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Saturday 6th December 2008
Shopping will never
be quite the same if Woolies disappears from the town centre. It has been part
of the street scene here in Bourne for over 40 years and has become an important
call to buy those small but essential items whether it be a light bulb or
battery, envelopes, pens and wrapping paper, or even a bag of sweets, and its
presence will be sorely missed.
The first store was opened at Liverpool in 1909 by the American entrepreneur
Frank Winfield Woolworth, selling items for 3d. and 6d., a successful idea based
on the 5 and 10 cent stores pioneered in the United States from 1878, and the
concept of cheaper goods selling in working class areas soon caught on. Other
branches opened in the north of England and there are now 815 of them nationwide
employing over 30,000 people.
The Bourne branch opened at No 13 North Street in 1967, purpose built on the
site of the former butchery shop run by W H Elwes and Sons who had been in
business there since 1937, and both the shop and an adjoining house were
demolished to make way for the new store. Planning permission had been granted
in 1963 but construction work was delayed to allow an archaeological dig explore
the site and this revealed a mediaeval well, fragments of pottery, mainly from
the 13th century which probably originated from a kiln in Bourne, and beads of
Saxon origin.
The wonder of Woolies has been with us ever since, enjoying a boom period over
four decades, but times have changed and retail trading patterns altered
dramatically, squeezed by the supermarkets and online shops at a time of severe
economic crisis which aggravated cash flow problems and accumulated a debt of
£385 million. The company is now in administration and although the stores are
to remain open over Christmas, the future after that looks bleak and closure
appears to be a most likely option. The end of Woolworths will also be a major
blow to Bourne and another nail in the coffin of the long awaited £27 million
redevelopment scheme for the town centre.
More new houses are planned for Bourne despite the current economic
downturn and the large number already planned or standing empty. Even our local
councillors have complained that enough is enough yet the housing association
Longhurst Homes has applied for planning permission to build 65 more on land to
the north of Manning Road, construction work to be carried out by Larkfleet
Homes who have become the main housing developers in this town.
The scheme will deliver a mixture of flats, houses and bungalows for rent and
shared ownership together with 104 car parking spaces and if approved then work
could start as early as next March. But questions are already being asked as to
the suitability of the site lying between the playing field of Bourne Abbey CE
Primary School and the AHF store, currently used as agricultural land but
designated for development by business and industry.
The Mayor of Bourne, Councillor Shirley Cliffe, told the Stamford Mercury
(November 21st): “I am dead against it. This land was earmarked for no
residential development.” A similar view was expressed by Councillor Linda Neal
(Bourne West) who is also leader of South Kesteven District Council. “The land
is labelled for employment use on the local plan”, she told the newspaper. “We
need jobs first to be able to afford the houses. But such is the need for
sustainable affordable homes in Bourne that the district council has welcomed
the application for new properties offering a mix of social rented and shared
ownership houses.”
It would therefore seem that these houses will get the necessary approval, thus
proving that what was written in stone yesterday will crumble to sand today when
exposed to the ill winds of shifting priorities. As with the old laundry site in
Manning Road where 45 new houses are to be crammed into a very small space in
another unsuitable area, the majority of councillors are against this scheme and
the town council has recommended refusal and that the historical pledges be
honoured. If the Mayor of Bourne and the leader of SKDC can make no difference
to these decisions, then it is obvious that other influences are at work and an
example of the unfortunate current situation in which councillors find
themselves today. Those local authorities which make the decisions are run by
paid officials and the attraction of additional income from the council tax, in
this instance another £80,000 a year, to ensure the continuance of rising
salaries and an expanding staff, is too seductive a prospect to ignore and so
our elected representatives will find themselves whistling in the wind.
Wherry’s Lane which has been in a disgraceful state of maintenance for
the past ten years has been identified on a government name and shame web site
with a reminder to South Kesteven District Council that it is in urgent need of
attention. This narrow but busy footpath has been included in the current list
of urban horrors follows my Diary item last week (November 29th) which suggested
that this must be one of the most unattractive thoroughfares in the town because
the current state of disorder has been a cause of dismay for at least a decade.
It was hoped that one of our councillors who represents this part of town on
either the district or town council or both, might take a look and find out who
is responsible and then make suitable approaches to the appropriate department
with a view to cleaning up this eyesore but there is no evidence of any such
activity on this front. Instead, a member of the public has logged on to the Fix
my Street web site which carries a long list of places in the country’s towns
and villages in need of attention, and on Monday, Wherry’s Lane was added to the
graffiti category with an accompanying map and a description saying “obscene
graffiti, broken fences, long term litter problem, general decay”.
Fix My Street is one of the best known of the web sites run by UK Citizens
Online Democracy which is also responsible to the widely popular petitions to
the Prime Minister at No 10 Downing Street that was used to such good effect in
the successful campaign to prevent a road being built through Bourne Wood
earlier this year.
Within two minutes, the posting was flashed to the offices of SKDC at Grantham,
one of more than 500 similar complaints from around the country in the past
week, although official intervention has not yet spurred the appropriate
department into action because by yesterday, still nothing had been done.
Nevertheless, if you are having problems with icy roads, inadequate street
lighting, dangerous drain culverts, pavement parking or overgrown hedges, then
this is the place to let off steam. A written protest on this web site may not
produce any results but it will make you feel better and the total lack of
interest by those responsible will be there for all to see.
My item last week
about the disastrous decision by Robert Kilroy-Silk, our MEP, to appear on a
dubious television celebrity show in preference to his parliamentary duties in
Europe, appears to have been premonitory as his colleagues now want to get rid
of him because of his apparent lack of interest in those matters for which he
was elected. They claim that he rarely attends sessions in Brussels and
Strasbourg while sightings of him in his East Midlands constituency are equally
infrequent.
This will prompt many to reflect on the role of our own Member of Parliament at
Westminster and indeed councillors at town (15), district (6) and county (2)
level, and how many of us can count the number of times they have been seen
around and about or whether indeed they could recognise them anyway. A few are
familiar faces, usually because they have made their mark in the public domain
as model councillors. Others strive to maintain a popularity through our local
newspapers and appearing at the odd event while several have such a low profile
as to be virtually invisible. There must be many people in the town who would
not recognise some of them if they passed them in the street even though they
may represent the ward in which they live but have never knocked on the door to
introduce themselves or even seek their vote at election time.
I am prompted to write this after my good neighbours, Jim and Brenda Jones,
returned from a family visit to their native Liverpool bringing with them two
copies of a most lively community magazine which they rightly thought would
catch my interest as it deals with such matters as history, heritage and the
activities of the people at grass roots level. Garston News is a voluntary
publication devoted to the affairs of that district of the city, appearing
bi-monthly for a mere 50p to cover costs, and is an eminently readable
publication telling about times past and anticipated changes to the urban
landscape.
But one of the most important sections is a half page detailing the time and
energy devoted by the local M P, Maria Eagle, the Labour member for Garston, and
a multitude of councillors, with lists of times and places where they are
holding local surgeries, usually weekly in various locations, and always
available by telephone or email. Ms Eagle is similarly committed and in
addition, she holds what is called “a roaming surgery” once a month, an event
which is self explanatory. All of these representatives are at the cutting edge
of local democracy, always available and ready to help.
This would be appear to be an admirable example for all M Ps and councillors who
must be committed to their role in serving the people and always available
rather than pay lip service to the appointment by merely turning up for the odd
meeting. They should be seen out on the streets talking to people, finding out
what they think and helping implement their wishes, have a telephone number and
email address by which they can be contacted and, as they do at Garston, hold
regular surgeries where their constituents can go along to meet their
representatives face to face to give their opinions and express their hopes and
fears for the future. Only then will democracy at local level be seen to be
working.
This would appear to be a bad time for banks and building societies to
survey their customers on the spot but we found ourselves on the receiving end
of a smart suit and clipboard last week while doing some business at Nationwide
in North Street. What, he wanted to know, did we think of the service, the
staff, the ambience of the counter area and the facilities on offer and he
eagerly ticked boxes as we gave favourable reports on each but he was less than
enthusiastic to hear our one complaint and that was the current interest rates
for savers.
By far the most important issue for most of us who went into the branch that
day, especially old age pensioners such as ourselves who depend on a small
income from their nest egg to pay the heating bills and council tax, was the
return we are getting on our money and if we could expect further reductions.
Carpets and curtains, a pile of information leaflets on the counter and a giggle
of lovely ladies behind the glass partitions, are all very acceptable whenever
we call but the real test of a sound financial institution is whether it can
sustain the trust of its investors.
Unfortunately, this question was not on his prepared pro forma but we insisted
that he take note of our unease, especially when we made it quite clear that our
money would be heading for the mattress if interest rates dropped to 1%, and he
duly made a note promising that he would draw the attention of his superiors to
our concerns. Well, it was only a small protest and it did make us feel a little
better.
Thought for the week: Save a little money each month and at the end of
the year you'll be surprised at how little you have. -
popular quote by Ernest Haskins, American writer of obscure origins.
Saturday 13th December 2008
A sample of the new fencing for the Abbey Lawn
After several months of agonising on the subject, the
trustees of Bourne United Charities have finally decided to fence off the Abbey
Lawn in an attempt to deter intruders who have been repeatedly causing mayhem
and vandalising the sports facilities. Planning permission is now being sought
to erect a six foot high fence of iron railings around the perimeter and to
close the grounds from dusk until dawn.
This is a disappointing development which will not enhance the appearance of the
grounds that are within the Conservation Area but one that is deemed to be
necessary because of increasing lawless behaviour and the lack of a police
presence. Terry Bates, chairman of the Abbey Lawn Sports Association, told the
Stamford Mercury (December 5th): “Such necessary action is a sad
commentary on our society but it is essential that the grounds are preserved in
good condition for the benefit of all and to help safeguard its future.”
The Abbey Lawn has been administered by BUC since 1934 and is currently home to
the town football, cricket, tennis, bowls and petanque clubs as well as the
outdoor swimming pool, but their premises have been at risk from vandals who
have broken into the sports pavilions on several occasions and even set them on
fire causing substantial damage. Earlier this year, security patrols were
brought in to protect the grounds but this has not been as successful as was
anticipated and it is hoped that a high fence will be a more effective solution.
A check on the boundaries of the Abbey Lawn will, however, reveal that no
barriers of this kind can possibly be vandal proof and are likely to be as
effective as a chocolate fireguard because the most determined
intruder will be able to find a way in, particularly along the eastern and
southern sides, and the very first intrusion after the fence has been erected
will indicate that the project has been a total waste of money. There is also
the question of closing the grounds at night which will affect a public right of
way between Coggles Causeway and Abbey Road. There have been some doubts about
this because it does not appear on Ordnance Survey maps but the Countryside
Rights of Way Act 2000 makes it quite clear that this is not a necessary
requirement to make
it legal.
Public rights of way are created after twenty years if used by the public at
large and the only way this can be avoided is if the owner has publicly shown
that he does not want a right of way created which is not the case here. The
path through the Abbey Lawn has been in use without challenge since the present
owners took over and most probably for a century before that and
certainly within the lifetime of many of our senior citizens, including myself.
District and county councils are required to keep copies of definitive maps
showing the location and classification of every public right of way in their
area as conclusive evidence that it exists but because a path is not on the map
it does not follow that it is not open to the public.
Unfortunately, these issues must be the subject of an objection and so it is up
to the individual to make their protest to South Kesteven District Council at
the planning stage otherwise they are likely to be overlooked and a decision
would then be most difficult to overturn. Rights of way are ancient privileges
that should not easily be given up, even in such acute cases as this, and an
application for extinguishment is likely to attract an inquiry but sufficient
public indignation and even a petition must be registered first.
We are therefore again into the realms of apathy, the very ingredient that
allows maladministration of government at all levels and even the appointment of
our elected representatives, many of whom take office without a shred of real
public support and remain there simply because the majority refuse to challenge
the status quo. While the current climate persists, we are likely to lose many
of our ancient freedoms and privileges and the right to walk across the Abbey
Lawn whenever we choose, as promised by the trustees of BUC when the grounds
were acquired for public use in perpetuity over 70 years ago, will become the
latest casualty.
The cost of erecting railings around the Abbey Lawn has been estimated at
£60,000 and although this will not be a problem for Bourne United
Charities, it is a pity that similar investment has not been made for another
facility in its care, the Wellhead Gardens. There are several features needing
attention, notably St Peter’s Pool, the ancient spring around which this town
originated, but is badly neglected with the banks crumbling and overgrown and
weeds and algae choking the surface while the Bourne Eau which flows from it is
frequently blocked with debris. Further downstream, the footpath which runs
alongside and past Baldock’s Mill into South Street is uneven and muddy
underfoot in wet weather, creating extremely hazardous conditions for the unwary
and although there have been complaints about its state for at least a decade,
nothing has been done to remedy this eyesore.
BUC is currently enjoying a massive boost to its income which has more than
doubled in the past five years to £667,250 a year (2007 figure), mainly due to
the increasing value and subsequent revised rents of investment properties at
Leytonstone in London once owned by the philanthropist Robert Harrington
(1589-1654), a local lad who is reputed to have walked to London to seek his
fortune, and when he died he left it all to Bourne. Expenditure during the year
was £381,000 leaving a retained figure of £286,000 which will no doubt be saved,
an undertaking that is becoming so important to the organisation that the
appointment of an independent financial adviser to counsel on future investments
has been recommended. The organisation also has assets of almost £12 million and
therefore appears to be in a healthy financial state, well able to afford the
latest expenditure to erect the Abbey Lawn fencing and perhaps even catch up
on the work so badly needed to bring those neglected areas around the Wellhead
Gardens up to a more acceptable standard.
The present economic climate has brought thousands of job losses for many
organisations and economies for even more. Businesses are going bust, the banks
are in crisis, shops are closing and homes repossessed yet South Kesteven
District Council appears to be totally unaware of what is going on outside its
Grantham headquarters where plans are afoot for yet another increase in the
council tax. In the present situation, this will not only be unthinkable but
also unforgivable and an indication that our local authorities are intent on
feathering their own nests no matter what is happening to those who provide
their income.
The signs that we will be forced to pay more next year come in the December
issue of skToday, the latest newsletter from the council which is
distributed free to all 55,000 homes in the district and contains a feature
seeking the public’s views on two options, (1) no increase in council tax and
(2) an increase of 4.6% in council tax, yet a moment’s reflection on the
hardships being suffered around the country would make it obvious to all but the
most naïve that the people cannot afford any more and that the salaries of
working people are at risk while the incomes of pensioners are being eroded by
falling interest rates on their savings and the escalating costs of heating,
food and fuel.
The survey entitled Planning Ahead tells us that unless the council gets more
money from us it will not be able to deliver the services identified as priorities and they would have to be reduced as a result, a
warning that may be regarded as spurious because the evidence is that although
the authority has been increasing the council tax year after year for as long as
most people can remember, services have declined dramatically.
A more honest assessment is that the additional income is needed to increase the
salaries of the 720 staff it employs, many of them in jobs that are totally
unnecessary. The attitude
appears to be that the public will always pay but we have now reached a
situation which, in the words of a past Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Denis Healey, we are being squeezed until the pips squeak. At the same time,
there is evidence that some local authorities are being run for the benefit of
the staff, as cited by The Times which reported the case of officers
evicting frail and elderly tenants from their council accommodation at prime
locations in Norwich and then letting them to themselves at reduced rents
(December 6th). We would imagine that such disgraceful conduct does not occur in this rural backwater
but there is much disquiet at the thought of a chief executive being paid
enough to enable him take five months off during the past summer to swan around
Europe on his bike although the gossip around the office water cooler is that he
was not actually missed.
All of our councils are currently reviewing their spending for the
coming financial year in readiness for the levying of the new council tax and
now, more so than at any other time in our history, this should be done with
a care and consideration that reflects the current economic situation.
Committees therefore, at parish, district and county level, must ensure that
nothing is approved that will lead to an increase and any councillor who votes
for additional spending by as little as one penny on any item, even on such minor
considerations as the Christmas lights, should consider their position because it will signal a distinct lack of awareness of what is happening
in the real world.
The public cannot go on supporting the profligate manner in which our councils
have been conducting themselves and the time has now come for our elected
representatives to acknowledge that enough is enough and to ensure that the
officers who run our local authorities are fully aware of this and accept the
consequences of the downturn in the economy along with the rest of us.
What the local newspapers are saying: The power of prayer has been the
subject of debate for centuries and has never been proven either way whether it
is effective or not other than providing a spiritual placebo for those who
believe. There is nothing wrong with this for which unbeliever has not, like
many a biblical character in early times, promised eternal allegiance provided a
pressing problem were solved or a burden relieved.
It was therefore heartening to read in the Stamford Mercury that gritting
lorries and their drivers which are already on standby for the forthcoming
winter have been blessed by two members of the clergy during a special ceremony
at the Lincolnshire County Council depot at Thurlby, near Bourne (December 5th).
The reports tells us that the annual ritual symbolises the spreading of the
gospel as the mixture of salt and sand is scattered over the region’s roads in
extreme weather conditions when motorists are advised not to travel unless
absolutely necessary. This is a most worthy event because it not only raises the
profile of the gritting fleet but also provides an assurance that our roads will
be kept safe and driveable whatever the weather.
Unfortunately, the morning the newspaper report appeared was freezing with black
ice covering many roads and by 8.30 am a contributor to the Bourne Forum had
complained that when he drove into town to fetch his daily newspapers, the
surfaces were treacherous and untreated with not a gritting lorry in sight. This
has been the case on many occasions in past years and so perhaps the order of
service should be changed in the future to include prayers for a more efficient
early warning system for there are many motorists out there who would surely
thank God for that.
Thought for the week: It is in vain to expect our prayers to be heard if
we do not strive as well as pray. - Aesop (620-560 BC), a slave in ancient
Greece and author of a collection of Greek fables still taught as moral lessons.
Saturday 20th December 2008
West Street butcher Richard Stevenson ready for the Christmas
trade
There is always a
lively debate at this time of the year over the state of Christmas and whether
the religious observance of past times has been overtaken by commercial
considerations, that prayers and worship have given way to a wild spending spree
and unrestrained carousing. The discussion is a healthy one because whatever our
own feelings, without hearing opposing views we tend to become opinionated and
arrogant.
Shopping has undoubtedly become the new religion and the supermarkets and malls
are where the participants worship but it has not entirely replaced the
conventional faiths that survive as a ubiquitous presence throughout the land
and although congregations are on the decline, it is to the churches where the
people go in time of adversity and celebration for that which we were taught in
childhood remains a vital link with our Christian tradition.
There are those who doggedly refuse to believe and declare that they are
atheists or agnostics, and indeed they are most certainly in the majority, but
we cannot ignore the fact that Christianity is the cornerstone of our nation and
our own monarch is always proclaimed as Defender of the Faith at the coronation.
Yet true belief fades and others intrude and so now we are living in a different
world from that of a century ago when even births, weddings and deaths are
marked elsewhere than within the hallowed walls of our ancient stone churches.
I was brought up in the Christian faith and many years as a choirboy
familiarised me with its ceremonial, music and traditions and to attend midnight
mass in a parish church is still an impressive and moving experience. But there
is no escaping the reality that this season of goodwill owes more to Mammon than
to God. Traditions such as holly and mistletoe have Roman or Druidic origins,
while much of our celebration goes back no further than Victorian times with its
images of plum puddings and port, the sale of plump birds, carols, cards,
crackers and decorated fir trees. Apart from the New Testament, A Christmas
Carol must be the best known Christmas story in the world but Dickens asks us to
believe not so much in God as in ghosts and a detailed study of this work
reveals it to be a text of 19th century humanism.
Nevertheless, this is the time when families gather and old friends meet to talk
and to eat together, to exchange presents and to remember times past, scenes
that will be repeated this year as last and next year as this. Whether the
origins of these festivities are in a stable in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago or in
a pagan celebration of much earlier provenance, observing the winter solstice to
provide relief during the dark and shortening days of a bitter winter, is
immaterial because Christmas has become eternal for those who believe and for
those who do not.
The Dickensian image is very much as you would see on one of those
quality Christmas cards showing a picture of Victorian England with quaint
shops, snow in the streets and rosy-cheeked urchins wearing mufflers and caps
throwing snowballs. This may have been true of Bourne during the 19th century
except that reality behind the façade was very different in that the division
between rich and poor was far more acute and poverty was rife as a result.
Living conditions were also primitive and so we may imagine cottages lacking
heating, running water or sanitation, while clothing was inadequate and food
less than nourishing.
Yet Christmas was still a cause for celebration and a time that children
especially anticipated as one when they would have presents and culinary treats
because even the poorest households made an effort to observe the festive season
either through their own efforts or with charitable assistance. I have been
looking at Christmas past here in Bourne and although it was invariably a time
of great celebration, it was less protracted because holidays were shorter,
people had less money to spend and the credit we have today was totally unknown.
Yet the enjoyment that people had is evident, although the expectation did not
start quite so early and lasted no more than a few days and as this was the age
of temperance, there was always someone ready to warn against the perils of
drink with exhortations to sign the pledge promising to abstain from alcohol.
Here is a sample of the way it was 120 years ago from the pages of the
Stamford Mercury. The newspaper reported on Friday 23rd December 1887:
There is abundant energy being manifested in the
seasonable decorations of the various business establishments at Bourne. The
butchers have quite a fine show. Mr Mays [George Mays, butcher, Eastgate] has
killed 300 sheep (two of which have been lately exhibited at the Smithfield
Show, one weighing 211lb., the other 187lb.) and 9 beasts. Mr Williamson [Joseph
Williamson, butcher, North Street] has on view one of the prize beasts at the
Bourne show. Mr Mansfield [William Mansfield, butcher, Church Street] had a
splendid show of fat stock on Tuesday, including Mr J Grummitt's [John Grummitt,
farmer, North Fen] prize beast at Bourne show. The grocers' windows are
tastefully adorned with appetising wares; and the milliners' and drapers'
establishments also present an artistic appearance.
At the National Schoolroom in North Street [now the Conservative Party
headquarters], the vicar and churchwardens and members of various local
charities made their annual distribution among the deserving poor, the gifts
including 700 yards of flannel, 50 blankets, 700 yards of calico and 170 tons of
coal.
Postal: On Monday (Bank Holiday) [Boxing Day having fallen on a Sunday], the
money order and savings bank business will close at noon. There will be no
morning despatch of letters and no delivery after the first at 7 am. The letter
box will be closed on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve for all parts at 10.40
am; special mail letters and parcels for all parts at 6 pm; general despatch at
7.10 pm; for Sleaford and Folkingham at 8 pm.
On Monday and Tuesday, Mr Thomas Rosbottom, the celebrated Lancashire lecturer,
addressed crowded meetings in the Victoria Hall, Bourne [now demolished], in
advocacy of temperance. The lectures were a great success, the audience being
apparently entirely in sympathy with the lecturer, who interspersed anecdotes,
humorous and pathetic, with his moving exhortations, in a manner quite
irresistible. He claims that during his career as a lecturer he has induced
thousands to sign the pledge.
The Christmas celebrations continued in the town
for the next few days and the newspaper reported on December 30th:
Bourne Abbey was throughout adorned with seasonable
decorations for Christmas. Though not so elaborately ornamental as in some
previous years, the general effect was exceedingly pleasing. Over the communion
table in white letters on a scarlet ground was the text "Emmanuel, God with us".
The centre was occupied with a beautiful white cross. The miniature arches were
filled with a pretty arrangement of evergreens interspersed with flowers. The
reading desk was decorated with ivy and holly, the panels in front being
ornamented with chrysanthemum crosses, the centre one of the St Cuthbert type.
The pedestal of the lectern was gay with a choice selection of flowers and
evergreens, a fine bunch of pampas grass being especially noticeable.
Holly berries and ivy embellished the handsome pulpit. The sills of the windows
in the south and south aisles were beatified with texts worked in white on a
scarlet ground, and encircled with wreaths and evergreens. The font was
decorated with exquisite taste; the cover was surmounted with a fine cross and
chrysanthemums; the pedestal was encircled with ivy and a variety of evergreens
prettily frosted. Great praise is due to the ladies who so admirably executed
the decorations. The services were well attended. The sermons, morning and
evening, were preached by the Rev H M Mansfield, Vicar, his texts being Isaiah
ix.6, and the words Thy holy child Jesus. The musical portion of the service was
executed with precision and taste, reflecting great credit on both organist and
choir.
The services were as follows:- At 8.30 am, full choral communion service,
Agutter in G. During the administration of the Holy Communion the hymn The
heavenly word proceeding forth was sung very softly by the choir. This formed a
new and beautiful feature of the service. The morning service was fully choral,
the hymn, Christians awake being sung as a processional. The anthem Let us now
go even unto Bethlehem, concluding with a chorale, This is he whom seers in old
time, which was finely rendered. The evening service was also fully choral. The
processional hymn was Hark, the herald angels sing, the anthem was Behold I
bring you glad tidings and the carols were The manger throne and All my heart
once more rejoices. The Hallelujah chorus from The Messiah formed an appropriate
conclusion to the day's services.
Christmas was ushered in at Bourne with merry peals of the bells of the old
Abbey Church and the musical strains of the Bourne Brass Band who played carols
and other appropriate pieces in an exceedingly creditable manner.
The Guardians of Bourne Union gave their annual treat to the inmates of the
union-house [the workhouse] on Boxing Day. The seasonable additions to the usual
plain fare were apparently highly appreciated. A thoroughly enjoyable day was
suitably concluded with a merry evening entertainment.
A grand fancy fair [similar to our modern pantomimes] was held in the Corn
Exchange on December 27th and 28th in aid of the funds of the Congregational
Church. The room was fitted up as a street of nations or grand international
bazaar. The scene was laid in Canton. The peculiar conglomeration of Oriental
and European architecture was depicted with realistic effect. Proceeding down
the left side of the street, the enterprising traveller passed in succession a
Persian residence, an Indian cottage, a Chinese house, a delightful Japanese
village, a Tyrolese chalet, a snug mountain home covered with snow and having
icicles pendent from the roof, a magnificent Buddhist temple having its
elaborate exterior embellished with representatives of the Oriental deity and
dragons; the Japanese villa, "the Golden Lily"; a pretty view on the Yang-tse-Kiang.
The last abode in the curious street was an Australian log hut.
The entire series of buildings presented a charming appearance, and attested the
well-known skill of Mr A Stubley [Alfred Stubley, painter, paperhanger,
sign-writer and art decorator of 28 West Street]. The articles exhibited on the
various stalls were both useful and ornamental. Various entertainments were
given in the evenings. Vocal and instrumental music was performed at intervals.
Amongst the amusements were The House that Jack Built and Æsop's fables
personified, which were very popular. The promoters of the enterprise are to be
congratulated on the success which has deservedly crowned their efforts.
We hope that as in years past you too will enjoy
your Christmas and despite the current economic gloom can look forward to the
New Year with happiness and good health, hope and optimism. This column is
taking a break over the holiday but will be back in a fortnight’s time although
the web site continues and the Forum remains open for contributions from those
who have something to say about the human condition.
Thought for the week: It was always said of him [Scrooge] that he knew
how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that
be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless Us,
Every One!” - from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
(1812-1870), one of the most popular English novelists of the Victorian era and
a vigorous social campaigner.
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