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
Pastor gets the chop for charity
A pastor from Bourne had a hair raising experience to help a charity.
Pastor Antony Slack lost his locks during a charity head shave to raise vital money fro Sue Ryder’s Thorpe Hall Hospice appeal.
He got the close shave at Terry’s Barbers in Lincoln Road, Peterborough, on Wednesday last week, where he was joined by Rachel Slack, hairdresser Richard Vernalls, Bobbie Day, Mark Quincy and Maureen Hunter.
Antony said: “I have a strong connection with Thorpe Hall and the 24/7 car they provide is one of the best in the country, so I wanted to help raise money for theri new appeal.
“I love my new look and I’m starting to get quite used to it, I don’t have to use shampoo anymore!”
Apple Day comes to town
One of the county's largest Apple Day events took place in Stamford at the weekend. Stamford Apple Day which was held on Saturday, attracted over 800 visitors to the Stamford Arts Centre for a day filled with fun.
The popular event featured a tombola, a number of stalls selling apple related gifts and produce, along with displays and demonstrations including the New College Stamford students who had produced a number of apple delights.
One of the most popular features at the event was the opportunity for visitors to make their own handmade apple juice. There was also fun and games for all of the children including pin the maggot on the apple and apple bobbing.
A number of local experts from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project were on hand to help identify apples from around Stamford, along with offering advice to people on looking after apple trees in their gardens.
From the event 10 samples of apple were sent off for further investigation of which six of them were identified as unknown which means that one of the famous heritage apples may have been found.
Alongside all of the apple fun, a competition was held for local shops to produce the best window display on behalf of Apple Day, which was won by charity shop Mind.
Annie Hall, chairman of Stamford Community Orchard Group, said: "It was a fantastic event, we had lots of lovely stalls for everyone to enjoy and the kids loved the apple bobbing."
Charity founder attends national awards
Anna's Hope founder Carole Hughes enjoyed a night of glitz and glamour at the final of the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain awards.
Carole, from Pilsgate near Barnack, made it through to the national final on Monday after winning ITV Anglia's regional fundraiser of the year.
And although she didn't win the overall award, she was delighted that the charity she set up after daughter Anna died from a brain tumour was given national recognition.
"I had an amazing time," said Carole.
"Although I did not win the overall prize this was great recognition for Anna's Hope, our volunteers and supporters and will raise lots of awareness for children with brain tumours.
"I could feel Anna squeezing my cheeks and saying' well done mummy'"
The day after the event Carole was invited to 10 Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister. She said: "I was able to tell him about our latest work at Addenbrooke's with Brainbow, the first children's neuro-rehabilitation service in the UK.
"As I left I sprinkled number 10 with fairy dust and Mr Cameron kindly accepted two Fairy Anna badges for his daughters."
Woman faces big challenge for charity
A woman from Stamford takes on her biggest challenge yet to help raise money for charity. Obstacle course enthusiast Laura Try, has set herself a number of endurance challenges to prepare for a 36 hour endurance race taking place next year, whilst helping to raise money for the Evergreen Care Trust.
The race titled Judgement Day - The Unknown will take place in Wales next September and will push the limit of Laura's physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, Laura took on her first endurance challenge last Wednesday at Rhino's Gym in Stamford where she walked a 26.2 mile marathon wearing a 10kg weighted vest on a treadmill.
Ladies from the Evergreen Care Trust came along to the event to help support Laura throughout the day. The event was a success with Laura completing the marathon in less than seven hours, in which she even ran the last mile.
Laura said: "Given that the challenges are going to be uncomfortable, I thought it would be great to raise money and awareness for Evergreen Care Trust."
Owner of Rhino's Gymnasium, Nick Swan said: "Laura was one of our first gym members to join when we first opened, the progress she has made is fantastic, she is really driven.
“It was a great event for the gym and all of the members got involved cheering her on throughout the day."
25 years ago
Guides achieve highest honour
The highest award possible in the Guides has been achieved by two girls from Deeping St James.
Helen Jones and Sarah Hitchcock, both 15, have gained their Baden-Powell Trefoil awards. The girls who belong to the 1st Deeping St James Guide Unit, have spent the last five years earning the badge. Skills learned for the badge included developing their camping and outdoor skills, child care, accident preven-tion, first aid and cooking Helen is planning to become a young leader in the Rainbows and Helen with the Brownies.
Volunteers recognised in ceremony
Long serving Oxfam volunteers have been recognised in a special awards ceremony.
The Oxfam shop, in High Street, Stamford, has been running successfully thanks to the dedication of a team of voluntary staff.
Bronze, silver, and gold medals and certificates were presented to staff who had given 5, 10, or 15 years of service or more.
Nancy Perkins (75) of North Street, Stamford, said: "I've done about 21 years and manage 18-20 hours per week.
“I do it for the cause — I believe in the work Oxfam does and the good projects it sets up abroad."
She said the sale of goods in the Stamford Oxfam shop helps people in less developed countries stand on their own two feet.
Tea, coffee, sugar, books, clothes and other items sold raise funds which are plougher back into projects around the world.
Nancy added: "Working here keeps me fit and active. There's a lot of lifting and hard graft to do, carrying boxes and serving customers, but we enjoy it."
Volunteer Vi Phippard was given special praise after clocking up 29 years of service.
Also recognised were Ena Buck (86), Sheila Newton, Jenny McAllister, Alice Whitoy Sarah Manton, Olive Coull, Jeanne James and a number of other dedicated volunteers.
Cubs get insight to newspaper
Cubs from the 6th Stamford pack were at the Mercury to learn about newspapers this week. The 20-strong group were at the offices of Britain's oldest newspaper to hear a talk by editor Tim Robinson.
The boys saw some of the earliest copies of the paper — usually kept away from public view under lock and key - and some of the biggest ever produced, dating from the 1850s.
The Cubs also learned all about how modern newspapers are put together and some of the tricks of the trade such as digital photo manipulation.
Important issues discussed at meeting
Important charity issues were on the agenda at a Save the Children conference in Stamford last Saturday.
The meeting held at Copthill School, Uffington, gave members the chance to keep all their volunteers up to date on current projects.
These included a campaign to abolish the use of child soldiers in places like Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Anna Timm, school speaker for Save the Children said: "The conference not only helped us to keep our members informed but also gave us the chance to recruit new volunteers.
"We also invited speakers from our headquarters in London to give talks on street children in Columbia and truancy in deprived areas of Britain."
Fighting the flab
Members of a slimming group in Stamford have been celebrating their success in fighting the flab. The Slimmers World group - which meets at Malcolm Sargent School, Stamford - has two successful members who have beaten the bulge.
Janet Walker lost three stones and Helen Lundie shed five-and-a-half stones. Their success came as a result of a lot of hard work and dedication, sensible eating and moderate exercise.
On hand to congratulate the slim- line twosome was Dr David Holmes. Mrs Nye of Slimming World, said: "They've done really well."
50 years ago
Police are stepping up patrols on a new Stamford housing estate after vandals struck at the weekend. A JCB digger at Trinity Road, on the estate, had its dashboard smashed, causing £70 worth of damage.
The vehicle belonged to Docherty Brothers, of Wigston Fields, Leicester.
100 years ago
Less Burials - At a meeting of the Burial Joint Committee, on Tuesday evening, Ald A. Dobbs presiding the clerk (Mr CHas Atter) read a letter from the Imperial War Graves Commision with reference to the erection of headstones over the graves of war victims, except where they had been erected privately, and was instructed to furnish the necessary information. Burials during the past quarter were reported to number 20, as compared with 26 for the corresponding period of last year.
150 years ago
An attempt at burglary at the Stamford and Rutland Infirmary on Friday morning last at about two o'clock was frustrated by the watchfulness of one of the nurses, who, hearing the sound of broken glass, gave an alarm, and the depredators ran away without having effected an entrance.
They had taken a tressel from the dead-house and placed it under the bath-room window, probably thinking it was the larder. The window was broken by a fist, not cut, and after the alarm no attempt was made to enter the premises.
On the previous Tuesday night an attempt was made to break into the Rectory at Easton. Two hungry-looking youths who were admitted to the Union-house as tramps were suspected; but as they could not be identified they were not taken into custody.
200 years ago
On Friday last, an interesting funeral took place at Wittering, a village three miles South of Stamford. The individual whose remains were consigned to the earth, was in life no less a personage than Henry Boswell, well known as the Father or King of the Gypsies resorting to this part of the country. The old man was encamped on Southorpe Heath with several of his family and subjects on Sunday night, when death put an end to his reign and his earthly wanderings.
