Acknowledgments

MY GRATEFUL THANKS are due initially to J D (Douglas) Birkbeck who not only inspired this project but also gave me permission to quote from his book A History of Bourne, both the 1970 and 1976 editions, and for his excellent support throughout the period of my work. He knew that one day his own efforts to chronicle the history of this town would be overtaken and this has happened, mainly because the new technology has enabled me to use text and photographs in a manner that was unknown to him during his researches. My history is recounted in less detail because tastes have changed and if we wish to be read, then accessibility is all important, and I have endeavoured to keep my presentation immediate and easily understood without trivialising the subject in hand and I do hope that Douglas approves.

I also wish to thank Dr Michael McGregor for his most generous supply of old photographs, many of which he has taken himself since moving to Bourne in 1961; Jim Jones, my near neighbour, member of the Civic Society and custodian of Baldock's Mill, who has searched the building from top to bottom to retrieve pictures and documents of interest; the late Councillor Don Fisher who provided books and other papers that have been a valuable source of reference as well as advising me on dates, events and people; Graham Luesby who has shared memories from his life in Bourne and allowed me to copy from his extensive collection of old photographs; and Jonathan Smith who has advised and provided many contemporary photographs.

Many others have also been of assistance with this project including:

Dorothy Alexander, former chairman of Bourne Youth Centre management committee
Bill Armstrong
Steve Ayliff
Sub-officer Tony Baker, Bourne station, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue
Warwick Banks, son of J W E Banks
Patrick Bastow, Swedeponic UK
Terry Bates
Geoffrey Bell for his excellent countryside and wildlife photographs
Jim Benner, Tower Captain, Edenham church bellringers
Walter Blades
Ann Boggitt
Derek Bontoft, secretary, Hereward Lodge of Freemasons, and former deputy headmaster of the Robert Manning College
Adam Booker, headteacher, the Willoughby School
Bourne Heritage Centre
Derek Bowers
Tim Bright, headteacher, Westfield Primary School
Mrs Ethel (May) Brightman
Fran & Alan Broom
Robert Brown, manager, Hereward Group Practice
Mrs Pat Broxholme of Dyke
Lisa Bruen, Editor, The Local newspaper, Bourne (2004-07)
Mrs Gill Burt, daughter of Clarence Binns
Ben Casey, great nephew of Victor Bosley
John Chance, Friends of Wood Walton Church, near Huntingdon
Councillor Marjorie Clark
Paul Clark, Editor The Local newspaper, Bourne (2007 onwards)
Councillors Ray and Shirley Cliffe
Mrs Gail Clingo, Clerk to the Trustees, Bourne United Charities
Jeremy N Coleclough, Opico Ltd
Mrs Kathleen Cooke, step-daughter of Charles Sharpe VC
Carol Corliss, committee member, Bourne Motor Racing Heritage Day, 1999

Mrs Pat Cottam, housewife, from Rippingale
John Cox

Frank Croom
Ian Dair, Carlby Parish Council
Sergeant Ian Davison of Lincolnshire Special Constabulary
David Day, son of L R W Day
Anthony Delaine-Smith, Delaine Buses
Sue Draper & staff at Bourne Public Library
Rex Eckford, estate agent, Bourne
Mrs Pat Edmunds, great grand-daughter of Robert Mason Mills
Mrs Pat Edwards of Berwick, Victoria, Australia
Peter Ellis, former supervisor, Bourne Cemetery
Dr Kevin Feltham, grandson of Kate Cooke MBE
Jack & Lorna Fisher-Smith of the United Reformed Church, Bourne

Pamela Fitzjohn, daughter of Jack and Gladys Gelsthorpe
Martin Frisby-Boor, secretary, Bourne Family History Society, and Ken Ford
Ivan Fuller, former Town Centre Co-ordinator
Roger Gay, former Bourne police officer
Caroline Glithero, owner of the Vestry Hall
Mark Gray, former headteacher, Bourne Abbey Primary School
Geoff Greatwood, former headteacher, Robert Manning Technology College
The Rev Phillip Greetham, minister, the Methodist Chapel, Bourne 2003-05
Ethel Guertin of Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Eric Hadley-Ives, Assistant Professor, the University of Illinois School of Social Work, USA
Peter Hallam, Friends of Bourne Wood
Peter Hardcastle, Webmaster, Canals and Canal Routes
Paul Harris, photographer
Brynley Heaven of the Sleaford and district Civic Trust
Hereward Lodge of Freemasons
Paul Hinson of Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Mrs Audrey Holmes, daughter-in-law of Mrs Ida Pick MBE
Mrs Nelly Jacobs, Clerk to Bourne Town Council (2000-15), and Kath Hatfield and Fiona Barker (assistants)
Betty James
Professor Nils-Lennart Johannesson, The Department of English, Stockholm University
Bert Johns, former secretary, Bourne branch of the Royal Naval Association
David and Jessie Johnson of Twenty
Councillor Alan Jones, Mayor of Bourne 2001-02
Mrs Brenda Jones, chairman, Bourne Civic Society
Lisa Kay, Field Boxmore Labels
Chris Kettle, great grandson of Thomas and Letitia Barsby
Terry Forshaw, Picture Manager, Chrysalis Books
Winston Harwood of Austin, Texas, USA, a descendant of Sir Edward Harwood
Sharon Kay
W E (Ted) Kelby, chairman Bourne Urban District Council 1968-69
Dr John Ketteringham
Councillor Jane Kingman Pauley, Mayor of Bourne 2007-08
Captain David Kinsey, Salvation Army
John Kirkman, former chairman South Kesteven District Council 2005-06
Gordon Lack of Hanthorpe
Gene Layton of Avondale, Arizona, USA, great grandson of John Layton
Jim Lees, Hereward Lodge of Freemasons
Lincolnshire County Council
Lincolnshire Police
Howard & Olga Lindsay, South Hamilton, Massachusetts., USA

Taff Lovesey
Angela Lowe, Editor, The Local newspaper, Bourne (2002-04)
Eddie Lunn, former member of the Bourne division, St John Ambulance Brigade
John Lyon, Rotary Club of Bourne
Jonathan Maddox, headteacher of Bourne Grammar School (from 2004)
Norman H Mapperson of Wantirna, Victoria, Australia
Margaret McGregor, local organiser, Bourne WRVS
Jenny McLauchlan, Marketing Executive, Warners Midlands plc
Ted Middleton, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Dr Stuart J Miles, former headteacher, Bourne Grammar School
Bob Miller, Chicago, Illinois, USA
John A Mizzi, Editor Malta at War magazine series, St Julian's, Malta
John Moody, former member Bourne Fire Brigade
Mrs Marion Moody, former chairman Bourne Darby and Joan Club
Suzanne Moon, News Editor, Stamford Mercury newspaper
Jeremy P Mortimore, great grand-nephew of Frederick Nash
Heather Nash of Vancouver Island, Canada, granddaughter of William Redshaw
Linda Neal, former councillor and Leader of South Kesteven District Council
Roger North of North's Shoes, North Street, Bourne
Valerie Nourish, for her information about Lilian Wyles
Colonel Paul Oldfield, military historian, Western Front VCs of The Great War
Dr Ian Pace, the Galletly Group Practice
Dave Panton, Activities Manager, Bourne Leisure Centre
The Parachute Regiment
The Rev Dr. David Parker, Brisbane Baptist Historical Society of Queensland
Brian Pashley, former building inspector for Bourne Urban District Council
Councillor Jane Kingman Pauley, Mayor of Bourne 2007-08
Robert Pearce, grandson of Thomas Pearce
Mrs Ruth Peat, former member No 816 (Bourne) Company, the Girls Training Corps
Robert Penhey
Philip Pettitt, former verger, the Abbey Church, Bourne
Mike Pilbeam, Pilbeam Racing Designs
Trevor Pool
Councillor Helen Powell (Mayor of Bourne 2012-13)
Paul Quincey (descendant of Ann Worth, mother of Charles Worth)
Mrs Betty Ray, granddaughter of Frederick Baldock
Alec Revill, son of Councillor T W Revill, chairman Bourne Urban District Council (1949-50)
Joy Richardson, daughter of E D Cooke of Austerby House, Bourne
Marston Robertson, great grandson of Alfred Stubley
David Roffe, Research Fellow at the Department of History, Sheffield University
Richard Sellwood, son of Commander Harry Sellwood of HMS Beryl
Peter Sharpe and his father Joe Sharpe
Tony Sherwin
Susan Simmons of Warkworth, New Zealand
Richard Simpson, owner of Jesse Bellamy, outfitters, North Street
Dr Geoffrey Smith, former partner of Dr John Galletly
Jonathan Smith, Editor The Local newspaper, Bourne (2000-02)
Councillor Judy Smith, Mayor of Bourne 2005-06
Lewis Sommerfield, son of the last Dyke mill owner Thomas Sommerfield
Reginald Sones, son of Frederick Sones
South Kesteven District Council
Phil Spiby, Communications Manager, International League for the Protection of Horses
Stamford Public Library (with specific thanks to the lady assistants)
Robert Stanton, son of H M A Stanton
Alan Stennett, grandson of Herbert Stennett
John Stennett
Hedley Stroud, Bourne Services Group
Tony Stubbs, military historian, Bourne
Ron Stubley, grandson of Alfred Stubley
David Tabor, churchwarden, the Abbey Church, Bourne
Louise Tester
Walter Unsworth, former inmate Hereward Approved School
Dave Vandome, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Jack Wand, MBE
Steve Ward
Martyn Welborn, great nephew of Florence Tipler
James Wherry, chairman, Wherry & Sons Ltd
Sheila Whittle-Bruce
John Thomas Whyles, boot and shoe repairer, of Abbey Road
John Wilcockson, former forester, Bourne Wood
Robert Wilkinson of Newton, Massachusetts., USA
Carla Woodworth-Lynas whose husband is a descendent of Jeremiah Ives
Michael Woodyer of Kirby Underwood
Christian Worth, great great grandson of Charles Worth
Mrs Mavis Wright, daughter of George Ernest Robinson
Frank Wyer, churchwarden, Kirkby Underwood

. . . and finally, but most importantly, my son, Dr Justin Needle, for his technical advice and my wife Elke, who has painstakingly proof read every word, checked every page and vetted every photograph and layout, while at the same time keeping me well fed and watered.

AA Book of British Villages (Drive Publications Limited).
AA The Touring Book of Britain (Book Club Associates).
The Ancient Bridges of Mid and East England by E Jervoise (The Architectural Press).
A Piece of the Puzzle (Witham-on-the-Hill Historical Society).
Bartholomew Gazetteer of Britain (John Bartholomew & Son Ltd).
Baston Through the Ages (Baston Environmental Group).
Between Two Crowns by Bessie Garfoot-Gardner (Dolby Bros Ltd., Stamford).
Birds of the World by Oliver L Austin, junior, illustrations by Arthur Singer (Paul Hamlyn, London).
Book of the British Countryside (Drive Publications Limited).
The Book of Duck Decoys by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey (1886).
Bourne and People Associated with Bourne by John T Swift (1925).
Bourne Cricket Club 1803-1889 by Ted Elsom (Private).
Bourne: A Photographic Reminiscence (Bourne Civic Society/Bourne Camera Club).
Bourne to Essendine by John Rhodes (KMS Books, Boston).
Bourne to Saxby by John Rhodes (KMS Books, Boston).

Bourne South Fen and Thurlby Fen by W D Miles (Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board) 1976.
Britain in the Roman Empire by Joan Liversidge (Book Club Associates).
British Folk Customs by Christina Hole (Book Club Associates, London).
British Inn Signs and their stories by Eric R Delderfield (David & Charles).
B.R.M. by Raymond Mays and Peter Roberts (Cassell, London).
Building a Railway - Bourne to Saxby edited by Stewart Squires and Ken Hollamby (Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology).
The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire by Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris (Penguin Books).
A Calendar of Country Customs by Ralph Whitlock (Batsford).
Carlby then and now - the story of a village by Ian Dair (community publication).
Chambers Biographical Dictionary (W & R Chambers, Edinburgh).
Church and Society in Mediaeval Lincolnshire by Dorothy M Owen ((History of Lincolnshire Committee).
Collins Guide to the Countryside in Winter, It's Animals and Plants by Alastair Fitter & Richard Fitter (Collins).
The Concise Encyclopedia of Crime and Criminals edited by Sir Harold Scott (Rainbird, McLean Ltd 1961).
Concise Field Guide: Animals & Plants of Britain and Europe (Kingfisher).
A Concise History of Costume by James Laver (Book Club Associates, London).
The Country Book of the Year by Dennis L Furnell (David & Charles).
The County Families of the United Kingdom by E Walford MA (Chatto & Windus 1886).
Crime and Criminals in Victorian Lincolnshire by Adrian Gray (Paul Watkins, Stamford).
The Delaine of Bourne 1890-1982 by A L Baker (Delaine Coaches Ltd 1982).
A Dictionary of British History edited by J K Kenyon (Laurance Urdang Associates Ltd).
A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names by Kenneth Cameron (The English Place-Name Society).
Domesday Book which relates to Lincolnshire and Rutlandshire by Charles Gowen Smith (Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London, 1870).
The Domesday Book - England's Heritage, Then and Now (Guild Publishing London).
English Gothic Architecture by P H Ditchfield MA (J M Dent & Co).
A Companion to the English Parish Church by Stephen Friar (Sutton Publishing Ltd 1996).
The Everyman Dictionary of Religion & Philosophy by Geddes MacGregor (J M Dent & Sons Ltd).
Fairs and Revels by Brian Jewell (Midas Books).
The Fenland by A K Parker & D Pye (David & Charles).
A Fenland Landscape Glossary for Lincolnshire by Hilary Healey (Lincolnshire Books, Lincolnshire County Council).
The Fens by Alan Bloom (William Clowes and Sons, Limited).
A Farm Dictionary compiled by D H Chapman (Evans Bros Ltd London).
The Field Guide: A Farmland Companion by John Woodward & Peter Luff (Blandford Press).
Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain & Northern Europe (Kingfisher).
Folkingham - A Walk-Round Guide to church and village revised by Eric Bradley (May 1985).
Forward with Christ - The Story of the Bourne Methodist Circuit (1801-1995) by Gerry Burrows.
From Bridge to Boundary (Deeping St James Family & Local History Group 2003).
General View of the Agriculture of the County of Lincoln by Arthur Young (1799).
Grantham, Bourne & Lincolnshire (W T Pike & Co., Brighton 1910).
A Guide to the Fens and Fenland Churches including Marshland by Trevor A Bevis (Sharman and Co Ltd).
The Gunpowder Plot by Alan Haynes (Sutton Publishing).
Haunted Britain by Antony D Hippisley Coxe (Book Club Associates, London).
Hedgerows and Verges by W H Dowdeswell (Allen & Unwin, London).
Hereward by Victor Head (Alan Sutton Publishing Limited 1995).
Highways & Byways in Lincolnshire by Willingham Franklin Rawnsley (Macmillan and Co. Ltd., London).
Historic Bourne by Joseph J Davies (William Pearce, North Street, Bourne, 1909).
Historic Pictures of Bourne, Lincolnshire compiled by Michael McGregor (Private).
A History of Bourne by J D Birkbeck (Lanes, Abbey Road, Bourne). 
A History of Bourne Grammar School by J D Birkbeck MA ( E Fytche & Co., Bourne).
History of Bourne Players 1959 to 1989 compiled by Mary Wand. Beth Panter, Olive Scotney and Raymond Wiffen (Bourne 1994).
The History of Castle Bytham (update 2000) by Richard Foers MBE., JP (Castle Bytham Parish Council).
History of the Deepings by F A Day (Warners Midlands Ltd, Bourne).
A History of the Fens of South Lincolnshire by William Henry Wheeler (1868, reprinted Paul Watkins, Stamford 1990).
A History of Lincolnshire by Stewart Bennett (The Darwen County History Series, Phillimore).
How to look at old churches by H Spencer Stowell (Methuen & Co Ltd).
The Hutchinson Encyclopedia 10th Edition (Helicon Publishing Ltd).
The Illustrated Dictionary of British Heritage (Market House Books Ltd).
In the Name of Liberalism by Professor Desmond King (Oxford University Press).
John Thorpe's Designs for Dowsby Hall and the Red Hall, Bourne by David L Roberts.
Joy for Living, the autobiography of Joy Richardson, 1996.
Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire for 1876, 1885, 1904, 1913 & 1937.
The King's England: Lincolnshire edited by Arthur Mee (Hodder and Stoughton).
Land and People in Mediaeval Lincolnshire by Graham Platts (The History of Lincolnshire Committee).
Legends of the Fenland People by Christopher Marlowe MA (Cecil Palmer, Chandos Street, London).

The Life of an 18th Century Schoolmaster in Lincolnshire transcribed by Geoffrey Lee (printed and published by Geoffrey Lee)
Lincoln Cathedral: A History of the Bells, Bellringing and Bellringers (1987, 2000) by Dr J R Ketteringham.
Lincolnshire by David Kaye (Shire Publications Ltd).
Lincolnshire Churches Revisited by Henry Thorold (Michael Russell Publishing Ltd).
Lincolnshire Dialects by G Edward Campion (Richard Kay, Boston, Lincs).
Lincolnshire and the Fens by M W Barley (Batsford).
Lincolnshire History and Archaeology Vol 8 1973 (Lincolnshire Local History Society).
Lincolnshire Life magazines - various issues 1964-1988.
Lincolnshire - A Shell Guide by Henry Thorold and Jack Yates (Faber & Faber).
Lincolnshire Railways by Stewart Squires (Lincolnshire Books).
A Lincolnshire Village - The parish of Corby Glen in its historical context by David L A Steel (Longman).
Lincolnshire Within Living Memory (Lincolnshire Federations of Women's Institutes 1995).
Lincolnshire Windmills - A contemporary survey (1986). by Peter Dolman (Lincolnshire County Council).
Lincolnshire Free Press - 1988-1991.
The Local newspaper, Bourne, 1989-2007.
Lord Willoughby's Railway - The Edenham Branch by R E Pearson & J G Ruddock (Willoughby Memorial Trust).
Lost Lincolnshire Country Houses (Volume 5) by Robert Pacey (Old Chapel Lane Books, Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire).

Methodist Memories by H A Sneath (privately published circa 1930).
A Modern Herbal by Mrs M Grieve, edited and introduced by Mrs C F Leyel (Jonathan Cape).
Morris & Co's Commercial Directory and Gazetteer of Lincolnshire 1863.
Morton & Hanthorpe - A Picture History Through the Years by Brian Lawrance (B Lawrance).
Moths of the United Kingdom (Internet web site).
Nature Through the Seasons by Peter A Gerrard (Midas Books).
The New Shell Guide to England (Book Club Associates).
The Observer's Book of Old English Churches by Lawrence E Jones (Frederick Warne & Co Ltd).
Official Guide to Bourne, Lincolnshire, for 1969 (Bourne Urban District Council).
The Parish Churches of Mediaeval England by Colin Platt (Chancellor Press 1981).
The Parish Registers of Bourne 1562-1650 (The Lincoln Record Society).
The Parts of Kesteven by Joan Varley (Kesteven County Council 1974).
Pears Cyclopaedia 2000-20001 (Penguin Books).
Pigot's Directory of Lincolnshire for 1835.
A Portrait of West Deeping - A Lincolnshire village by Virginia Diane Hall.
The Railway Navvies by Terry Coleman (Book Club Associates).
Raymond Mays of Bourne by Michael McGregor (M McGregor).
The Reader's Encyclopedia by William Rose Benét (Book Club Associates).
Reflections of Bourne (video). - A second Documentary Film of Bourne produced and directed by Jeremy Perkins (Eastgate Productions 1997).
Rippingale Village compiled by Rosetta Atkinson & Pat Cottam (Spiegl Press, Stamford).
Roman Lincolnshire by J B Whitwell (History of Lincolnshire Committee).
Rural Society and County Government in Nineteenth Century Lincolnshire by R J Olney (History of Lincolnshire Committee).
The Seasons by Ralph Wightman (The Country Book Club).
A Short History of Lincolnshire by Charles Brears (A Brown & Sons Ltd., London) 1927.
Short Walks from Lincolnshire Pubs by Brett Collier (Countryside Books, Newbury, Berks).
So a Church was Born - The Story of Bourne Baptist Church 1645-1995 (Bourne Baptist Church).
South Kesteven on old picture postcards compiled by Andrew Jenkins (Reflections of a Bygone Age, Keyworth, Nottingham).
Seven Generations of a Family Business - The Story of Wherry & Sons Ltd by Nigel Watson (St Matthew's Press 2009).
Split Seconds - My Racing Years by Raymond Mays (G T Foulis & Co Ltd, London).
Stamford Mercury - various issues 1800 onwards.
Thomas and William Deacon - General Baptists in Queensland by David Parker (Brisbane Historical Society of Queensland 1998).

Toft House, Toft - family home 1913-1974 by Doris Wallis-Maynard (private).
Tudor Lincolnshire by Gerald A J Hodgett (History of Lincolnshire Committee 1975).
The Victorian and Edwardian Army from old photographs by John Fabb & W Y Carman (Purnell Book Services Ltd by arrangement with B T Batsford Ltd).
A Walk Around Bourne (Bourne Civic Society), original edition (1984) and the revised edition (August 2001).
A Walk Round Guide to the Abbey Church of St Peter & St Paul, Bourne by Jonathan P Smith.
Walks Through Four Counties written and illustrated by Martin Smith (Stamford, Paul Watkins).
White's History, Gazetteer & Directory of Lincolnshire for 1842 & 1856.
Wrought Iron by Richard Hayman (Shire Publications).
A Year in the Countryside by Ron Wilson (Artworks Publishing).