YOU WILL REALISE HOW LITTLE YOU KNEW ABOUT
 THE TOWN UNTIL READING . . .

Greatly revised and extended for 2015
Two million words of text and 6,000 photographs

"A modern Domesday Book of Bourne"
- Councillor Terl Bryant, chairman of South Kesteven District Council 2002-03.

"An astonishing and impressive work. A masterpiece." 
- Christian Worth, great great grandson of Charles Worth.

"This is perhaps the shape of local history records to come. It is certainly the
first effort I have seen at recording the history of a place in words and
pictures on a CD. The result here is so fantastically good that it is hard
to believe that any similar attempt for other places could be its superior."
- Raymond Carroll, Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, Spring 2006

A PORTRAIT OF BOURNE is available on CD-ROM, containing some 6,000 photographs and almost two million words of text, telling the history of the Lincolnshire market town and its people from the earliest times to the present day with descriptions of its world famous water supply, all listed buildings, the railways, road transport, public services, the role of the town council and other organisations and services, schools, churches and hospitals, and the various industries that sprang up over the centuries. It also contains 300 biographies and pen portraits of people connected with the town and the names of many more people who have played their part in various events. This is the largest archive of historical material from Bourne ever produced and is a must for all who are interested in the town.
The CD-ROM has been compiled in conjunction with this web site but contains a far greater wealth of detail and more photographs on all subjects than can be found here. This has become such a large undertaking that an alphabetical index has been added to the disc to make searching simpler.

These are some of the many subjects you will find in  A PORTRAIT OF BOURNE
The influence of the Romans and the Danes, the Black Death and its effects The coming of the Normans and the building of the abbey Bourne's entry in the Domesday Book of 1086 Domesday Bourne and beyond - how the town developed The Bourne Eau and St Peter's Pool The source of Bourne's water and its health-giving properties Population trends since 1380 and derivations of all street names The great fire of 1605 and subsequent disasters by earthquake, fire and flood
Why and when Bourn became Bourne Bourne from the air - stunning photographs Bourne United Charities & Len Pick Trust A history of the Bourne potteries Trades and occupations in past times Some early shops and trade advertisements Bourne's old water mills The Klondyke horse sanctuary A history of Bourne workhouse	Crime and punishment down the ages Transportation to the colonies The smallpox outbreak of 1893 A history of the Old Grammar School The theatre in Bourne The Emma Searson mystery Bourne's water cress industry How the Corn Exchange came to be built Vandalism, litter and graffiti
A history of Bourne written in 1809 and various descriptions of Bourne from 1835 onwards The earliest known view of Bourne showing North Street in 1790 Bourne's Conservation Area and listed buildings - all 71 are photographed and described A history of the Abbey Church, the churchyard, the organ and bells Bourne Castle - an appraisal of its existence and those who are reputed to have lived there The development of agriculture in the Bourne area from Roman times to the present day The drainage of the fens around Bourne A history of the aerated water industry, Bourne's water supply and its use by local brewers The story of Grimsthorpe Castle and the Willoughby family Christmas celebrations in Bourne - past and present Early days on the road - the turnpikes, stagecoaches and carriage wagons The Red Hall - a pictorial history and an account of its place in the heritage of this town Guy Fawkes and the Red Hall - dispelling the myth of the Gunpowder Plot First citizens of Bourne since 1899 from the first urban council chairman to the current mayor Past incumbents of the Abbey Church from the 12th century to the present day Bourne of yesteryear - a large collection of old photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries Memories of a Bourne childhood 1895-1908 The Cliffe shop fire (1898) and Meadowgate fire (1922) A history and photographic record of the Hereward Labour Camp & Approved School The Butterfield - a cottage hospital for the people of Bourne The opening of the Bourne Institute in West Street Bourne's lost cottages - picturesque old dwellings that have now been demolished How the Darby and Joan Club came to be built - one woman's vision The Hereward Lodge of Freemasons (1868) The story of Charles Worth and the Charles Worth Gallery The story of Raymond Mays and the BRM Prince Bira of Siam and his connection with Bourne A pictorial history of the old Tudor Cinema in North Street, now a Chinese restaurant Bourne's fire brigade - a history with photographs from the 19th century The police presence in Bourne since the early 19th century - with photographs Crime and punishment - law and order - transportation to the colonies The coming of the railway to Bourne and its subsequent closure - with photographs The Mallard steam locomotive record of 1938 with pictures An illustrated history of the Jubilee Garage Sanitation in Bourne 100 years ago - a shock report on conditions from 1907 Opium addiction in the Bourne area during the 19th century Bourne Wood - a history with photographs through the seasons This mortal coil - sudden and bizarre deaths in the Bourne area Strange but true - unusual tales from town and around Ran-tanning or punishment by the mob Penny readings and other entertainments from past times The evils of drink - a history of the temperance movement in Bourne The Angel Hotel, its history and some of its colourful landlords Public houses, inns, taverns and beer houses over the years Bourne Town Band - the high and low notes of its existence Royal occasions and cause for celebration Histories of the Heritage Centre, the Charles Worth Gallery and Raymond Mays Memorial Room The origins of Civic Sunday and the Civic Ball A history of twinning with Doudeville in France Histories of various sporting organisations including Bourne Cricket Club, Bourne Tennis Club,     Bourne Town Football Club, Bourne Rugby Union Football Club, Bourne Town Bowls Club, Bourne     Cycling Club, Bourne Angling Club, Bourne Hockey Club and Bourne Golf Club
Bourne at war
The English Civil War of 1642-49 The Napoleonic Wars of 1803-15 Lincolnshire Militia Lists for Bourne - 1824 Letters from the front written by Bourne soldiers serving in the Boer War of 1899-1902 The Great War of 1914-18 when Bourne received more than 900 wounded soldiers who were      treated at a temporary military hospital Letters from the trenches written by Bourne soldiers serving in the Great War The Second World War of 1939-45 The War Memorial - a pictorial history together with the names of all who gave their lives The Drill Hall in North Street, home of the Volunteers who preceded the Territorial Army The Hull evacuees - 900 children given a safe haven
The Arnhem connection 1943-44 The Eastgate plane crash in 1941 The Home Guard 1939-45 The Girls' Training Corps 1943-45 HMS Beryl and HMS Polyanthus	The Civil Defence Corps The Royal Observer Corps The Royal British Legion The Women's Royal Voluntary Service Street parties in 1945
The Bourne Chronicle - significant dates and events through the centuries The Bourne Diary - over 800 entries from November 1998 to 2013
Extracts and Bourne names from The Universal British Directory for 1793-98 Pigot's Directory for Lincolnshire 1835     Slater's Directory of Lincolnshire 1850 Kelly's Lincolnshire Directories for 1876, 1900, 1905, 1922, 1933 & 1937   White's Lincolnshire Directories for 1826, 1842, 1856, 1882 & 1892
ALSO Street maps, aerial photographs, social commentaries - all you will ever want to know about Bourne PLUS pictorial histories of 60 surrounding villages and illustrated accounts of Braceborough Spa     Folkingham House of Correction     Greatford Hall     Grimsthorpe Castle     Hanthorpe House     Shillingthorpe Hall     Stow Green Fair
For a list of biographies on the CD see Prominent People
A VERITABLE MINE OF INFORMATION UNSURPASSED IN LOCAL HISTORY

 

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