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
Supermarket staff ride to Lapland for charity
Supermarket staff took turns in the saddle to ride the distance from Stamford to Lapland in aid of charity.
Morrisons in Uffington Road held a static cycle on Friday last week. Staff from the shop floor to the offices took part in support of IT V's Text Santa, which helps UK charities over Christmas. Mayor of Stamford Clem Walden, pictured with wife Pamela and Morrisons personnel manager Alex Wainwright, was on hand to start off the 2,200-mile challenge and customers helped raise £340.56.
Young girl thanked for Christmas card design
Air force personnel have thanked a young school girl for designing the Christmas card sent out by their base this year.
RAF Wittering invited pupils at nearby Wittering Primary School to come up with an image that best represented Christmas. There were plenty of festive entries but it was Ellie-May Thompson's beautiful design that took the top prize. She was presented with a framed version of the card by Wing Commander
Lizzy Nicholl at a special assembly earlier this month. Wing Commander Nicholl, addressing the whole school, said: "Your designs were so, so good. It was a really hard decision for the station commander.
“This Christmas card is going to be seen by people all over the world."
Ellie-May was delighted to win the competition. She said: "I'm very happy, my mum didn't say anything but she looked like she knew."
And headteacher Rhys Thrower added: "I'm absolutely delighted that Ellie-May has won with her beautiful card; she is a credit to the school. Of course, all the children worked really hard on their designs and I think
Group Captain Alexander chose very well." After the assembly Wing Commander Nicholl said; "It's been great today. Ellie-May has produced a lovely Christmas card, and she should be very proud.
"I know everybody who receives one from RAF Wittering this year will be very pleased indeed."
Dancers win top prizes
Students from Jem's Hip Hop will be displaying the talent that led to them winning big prizes at street dance championships at a Christmas showcase.
A group of 30 students from the school recently took part in the British Dance Organisation's East Anglian Street Dance Championships.
Youngsters aged six to 16 competed against other dance schools from all over the area and stormed to success bringing home 19 trophies across all categories.
The four dance crews from Jem's Hip Hop, Bassline, Fuse, BIG Trouble and Trouble crew, all faced stiff competition from some amazing groups but came away with first, first, second and second
places respectively. Other categories entered included solo and duo rounds, in which the youngsters had to battle against hundreds of other dancers to achieve call backs.
After four hours of tough competition the dancers achieved success in 15 categories including a double first place for Gracie Bailey, in her solo and in her duo with partner Lexi Tyers.
This is the fourth competition that students from Jem's Hip Hop have been involved in and year on year the results have improved with this year's medal haul their biggest yet.
The children will be competing again in March in the United Dance Organisation's version of the event which will hopefully hold the key to qualifying for the 2015 World Street Dance Championships held in Glasgow.
School welcomes BBC director
Stamford Endowed Schools welcome the director general of the BBC Lord Tony Hall to open a new performing arts centre.
Lord Hall was the guest of honour for the grand unveiling of the refurbished gymnasium building in East Street on Stamford on Friday, December 5.
The building, now known as the Oswald Elliot Hall, includes new studios and rehearsal spaces for drama and recording suites for music, as well as an impressive performance space with brand new lighting rigs and sound equipment.
School principal Stephen Roberts said: “These new facilities are a great addition to the schools, and more importantly, they will be a wonderful benefit to our students, to help support and encourage the immense talent the schools hold within the performing arts.”
The refurbished hall was named after former head boy Oswald Elliott, who was killed in action in the First World War.
The hall has already played host to this term’s successful foundation lectures and music concerts, with packed-out audiences at both.
Lord Hall was treated to pupils' performances during his visit, including drama and music.
25 years ago
Gymnastics team competes in national championship
A school gymnastics team sprang into action to clinch a string of successes.
The under-nine team from Stamford High Junior School has just returned from the Girls' Independent Schools National Championships in East Sussex.
And the team of five received two silver medals - one for their team performance and one for their group sequence.
Teacher Trudy Smith said: "All five girls performed their vaults and their floor routines excellently and were praised by many other schools."
Sophie Dudley vaulted particularly well, finishing in third place, and Melanie Goodman, who is actually under-eight, finished sixth overall.
A total of 11 schools were present, including one from Holland and one from Belgium.
The highlight for the girls was having their medals and trophies presented by children's television presenter Neil Buchanan, from Art Attack.
Special pantomime show for schoolchildren
A technicolour dream has come true for local children.
They are being treated to a special matinee performance of the musical Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, performed by the Stamford Choral Society tomorrow (Saturday).
And Paul White, who is conductor of the show, will be swapping his dinner jacket for his very own coat of many colours.
Choral Society member Liz Murphy said: "This is a special performance for children, and we will all be putting on bright colours. We hope it will bring in a good audience."
Thinking ahead to 2000
Dave Hill started thinking about the millennium earlier than most - way back in 1998, in fact. But then, as Year 2000 co-ordinator for the district council, that's understandable.
As well as formatting compliance strategy, the head of information technology worked with IT counterparts from the other local authorities, their group subsequently merging with the Year 2000 project group to address wider Blue Light For SKDC issues.
He said: "As an authority we were lucky in that we had only recently invested in completely new computer systems for both Council Tax and housing benefit operations, and we made sure they were Year 2000 compliant.
"This has been an interesting exercise, and I would like to think that the group can continue in some form, to help each other and perhaps stop us all reinventing the wheel.
“Comments from the district auditor would suggest that not every county has worked together so well.”
Council opens millennium hotline
A millennium hotline will be operating at the council offices to cover the crucial date change period over the New Year.
South Kesteven District Council’s usual telephone number (01476 406080) will reach a special switch-board run by key personnel for four hours, between 10pm on Friday December 31, 1999, and 2am on Saturday, January 1, 2000.
Dave Hill, the council’s year 200 co-ordinator, said: “This number is purely for New Year’s Eve and will be millennium related issues only.”
Care centre manager Steve Cullington, who will be co-ordinating activities on the night, said his staff are treating it as a business as usual.
He said: “As the care centre is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 a year, the millennium period is being treated as any other working day.
“We will however be paying special attention to inspection visits which will ensure vital systems at sheltered housing schemes throughout the district are working and operating normally.”
Care centre operators will be on duty to deal with all calls from sheltered housing intercom units or special lifeline telephones via its Helpline service.
50 years ago
Stamford is soon to have a new restaurant with facilities for drinking and dancing.
The licensing magistrates, on Wednesday, granted a supper hour certificate and music, singing and dancing licence, to Mr Alastair Barr, of 32 Tinwell Road, Stamford, in respect of 'Mr Dillon' ,51 Scotgate.
100 years ago
Sharing Out - The share out of the Queen's Head Sick and Dividing club was held on Friday when 5 members received 19s, 5d each. The amount of sickness benefit paid during the year was €16.
Officers elected were Mr. H. C. Lees (chairman), Mr. W. Pick (treasurer), and Mr. C. Holmes (secretary). The committee was re-elected en bloc. A smoking concert followed the meeting and an enjoyable time was spent.
150 years ago
The Stamford Working Men's Club has been affiliated to the London Working Men's Club (whose members are of all shades of politics), from which it will derive advantage in the circulation of books.
At a meeting of the directors on Monday evening attention was called to and printed a statement describing the reception of a visitor to the club and imputing to some of the members objectionable language.
200 years ago
A servant of Mr. Robinson, farmer and grazier, of Gosberton, who had been out for the purpose of shooting pigeons on Tuesday the 7th inst., had one of his hands so much shattered by the bursting of a gun, that it was obliged to be amputated above the wrist.
