News from the Stamford Mercury archives

December 16, 2011

A bowls club has been forced to shut down after failing to recruit new members.

Chairman of Stamford’s Belton Garden Bowls Club Keith Rippon appealed for members through the Mercury in September.

Mr Rippon was worried that without an influx of younger players the club, based in the Recreation Ground, would be forced to close.

But the appeal was unsuccessful and Mr Rippon had to make the hard decision to shut the club down.

He said: “We don’t have enough members to continue, it’s as simple as that.

“I am gutted. We spent a lot of time working on the green getting it to a reasonable standard but now we can’t continue. It’s disappointing to say the least.”

The club was formed in a garden in Belton Street, Stamford, and moved to The Rec in the 1980s. But membership has dwindled in recent years and the club was left with only 20 playing members.

Mr Rippon, who has been involved in the club for more than 20 years, added: “It’s a shame for the few members that remain but we all agreed it was inevitable. It’s a lovely facility in a lovely setting.”

A new lunch club which aims to raise money for cancer charities has got off to a flying start.

Ladies for Cancer Charities was only launched in October but has already raised £600 for Breast Cancer Care from its first two lunches at The Garden House Hotel in Stamford.

Chairman Sylvia Beeton said: “The group has taken off so well. Many of our members have had cancer themselves so this is a lovely social gathering for them as well as an opportunity to support charities which have supported them.”

The committee hopes the new group will be able to raise money for a different national cancer charity each year to support research into different types of cancer which have affected them personally.

Police took part in a national day of action to tackle metal thefts by carrying out spot checks on scrapyards.

Lincolnshire Police carried out two spot checks and Leicestershire Police, which covers Rutland, visited six sites.

About 20 officers, including representatives from BT, the British Transport Police, Eon and RAF Wittering, carried out a check at B W Riddle in South Fen Road, Bourne, at 8.45am on Wednesday.

They searched the site and checked vehicles weighing in and lorries coming into the yard. Officers closed part of South Fen Road.

Police did not recover anything from the site.

The site manager, who co-operated with police, declined to comment.

Sgt Rachel Blackwell, who led the search, said: “We recognise that as the police we are not specialists in searching for certain types of metals, which is why we were working with other agencies who can zone in very quickly on what they are looking for.”

Officers later searched a site in Peterborough where they recovered copper cabling and military batteries. Inquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made.

25 years ago

December 13, 1996

Police chiefs could invite private sponsorship for a new 32 million state-of-the-art police station planned for Stamford.

On Monday Lincolnshire Police Authority will decide whether a new Stamford police station – to replace the current “inadequate” 1930s North Street building – is justified.

Police officials have not named a site but are considering a “number of options”.

Lincolnshire Police property manager Chris Hitchens said: “Money will come from the chargepayers and currently the Home Office but we could look at private finance or sponsorship.

“If a supermarket chain were interested in a development in Stamford they may say that’s not a bad site for our supermarket, what about a police station?”

A 1980s report identified “significant subsidence” and “major structural cracking”. Facilities have been described as “inadequate”.

Officials say the station, which could be built in 1998, would have disabled access and better facilities for visitors, prisoners and staff.

The fight to save Stamford Endowed School scholarships is poised to intensify as Conservative county councillors discuss the campaign backed by Colin Dexter.

Mr Dexter, who created TV’s Inspector Morse, is a former Stamford School pupil.

Conservatives have called a special meeting of the policy committee on Thursday to try to persuade the ruling Lab-Lib group to reverse its decision to end the scheme.

But Norman Riches, director of education at Lincolnshire County Council, maintains that pupils receive an excellent standard of education through the state system, and for around £1,000 less per pupil, per year.

Conservative group leader Coun Jim Speechley said: “Lincolnshire County Council has had a long-sanding association with the Stamford Schools, and we believe this should continue.

“By calling this meeting, it gives us a further opportunity to persuade the ruling Lad-Lib group to change its earlier decision to scrap the scholarship scheme.”

Bourne cemetery records index came under discussion at the November meeting of Bourne branch of the Lincolnshire Family History Society.

The society has recently completed the mammoth task of producing this index for the use of family and local historians.

Geoff Harmston and his wife Joan did most of the work in transcribing the records, access being provided by the town hall staff, in particular Mary Redshaw.

Geoff outlined the project’s history and cited facts and figures.

The cemetery opened in June 1855, but a stillborn child may have been buried the previous day.

A Yorkshire terrier named Smutt saved the day for his 85-year-old owner by waking her as flames crept towards her Oakham home.

The blaze was started deliberately in a wheelie bin at around 2.20am on Monday and within seconds reached Ethel Wakefield’s fence in Ashwell Road and then spread to her garage.

Oakham fire brigade, which has been praised for its speedy reaction to the incident, said the pensioner’s home could have easily been destroyed.

Witnesses likened it to “the explosions of a firework display”.

Ethel said: “Smutt was asleep in the bedroom and he must have heard the crackling of flames and started barking. He woke me up and I went on to the landing and saw the flames. The firemen arrived quickly and were marvellous. They made sure I was all right.”

50 years ago

December 17, 1971

A noise “like a jet engine” from a new gas boiler at the Belgrave Laundry on Empingham Road, Stamford is upsetting residents in nearby Roman Bank.

A meeting has been organised by Stamford Borough Council to discuss the problem and will be held at the Town hall, today.

And a petition containing six signatures from people in Roman Bank has been sent to the council by Mr A. E. Whitwell, one of the residents affected.

Today’s meeting will be attended by the town clerk Mr Harold Bedford, public health inspector Mr G. Fox, the laundry general manager and director Mr D. Elliot and representatives of the East Midlands Gas Board and the boiler suppliers.

The problem was highlighted at Tuesday’s Borough Council meeting by Ald George Riley, who lives at 11 Roman Bank.

“This trouble has been going on for about three months and we don’t seem to be any nearer solving it,” he said.

He urged the council to take some definite action. “Roaring noises from the boiler are disturbing to women in the area and make many men bad tempered.”

A Deeping St James trader, angered by a planned parking ban outside his shop, has a surprise in store for Government officials.

He intends “blacking out” the double yellow lines when they are painted outside his shop in Bridge Street by putting felt or plastic sheeting over them.

The trader, Mr Ron Branch, managing director of Branch Brothers do-it-yourself shop, is also threatening to refuse to pay the £200 a year rates on the premises if the ban becomes a reality.

Mr Branch claims he is being “victimised” by the Department of the Environment and that he stands to lose most of the passing trade at his shop.

“Blacking out the yellow lines is the only thing I can think of to keep my customers. They just won’t risk stopping if they see the yellow lines.

“As for the rates, I will absolutely refuse to pay them if the no-parking comes into force. They can take me to court, but I won’t pay a penny.”

Stamford and District Round Tablers will spend this Sunday making Christmas brighter for old people in nearby villages.

They will be distributing about 220 food parcels – each worth around £1 – in 13 villages in the area.

The parcels will contain two oranges, chocolates, tinned salmon, jam, butter, evaporated milk, cheese, soup, tinned fruit, sugar and tea.

These parcels will be delivered in King’s Cliffe, Barnack, Bainton, Uffington, Ketton, Easton, Duddington, Morcott, Empingham Ryhall, Tinwell, Barholm and Greatford.

Two other villages – Nassington and Wansford – have asked for cash help rather than food parcels.

The Table is giving Nassington £20 for an old folk’s Christmas party and Wansford £10 for a children’s party

The Round Table will be spending around £450 this Christmas on the parcels and parties.

100 years ago

December 16, 1921

Stamford and Rutland Infirmary – Week ending Dec. 13, 1921 – Admissions and discharges of patients: In- admitted 12, discharged 6, in house 45; out-patients made in-patients 2, admitted 14, discharged 7, on books 52; medical attendant, Dr. Greenwood; weekly board, The Marquess of Exeter, Comdr. and Mrs. Crichton-Maitland, Mrs. Martin, Mr. R. W. Dodman, Mr. Young, Dr. Greenwood, Mr. Phillips. Acknowledged with thanks: Lady Romayne Cecil, scrap book: Miss Cowell (Yorks.), scrap books; Mrs. Downs, knitted coats; Mrs. Rowton, Sunday papers; Miss Sandall, crackers.

Raised In an Hour – On Thursday of last week, at the Red Triangle Hut, £9 10s. was realised in about an hour at a jumble sale in aid of the Girls’ Friendly Society. The articles were given by associates and friends: and those helping were Mrs. W. Dashwood, Mrs. German, Mrs. Johnston, Miss Moore, Mrs. Sargent, Miss Trollope, Mrs. Watson and Miss Bowman (branch secretary), together with members of the girls’ committee and others.

St. Dunstan’s Whist Competition – At the Assembly-rooms on Friday 96 people competed in the preliminary round of the St. Dunstan’s whist competition, the first prize in which is £1000. Messrs. R. S. Cox, R. Brake,and J. E. Smedley were M.C.’s. The qualification to enter the next round of the competition was to score over 140, and seven ladies and nine gentlemen were successful. The Mayor (Coun, J. W. Pepper) presented the prizes to Mrs. Chapman, Mrs Simons, Mrs. Chestney, Mrs. Sykes, Mrs. Ireson, Miss L. Black, and Mrs. Dunkley. Messrs. Bussingham, J. F. Hallam, J. Green, C.Lucas, W. Miles, and H. Carter. Messrs. A. Hubbard, J. Nixon and G, Macshill also scored 140 or over.

Up-To-Date Fire Brigade – The motor tender for drawing the fire engine to outbreaks in country districts arrived in the town on Monday evening. Firemen Bob Hughes and R. Williamson have been appointed drivers of the vehicle.

Guardians Economise on Child Visitor’s Appointment – The Board of Guardians, at their fortnightly meeting, decided to grant extra out-relief at Christmas at the rate of 2s. for each adult and 1s. for each child. The Clerk reported that the Lady Inspector of Boarded-out Children has pointed out the necessity of someone being appointed for the purpose of visiting children for whom payment was made, but several members held the view that an appointment was not necessary as there were only six cases, and it was decided to ask the nurse now doing the County Council work to include this visitation in her duties.

Bourne Ex-Service Men’s Club – The opening ceremony took place on the 7th inst. being performed by Col. A. Acland-Hood-Reynardson at a function over which Mr. C. C. MacLeod presided. The building has been erected on a site in the Abbey Lawn through the assistance of the United Services Fund, a grant having been made of £400 16s. 6d. out of which £17 15s. was handed over to Langtoft club for furnishing their establishment. The erection of the hut has cost about £570, and a deficiency exists of
£130.

150 years ago

December 15, 1871

Stamford Infirmary – A donation of £3 3s. from the proceeds of a penny reading at Empingham has been received.

The 26th of December being one of the days authorised to be kept as a holiday by the Bank Holidays Act, we are informed all the banks in Stamford will be closed on the Tuesday after Christmas-day. The Savings Bank is included in the provision, so that the only day in Christmas week on which the Savings Bank will be open is Friday the 29th. We are glad to announce that the drapers and grocers in the town have resolved to close their establishments on Tuesday – a step which their assistants will no doubt appreciate.

The butchers’ Christmas show will take place on Wednesday next the 20th inst.

The severity of the frost last week afforded amusement for four or five days to skaters, the ice on Burghley Lake being sufficiently strong to bear on Wednesday, and that on the town river on Saturday. Subscriptions were made for a race on the Welland on Monday, but the day before a thaw set in, which would have rendered the experiment dangerous even if the good feeling of the promoters had not prompted then to defer the sport on account of the precarious condition of the Prince of Wales.

Cat and dog life in the neighbourhood of Bath-row, Stamford, has in several instances been put to a speedy termination lately, to the regret and deep vexation of some of the inhabitants. On Monday three valuable greyhounds belonging to Mr. Brookes were seized with violent symptoms when in the street, and two of the animals died: they had been poisoned. We have been told that, a short time before, six cats and a dog came to an untimely end in the same locality and in a similar mysterious way.

It is rumoured that terms have been arranged between the Great Northern Railway Company and the Stamford and Essendine Company, by which the working of the Essendine and the Sibson lines will be undertaken by the Great Northern Company. It is anticipated that Stamford will gain additional accommodation by this arrangement, and that Sunday trains, the want of which has been often most grieviously felt, will be re-established, so as to afford Sunday communication between Stamford and the North and Stamford and London.

Market Deeping – A person calling himself Signor Bosco, “the renowned monarch of magic,” announced by the usual showy placards, bills, and circulars that he has just returned from the continent, and would visit Deeping on the 11th inst. and exhibit his wonderful magical illusions in the White Horse Hotel assembly-rooms. The sale of tickets was undertaken by four respectable inhabitants, which was a guarantee of their faith in the great illusionist. As the hour approached, the question “has Bosco arrived yet?” was heard and re-echoed in every corner of the town, and a negative answer was all that could be heard, for Bosco never did arrive! People assembled, but there was no magic for them, and they retired to their homes more chagrined than satisfied with the illusion.

200 years ago

December 14, 1821

Sir Gilbert Heathcote returned 15 per cent. to his Lincolnshire tenants at the rent audit held last week.

On Monday morning the remains of Bryan Cooke, Esq., who died in Jamaica, passed through Stamford, in grand funeral procession, for interment at the family burial-place near Doncaster.

In the night of Saturday last the office of Mr. Worth, attorney, at Bourn, was broken open, and robbed of a large collection of law books. The thieves, it is supposed, proceeded to London with their booty.

On Saturday night Robert Willows, labourer, of Sutterton Fen, was apprehended on a charge of having in his possession a silver watch the property of Thomas Stubley, of Deeping Fen, who was robbed of the same on the highway, in the parish of Spalding, in May last. Willows was a well known companion of Edgoose, Rogers, and Jackson, lately committed to Lincoln castle.

On Friday the 7th inst. an inquest was held at Ashton, near Oundle, before T. Marshall, Esq. of Kettering, coroner, on the body of Thos Fawston, aged 56, 27 of which he had been a faithful servant, as waggoner, to the present and the late Messrs. Compton, of Ashton Mills. His death happened on Wednesday the 5th inst., as he was taking a loaded waggon from the mills: the horses going on too soon, he ran to stop them, when his foot slipped, and one of the fore wheels passing up his side, so much injured him that he died two hours afterwards – Verdict, accidental death.

On Sunday evening last a peculiarly interesting and encouraging scene was witnessed in the Methodist Chapel, Bourn: an excellent discourse was delivered by the Rev. G. Douglass, of Stamford, for the benefit of the Sunday school established there, after which several of the children recited sentences appropriate to the occasion, the execution of which, while it reflected great credit on the teachers and friends of the school, could not fail to excite feelings of thankfulness and delight in the hearts of all who were present. The chapel was crowded to excess, and the contributions were very liberal.

On Thursday the 6th inst. Robt. Maydwell and George Allen were committed to the gaol of this borough for one week to be kept to hard labour, being convicted of vagrancy in improvidently spending their money and neglecting to provide for their wives and families, by which they became chargeable to the parish of All Saints. It is hoped that this salutary measure will not only be the means of reforming the above offenders, but will operate as a warning to other disorderly persons who without real necessity squander away their money, leaving their wives and families a burden to the public.

At Boston beast mart on Tuesday last, the show was smaller that had been expected by the buyers, but still only about half the beasts were sold, at inferior prices, and some were forwarded to Smithfield market.