Mercury Memories looks back over the years through the pages of the Rutland and Stamford Mercury newspaper
25 years ago
Stamford children may be forced out of town for their education because the Endowed Schools’ scholarship scheme has been axed by Lincolnshire County Council despite furious protests.
After 1997 there will be no school in Stamford that caters for secondary education for children from 11 through to 18-years-old.
Stamford School headmaster Geoffrey Timm said both his school and the High School will become “socially exclusive”. The County Council decided on Monday to abandon the arrangement, despite 300 letters of objection, because it “should not support the principle of spending cash from the majority in buying privilege for the few”.
Mr Timm said: “We are extremely saddened by the decision.We feel that it cannot possibly be in the overall interest of the children of Stamford, either in the short or the long term. I feel sure that we shall live to regret deeply he decision which has been made.”
A lack of cash help could force a Baston company to relocate to the Gulf.
The managing director of internationally acclaimed boat building company, Craig Craft Marine is to fly to Dubai to continue discussions about relocating to the Gulf.
But a lifeline may have been thrown to the company by MP Quentin Davies after the Mercury told him of the problem this week.
Craig Craft Marine says it may be forced to go abroad because of the lack of grant aid to help pay for a £3.5 million factory to be built on land at Baston lakes.
MD Craig Moore said: “We have to expand the company to meet the demands of recent orders but grant aid does not seem to be available.
“We have been liaising with the Department of Trade and Industry for some money but have been told to qualify we have to relocate out of the area, the nearest site being Wisbech.”
He added: “To be honest if we have to move from Baston we may as well take the business overseas.”
It would surely be an impossible task to find more fun packed into two weeks than is on offer at Stamford Festival.
This year’s celebration of everything the town can be proud of includes some of the largest attractions ever organised.
If anyone fails to find something to their liking they must be from another planet.
But as always the success of Stamford Festival relies on the support of the public.
Events such as the children’s fancy dress competition on Friday, June 30 and baby fancy dress contest on Sunday, July 2 – both on the Recreation Ground – need to be prepared in advance if they are going to be a success.
The biggest event this year is the free Music on the Meadows concert on the weekend of July 8.
It will feature 15 musical acts from rock to classical on Stamford Meadows, plus sports, children’s dancing and five-a-side football. Another crowd puller will be the parade of floats through the town centre on Saturday, July 1.
The following day will see the 20k road race and 3k fun run and also a festival netball tournament.
Rutlanders have won the fight to put their beloved county back on the map.
At 4pm yesterday Parliament said YES to the independence bid, giving dedicated Rutlanders the news they have craved for 21 years.
The decision to grant independent status puts England’s smallest county right back where it has struggled long and hard to be – in charge of its own affairs.
The Gettysburg Address was not written with Rutland in mind, but the words “a new birth of freedom” and government of the people, by the people and for the people” seems to apply precisely.
And the county motto – Multum in Parvo, much from little – implies Rutland may be small, but is big enough to look after itself.
The freedom fighters that have battled since Rutland was swallowed up by Leicestershire in 1974, have greeted the news with sheer glee.
Rutland District Council co-ordinator Eddie Martin said: “I am absolutely delighted.”
50 years ago
Stamford Borough Council took two decisions on Tuesday which could make life easier for their council tenants.
After hearing a report on dampness, they decided to install a gas central heating system in one house and consider the installation in council houses generally.
And the Council also decided to consider a scheme for modernising old council houses. This would involve completely gutting the interior.
The decision to think about gas central heating was taken after a report from the housing committee concerning dampness in council houses.
The Council heard that the Town Clerk, Mr Harold Bedford, and the property maintenance officer Mr T. Hutson had visited a house at Lincoln which had been fitted with the gas central heating system.
The system consisted of a boiler, three radiators and complete hot water system, at a cost of about £180.
The East Midlands Gas Board could fit these systems to any house and it would mean a rent increase of about 10s a week.
Plans to build a 100 ft-high radio tower on the site of the town’s gas works have met with strong opposition from Stamford Borough Council.
Borough Surveyor, Mr R. A. Wall reports that the tower would be visible from all parts of the town and would be particularly conspicuous from the west and the town centre.
The East Midlands Gas Board want to build the tower, which they say will help maintain gas supplies in the town during periods of sudden demand.
The Council decided on Tuesday that Kesteven County Council should consider the Board’s proposal and take whatever steps are possible to stop the tower being built.
Doctors in Kesteven, on Thursday, agreed to press for the re-instatement of the neutral Kindersley Review Board.
The 35 doctors, who met at Grantham Hospital, also agreed to recommend a fresh start of negotiations for pay rises.
Secretary of the Kesteven division of the British Medical Association, Dr P. B. Welsh told the “Mercury”. “We feel that the matter ought to be taken completely out of the realms of politics.
“We want to see the Review Board re-instated or a similar body set up and then we can start all over again.”
However, doctors will continue to refuse to sign sick notes and refuse to attend any health committee meetings.
Fish on the stretch of the River Eau, in South Street, Bourne, were poisoned on Friday morning, when creosote seeped from a drum to pollute 50 yards of waterway.
Freshly stocked with fish only a month ago, the river, covered with a blue-grey film, was littered with dead fish – largely eels and golden carp.
By Friday afternoon, a few eels had recovered from the effects, but Saturday morning found more of them lying dead, on the river bed.
“About 40 gallons of stored creosote was spilled into the river, and I have two men conducting investigations,” Mr. R. E. Field, of the Welland and Nene River Board, said at his Oundle office.
Although ducks were eating the dead fish, Mr Field did not expect them to be badly affected.
After his men had reported their findings, he said that pollution was not so bad as he first feared.
“It would appear that a drum of creosote was tucked away in a shed at the back of West Street, and, with the drum rotting away, creosote seeped into the river,” he added. “We shall continue to watch the situation very closely.”
It was felt, at a meeting of Deeping St James Priory Church Council, in the Church Hall, that there would be no appreciable increase in the organ fund until parishioners saw the commencement of work on erecting the organ.
It was decided to ask the builders to expedite the work.
However, the Vicar, Canon E. P. Knight), who presided, said that in the meantime a good deal could be done, such as coffee mornings and cheese and wine evenings.
It was reported that a council of a church in the area had shown interest in the purchase of the present organ.
100 years ago
Road Accident - A serious mishap befell a boy named Herbert Ralph Vinter, aged 13, whose parents reside at 55, Conduit-road, Stamford, on the afternoon of the 17th inst. When cycling from East-street into Newgate, he collided with a pony turnout driven by Councillor H. Deer, of High-street. At first he did not appear to be seriously injured, being able to pick himself up from the ground, but Mr. Deer, deeming surgical aid necessary, put the lad in his trap and drove to the Infirmary. Here alarming symptoms developed, it being apparent that the youth had sustained some grave injury to his throat, possibly by contact with the splash-board of the trap in addition to a contusion at the back of his head. For some time his life was despaired of, but Dr. Hutton-Attenborough successfully performed a tracheotomy and young Vinter soon began to mend, and his condition affords every hope of his complete recovery.
At the North Staffordshire Show held in Hanley Park, on 16th and 17th inst., Martin’s Cultivator Co., Ltd., were awarded first prize silver medal for their new patent self-lift tractor cultivator and ridger.
Stamford Congregational Sunday School – On the 17th inst. the annual treat to the scholars was held, when 270 children with 40 teachers and several superintendents, spent an enjoyable time in Mr. Frank Conington’s field on the Empingham-hill, whither they marched after assembling at the Albert Hall. The weather was ideal for the variety of outdoor amusements provided, which included sports for prizes, presented by Mrs. Carleton Thompson. Miss Gladys Archer distributed awards to children of the morning school for regularity of attendance.
Compensation for Fruit Picker – At the County Court, on Monday, his Honour Judge W. Moore Cann, dealt with an application, on reference by the Registrar, by Mr. F. J. Berryman, of London, for the agreement for £100 compensation payable to Mrs. E. A.Cliff, wife of a foreman quarryman, of Ketton, in respect of an injury sustained while picking fruit for Mr. C. F. Burroughs, of Ketton, to be recorded. The annuity value of the weekly payments made and paid by Mr. Berryman, would be approximately £180, but the total disablement might cease at, and Mrs. Cliff was willing to accept £100 any moment. The injury was a fracture of the ankle joint of the left leg. His Honour considered that the amount of £100 was not sufficient and refused to record the agreement. Mr. Berryman intimated that he came prepared to offer £150, and his Honour said if agreement were arrived at for settlement by that sum, in addition to the amount payable under the War Additions Act, 1917, he would be prepared to more favourably consider another application
Bourne. Mr. Walter Pryke, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Pryke, North-road, Bourne, has had conferred upon him the degree of B.A. of Cambridge University. This distinction was granted at a recent examination, and the degree was conferred upon him on Tuesday. From Bourne Council school he gained a minor scholarship, offered by the Kesteven County Council Education Committee, at Stamford School, and from the latter school he won a scholarship at Cambridge University
In connection with the British Women’s Temperance Association a meeting was held in the Wesleyan Church over which Mrs.Watson presided. The principal speaker was Mrs. Denning, delegate to this country from the World’s Temperance Convention.
Miss E. C. E. V. Nottingham, for Newnham College, Cambridge, has gained a first-class second division in Part I. of the History Tripos, an honour shared with one other woman and five men. Nobody figured in Division I. Miss Nottingham is the elder daughter of the Rev. E. E. and Mrs. Nottingham, the Rectory, Sutton-on-Derwent, York, and granddaughter of the late Mr. Edward Nottingham and the late Mr. Skelton Smalley, of Pilsgate, Stamford. She was educated at the Clergy Daughters’ School, Casterton, and is Birmingham scholar of Newnham College, and also holds an East Riding Major County Council scholarship.
150 years ago
Browne’s Hospital, Stamford – A third conference of the Town Committee on Mr. Hare’s suggestions was held on Monday evening last at the Town-hall; Mr. Thompson presiding. After Mr. Torkington had pointed out the illegality of the proceedings of the Charity Commissioners in authorising the expenditure of a large sum of money in the hospital buildings and warden’s house, without submitting the scheme for public approval, the proposal to apply a certain portion of the surplus revenues to the purposes of education was slightly touched upon; and it was agreed to recommend the appropriation of a liberal sum for primary and second-grade education, but without confirming the minutiae of Mr. Hare’s suggestions. On the subject of the appointment of trustees, the committee thought that Mr. Hare’s plan of constituting three branches of governors – ecclesiastical, eleemosynary, and educational – would lead to collisions, disagreements, and perhaps jealousies, and they therefore adhered to their original recommendation that 12 trustees should be added to the present governing body. This concluded the business for which the committee met, no less than four meetings having been held to give due consideration to the lengthy suggestions made by Mr. Hare as a preparatory step to his report to the Charity Commissioners.
Stamford Rifle Corps – Private Tebbutt and Tinkler have gained the privilege of representing the corps at Wimbledon: they will be allowed £5 from the funds of the corps towards their expenses. Lieutenant Thompson, corporal Clements, and privates Gobbi, Tinkler, Parker and Tebbutt were elected to shoot for the Lord-Lieutenant’s prize at Sleaford in July. On Monday a triangular match was shot at Melton between the Stamford, Melton, and Belvoir corps, at ranges 200, 500, and 600, 5 shots at each range, with the following result, viz, Stamford 368, Melton 364, and Belvoir 312.
Stamford Union – A little relief has been experienced from the pressure of able-bodied applicants in consequence of employment having been found in Southorpe woods, the steward of the estate having entered upon grubbing operations earlier than was intended for the purpose of absorbing some of the labour which the drought has interrupted. The cost of out-relief is now nearly the same as it was at midsummer last year, but the indoor relief is still in excess, the number of paupers in the house being 186, or 33 more than in the corresponding week of last year. The increase among the old and infirm, temporary disabled, and youths and girls. Vagrants relieved last week – 54.
On Monday last a man named Chatwind, porter in the employ of Mr. Wilson, chemist, Stamford, went to the warehouse on Bath-row to fetch some vitriol, and whilst pouring it from a bottle the vessel burst, and the acid flew over him and an apprentice lad who was assisting him. The fluid quickly ate its way through their clothing, and to stay its effects they rushed to the river close by, and threw themselves into the water. As it was the man was rather seriously burnt about the legs, and the lad slightly on the face and one arm.
Another case of larceny by a child occurred in Stamford on Wednesday. Mary Jane Ewer, aged 14, went into the shop of Mr. Ratcliffe, toy dealer, Red Lion-street, under the pretence of purchasing a hair-brush for the housekeeper of Mr. Bowker, Broad-street. She was entrusted with some brushes, and on her return a packet of combs was missed. On being questioned and searched a doll was found under her jacket, and subsequently the combs were found in her room. Some toys which had been missed the previous day were likewise found in her possession. She was yesterday charged with the larceny before Mr. Paradise and Mr. Johnson, and remanded to the petty sessions tomorrow (Saturday).
Billingboro’ – The owners and occupiers of the lands required for the Bourn and Sleaford railway have recently been served with the usual notices to treat. Those of our readers who have hitherto doubted the intentions of the Company will now conclude that they really mean to carry out the project. It is expected that active preparations will be commenced shortly after harvest.
200 years ago
A considerable number of horses have already arrived for Stamford races, which commence on Tuesday next. From the fine state of the course, and the magnitude of several of the stakes, the sport is expected to be uncommonly good: the degree of interest excited exceeds that of any former year.
It is a general observation of the toll-bar keepers and others well acquainted with the roads about Stamford, that the influx of Irish labourers ar this time greatly exceed that of any former year. The Great North Road literally swarms with these poor fellows in search of harvest work.
At Stow-Green fair last week several of the notes of Bellairs’ broken Stamford bank were passed to unwary persons.
On Friday the 16th inst. Amy Bailey, was convicted (by the Rev. W. Waters, Clerk, of Dunsby), in the penalty of £10, for hawking earthenware without having obtained a licence for that purpose.
To Millers and Others.
To be Sold by Auction.
At the White Hart Inn in Spalding, in the county of Lincoln, on Tuesday the 27th day of June instant, between the hours of 6 and 8 in the evening, subject to such conditions of sale as will be then produced, unless previously disposed of by private contract, of which due notice will be given;
The following very valuable and desirable Estate, situate in Spalding aforesaid, and as under, or, in such other lots as may be agreed upon at the time of the sale.
All that well-built Messuage or Dwelling-house, Bake-oven and Bake-house, with Granary, Stables, Hovels, and other Out-buildings thereto adjacent, together with that excellent Smock Corn Wind-mill, called Lock Mill, running a pair of French and a pair of grey stones, with flour machine, and other appurtenances, in complete repair, most desirably situated by the side of the river Welland, and now in the occupation of Mr. Samuel Willders, held on a lease for the unexpired term of 63 years from Lady-day last, at a small annual ground rent.
Also all that Freehold Cottage or Tenement, with Gardens and Piece of excellent Freehold Meadow Land thereto adjoining, containing by measurement 2A. 1R. 2P.(more or less); and also all that other Piece of excellent Freehold Meadow Land, containing by measurerment 2A. 1R. 22p. (more or less); the whole situate a short dstance of the above-mentioned property, and now in the respective occupations of the said Samuel Willders and James Hodgkin.
For a view of the premises, apply to Mr. Willders.