The Crimean War

1854-56

The jingoism that accompanied the departure of those who volunteered for military service in the conflicts of later years, the Boer War and the Great War for instance, was notably absent at the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854. Patriotism was equally prevalent throughout the country but this became manifest in financial aid rather than a call to arms.

The war between Russia and the allied powers of England, France, Turkey and Sardinia, arose from British and French mistrust of Russia’s ambitions in the Balkans and is best remembered for the events it inspired rather than the objectives it achieved. The battles of Alma and Balaclava, including the Charge of the Light Brigade, and Inkerman in 1854, led to a siege which lasted for a year until September 1855. The conflict ended with the Treaty of Paris in March 1856 but there had been a huge death toll of some 45,000 British, 180,000 French and 450,000 Russians, mainly attributable to disease and deprivation. The scandal surrounding the appalling conditions which caused the French and British losses led to the organisation of proper military nursing services by Florence Nightingale.

A Royal Commission was set up to inquire into the sufferings of the sick and wounded and a Patriotic Fund was opened on 13th October 1854 to provide financial help for the families of the dead and comforts for the troops still out there. Money flowed in as towns and villages throughout the country contributed.

Many soldiers from Bourne who were already serving in the army had been sent to the Crimea but civilian help for the war effort was directed towards the fund and a supply of linen and bandages weighing 2 cwt. was collected in the town and district and sent off to the Secretary of State for onward shipment to the war zone. Cash was a more convenient way of contributing and the Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 15th December:

The Patriotic Fund: The inhabitants of Bourn, though rather late in the field, have entered very spiritedly into the merits of this excellent fund. On Tuesday evening last, a public meeting was held in the Town Hall under the presidency of the Vicar [the Rev Joseph Dodworth]. Resolutions were unanimously passed expressive of the highest admiration of the courage displayed by our armies during the present war and deep sympathy for the bereaved at home; and looking upon it as both a duty and a privilege to assist in providing for those who shall be wounded as well as for the widows and orphans of those who may fall, the gentlemen assembled, though not numerous, pledged themselves to use their utmost exertions to forward the object of the Royal Commission. A subscription was immediately commenced, the parish was divided into districts, and a house-to-house collection agreed upon, to be made by a committee. The following sums were subscribed at the meeting: the Vicar £3, Mrs Dodsworth £2, Mr R N Munton £5 (who also forwarded £5 to the fund when it first opened), Mrs Munton £5, Mr Thomas Osborn £5, Mr Thomas Presgrave £5, the Stamford, Spalding and Boston Banking Company £10, Mr Thomas Pilkington £5, Mr Robert Mawby £5, and other sums making a total of £111 0s. 6d. Mr T T Mawby was appointed treasurer pro tem.

At a meeting of the Bourn Discussion Class, held the same evening, about a dozen young men composing that society, put down their names for £1 11s. as their subscription to the Patriotic Fund and which sum has since been increased to £2 10s.

Similar fund raising was going on in the villages around Bourne and the results were also reported by the newspaper:

It will be seen by the figures attached to the undermentioned places that the appeal to the inhabitants thereof has been liberally responded to: Creeton £5 6s. 8d.; West Deeping £16 5s.; Carlby £3 10s.; Careby £11 14s.; Holywell and Aunby £11 19s. 7d.; Dunsby £6 0s. 6d.; Wytham on the Hill £17 1s.; Haceby £4 15s.; Swayfield £6 5s. 11d.; Dowsby £15; Barholm £9 4s. 9d.; Stow £1 10.; Threekingham and Stow £7 3s.; Horbling £36 1s. 10d.; Walcot, near Folkingham £5.

There were some recruiting meetings, held mainly by the local militia, such as this at Corby Glen which was reported by the Stamford Mercury on Friday 18th May 1855:

Corby statute [fair] was held on Monday last and there was an unusual number of farmers' servants and a fair quantity of farmers, in consequence of which there was a good deal of hiring done: the wages were considered high. The day was very fine and what added more to the amusement of the "lads and lasses" was a small company of the South Lincolnshire Militia, with Captain William Parker [of Hanthorpe House], at their head; and with the fife and drum, they beat up for recruits and met with success. One gallant recruit shouted: "I will go and show them how to take 'Bastopol and the farmers may do the work themselves." It is upwards of 23 years since beating up with fife and drum took place at Corby before.

The war ended in March 1856 and towns throughout the country began planning peace celebrations. In Bourne, a public meeting was held at the Town Hall on Thursday 16th May to make arrangements but the attendance was small although a fund to meet the costs was opened and £25 raised with promises of further donations. It was agreed to give all the men in the town a dinner and a pint of beer and the women and children tea and these events were costed at £100 but further rejoicing would be limited to the amount of money raised. A committee of eight was formed under the chairmanship of the vicar, the Rev Joseph Dodsworth, with Mr James Johnson as secretary, and they planned to canvas the entire town for further subscriptions.

A further meeting was held on Monday 18th May when the peace celebrations were fixed for Thursday 29th May, to be marked by the suspension of all public business in the town from midday. The money raised by then totalled  £92 14s. 9d. and included several large individual donations from Lord Willoughby de Eresby (£5), the vicar (£4), Mr R N Munton (£4), Mr R Mawby (£4), Mr H Torkington (£4), W Parker Esq of Hanthorpe (£3), J L Ostler Esq (£2). The vicar told the meeting: "The other noblemen and gentlemen possessing a landed interest in the parish have been solicited for subscriptions but their replies have not yet been received."

The day of celebrations was subsequently reported by the Stamford Mercury on Friday 6th June:

Though the weather in the morning was dull, with slight showers and a chilly north-east wind, it did not damp the ardour of the committee in their efforts to make the celebration worthy of old "Brun". Towards noon, the weather cleared up and the afternoon and evening was fine, though rather cool. The inhabitants, the committee, and all seemed to vie with each other for the purpose of rendering the proceedings such as will not soon be forgotten in Bourn. The morning was ushered in by the joyous peals of the church bells and what with the gay display of flags, garlands and devices, and the sounds of music, old "Brun" never appeared in better humour with itself or more happy and contented with all around. To attempt a description of the decorations is quite beyond our purpose; we shall therefore sum up with the general remark that some of them were in excellent taste and that all added materially to the general effect.

Between one and two, the children assembled in the Market Place and shortly afterwards, with a band from Stamford and the Militia band, proceeded to the Wellhead field for the occasion where a variety of rustic sports were engaged in, much to the enjoyment of the juveniles and also many of the "children of a larger growth" who, in considerable numbers and for several hours, "tript it on the light fantastic toe" near a large and well-designed Maypole which had been erected in the field under the superintendence and tasteful decoration of the ladies of the town.

One thousand buns, weighing each 8 oz., were distributed amongst the children. At 4 o'clock, the women, the number of 550, sat down to tea in a large booth, erected by Messrs Hinson in the Market Place opposite the Town Hall. The large urn, which was found very useful on this occasion, is the one which was used at Stamford on the previous Tuesday, the property of Mr Cooke, of Leicester. At 6 o'clock, the men, numbering about 500,  sat down to an excellent dinner of roast and boiled beef, legs of mutton, hot plum pudding, bread and cheese, &c. Both dinner and tea were suitably managed. In most respects, the arrangements seemed perfect and in a short space of time from the commencement each plate was served, between 500 and 600 men were simultaneously feasting without inconvenience.

The vicar proposed the health of "The Queen" which was heartily responded to by three cheers from the men, all upstanding, followed by the health of "The Working Classes", proposed by Mr G F Nicholls. After dinner, the procession formed in the Market Place at half past 7 o'clock and proceeded to the end of North Street, thence back into the Market Place, along West Street and Star Lane, over the Queen's Bridge, up the Austerby, along South Street to the Wellhead field. At the close of the procession, more rustic sports and dancing upon the green followed. At half past 9, the fireworks commenced and lasted about an hour and one quarter. In the meantime, the tables had been removed from the booth where dancing was introduced and kept up until 1 o'clock the following morning. A pleasing effect was produced by the illuminations in the Market Place of the several tradesmen in the shape of crowns, stars, transparent mottoes, &c, the most brilliant being that of Mr H Osborn, ironmonger. The gross amount of subscriptions received was £112 18s. 9d., the principal donations being £10 from Lord Aveland, £5 from the Marquis of Exeter, £5 from Lord Willoughby de Eresby, £4 from the Rev Joseph Dodsworth, £4 from Mr R N Munton, £4 from Mr R Mawby, £4 from Mr H Torkington, £3 from W Parker Esq, £2 from J L Ostler Esq and £2 from the principal parishioners. The inmates of the Bourn Union were regaled with a similar sumptuous feast by the Guardians on the same day. The next day, the remaining provisions were converted into soup, in a copper lent by Messrs Hester and Hill, and about 80 gallons were distributed to the sick, infirm, and poor at large.