Looking back over the years with our Mercury Memories

Riverside Association of Music and Arts chairman Martin Smith said: “For a different type of festival, we think it is the way forward.

“There will be acoustic music, jazz and classical music, as well as dancing and drama.

“To be eligible for grant funding, we have to show that we are doing new activities. We think the second day will be as popular as the first.

“With it being the 10th anniversary of the Riverside Festival and the 30th anniversary of Stamford Festival, we want it to be a great occasion.”Last year’s event was the association’s most popular yet with 17,000 people enjoying the music on The Meadows.

* The groups that use the Recreation Ground in Stamford will have more of a say in how the playarea is run.

Stamford Town Council is officially taking over the playarea in Recreation Ground Road on April 1 after South Kesteven District Council agreed to transfer ownership.

Groups which use the grounds, including the tennis club, the bowls club, Stamford Skatepark committee and The Friends of Stamford Recreation Ground, as well as residents living near the area, attended a meeting on Wednesday at Stamford Town Hall.

At the meeting, the town council said it would put together a working party with a representative from each of these five groups and a town councillor.

The working party will be responsible for reporting back to the town council.

* A pupil has handed over a petition to a council representative asking for a pedestrian crossing to be installed outside his school.

Nine-year-old Steven Day from Malcolm Sargent Primary School, in Empingham Road, Stamford, presented the petition bearing more than 300 signatures and his research to Les Outram, who is project leader for Lincolnshire County Council’s community travel zone initiative, on Friday last week.

The school has a parent and teacher working party called the Travel Plan Group which is encouraging children to get into school in a healthy way by walking or cycling, but is concerned about traffic and speeding problems.

Deputy headteacher Tim Cox said: “We are trying to make it easier for children by having a walking bus and a park and stride scheme.

* A life-saving charity is calling on communities across the area to raise £2,000 to buy a defibrillator to ensure the survival of cardiac arrest patients.

Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service, known as Lives, wants to see a defibrillator in every town and village across the county to give people who have suffered a cardiac arrest valuable time.

Cardiac arrest patients’ chances of survival drop by 10 per cent each minute they are not treated and the defibrillator helps to re-start the heart using an electric shock.

But the group is calling on communities to raise £2,000 to get a defibrillator installed in a special security box on the side of key buildings such as schools and shops.

25 years ago

Stamford police station is likely to close for four hours every morning following a rethink on police manpower locally.

The review, which has already resulted in reduced policing within the Deepings, is being force because of tight cash budgets.

The move co-insides with today’s police authority meeting where a decision on cuts in the police budget might result in the loss of 59 police jobs this year.

The review, however, could mean there would be more police on the streets because of a new shift system in the way the station is manned, according the Area Inspector Martyn Harrison.

* One of Stamford’s best loved shopkeepers and residents Glenda Parsley soon hopes to be able to hang up her apron for the last time and retire to her garden and charity work.

Glenda (61) began working at the Central Café 35 years ago, continuing a family tradition stretching back to the 1930s.

But on March 21 the 15th-century former Guildhall will come under the auctioneer’s hammer in Covent Garden, London, with a reserve price of £250,000.

Mrs Parsley admits that the pressures of managing the bakery, take-away and café have proved too much, particularly since the death of her husband Derek two years ago.

She paid tribute to all the staff and her friends who have done a lot to keep her from “throwing in the tea-towel”.

“I must give a warm thanks to all those who have worked here and the customers who have continued to come here over the years,” she said. “It was they who encouraged me to keep going and the constant work helped me to get over the death of my husband.”

Central Café was put on the market four years ago for £400,000 when Glenda and Derek planned to retire, but the recession meant a buyer never came forward.

But now she is confident the Grade I listed building will find a new owner.

* Cottesmore villagers are facing another planning problem – their second this year.

Developers want to build new houses on a green field site at Rookery Lane, but some villagers say this would harm trees and damage the area which is rich in wildlife.

Earlier this year Cottesmore Parish Council and residents successfully stopped a plan to build houses on a field next to the sports and social club.

But now there is a plan to build low-cost houses at Rookery Lane and some of the villagers – 100 of whom have signed a petition – are determined to stop a development a second time.

* A campaign to re-open a train route over the Welland Valley and Britain’s longest masonry railway viaduct has been boosted by passenger demand.

Hundred of travellers have been rushing to cross the viaduct at Harringworth, which has heartened campaigners fighting for the route to be reinstated.

David Furson, of the Railway Development Society, said: “The first four Sundays that trains have been diverted across the viaduct has seen 2,000 passengers making the journey.

“Queues at the booking office go to show how popular this railway line is and will be helpful for the Railway Development Society campaign to re-open the route permanently.

The viaduct on the Kettering to Manton Line has been used only for freight services since the swingeing Beeching axe 30 years ago.

But now engineering work on the Midland main line has meant mainline passenger trains have returned to the viaduct line for a short time.

50 years ago

The cordial relationship which has always existed between Oakham School and the parish church was referred to by the Headmaster, Mr J. D. Buchanan, when he was invited by the Vicar (the Rev A. D. Lowry-Corry), to perform the opening ceremony of the new church hall, on Tuesday.

The new hall, built on a site adjacent to Oakham School’s Haywood Building in Church Street, has cost about £6,000, of which sum only about £500 remains to be raised.

The opening ceremony, which took place in the presence of a large number of parishioners, commenced with the blessing of the building by the Vicar.

Mr Buchanan said that for him to be asked to perform the opening ceremony was symbolic of the happy relationship between the church and the school.

After the ceremony the parishioners were entertained to refreshments.

* Disappointed Stamford council house tenants replied this week to the Borough Council’s decision not to install central heating in the town’s old council houses.

When the council met last week it decided to scrap its plan for putting gas central heating in 31 pre-war council houses.

The council had planned to modernise eventually all of its houses – between 400 and 500 – at a cost of over £10,000.

At the same meeting the council decided that tenants could have central heating – provided they paid for it themselves.

So this week the Mercury inquired what the tenants of the older council houses felt about the decision.

Mr and Mrs Robert Rawden live at 35 York Road – which would have been the first street to get the central heating if the plan had gone through.

Mrs Rawden told us: “We were very disappointed when we heard the council had changed its mind over this central heating.

“But I think most councils are all talk and no action anyway.

“There is quite a bit of damp in these old houses and central heating would have made quite a difference.”

* Train services on the Oakham to Melton Mowbray line were halted on Thursday night and throughout most of Friday after eight wagons from a freight train had become derailed at Ashwell station, completely blocking both tracks. The incident occurred at 9.27pm.

The wagons, which broke away from the rest of the train, crashed against the side of the station platform, and one of them ripped into the base of the signal box by the level crossing. Some of the wagons came to rest on the crossing, blocking the Ashwell to Whissendine road.

Part of the track was displaced and sleepers splintered and windows in the signal box were broken.

Signalman Mr Henry Phillip Benham (42), of West Road, Oakham, made emergency telephone calls to signal boxes on either side of Ashwell to close the line and the front part of the 54-waggon train which was taking steel-carrying trucks to Corby, was stopped at Langham Junction.

100 years ago

The elementary schools have been closed on account of an outbreak of measles.

* Browne’s Hospital and its Revenue – A Drogheda (co. Louth, Ireland) correspondent having associations with this district, writes criticising the Governors of Browne’s Hospital for the application of”Surplus revenue to save the Government the cost of Education,” and contends that it constitutes a misdirection of the Founder’s intentions. “Instead of 12 poor men and two poor parsons being provided for, why not 112 poor men, perhaps half limbless from the world’s war, and countless poor parsons?” he asks.

* Sudden death – Mr. V. G, Stapleton conducted an inquiry at the Town Hall, on Friday evening, into the death of Louisa Hales, mail driver, of 16, Church-street, Stamford, who died in tragic suddenness that morning. The widower and his mother-in-law, Mary Ellen Gale, said deceased had complained of her heart, and Dr. Hutton-Attenborough, who has carried out an autopsy, certified that death was due to chronic heart disease, a sudden heart attack proving fatal. The Coroner returned a verdict of “death from natural causes.”

* Attempted Suicide – At the Borough Police Court on Saturday, before Mr. H. T. Daniels and other magistrates, Richard William Ivens, Crown-street, Stamford, was charged on remand with attempting suicide on the 3rd ult. Defendant’s wife said he had been drinking heavily for some time, and they had not lived peaceably for 13 years. About 3.30 in the morning she heard a noise as of someone falling on the stairs, but did not investigate, and next morning, about 10.30 she went to defendant’s room. He was in bed, and on pulling the clothes from his chest she noticed his throat was cut. She asked him why he had done it, and he said “Oh, my head, my head,” adding that he had said many dreadful things about her, for which he was sorry. Ernest Cole, moulder, lodging with defendant, gave similar evidence as of the occurrences on the night of Jan. 2-3. Dr. T.P. Greenwood said defendant admitted the wound was self-inflicted. It was a very serious one, and defendant would never be able to speak or swallow properly again. P.s. Thorlby said when he arrested defendant, he said “I am guilty: I was not responsible for my actions at the time.” Defendant gave the magistrates an undertaking not to repeat the attempt, and to let the drink alone. And considering this promise and the fact that he would have to suffer all his life, the Bench discharged him. As he left the dock, Mr. W. E. Martin, one of the magistrates, promised to again employ him.

* Old Age Pensions – The monthly meeting of the Stamford Sub-Committee met at the Town Hall on Friday. The Clerk read extracts from circulars published by the Ministry of Health in reference to existing conditions as to means of claimants and weekly rates of pensions under the 1919 Old Age Pensions Act, wherein it is stated that where claimants’ incomes under the fresh methods of calculation do not exceed £26 5s., the full amount of 10s may be allowed, and where the yearly income of a claimant exceeds £49 17s. 6d., no pension can be granted.

150 years ago

A meeting was held in the Assembly-rooms, Stamford, on Tuesday evening, of the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews. The chair was taken by the Hon. and Rev. L. Noel (Vicar of Exton), and there were present on the platform the Rev. W. Ayerst (formerly missionary to the Jews in Germany and Poland, and who attended as a deputation from the parent society), the Rev. C. Arnold, Rev. C. Oldfield, Rev. E. H. Everett, and Mr. W. Langley (local secretary). It was stated that the amount collected in the district for the society during the year was £60 19s. 1d. The meeting was not very numerously attended, which may in some measure be attributable to the very bad weather. At the close the sum of £4 16s. 6d. was taken at the door.

* It is intended, we understand, by the committee of the Stamford Institution, to give a popular entertainment, consisting of readings and music, at the Assembly-rooms, towards the latter part of the present month.

* A £5 note was lost in Stamford on Tuesday last by Mr. Lee Marriott, farmer, of Ryhall: it was found by two boys, who restored it to the owner, when he presented them with a sovereign.

* A very heavy flood covered the meadows in the valley of the Welland on Tuesday and Wednesday last, consequent upon the rains of the previous two days. The raised pathway from the Lammas bridge to the George bridge was completely submerged.

* On Tuesday last Alfred Woolley, miller, of Hudd’s Mills, Stamford, was taken before the Mayor and Ald. Chapman charged with stealing a saddle and bridle from the stable of the Horns and Blue Boar inn, the property of Mr. Jas. Staniland, farmer, of Fleet Fen. It appeared the prosecutor had a horse for sale, and that defendant bargained for it at £9. They went into a public-house, and Woolley put down £3 10s. And said he would go out to his friends and get the remainder of the money: Mr. Staniland said £3 10s. would not do, and that if Woolley did not return within half-an-hour he should consider the transaction off. Woolley left, and not returning the prosecutor went to the Half Moon stables, whither the horse had been transferred for inspection by another customer, when he found that the saddle and bridle had been taken from it. Defendant who took the articles, said he bargained for the horse “as it stood.” This the prosecutor denied. Woolley was discharged.

* At the Stamford Union Board on Wednesday an application made by Mr. Heward, the medical officer, for the Guardians to set apart a room in the house for a surgery and find medicine was considered. It was represented that the patients received advice and medicine in the establishment averaged about 300 a year, and that the salary was only £25. The cost of medicine and instruments at the Stamford and Rutland infirmary was stated to be 4s. 6d. each patient, of which 3s. 6d. per patient was spent in drugs. This comparison led to a remark that a large Dispensary in Berkshire the average cost of medicine was only 1s. 9d. per patient; but it was thereupon explained that in districts where argues and low fevers occasionally prevail, as in Lincolnshire, more costly medicine is used than in southern counties. The Guardians present were unanimously of opinion that the salary of the medical officer to the Union-house was inadequate; but grave objections were raised to all the medicine being found by the Board, and it was therefore resolved to raise the salary to £35 per annum, cod-liver oil and quinine to be paid for extra, as usual. It was agreed that a room should be set apart for the surgeon to see such patients as are not confined to the infirmary or the infirm wards.

200 years ago

Yesterday, at one o’clock, the King was proclaimed at Boston. The members of the corporation met at the Town-hall, whence they proceeded to the Cross-chamber, from the balcony of which the proclamation was read, and they returned to the Town-hall, where a cold collation was provided, and the King’s health drank.

* There were many horses at Stamford fair on Monday, but they were by no means in request; the prices of all were clearly on the decline. At the beast fair on Tuesday there was a large show of cattle, and the prices were low. Meated beasts in particular were dull of sale: the owners of many sent them on to the London market, rather than submit to the terms offered here. A more than usual number of sharpers attended the above fair, Mr. Hill, of Braunston, was swindled out of a good mare, by a fellow who rode off with her on pretences of trying her paces – vide advt.

* Highway Robbery – On the 3d inst. as Richard Wright, horse-breaker, of Moulton, was returning from Holbeach market about seven o’clock in the evening, he was attacked by two villains, who knocked him down; one of them held him down by the throat, whilst the other robbed him of 13s. A more daring outrage has seldom been heard of, the act being committed on the turnpike-road near Roper’s Bridge, in the parish of Whaplode, and within call of two houses, the owner of one of which, with his son, was in the stable with a candle and lantern at the time. A young man of Holbeach, on his return home, heard the conversation, and Wright ask his life: he immediately made known to the men in the stable what was going on, when a pursuit took place, but owing to the darkness of the night the robbers made their escape. On the same night a horse and bridle were stolen from Mr. Aldgate of Holbeach, and quantities of fowls from different persons: all which depredations are supposed to have been committed by the same party. The horse was found next day near Cowbit Wash.

* Caution to Country People in London – During the time of proclaiming the King in London last week, Mr. Meyers, grazier, of Stanton in Leicestershire, had his pocket-book, containing notes to the amount of £140, cut from his side pocket. And a lady in Grantham, who went up to receive her dividends from the Bank, had her pocket picked of a considerable sum, by a gang of thieves who surrounded her whilst she was looking at the ruins occasioned by the late fire in the Strand.

* The proclamation of his Majesty King George the 4th, was publicly made in the Sessions hall in Peterborough, on Monday last, at twelve o’clock.