burley via Oakham was also well-used.
Show secretary Jo Morley said: "It went extremely well, and the crowds were fantastic. It was so cold, we never dreamed there would be so many people.
"I think people must have seen the weather and decided not to go to the coast, or whatever else they had planned, and came to the show instead.
"Entries were up on last year and the standard of horses, cattle and sheep was very high. The trade stands were also superb.
"In the main ring we had the Shetland ponies' Grand National, which was a great success. The crowds were four deep, and people were following them as soon as they saw them. It was like the Pied Piper."
50 years ago
Four Stamford policemen were called in to turn away the "ghouls" at the explosion-hit disaster area of Flixborough, on Saturday.
As the gigantic Nypro factory near Scun-thorpe exploded, appeals went out all over the county for police help.
100 years ago
Worried By Inability To Work - The Deputy Coroner, Mr. Godfrey Phillips, held an inquest at the Town Hall, on Saturday, upon the body of George William Lewin, a scavenger, 5, Albert-road. P.C. Hardaker deposed to finding the body in the Welland, and Dr. W. A. Hawes said the cause of death was drowning.
The latter stated he had been attending Lewin for influenza for about two months, during which time the deceased had been depressed because of his inability to do his work. A verdict of "suicide whilst of unsound mind" was returned.
150 years ago
It is rumoured that the Sanitary Committee of Stamford, who have the spending of a thousand pounds (borrowed money), and who have been indulging in an amateur scheme of surface drainage, have got into a difficulty and been threatened with an injunction to prevent them from polluting the mill stream with sewage.
The operations of this committee are not generally known to their colleagues in the Council, they being to a certain extent independent of the general body, a majority of the Corporation having transferred the most important business of the Local Board from the entire Council to a section of the members.
200 years ago
An accident occurred in the Church Street at Market Deeping on Tuesday last, by which the life of a valuable mare belonging to a commercial traveller is endangered.
As Mr John Gatliffe, of Bourn, was returning home in a gig, the horse he was driving became by some means unmanageable, and in Mr. Gatliffe's endeavours to pursue his course he ran foul of the traveller's gig, which was coming in an opposite direction: one of the shafts of Mr. G.'s gig was forced full ten inches into the flank of the traveller's mare, which now remains at the New Inn, Market Deeping, with faint hopes of recovery.
