Royal Marine abseils his way to Guinness World Record - and other news from Rutland and Stamford Mercury archives
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
Schoolchildren learn about World War
More than 800 children from two primaries have learned about the First World War. Youngsters from Malcolm Sargent and St Gilbert's, both in Stamford, became history detectives in a workshop with volunteers from Stamfmord’s Commemoration Programme, discovering a range of artefacts including a periscope used to look over the top of the trenches and a set of German binoculars.
A British ‘Tommy’ soldier visited the schools and the groups discussed what life was like for soldiers in 1914 and looked through the kit they would have carried.
The St Gilbert’s children also made poppy flowers which will be displayed as part of an installation at Browne’s Hospital.
Rugby club gets a makeover
Rugby club members spent the weekend sprucing up their clubhouse thanks to a grant. Volunteers including of current players, former players, trades people and supporters, packed Deepings Rugby Club in Linchfield Road, Deeping St James, on Saturday and Sunday.
The club received a £1,500 grant as part of the NatWest RugbyForce weekend - a national campaign to make rugby clubs stronger by giving them a much needed revamp.
During the weekend, volunteers aged from just six-years-old, got involved in a variety of jobs: The outside jobs were painting, cleaning and repairs to steps and parts of the roof.
Inside, general decorating of the main clubhouse room gave a fresh and clean look for welcoming club members and their guests.
Additional jobs inside included stripping the kitchen back and retiling, repairing changing room floors and showers, repairs to lighting and a refurbishment of the bar and cellar.
Car enthusiasts turnout for event
Thousands of car enthusiasts filled the Wellhead for the ninth annual Bourne Classic Car and Bike Show.
Organisers Annie Beech and Peter Dobson took charge of the event for the first time and were thrilled to welcome so many owners and visitors to the park on Sunday.
There were about 400 classic cars on show, including a special Mustang display to celebrate the car's 50th anniversary, plus 70 bikes. Motor fans from far and wide travelled to the event as well as local families.
Annie, whose partner Peter is a member of Bourne Motor Racing Club, said: "I've always liked classic cars but it's mostly Peter's interest.
“I've learnt a lot about cars in the last year. The previous organisers stepped down. We didn't want to see the event cancelled so we offered to help.
"It was a wonderful day and the whole park was covered with people. I hope it has put Bourne even more on the map as a great town."
There was a Punch and Judy show to entertain the younger visitors, a performance from The Wississippi Jazz Band and a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The organisers are now taking a rest before deciding whether to volunteer for next year's 10th anniversary event, which coincides with the 125th anniversary of Delaine Buses in the town.
25 years ago
Student honoured with award
Marian Eassom (18) of Kesteven Road, Stamford, has been honoured in the Anne Corder Recruitment student of the year awards.
The Stamford College student beat dozens of entrants to take the top prize of £100 in vouchers which were presented at the Anne Corder Recruitment (ACR) office in Park Road, Peterborough.
Students on administrative courses submitted detailed applications which judges used to look at their academic achievements, course work, and work experience.
Leading candidates were then interviewed by recruitment agency staff. Marian, who was only 17 when she entered, is currently in the second year of a private secretary's certificate course.
Judges were impressed with her application, her confident interview manner, and range of skills.
ACR recruitment administrator Kirsty Darlow, said: "Marian has shown consistent achievement and has obviously worked hard on all aspects of her course work."
Marian added: "I was pleased with my interview, but still surprised that I won." She now hopes to do some temping during the summer and then get a full-time job as a PA to a managing director.
Royal Marine breaks world record
Royal Marine Nathan Smith (20) of Ryhall Road, Stamford has abseiled his way into the Guinness Book of Records.
Nathan and a team of fellow Royal Marine Commandos set a new world record by abseiling down King's Reach tower in London - the tallest building on the south bank of the Thames - an amazing 1,431 times in just eight hours.
They reached speeds of over 40 mph and abseiled a total vertical distance of over 94 miles. Each descent was from 343 feet and took around 20 seconds to complete.
The new vertical distance world record smashed the previous one by a huge margin, and the Royal Marines now hold all the world team abseiling records.
Nathan said: "Breaking the record was a great achievement and I'm proud to have been a member of the team.
“I've been in the Royal Marines for two years now and have travelled all over the world.
"The training is hard work, but the instructors help you to prepare step by step. Life in the Royal Marines is active and fun, and allows you to broaden your horizons and see the world."
New u3a chair voted in
Rosemary McCulloch, of Eastgate, Deeping St James, has been voted in as the new chair of the Stamford area branch of the University of the Third Age.
Rosemary, who has carried out voluntary work and held a position with the BBC in the past, said she was delighted with her new appointment.
"I'm really pleased to have the job and am looking forward to the challenge ahead,” she said.
She added: “I'll get to meet a wide range of people and do my bit to promote our organisation."
The University of the Third Age began in France before becoming popular on this side of the Channel.
It is open to people of 50 years and over, and is dedicated to providing lifelong learning to people who may want to continue their education or learn completely new skills and subjects.
Rosemary added: "Languages, computing, maths, and history — all these subjects and more can be studied. Our organisation attracts people from all walks of life, and it's very social as well as being educational."
Hair stylist rescues cockatiel with treat
A quick thinking hair stylist from Stamford came to the rescue of a stray cockatiel - by tempting it back into captivity with a Kellogg's Rice Krispie Square.
The feathery crested bird was seen clinging to a wall near the Garie Nigel Hairwork salon in Silver Lane, Stamford, last Friday (June 11) and soon began to attract attention.
Lee Scott, who works in the salon, said: "I saw a few people outside the shop looking at it. Then it flew up onto a roof and sat by a gutter. I managed to tempt it down with a Kellogg's Rice Krispie Square and caught it in a towel."
Lee added that the crazy cockatiel with its "punky hairstyle" was kept in a box in the salon before being taken to a vet for safe keeping.
Money helps buy life-saving equipment
Vital life saving equipment will be bought for the Sheepmarket Surgery, Stamford, following a fundraising day at a leisure centre.
Sponsored exercises were organised in association with the British Heart Foundation.
The money will buy a defibrillator machine, used to restart patients’ hearts after a heart attack.
Stamford Leisure Centre spokespam Jayne Burrows said: “We roughly raised £550, which can now aid the surgery in buying the equipment it needs, so we were glad to be of help.”
Dr John Mitchell, a Sheepmarket GP, said: “We are delighted to be beneficiaries of this joint initiative.
“This badly needed to be replaced. The one we can buy will be modern and portable, and more efficient.”
50 years ago
There was an appreciative audience in the Vale of Catmose Village College hall, Oakham, on Saturday for a folk concert organised by the College's further education advisory committee and the Parent-Teacher Association.
Compere was Cliff Doe, who also contributed a number of solo items, and there were songs by the Wedgewood Grey folk group and individual artists Jack Hudson, from Derby, and Judy O'Hagan.
100 years ago
Fires - On Friday afternoon the Fire Brigade was summoned to an outbreak in St Paul's Street.
Workmen were fixing a new gas main in the street, when, it is supposed, the flame of their fire-devil ignited escaping gas.
The clothes of one man were badly burnt, but no one sustained serious injuries.
The flames were subdued with the aid of patent fire extinguishers and damp soil.
150 years ago
Various streets and roads in the borough are being broken up, and the thoroughfares partially impeded, for laying down pipes for what is called " surface drainage."
Trenches are dug the depth of three or four feet, and the pipes deposited and buried therein, and it would appear they are intended to receive the rain water and slops from the higher parts of the town and convey it to the river.
200 years ago
A great commotion has been excited lately in the neighbourhood of Rockingham, Cottingham, and Corby, in Northamptonshire, in consequence of G. W. F. Hatton, Esq. taking measures to drive from Rockingham Forest the whole of the stock placed thereon by the cottagers and farmers, who believe that they have common rights there.
Mr. Hatton declares that they were all on trespass; and consequently many hundreds of sheep, oxen, and horses, are impounded in a farmyard belonging to one of his tenants.
