Our Stamford, Rutland, Bourne and the Deepings news from 10, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 years ago
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
Celebrating 100 in style
A woman celebrated her 100th birthday in style as she was treated to a meal at The George Hotel in Stamford by her family.
Majorie Gant enjoyed a party with more than 30 friends and family for her centenary.
Marjorie, of Chapel Court, Stamford, is currently resident in Stamford Hospital’s John Van Geest ward but was well enough to be released for her big day.
She was an active member of Stamford u3a history group and was regularly seen in the town centre on her mobility scooter until recently.
She is a keen supporter of the Evergreen Care Trust, as well as a user of their services.
She is probably best known for the thousands of pounds she raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind through exhibiting her large collection of dolls.
Hospital staff also celebrated Majorie’s big day with her.
Police use Tardis to inspire younger people
Police hope to connect with the younger generation by taking a Doctor Who-style police box around the area.
The Tardis was made by students from New College Stamford and given to the team at Stamford Police Station.
Sector Inspector Mike Burnett, who has been a big fan of the Doctor since his own youth, hopes the box will encourage youngsters to come and speak to police.
He said: “It’s going to be used when we are visiting the community on crime prevention days. It’s important to attract the younger generation so we get their views ad hear their voices.”
Pupils seek to help charity
Pupils at Stamford Endowed Schools have been supporting charities and excelling in various competitions this term.
A group of Year 8 Stamford School pupils took part in a sponsored assault course earlier in the year.
They raised £2,598 for Help for Heroes, which they handed over to regional coordinator Katie Hinde.
Head of history Dan Stamp said: "Well done to everyone for going above and beyond in aid of this extremely worthwhile cause."
Year 9 Stamford High School pupil Lucy Little won the under-16 category in the first Philosophy Essay Competition run by Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln.
She wrote to a limit of 300 words under the title "Has Science Killed God?".
A group of 51 Stamford School pupils received awards in this years' UK Mathematics Trust Intermediate Maths Challenge.
Stamford High School pupils enjoyed a visit from paralysed athlete Claire Lomas.
They raised £1,000 towards Spinal Research, which they handed to Claire. Year 8s from both senior schools visited Burghley House for an Elizabeth I lecture by Lesley Smith, the Curator of Tutbury Castle. Former SAS Sergeant and international best-selling author Andy McNab visited school to speak to pup-about how he joined the arr his early years in an institute for young offenders, how he became a soldier and how he went onto become a writer.
Teacher sets off on six-month cycle
A teacher has set off on a six-month cycle ride to raise money for a children's charity.
Simon Perry, 33, from St Paul's Street, Stamford, started his mammoth ride in Xian, China, on June 4.
In six months' time he will arrive in Venice, Italy, and hopes to have raised hundreds of pounds for Save the Children. Simon has previously cycled from Alaska to Argentina.
25 years ago
Sunny weather for summer fete
Wellies and wet sponges were flying through the air in Uffington on Sunday at Copthill Primary School’s Summer Fete.
In flaming June temperatures, pupils went along to enjoy the many attractions including a bouncy castle, a swing boat ride, a French style cafe, craft stalls, hook-a-duck, and a number of other activities and games.
Copthill events coordinator Julie Harbage said: “It was a great success. The weather spared us.
“Saturday was a washout and we thought Sunday would be the same but it turned out to be a great day.”
The fete, organised by Di Rankin and the parents social committee, was the culmination of months of hard work.
Humphrey the lamb is part of the family
A little lamb has become the new addition to a Stamford family, and now follows them wherever they go!
Three-month-old Humphrey was abandoned by his mother and was found on a cattle grid by the Glassey children George and Megan.
They took him to their home in Burghley Park, Stamford, and hand reared him, and now Humphrey won't go back to his mum.
The family fed him four times a day on special powdered food, and kept him in their utility room before building a special pen in the garden.
Humphrey roams with them, plays with their black labrador and goes on mile-long walks.
Louise Glassey, mother of George and Megan, says Humphrey craves lots of company.
She said: "He gets lonely when the other sheep are away, so he spends a lot of time with the
family. "He's only a problem when he eats our trees!”
Rain doesn’t stop fun at school event
Mere rain wasn't enough to hold back the staff and pupils of the Bluecoat school on Saturday - they still managed a great turn out and £1,000 profit.
The event included a tombola, hook-a-duck and splat-a-rat, counting beans in a jar, stalls and a bouncy castle.
Someone even stumped up £7 to see the head-teacher get face painted as a pirate! The money will buy more school computers, as at present they only have one PC for the entire school.
Deputy head Rhian Cockwell was amazed at how well the fete went. "Despite a few setbacks, mainly the weather, it went brilliantly. I couldn't believe how strong the turn-out was. It was a real triumph for the pupils who organised and ran many of the stalls."
Three-legged race for charity
Students at Stamford College put their best foot forward this week when they organised a three legged walk to raise money for the charity NCH Action for Children.
About 20 students left Stamford College in Drift Road and hobbled over a circular route passing through Recreation Ground Road, North Street, Broad Street, High Street, Ironmonger Street, Star Lane and St Paul's Street before making their way back to the college via Melbourne Road.
The fundraising was all down to the initiative of the students who organised the whole thing themselves.
Stamford College marketing manager Jayne Olney said: "It was a good achievement by the students. They chose the NCH Action for Children charity because it is close to their hearts and ties in with their nursery nurse studies."
Sponsor money is still being collected and students are hopeful of raising a substantial amount for their cause.
Rain doesn’t stop cyclist Julie
Rain may have stopped intrepid Julie Beagles from cycling on the day she planned, but it didn't prevent her from completing her charity challenge.
Julie still did her sponsored bike ride for Guide Dogs for the Blind, raising over £200, but simply shifted the day from Saturday to Sunday instead!
She set off from West Deeping and made it to Holbeach in a swift two hours, 10 minutes. With virtually no rest stops, she returned to West Deeping making a time of two hours, 30 minutes on the way back.
And to demonstrate that she'd really earned her sponsors' cash, she bought a packet of local sweets from a shop in Holbeach as proof!
Julie is delighted with her success. "I thought I did quite well. I took longer coming back, because I was tired, but I though ‘you’ve got to keep going’.
"But the main thing is, I did it!"
Julie says she plans another cycle ride for charity in October, this time for a cancer related cause.
50 years ago
Placard-carrying Stamford nurses staged a two hour demonstration outside the town hospital on Friday.
And the town showed it was in full support of the nurses' fight for more pay, in the noisiest way possible.
One of the placard messages was "If you support us toot on your hooter" and lunchtime motorists from Blackstones in Ryhall Road did just that.
And each time a motorist hooted, cheers went up from the nurses' ranks.
About 20 off-duty nurses demonstrated in front of the hospital in their latest line of action.
100 years ago
Serious Charge - At Bourne, on Monday, Harry Rippin, of 26. Conduit Road, Stamford, for committing an indecent offence, was fined £5, including 30s costs, or a month’s imprisonment. The fine was immediately paid for the accused. Mr. Godfrey Phillips defended.
150 years ago
A serious accident befell the carrier's-cart from Warmington and its occupants on Friday last on the way to Stamford market.
Whilst descending the hill near Burghley Park lodges the horse started at a gallop and ran the van on to the footpath embankment, upsetting it and throwing the passengers on to the road.
All of them were more or less injured, and four had to be taken to the Stamford Infirmary in & fly, viz., Maria Stokes, of Thornaugh, who was cut and bruised about the face; Mary Martin, of Wittering, who received a scalp wound and was bruised about the body; Mrs. Watts, a dislocated shoulder; and Mrs. Carter, of Thornaugh, whose back was hurt.
The two last named were able to leave the Infirmary after their injuries had been attended to, but the other two were not in a fit state to leave for several days.
200 years ago
Yesterday forenoon the body of a youth named Thos Nicholls, who had been missing since Wednesday night the 9th inst., was found floating in the Welland, in a part of the river called Cowholm.
The deceased was a native of Cliffe, about 18 years of age, and apprenticed to Mr.Chapman, shoemaker, of this place.
His master, we understand, had had occasion more than once to complain to the magistrates of his misconduct; and on the Wednesday night that he was last seen alive, had renewed cause of reprehension, and some words passed, soon after which the youth disappeared, and notwithstanding the river was twice dragged in the expectation that he had destroyed himself, the body was not discovered till yesterday.
A coroner's inquest sat in the evening, and after a long investigation returned a general verdict of found drowned.
