Rutland and Stamford Mercury Memories: news and adverts we featured in May 2015, 2000, 1955, 1925 and 1825
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
A campaign is encouraging people to report dog owners who don't clean up after their pets.
Uppingham Town Council has signed up to the ‘We're Watching You’ campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy.
Working with Rutland dog warden Barry Briggs, the council wants to persuade more residents to report irresponsible dog owners and fouling hotspots.
Town clerk Neil Wedge said: "Since starting my new role I'd been surprised about the number of comments from the community about dog fouling.”
Mr Wedge approached the council about the We're Watching You campaign, and councillors gave their support. Signs are up and calls from the public have helped identify problem sites.
Mr Wedge said: "The areas targeted so far are around Tod's Piece, where football matches have been stopped frequently to clear dog mess, and the children's play area. In addition we have looked at the routes to and from schools and areas off Stockerston Road and Leicester Road used by dog walkers.”
Dog warden Mr Briggs said he was "over the moon" to see the council supporting the national campaign. It's going to help the people of Rutland. I hope all the parishes take it on.”
A boy has set himself the challenge of climbing Mount Snowdon to help raise vital funds for one of his best friends, Seb Goold.
Adventurer Joseph Green, aged nine, from Wansford is planning on climbing the highest peak in Wales on May 27, along with his family to help raise funds for the Seb Goold Trust.
Joseph was a teammate of Seb's at Stamford Rugby Club and was on the coach at the time of Seb's tragic accident last year.
Knowing what a tough time his good friend has gone through, Joseph wanted to help raise money for Seb and decided he would take on Mount Snowdon to help raise lots of money.
Seb, aged 10, who recently returned to school, had to have his right leg amputated above the knee after falling from the moving coach in April last year.
Joseph's dad, Nick, a keen climber, will be joining his son on the big climb.
Crowds of spectators cheered two-year-old Lewis Hollowell across the finish line at the Langtoft Fun Run, for his sheer determination at completing the race even with a broken leg.
Lewis, who was the first to enter the fun run, was heart broken when he broke his leg days before the race by falling from his trampoline. But, being the superhero he is, Lewis managed to complete the run with his parents who pushed him around in his pushchair and then let him hop across the finish line at the end.
Lewis' mum, Sarah said: "He was made up when he finished the race. I'm so proud of him, it was a very special moment.
Lewis raised more than £80 for Langtoft Pre-School.
25 years ago
After an initial burst of enthusiasm at the conception stage, fathers are often criticised for taking a back seat in child care.
And for many dads it's a relief not to be expected to get involved in the rearing process until their offspring can kick a football.
Even Cherie Blair - who's due to have her fourth child any day now - isn't banking on Tony being there for those all important first few weeks. And it was his government which has given men the right to 13 weeks’ unpaid paternity leave in the first five years of a child's life.
Is paternity leave another step towards equality, or every new father's worst nightmare? Suzanne Moon went to find out.
Jeremy Jester (35) a children's entertainer from York Road, Stamford, and a father of two believes fathers should have paternity leave. He said: "I don't think nowadays kids should be passed out to grandparents or whoever. One parent has to stay looking after the kids.”
Chris Barrett (51), headteacher at William Hildyard school, Market Deeping, said: "Paternity leave is a good idea. It's important for both parents to have the opportunity to spend time with their young children, particularly fathers who are at work and don't otherwise have a lot of time at home. But, because it's unpaid, I don't think many fathers taking paternity leave will be able to put up with the loss of earnings."
Tim Barnett (33) of Station Road, Corby Glen, said: "I agree with introducing leave for fathers. I took two weeks as holiday when my son Callum was born - it gives time for parents to be with their child. Employers are never going to pay full salary for paternity leave, but I think they should pay some kind of assistance, rather than nothing."
Pete Thompson (41), of St Michael's Road, Wittering, has two young children. He said: "Paternity leave is not much good if it's unpaid. And as a firefighter based at RAF Wittering, I'm not sure how it's going to affect the armed forces. I think increased child benefits would be better, so that one parent has more incentive to stay at home."
Neil Buxton (29) of Stephenson Way, Bourne, said: "Paternity leave is a good idea, but it should be paid. This sort of thing should be equal for mothers and fathers. Bringing up a child is a family thing, and fathers can miss out if they don't take time off."
Fifteen-year-old Adam Wheatley, the youngest player ever to turn out for the Wakes, has quickly become favourite with the Abbey Lawn faithful. The Stamford School pupil has been plucked from the Bourne Property Service Youth team, along with Neil Kelly and Alex Stark, both 16.
He said: "I was surprised when David McNish put me in the first team.I found it difficult when I started a game for the first time. The game is a lot quicker than the games I'm used to." The midfielder may not be available so much next season, though, as he plays rugby for his school on Saturday afternoons.
50 years ago
Rutland petty sessions. Empingham man robs ‘legacy’. For stealing £4 from his brother, Robert Clare, at Empingham between 2 and 5 May, Charles William Clare, of Nook Lane, Empingham was fined £4 at Oakham on Monday.
The Chief Constable, Mr A Bond, said that three brothers lived together with their father until February, when the father died. He had kept some money in the house to meet household expenditure and left it to Robert T Clare to use for the same purpose. The complainant saw that there was £19 still in the box on 2 May, but on 5 May there was only £15.
Mr Bond went on to say that police sergeant Soden and PC Alton obtained a statement of admission from the defendant at Braunston.
It was stated that there were two previous convictions against the defendant, one for aiding and abetting bigamy, for which the defendant had been sent to Borstal for three years, and one for attempted false pretences at Stamford the previous Saturday, when he was fined £3.
Bees perish in Ketton area. Acid poisoning suspected. Thousands of bees in and around Ketton are dying of suspected poisoning
A well-known beekeeper in Rutland informed us yesterday that similar trouble has been experienced in different parts of the country, despite appeals on the wireless and in the Press to farmers, asking that spraying should not be carried out when blossom is open. When a reporter called to see PC W Macdonald, of Ketton, who is a keen apiarist, he said he had noticed that many of his bees dropped dead at the entrance on returning to their hives, and he knew he had lost many more before they reached home.
Mr Macdonald said that it is suspected that a corrosive acid in a mixture used for spraying purposes is the cause of the trouble. Mr Macdonald has sent a sample of the dead bees to the Rothamstead Bee Research Station in Hertfordshire.
Roman villa site. Casterton work resumed. With the start of the summer term, volunteers from Oakham School, under the direction of Mr JL Barber, curator to the school museum, have resumed excavating operations on the site of the Roman villa at Great Casterton, and have made more valuable finds.
The plan of the villa is not yet known but from what has been discovered to date, it is obviously a large one. To confirm this, it is reported that during the winter, when ploughing was undertaken in the vicinity, traces of pottery were found quite a distance from the spot where the diggers are working.
The date of the finds are 364 to 383 AD, which is defined by the pottery discovered and, more particularly, by coins.
100 years ago
Rutland rural libraries. Rutland has the opportunity of joining in the Leicestershire Rural Library Scheme by contributing about £50 per annum towards the cost of maintaining a service of book distribution.
The matter was considered at the meeting of the Rutland Education Committee at Oakham, when the secretary (Mr JC Kernick) mentioned it would be necessary for the county council to adopt the Public Libraries Act in order to take advantage of the scheme.
The cost of distribution of boxes of books in the Rutland area would be approximately £50 a year, which was equivalent to a rate of one-twelfth of a penny.
Mr J Royce Turner said that to him a strong point of the scheme was that young students could thereby obtain the books they required. He was not particularly keen on providing facilities for novel reading - those who wanted that kind of reading could, he thought, afford to pay for it.
Thos Arthur Newman, 13, of Thistleton, was charged with stealing 5s, the property of James Trigg, at Thistleton. Trigg, who is a roadman, said that on the evening of March 22nd he placed two half crowns in a bag, which he put in a drawer.
On going to work at 6.30 next morning he locked the door with a chain and padlock. On returning for lunch about 9.30 he noticed the staple on the door had apparently been drawn, and on going to the drawer he found the money had gone.
Police Sgt Wood said he made inquiries with PC Smith and saw the defendant, who at first said he had never been to Trigg's house except when Trigg was at home. Subsequently he admitted that he went there on the morning in question, and forced the staple with a piece of iron. He took the two half crowns, and then put the lock on the door again and knocked the staple in with a stone. One half-crown he produced, tied in a corner of his handkerchief, and he had spent the other in sweets. The lad was placed on probation for twelve months.
A few friends of the Stamford Infirmary are making earnest effort to bring this institution for the healing of the sick and wounded to a state of efficiency. Urgent appeals have been published to the 40,000 people in the area of the infirmary's operations to assist the work. The response of the many has been lamentably disappointing. An average contribution of 10% would realise £20,000 - enough for the completion of the necessary improvements and leave a substantial margin for the always empty coffers of the general management.
Up to the present 75 friends have contributed about £3,700. This sum, with the aid of a grant from the Ministry of Health and the balance of the War Memorial Fund, emboldens the governors to at once proceed with the erection of a new children's ward and maternity ward
Charged with being drunk in Ryhall Road late on Monday night Joseph Smith, a Manchester labourer, who was arrested by PC Francis, was fined 10s with the alternative of 7 days' hard labour.
From the evidence it appeared that after being admitted to the casual wards at the Stamford Workhouse Smith became abusive towards the porter, whom he struck a blow on the face, injuring him near his eye. A struggle occurred, and the porter succeeded in throwing his assailant down. The Master then came on the scene, and the man was ejected and the Police called.
The prisoner denied that he was drunk; he said he hadn't enough money to get drunk on. He also said he did not hit the porter, except in self defence after the latter had set about him.
The Magistrate (Mr R Tidd) did not believe Smith's story, but accepted the evidence of the constable and the porter.
Smith had 1d, a razor, a comb, etc in his possession when arrested.
200 years ago
E Brown begs to offer her grateful acknowledgments to the ladies of Oakham and its vicinity for the liberal support she has hitherto experienced, and to inform them that she has just returned from London with an assortment of fashionable leghorn and straw bonnets, which will be ready for inspection on Tuesday and during the week.
Oakham Canal will be closed on the 4th day of June next, and until further notice, in order that the necessary repairs may be done.
Stamford Gas-Light and Coke Company. The public are informed that a quantity of coke, of excellent quality, is constantly on sale. Application to be made at the works.
Sheep washing. Drainage by the Black Sluice, between Bourn and Boston. Notice is hereby given, that all persons who shall wash any sheep, or make any conveniences for washing sheep, in the Forty Foot, Hammond Beck, or other cuts or drains under the direction of the Commissioners for the said Drainage, will be proceeded against at law for so doing. By order of the Commissioners, Benjn Smith, clerk, Horbling, May 1825.
On Monday last an inquest was held at Thorpe-by-Water near Uppingham on the body of Mr Redshaw, farmer, of that place, who terminated his existence by hanging himself in the morning of that day. Verdict, lunacy.
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