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Taking a look in the Rutland & Stamford Mercury archive




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

March 29, 2013

25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Eating out: The Mayor and Mayoress of Stamford Coun Alec Burt and his wife Rene sample some of the Chinese food on offer at Uffington Rendezvous with proprietors Kim Cheung and Anthony Tsang.
25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Eating out: The Mayor and Mayoress of Stamford Coun Alec Burt and his wife Rene sample some of the Chinese food on offer at Uffington Rendezvous with proprietors Kim Cheung and Anthony Tsang.

The chief of a NHS trust has moved to reassure the public that his organisation does not want to close Stamford Hospital.

Dr Peter Reading, interim chief executive of the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Trust, spoke at a meeting of Stamford Town Council on Tuesday.

He told councillors that plans to spend £3,8m over three years redeveloping the hospital were still on the table, despite a delay in presenting the business case to the trust’s board of directors while a review into the trust’s finances is carried out.

He said: “We are looking at how we can take a hospital that has been neglected, invest in it in a wise way and in a way that can be sustained.

“I believe we have a way that is affordable and increases the number of patients going there.”

The trust revealed plans to redevelop 40 per cent of the hospital site and sell or lease the remaining 60 per cent in September last year. The plans could bring an extra 13,000 patients to Stamford per year, making an annual total of about 50,000.

A woman who is part of the furniture at a public library is retiring after three decades of serving readers in a town.

Linda Oliver, who is 70 today, has retired from her work at Stamford Library in High Street, after 32 years of helping readers.

The cultural service advisor Linda said her favourite thing about the job has been meeting people and socialising.

Linda said: “I really like my job, working with all my colleagues and getting to know the readers.

“We have some really nice readers and we have a bit of a laugh and a joke.”

While Linda has always enjoyed a laugh with readers and colleagues when it comes to reading she prefers a scare, naming horror her favourite genre.

Linda said she was a very keen reader when she was younger, reading all the Catherine Cookson books and a lot of historical novels but has dropped off a bit recently. She said she is looking forward to being able to read a bit more again.

Linda said: “I still have got my library card so I will be back regularly to drop in and have a coffee.”

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Twenty-five firemen battled a spectacular blaze which raged at a farm in Corby Glen on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which involved thousands of disused tyres in a pit.
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Twenty-five firemen battled a spectacular blaze which raged at a farm in Corby Glen on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which involved thousands of disused tyres in a pit.

A rock was thrown through the window of a family’s home in Stamford, narrowly missing a woman and four children.

Shahida Rahman and her children Sharmin, 11, and Hassan, 12, along with Shahida’s niece and nephew, aged five and 10, were watching television at home on Pembroke Road, Stamford, when the rock smashed the glass on Friday at about 8.30pm.

Restaurant owner Habib Rahman was at work at The Bombay Cottage in Scotgate and was stunned when his family called him to tell him what has happened.

The rock smashed the double glazed glass and landed at the back of the television in the living room.

But Mr Rahman said: “We have lived in Stamford for 20 years and nothing like this has ever happened before.

“I just can’t figure out why anyone would do such a thing. We were very lucky that no-one was hurt.”

25 years ago

March 27, 1998

25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Eating out: The Mayor and Mayoress of Stamford Coun Alec Burt and his wife Rene sample some of the Chinese food on offer at Uffington Rendezvous with proprietors Kim Cheung and Anthony Tsang.
25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Eating out: The Mayor and Mayoress of Stamford Coun Alec Burt and his wife Rene sample some of the Chinese food on offer at Uffington Rendezvous with proprietors Kim Cheung and Anthony Tsang.

Children watched in horror as a lorry ploughed into their school playing field on Wednesday.

The 38-tonne heavy goods vehicle crashed through a wooden fence and skidded to a halt on the field where Stamford High School Junior School pupils would usually have been playing at that time.

It was only due to bad weather that they had been confined to the concrete playground at the school in Kettering Road, Stamford.

School PR co-ordinator Martin Cook said: “Children could so easily have been killed by this – we have been very lucky they weren’t. All of them have been shaken up by what happened.”

Headteacher Libby Craig said: “The area is a particularly popular place to play with the children when the weather is good – we have been extremely lucky that none of them were hurt. We could so easily have had children injured.”

The area has now been cordoned off and the school’s governing committee will meet shortly to look at ways of making the area safer for the children.

The school has been campaigning for the several years to have a 30mph limit extended past its grounds.

Residents of Lumby’s Terrace, Stamford, claim they are being terrorised by a gang of youths on in-line skates.

One house has had its fence damaged and some residents are too frightened to leave their homes.

Pensioners Rose and Eddy Rushton have had their lives turned into a “living hell” since the group started skating up and down the passageway that runs along the properties.

Rose said: “They scream, shout, are abusive, and the houses literally rattle when they go past.

“What scares me most, though, is that a lot of elderly people live along here and they could very easily get knocked down.”

Eddy added: “It seems to me that these kids just don’t care at all what sort of nuisance they cause. There are any number of places they could go and skate – why do they need to do it here?”

The couple have also written too South Kesteven District Council about the situation, as most of the houses on Lumby’s Terrace are council-owned.

SKDC treasurer Chris Farmer said: “The council is always keen to mediate in neighbourhood disputes.

“We wil ldo all we can to remedy the situation.

“If we find there is nothing we can do, we will give advice to the complainants on how to resolve the problem through other channels.”

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – The Stamford St George's School puppet team with the puppets they used at the Kesteven schools' speech and drama festival. From left to right (top row): Trevor Cozens, Ian Binks, Andrew Norris, Susan Clapton, Pamela Simpson and Barrie Gibson. Kneeling: Paul Charity. Jacqueline Crawford. Rachael Curtis, Joy Parker and Philip Binks.
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – The Stamford St George's School puppet team with the puppets they used at the Kesteven schools' speech and drama festival. From left to right (top row): Trevor Cozens, Ian Binks, Andrew Norris, Susan Clapton, Pamela Simpson and Barrie Gibson. Kneeling: Paul Charity. Jacqueline Crawford. Rachael Curtis, Joy Parker and Philip Binks.

A crossroads described by police as the most dangerous in Rutland and North East Leicestershire will not get any safety improvements in the coming year.

Plans to up-grade Barnsdale Crossroads near Exton, have been shelved due to a lack of Government funding.

The crossing, which intersects the busy A606 running from Oakham to Stamford, has long been regarded as an accident black-spot.

Members of the planning, highways and transportation committee of Rutland County Council heard last week a council bid for the £80,000 needed to install a new junction has been turned down by the Government Office of the East Midlands.

Highways chief Malcolm Ainsley said he hoped to re-submit a bid to try and secure the funding.

Coun Rob Lacey said the crossroads was often used incorrectly by people unfamiliar with the area such as tourists.

He urged the junction be dealt with a a top priority.

50 years ago

March 30, 1973

25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Lady Victoria Leatham (centre) with officials and some of the pupils whose work is now on the outside of the new look Queen Eleanor School, Stamford.
25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Lady Victoria Leatham (centre) with officials and some of the pupils whose work is now on the outside of the new look Queen Eleanor School, Stamford.

Police and council officials are confident it won’t be a case of “roll up for traffic chaos” when all the fun of the mid-Lent fair comes to Stamford next week.

This will be the first year the fair has been here while Stamford has had a pedestrian precinct.

It will mean Broad Street, High Street and much of Bath Row will be closed for traffic and parking for a week.

But fears that traffic snarl-ups will result – especially on the normally busy Friday and Saturday – are being discounted.

The police say everything should go smoothly if motorists use the new Wharf Road car park, which they say is being under-used at present.

Said Insp Bill Spalton: “The best thing would be for drivers to park on the perimeter of the town and walk in, which is much more healthy anyway.

“There will be no special one-way system or anything like that, but we will be ready to act if there is undue congestion.”

Employees of Martin-Markham, the Stamford-based farm machinery works, Ryhall Road, have been issued with redundancy notices.

The company announced a month ago that ‘adverse factors’ were forcing them to close down the Ryhall Road works.

But they added then that they were negotiating with manufacturers in a similar line of business who could make an offer for the company.

This week a spokesman for Martin-Markham said that he could still give no news of any further developments.

“Things are much the same as they were before,” he said. “We are still waiting for some news, which we may have by next week.”

But Mr Charles Lilley, Stamford branch official of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, said this week that about half of the remaining work force of about 60 employees had been given redundancy notices, and the firm had agreed to pay redundancy money.

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Plant a Tree. Five trees and shrubs were planted at Ryhall Primary School on Friday by the headmaster, Mr Michael Whetstone, and the children themselves.
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Plant a Tree. Five trees and shrubs were planted at Ryhall Primary School on Friday by the headmaster, Mr Michael Whetstone, and the children themselves.

For the time being, Bourne market stalls will stay on the streets.

At a special meeting on Monday, Bourne Urban Council put back its earlier decision to move the stalls to West Street car park.

Eight of the 13 councillors present voted for reference back, the remainder abstaining,

Couns Percy Wilson and Edward Gelsthorpe were absent through illness.

A Spring Fair held by Stamford and District YMCA, on Saturday, raised about £70 for new equipment and redecorating.

It was opened at the YMCA’s St Peter’s Hill headquarters by the Mayoress of Stamford, Mrs Margaret Brodie.

Mrs Brodie, who was introduced by the YMCA’s chairman, Mr. F. W. C. Allen, went round the building with the secretary, Mr Brian Drake.

Afterwards she told members and helper that anyone who grumbled about having nothing to do in Stamford need look no further than the YMCA for activities.

The Mayoress , who was accompanied by the deputy Mayoress, Mrs R. Grainger, was escorted round the stalls by Mrs John Burton, wife of the vice-chairman.

Members of the YMCA helped set up the stalls including toys, cakes, competitions, white elephant and a bottle stall.

100 years ago

March 30, 1923

25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Shiver me timbers: Dressing up for book fair week at Brooke Hill County primary School are (from left) five-year-olds Celia Wickham, Sam Bailey and Liam Partridge.
25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Shiver me timbers: Dressing up for book fair week at Brooke Hill County primary School are (from left) five-year-olds Celia Wickham, Sam Bailey and Liam Partridge.

For the Camp Fund – By a jumble sale, organised by Mrs. and Miss Pickett, with the assistance of Mrs. T, H. Bailey, on behalf of the Camp Fund of the First Company of Girl Guides, held at the headquarters on Saturday, £12 was raised.

Cemetery Church – At a special meeting of the Stamford Burial Joint Committee, on Monday, Mr. H. T. Daniels presiding, the Clerk read a letter from the Rev. E. L. C. Clapton, R.D., asking if the committee would agreed to the church-people gratuitously improving and beautifying the church at the Cemetery. The Committee raised no objection. The caretaker of the Cemetery (Mr. A. Walker) asked that his wages be fixed at a standard rate of 55/- per week, as against 52/6, and house at present. It was felt that the present was not the time to increase wages, and the application was not entertained.

The Stamford Board of Guardians on Monday received a letter from the Kesteven Education Committee pointing out that upon one afternoon in the Pleasure Fair week 14 children from the House were absent from St. George’s school, and remarking this was a bad example for a public authority to set. The Master (Mr. F. W. Everdell) explained that these children were never allowed in the Fair at night and at any other time unless under the supervision of someone from the House. The Clerk (Mr. H. J. Tillson) said he believed that this was the only school in the town that did not allow the children afternoons off.

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Members of the Lyddington, Seaton and Bisbrooke Mothers' Union organised a party last week to celebrate the 100th birthday of Lyddington's Mrs Florence Herbert (seated centre)
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Members of the Lyddington, Seaton and Bisbrooke Mothers' Union organised a party last week to celebrate the 100th birthday of Lyddington's Mrs Florence Herbert (seated centre)

L.M.S. Railway Luggage Facilities – The London Midland and Scottish Railway Company announce that, commencing forthwith, luggage brought to any of their stations will, on production of a railway ticket, by conveyed by rail to any other L.M.S. Station and delivered within the ordinary cartage area, at places where such a service is given, at a charge of 1s. per package. If desired, the luggage may be forwarded on the day before the journey is made, and may be addressed to the cloak room at the destination station “to be called for.”

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – A scene from Cottesmore Amateur Dramatic Society's production of “Hay Fever” at the Flying Fox Club this week.
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – A scene from Cottesmore Amateur Dramatic Society's production of “Hay Fever” at the Flying Fox Club this week.

“Take It or Leave It”

To the Oakham Rural District Council, at their meeting on Monday, over which Mr. J. Healey presided, the Surveyor submitted a report on a sample of water taken from the bore-hole at the north-east of Market Overton. Dr. O’Conner described the sample as by far the most satisfactory so far submitted and of a fairly high organic purity, being suitable for drinking purposes.

The Market Overton Parish Council forwarded a resolution stating that the site chosen for the boring was not that suggested by the Medical Officer of Health, and was contrary to the information obtained from the geological survey.

The Surveyor said there seemed to be a lot of dissatisfaction over the matter at Market Overton, and they should be left to work out their own salvation. If they were slinging mud at him he would not stand it very long.

150 years ago

March 28, 1873

25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Final day for Rowan Ward at Bourne Hospital: Sister Tessa Shirlaw (left), of Rowan Ward, and Sister Sandra Baker, of Beech Ward, with Bourne Hospital nurses and staff for the final shift at Rowan Ward
25 years ago: March 27, 1998 – Final day for Rowan Ward at Bourne Hospital: Sister Tessa Shirlaw (left), of Rowan Ward, and Sister Sandra Baker, of Beech Ward, with Bourne Hospital nurses and staff for the final shift at Rowan Ward

Stamford Midlent Pleasure fair – The weather hitherto has been very favourable for the pleasure fair, which is a large one as far as regards amusements. Broad-street, Red Lion-square, and the Sheep-market are filled with exhibitors, bazaars, stalls, shooting galleries, roundabout and swings. The most prominent show is Edmonds’ (Wombwell’s) menagerie, which extends a long way down Broad-street, and contains a number of vans occupied by rare animals, birds, and reptiles. It is faced by another menagerie (Day’s- which also claims to be an off-shoot of Wombwell’s. A very superior exhibition of Marionettes stands in Red Lion-square. Among the booths in Broad-street is one under the suspices of the Stamford teetotallers.

Stamford Union – At the Board meeting on Wednesday the number of pauper inmates was stated to be 148, being seven less than in the corresponding week of last year. Out-relief was given to 856 persons, at a cost of £105 0s, 8d. The Clerk reported that at a committee meeting held on the previous Saturday it had been agreed to accept Mr. Dalton’s tender for meat, and to order twelve cans of Australian meat as an experiment. Tenders as follow were received for erecting a division wall in the children’s play-grounds: Messrs. Perkins and Son, £31; Mr. Bassendine, £30 8s. 6d.; Mr. Hinson, £24 10s.; Messrs. Roberts, £23 12s. The last named was accepted.

The operation of the new Licensing Act appears to have had a favourable result in Stamford. At the petty sessions on Saturday last one of the Magistrates availed himself of the presence of several innkeepers (who required an extension of the ordinary hours during the fair) to ask their opinion of the system of closing at 11 as is affected themselves. Mr. Clifton, of the Crown inn, said he was a loser by it to the extent of £100 a year: tradesmen did not like being turned out at 11 o’clock, and they indulged in spirit at their own houses. The Magistrate replied there must have been formerly a good deal of drinking at a time when people ought to be in bed to account for such a loss. But perhaps Mr. Clifton’s was an exceptional case.

Stamford Union – At the Board meeting on Wednesday the number of pauper inmates was stated to be 148, being seven less than in the corresponding week of last year.Out-relief was given to 856 persons, at a cost of £105 0s, 8d. The Clerk reported that at a committee meeting held on the previous Saturday it had been agreed to accept Mr. Dalton’s tender for meat, and to order twelve cans of Australian meat as an experiment. Tenders as follow were received for erecting a division wall in the children’s play-grounds: Messrs. Perkins and Son, £31; Mr. Bassendine, £30 8s. 6d.; Mr. Hinson, £24 10s.; Messrs. Roberts, £23 12s. The last named was

accepted.

An accident of a serious nature happened in the Sheep-market, Stamford, on Monday evening last. Whilst one of the steam roundabouts was in full motion, a bolt broke and one of the wooden horse and the iron bar by which it was suspended was whirled with great force amongst the bystanders, several of whom were knocked down. Mr. Chas, Richardson was struck on the forehead, and received a very severe wound. David Islip, of St. Paul’s-street, was also hit on the face, his nose being completely smashed; and other persons were more of less injured. Mr. Richardson applied to the Magistrates on Tuesday morning for a summon sagainst Twigdon, the owner of the machine which caused the accident. A summons was granted, and Twigdon was informed that if he continued to use the machine it would be at his own risk.

200 years ago

March 28, 1823

50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Twenty-five firemen battled a spectacular blaze which raged at a farm in Corby Glen on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which involved thousands of disused tyres in a pit.
50 years ago: March 30, 1973 – Twenty-five firemen battled a spectacular blaze which raged at a farm in Corby Glen on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which involved thousands of disused tyres in a pit.

The Stamford Gas Light Bill, and the Bill for amending the Act for repairing the road from Wansford to Stamford and Bourn, were presented to the House of Commons on Monday last, by the Hon. W. H. Percy.

On Saturday night last, a lamb-hog the property of Mr. Allen, of Wadenhoe, was stolen from a field of turnips belonging to Mr. Johnson, near the town of Oundle. A lad passing by at a late hour of the night, saw three suspicious characters in the field: this becoming known to the owner of the sheep, he procured a warrant for searching their houses, where mutton was found under very suspicious circumstances. The three men, John Nightingale, Thos. Wade and ….... Jones, all of Oundle, are committed to Bridewell for examination.

Bourn New Association

For Prosecuting Felons.

Notice is hereby given, that the General Annual Meeting of the Subscribers to the above Association will be held, at the Bull Inn in Bourn, in the county of Lincoln, on Monday the Seventh day of April next, at Eleven o’’clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of auditing the Treasurer’s accounts, receiving Subscriptions, admitting new Members, appointing a Committee for the ensuing year, and transacting such other business as may appear necessary; at which Meeting, as well the present Subscribers as those persons who may be desirous of becoming Members, are requested personally attend.

A Dinner will be provided at Two o’clock, and every member who shall not attend and dine, will be required to pay (in addition to his Subscription) Two Shillings to the Landlord of the Inn pursuant to the fourth resolution.

By order, Willm. Worth,

Treasurer and Clerk.

Bourne,

26th March, 1823.

Freehold Tithe and Tax Free Estate,

near Market Deeping, Lincolnshire.

To be Sold by Auction,

By Mr. Willock,

At Garraway’s Coffee-house, in ‘Change-alley, Cornhill, London, on Tuesday the 22d of April, at 12 o’clock, in One Lot,

Two compact Freehold Farms, called Exton’s and Green’s, lying within a ring fence, and containing together Five Hundred and Sixty-four Acres, with a Farm-house, Cottages, Barns, Stables, Foddering Sheds, and Yards, situated in Deeping Fen, adjoining the turnpike-road from Market Deeping to Spalding and Boston.

This estate is extra-parochial, and exempt from tithe, and from the payment of any rate or tax, except one shilling per acre for drainage tax, and is in the occupation of Mr. John Mossop, tenant from year to year, at the reduced rent of only Four Hundred Pounds per annum.

N.B. A moiety of the purchase-money may remain on security of the premises for three years.

Mr. Mossop, the tenant, will show the lands; and particulars, with a plan of the farms, may be had of him on the premises.



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