DUNSBY IN PAST TIMES

Postcard views of the church and Dunsby
corner (below) from circa 1905.

Two postcard photographs of the village from 1910 showing the church (above) and the main street (below).

A picture postcard of Dunsby Hall taken by William Redshaw circa 1910 (above) and a farm labourer and wagon employed by the farming family
of A W Dean and Sons, of Dunsby Hall, pictured circa 1930.

The main road through Dunsby from a picture postcard
published circa 1960.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

On Wednesday, an inquisition [inquest] was taken before Mr Cooper of Sleaford on the body of Francis Cousins of Dunsby, near Bourne, who died from the wounds he received from a furious bull some time preceding. Verdict: accidental death. - news report from the Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury, 25 February 1791.

On Saturday last was interred with due solemnity the remains of Anne Duckett, widow of Dunsby, near Bourne, aged 94 years, being the sixth person only (two infants excepted) that has been buried in this parish during the space of the last six years, and whose united ages amounted to four hundred and fifty years. - news report from the Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 12th January 1816.

Mr John Dexter, a respectable cottager and freeholder, in his 67th year, was bound in holy matrimony at the village church at Dunsby, near Bourne, on Monday last to Miss Mary Smith, a blooming damsel of sweet 21. Both came from Dunsby and the service was conducted by the rector, the Rev William Waters.

And when, John’s passion fondly pressing,
He sought the matrimonial blessing.

The language of love, so much talked of by the poets, prevailed against every remonstrance of friends and even the rage and fury of relations. The happy swain had conquest in his cheeks and will love, cherish, honour and obey. Hand in hand the couple blithely proceeded to the adjoining village of Rippingale where the festive board groaned with the weight of the feast and it also being the annual feast day of the parish, the tabor struck up and the village was gay. Rural sports were the order of the day and the merry dance and sparkling glass went round till night was at odds with morning and the groom, having taken sufficient of the cheer-upping cup, the happy couple retired and after throwing the stocking, the jolly swain was left wrapt in the arms of Morpheus to enjoy (what he most needed), nature’s sweet restorer, balmy sleep.
– news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 4th July 1823.

PHOTO ALBUM

The National School with a house for the teacher was built at Dunsby in 1855 providing room for 50 boys and girls although the average attendance was only 29. The school continued in use until the 1970s when it closed during a reorganisation of education in the county and the building has since been converted into a private residence.

Near to the church in a semi-circular stone niche is the village contribution to the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, a public seat, probably made by the local blacksmith with the wrought iron inscription E R 1977 worked into the back. 

The villages of South Lincolnshire are full of attractive cottages that have retained their old world charm such as here at Dunsby, just off the main A15 north of Bourne in an area that attracts many Sunday drivers out with their cameras ready to capture a shot of an England long gone.