A look at stories in 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
Youngsters help foodbank
Youngsters celebrated this year’s harvest by donating food to those more in need than themselves.
Pupils at Leighfield Academy in Uppingham decided to help Rutland Foodbank at their Key Stage 2 harvest this year.
All the children were invited to take in a donation or tinned or dried food to school.
Leighfield Academy administrator Jeanette Wedge said: “We collected a great amount which we then took to St Peter and St Paul’s Church.”
£400 donation for memorial wall and garden
Stamford Town Council has donated £400 towards the erection of a memorial wall and garden at Stamford AFC's new home at the Borderville Sports Centre.
Following a presentation to the town council by the club's commercial manager Paul Pepper, councillors were informed that a number of supporters and officials had their ashes scattered at their old Kettering Road ground.
As a mark of respect, the club wished to acknowledge the deceased by continuing with a similar commemorative area at the new ground.
Councillors supported this initiative and contributed towards the cost of providing a mature olive tree and commemorative plaques to be installed on a memorial wall.
After hearing of the memorial wall and garden project Stamford Referee's Association which uses the club's facilities kindly donated a further £150.
Chairman of the association Peter Chappell said: "We are proud to be associated with this thoughtful idea to remember loved ones who supported the Daniels over the years." Hardware store Harrison and Dunn in All Saints Street, sponsored the town council plaque and will look after all orders for plaques from anyone wishing to have a message installed on the wall.
Paul Collins, from Harrison and Dunn said: "We are a traditional family run hardware store that have been in the town serving the people of Stamford since 1930, we are pleased to be supporting a part of Stamford's history."
Baking royalty visits school
Top TV baker Mary Berry was given a welcome fit for the royal family when she visited Stamford High School this week to reopen the home economics block.
A red carpet was laid out for the Great British Bake Off judge when she arrived at the school in High Street, St Martin's on Tuesday morning. The food writer and television presenter was invited to the school to officially open both the refurbished home economics department and the new Mary was full of praise for the school. She said: "I think it's very exciting that the rooms have been refurbished,
I think it's immensely important that every girl in the school can cook when she leaves and when I say cook, I mean nutritional, healthy "They also need to understand where the food comes from and how to prepare it in the best, simplest way - nothing too complicated.
"When they leave school they'll go to university or possibly be in a room somewhere on their own and to be able to produce meals for others that maybe haven't been so fortunate is great! It's cheaper to eat at home.
"I'm bringing what I learnt back to schools, it's very important to actually get down and cook, not think about it, but do it."
The whole school gathered in the hall to give Mary a warm welcome when she arrived. She then gave an assembly about the importance of learning to cook in today's society.
After the assembly Mary was shown around the school, meeting and greeting a number of pupils along the way and signing books.
The school's magazine held an interview with Mary in the library, finding out all the Mary, who stayed at The George Hotel in Stamford this week, then went on to visit the new home economics rooms, where she spoke to some of the home economics pupils, who, at the time, were in the kitchens learning how to make pasta. She also cast her eye over cakes baked by the pupils and visited a class.
Zoe Bertuzzi, 13, said: It's really good to have Mary Berry here, she's a really inspiring woman. I'm a keen fan of the Bake Off and all other recipes are really good.
Staff dress up for charity
Staff at Hairport salon in Angel Precinct, Bourne, raise money for a different charity each month.
Ben Graham, Chloe Osbourne and Leanne Jackson decided to dress up for Halloween and support the Butterfield Centre.
25 years ago
Hikers to trek for charity
Hikers put their best feet forward this week as they set off on a sponsored trek from Burghley Park, Stamford.
About 50 people took part in the walk on Sunday which helped raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The trek was organised by the Stamford and District Friends of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and was one of many sponsored walks taking place all over the country. Sheila Blowers, who helped organise the event, said: "The weather couldn't have been better and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.”
New beauty facility opens at college
A purpose-built hair and beauty facility was opened at Stamford College this week.
Lisa Hinks, of the cosmetics company Bobbi Brown, came along to formally open the Oasis Hair and Beauty salon on Monday.
The new block was financed with help from the Further Education Funding Council. The new facility houses all the hair and beauty courses under one roof, and has proved popular with staff, students, and members of the public who use the salon.
Stamford College has a strong reputation as a premier training centre in the region with students winning awards at national competitions and scooping top jobs in beauty therapy and hairdressing.
Curriculum area leader Christine Reilly Smythe, said: "The new salons are a dream come true. We really feel we can offer the best hair and beauty training in the area.
Children to celebrate Millennium
Millennium fever is spreading rapidly across Mercury Country and has inspired school children in Market Deeping to get arty.
Children from Market Deeping Community School have been working hard to produce a tapestry, as part of a Millennium art project which will end up in the Millennium Dome.
The children convinced teachers to take on the project having seen it advertised on the children's television programme, Blue Peter, in January.
The project organisers, the Millennium Tapestry Company, came up with 11 different subjects to disperse around the schools.
Market Deeping Community School was given nature or the living island as its theme.
In July, the junior children put together various pictures and aspects of the best ones were used to produce the final piece.
A Millennium tapestry club was started to do the job, and after hours of sewing and weaving, the result is a square metre of tapestry which encapsulates the Lincolnshire landscape at harvest time.
Key stage two co-ordinator and head of art, Hilary Light said: “It was hard work but the children really enjoyed it.
“We are thinking of producing a tapestry of a similar kind but related to the school rather than the Millenium.”
The tapestry will be on display in the Millennium Dome and all entries will be put onto the internet for public viewing.
Celebrating Apple Day
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. And that's exactly what the Pocket Park Group from Warmington were encouraging when it celebrated Apple Day.
The group has been given a piece of land by Northamptonshire County Council to plant old varieties of apple trees and they hope others will follow their example.
Judy Stroud, of the Pocket Park Group, said: "Northampton has lost 50 per cent of its orchards in the last 20 years. "There are 4000 varieties of apple but we only see a few in the shops. We are encouraging people to grow their own apples and make their own apple juice or cider.
New record set from GCSE exams
Kirkstone House School students set a new record in this year’s GCSE exams, more than a third leaving with height or more passes at A to C level.
The results continued to exceed those of state schools, said headteacher of the Baston school, Penny Little, at the annual prize giving.
“Like all schools, we keep a close watch on our academic record, and are rightly proud of the achievements of our pupils and of the teaching staff who, but their skill, dedication and sheer hard work enable each pupil to gain the highest possible marks in public examinations,” she said.
Lower School children maintained high standards in the Key Stage tests.
Sue Gombault, head of the school, said it could be proud of its achievements.
“We had a particularly good year in English and Science,” she said.
“These core subjects, including mathematics, are strengths of the school, as recorded by the inspector, and we continue to lay great emphasis on them.”
50 years ago
A 24-year-old electrical engineer was disqualified from driving for a year by Stamford magistrates, on Wednesday. for driving with too much alcohol in the blood. Allan John Young. of 10 Witham Close. Stamford. pleaded guilty. He was also fined £25 with an endorsement, and ordered to pay a doctor's fee of £7.49.
100 years ago
Half An Hour Later - A humorous incident occurred in one of the municipal polling booths on Saturday. About 8.30, after the customary solemn ritual had been duly observed, and counting was just about to commence, a gentleman, who had evidently entered counting was just about to commence, a gentleman, who had evidently entered by a back door, calmly walked into a counting room. Upon being asked what he wanted he said he had come to vote. He was informed he was half-an-hour late.
150 years ago
It is probable that Mr J R Lowe will be appointed Mayor of Stamford on Monday next, and that the retiring Aldermen, Messrs. Whincup, Patterson, and Wright, will be re-elected.
200 years ago
Bourn Fair And Market - We hear with pleasure that the revived fair at Bourn on Friday last was, notwithstanding the extreme wetness of the day, well attended by graziers and others of the first respectability. There was a large show of beasts and sheep, most of which met with a brisk sale. The Marquess of Exeter, and several of the most eminent graziers in the neighbourhood, contributed some superior stock to the show.
