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
Garage has successful first months
A garage thanked customers for their support during a successful first few months in business by running a Christmas hamper draw.
Airtek, based in Foundry Road, Stamford, opened in April.
The garage is an expansion of founder Steve Bell’s business, which grew from a mobile air conditioning service to a dull garage experience.
Business has been growing steadily all year. To say thank you to customers Steve and his wife Amanda, who co-owns Airtek, decided to hold a prize draw in time for Christmas.
Amanda said: “Since October we have been putting everyone that spends money here into a draw.
“The idea was to encourage business and bring people in, which it has done.”
Airtek has also offered customers special deals through adverts printed in the Merucry.
The company offered a Class four MOT for just £39.95 if customers cut out the voucher and presented it to the office.
Amanda said: “We totted up the vouchers that people brought from the advert in and we had about 30.
“The advert has really helped.”
Ziggy finds new home for Christmas
A dog that warmed the hearts of the public after surviving being shot in the head with a 20-inch crossbow bolt has found a loving new home in time for Christmas.
Staffordshire terrier Ziggy was rehomed on Saturday with his new owner Dominic O'Hare, who lives in Hertford-shire.
The two-year-old Staffy hit headlines across the world. when he was found with a 20-inch carbon bolt in his head on October 22 in remote woodland, near Wansford.
In the space of just a week, the RSPCA received in excess of 100 offers from people across the country wanting to give Ziggy a new home.
Dominic, aged 25, who lives with his dad Mick, heard about Ziggy after seeing the news online.
He said: "When I saw the photo of Ziggy I was disgusted. There is no need for someone to do that to an animal when we have the RSPCA and rescue shelters."
Dominic and his partner Emma Burtonwood were keen to rehome Ziggy and contacted Block Fen Animal Centre in March, where Ziggy was being looked after.
Dominic was invited to come and meet Ziggy at Block Fen and the pair got on so well that Dominic was chosen as his new owner.
He said: "He's your typical two-year-old Staffy. He's got lots of energy, yet he's so affectionate - he was in need of a good home."
Ziggy has been settling in well at his new home and has been introduced to Dominic's nine-year-old labrador Dylan, who Ziggy is getting on well with. He said: "We are currently training him and he has come on leaps and bounds in the past three days.
"I've brought him lots of toys for Christmas and I can assure you he will be spoiled rotten."
Solicitors presents over £20,000 to hospice
A team from Stamford are celebrating their 40th anniversary year having exceeded their fundraising target for Thorpe Hall.
Hegarty Solicitors have handed over a cheque for £22,126 to Thorpe Hall Hospice in Longthorpe, Peterborough, after 12 months of successful fundraising.
Both teams from Stamford and Peterborough, set a 40th year challenge to raise £10,000 for the Thorpe Hall Capital Appeal, to help fund the new in-patients unit at the hospice.
Some of the fundraising activities took the team to new heights, with more than half of the team trekking Mount Snowdon in September.
Other fundraising activities included, an office quiz, Easter bake sale and a collection of unwanted goods to donate to local Sue Ryder shops.
A few members of the team took on their own personal fundraising challenges, including Emma Carter who completed the Stamford 10k race, Ashley Kidd and Alison Ayling who took on their first Great Eastern Run and nail biter Yvonne Miller who grew her nails in return for spon-sorship.
Most recently the staff held a gala evening to mark the 40th anniversary, including an auction and raffle on the night to help boost their fundraising target significantly.
Along with a Christmas jumper day and a Lights of Love tree in both of the Hegarty offices. Founder, Richard Hegarty said: "Everyone here is incredibly proud of what we have achieved.
"Some individuals conquered fears, others physical limitations in order to attract sponsorship for Thorpe Hall.
"The fact we have more than doubled our original target of £10,000 is testament to the hard work, enthusiasm and determination of everyone involved."
Special visit to Downing Street for boy, 5
A family from Rutland made a special visit to Number 10 Downing Street last week to attend the Prime Minister's Christmas Party.
Five-year-old Dylan Roun-dhill, from South Luffenham, who receives respite care at Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, attended the special invitation to visit Number 10 on Monday.
Dylan was one of 10 children from the Rainbows Hospice who were whisked to London for the festive occasion, to meet David Cameron and his wife Samantha, along with Santa Claus.
Dylan's mum, Dionne said: "It was awesome, a great opportunity for the kids, they really enjoyed it."
When Dylan was three weeks old he contracted Meningococcal Septicaemia and spent more than two months in hospital.
The condition left him brain damaged and Dylan is now unable to speak and has limited movement and restricted sight.
He relies on care 24 hours a day from his parents, Dionne and David and Dylan doesn't Sleep at night meaning most nights his mum Dionne only gets two hours sleep at best. Dionne said: "When he was first diagnosed, it was just awful. We just couldn't believe it was happening.
“But Dylan is so happy and always smiling. He is so pleasant, we just wouldn't change him."
One symptom of Dylan's condition means he holds his breath frequently and loses consciousness.
He is also reliant on a suction machine, which is sometimes used up to 200 times a day, to stop him choking.
Just a couple of weeks ago Dylan had such a bad seizure, that he had to be resuscitated twice.
Dionne said: "We've had a very hard time lately - we nearly lost Dylan two weeks ago, so we very nearly didn't make it to London.
"I really thought we had lost him, it was so scary." Dylan has three sisters, six-year-old twins Libby and Layla and three-year-old Daisy, who all attended the Christmas party with Dylan.
Tasty donation to charity
Rotarians handed over a tasty donation to a care charity. The Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley had some Waitrose mince pies left over from this year's Santa Fun Run.
The Club decided that The Evergreen Care Trust would be a worthy recipient so the pies were given to the charity.
25 years ago
Young violinist secures top grade
A young violinist from Carlby has fiddled his way to a distinction in a Royal Schools of Music examination.
Ben Weisz (9), a pupil of Ryhall School, had to play three solos, scales, and play a sight reading piece to pass his Grade 1 violin examination.
He was said to be overjoyed with his fine result. Ryhall School head-teacher Jan Williams, said: "He was delighted. He thought he might have just passed so he was thrilled to bits. Ben is a very talented boy.
"It's an exceptional result as Ben passed the exam at such a young age.
"His violin teacher said he has got a lovely tone on the violin and plays really quite nicely.”
Bourne fireman bids farewell
A fireman from Bourne is bidding farewell to his station colleagues after 25 years in the service.
John Fordham, (48) of South Street, Bourne, signed up as a retained firefighter in 1974 and has been based at Bourne Fire Station ever since.
Father of two John, who works as a stress technician for Perkins in Peterborough, has been called out to emergencies in Bourne regularly but is calling it a day to spend more time on leisure pursuits.
John said: "My father was a fireman in Bourne for 34 years and he nagged me to become one too.
“I get called out to fires about three times a week but I don't class it as dangerous because it is what we've trained for.
"I will definitely miss the adventure of it all, especially driving the fire engines.
“But I will continue to see everyone and be involved in organising events at the station social club.”
Special seal of approval for landlords
A pub in Ryhall has been awarded a special seal of approval.
Married couple Chris and Liz Overend have only been landlords of the Millstone Pub in the village for about a year but they have already scooped the Cask Marque award which recognises the quality of hand pulled ales.
Chris, 44, said: “It’s a great achievement to get the Cask Marque in our first year.
“It’s been a real team effort and our staff have worked very hard. Liz and I are absolutely delighted.”
Chris and Liz have taken on a lot but they have already got into the swing of things.
Students propose ‘brighter future’ for town
Student visions of a brighter future for Stamford were put on show before their council.
The art foundation students from Stamford College worked on environmental projects after Stamford councillors commissioned them to develop their ideas into something to benefit the town.
And the proposals they presented to councillors, including Stamford mayor Cedric Cadman, included murals and reliefs, sculptures and landscaping, and a clock tower incorporating the latest in touch-screen technology.
The five groups of students have been carrying out research concentrating on a visual analysis of the consideration area of the town centre.
Art foundation co-ordinator Richard Smith said: “We are particularly pleased to be asked for our contributions.
“This project is ideal for our students as it provides real life work for them.
“Not only have they have had to present their ideas in a formal setting and utilise all their skills of communication, both visually and orally, in order to sell their concepts to the council.”
50 years ago
Two Stamford women are organising a petition to retain the children's ward at Stamford Hospital.
They are Mrs Margaret Atkins and Mrs Jane Spencer. In a letter to the editor of the Mercury, they write: “We shall be very pleased to hear from anyone, be they individuals or members of an association, who can help in any way towards making this venture worthwhile.”
100 years ago
Christmas Charities - Under the provisions of Capt. Orme's charity for the benefit of three poor widows St George’s parish, £8 8s 1d each was on St Thomas’s day given to Mrs Leach (Belton-street), Mrs. Middleton (St. Leonard's-street), and Mrs. Old- ham (Sunnybank). The sum of £5 was also distributed in half-crowns to poor widows of the parish. Other charity funds of St. George's parish provided £32 8s. 2d. worth of coal and a quantity of milk and groceries for distribution during the year.
150 years ago
The inhabitants of the village of Tickencote have received a very kind and seasonable gift of coals from J. H. L. Wingfield, Esq. and his lady. Each family received from 10 ewt. to a ton, according to the number of its members.
200 years ago
On Thursday Morning the 16th inst, as Mr Crofts, of Barnwell Mills, was riding on horseback to Oundle, his horse took fright at a car which was dangerously driven on the road with more haste and noise than is usual. The spirited animal ran off full speed into Oundle, in spite of his rider’s utmost exertions to restrain him, and at a turn in the town dashed into a large window of the shop of Mr Arnsby, grocer and glass-man.
