Elizabeth Charlotte Gaskell (b1992) Singer and roller derby doyen Lily Gaskell went to Stepping Stones Nursery, Harrowby Infants, National Junior School and KGGS. She had a brief stint as the goalkeeper for the Grantham Gingerbreads under 11s girls team but that was her only enjoyment with sports until she found roller derby at 19. She had some […]
Well done County Highways
Tollerton, George – Grantham’s own ventriloquist
George Christopher Tollerton (1899-1966) George Christopher TOLLERTON was born at 66 Brewery Hill, Grantham in August 1899 to Henry and Emma Tollerton (nee Batty). He was baptised at St John’s Church on 27th August 1899. George’s Father Henry was an upholsterer, possibly working for John Hall and Son in Market Place. Like all his family […]
Isaac, Anthony – Composer, arranger and conductor
Anthony ‘Spike’ Isaac (1941-1985) Anthony Philip Isaac was born in January 1941 in Wakefield to Philip George Isaac and Gwyneth Ellis. He was a pupil at Little Gonerby Infants School, followed by the National School before entering the King’s School in 1952. There he became prefect and was drum major in the CCF Band and […]
Isaac, Philip – Musician became village head
Philip George Isaac (1915-1984) Philip George Isaac was born in Grantham into a musical family and went to Kings School before training to be a teacher specialising in Music. He married Gwyneth Ellis in Wakefield, in late 1939 before joining the RAF as wireless operator in the Second World War, serving in India. He was […]
Tamblin, Joy – Station commander at RAF Spitalgate
Pamela Joy Tamblin (1926-2015) Air Commodore Pamela Joy Tamblin, was a senior officer of the Women’s Royal Air Force. She served as Director of the WRAF from 1976-80. During World War Two, Joy had joined the Army in 1943 and served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service but later transferred to the RAF. She worked at […]
Cox, Noel – An all round musician
Noel Cox OBE (1917-2005) Noel Frederick Cox, musician was born in Grantham on Christmas Day in the final year of the First World War. He was educated at King’s School Grantham and had private piano lessons before going on to the Royal Academy of Music in 1935, graduating as B.Mus., FRCO and LRAM and winning […]
Coldron, Harry – Sportsman died in second motorcycle accident
Harry Coldron (1920-1954) HARRY Coldron was born in Grantham and was a pupil at the Boys National School. He joined Aveling-Barford, until joining the Navy in March 1939. When war broke out later that year he was drafted overseas, engaged in submarine chasing and convoy work. He attained the rank of petty officer stoker mechanic, […]
Chappell, Zac – Young cricketer with a promising future
Zac Chappell (b1996) Grantham-born Zak Chappell was part of Leicestershire Cricket Club’s Academy and has signed a two-year contract at Grace Road in 2014. He is a tall, quick seamer who also has the ability to strike the ball very cleanly. Chappell received an excellent cricketing education at Stamford School, where he worked alongside former […]
Raymonde, Roy – Noted for his work in Punch and Playboy
Raymonde, Roy (1929-2009) Roy Raymonde was an award-winning cartoonist, advertising artist and illustrator whose work appeared regularly in Punch, Playboy, the Sunday Telegraph and other publications for more than half a century. He was born on Boxing Day 1929 in Grantham, son of Barry Raymonde, an advertising agent and theatrical impresario, and Juliana Patricia Quinn. […]
Sharpe, William – Union secretary was Grantham Mayor
Ald William Edward Sharpe (1879-1943) Alderman Sharpe was born at Brothertoft, near Boston, and was taken to live at Nottingham when he was only two years old. He was educated at the Scotholme School, and won a four-year scholarship at Nottingham Municipal School of Art. Later he was apprenticed as a fitter with Cropper, Charlton […]
Maxon, Keith – ‘Allo ‘Allo: Grantham man married LeBonk
Keith Maxon (b c1943) FORMER Grantham rock musician Keith Maxon hit the headlines when he married actress Sue Hodge best known as Mimi LeBonk in award-winning TV sitcom ‘Allo, ‘Allo! at Burton, near Lincoln. The reception at the Wig and Mitre pub, Lincoln, was packed with celebrities including Emmerdale villain Christopher Chittell, ‘Allo, ‘Allo!’s Gorden […]
Knott, Raymond – Plane crashed into American lake
Raymond Laurence Knott (1925 – 1944) BORN at Walton Gardens, Grantham, and educated at Grantham King’s School, Sub-lieutenant Raymond Knott died during a training flight in the USA during the Second World War. He was a member of the Grantham ATC – one of the first in the country – and gained a first-class cadet […]
Support Grantham business
Hill, Dame Felicity – was commander at RAF Spitalgate
Dame Felicity Hill (B1915) Dame Felicity Hill joined the 1,734 strong WAAF at Farnborough aerodrome in 1939. The Navy were unable to process her application fast enough so she joined the RAF along with her friends. She was lucky that the man in charge of height measuring was sympathetic because Dame Felicity was half an […]
Lovelock, Reg – awarded MBE for services to community
Reginald Frank Lovelock (1925-2016) Aged 19, Mr Lovelock contracted polio and lost the use of his right arm. Having taught himself to write left handed he went on to have a highly successful career in local government culminating in being appointed Director of Finance of North Kesteven District Council in 1973, a post he held […]
Baker, Kenny – Top trumpeter stationed at Grantham
Kenny Baker (1921-1999) Withernsea-born, Kenny Baker was an accomplished player of jazz trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn, and a composer. Baker joined a brass band and by the age of 17 and had already become a professional musician. After leaving Yorkshire’s East Riding, for London, he met and began performing with the already well-known jazz musician […]
Walker, William – King’s head was a stickler for grammar
William Walker (1623-1684) A schoolmaster and author, William Walker was born in Lincoln and educated at the public school there. He proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his degree. He taught for some time at a private school at Fiskerton, was headmaster of Louth grammar school, and subsequently of Grantham Kings school, where […]
Tuck, Robert – Ace pilot liked a pint while training at Grantham
Roland Robert Stanford Tuck DSO, DFC & Two Bars, AFC (1916-1987) Wing Commander Roland Robert Stanford Tuck was a British fighter pilot and test pilot. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1935 where he trained with the Grantham Flying Training School at RAF Spitalgate. He enjoyed a pint and with his colleague ‘Sailor’ Malan […]
Malan, Adolph ‘Sailor’ – Air ace learned to fly at Grantham
Adolph Gysbert ‘Sailor’ Malan DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar (1910-1963) BETTER known as Sailor Malan, Adolph Gysbert Malan, was a South African fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force who led No. 74 Squadron RAF during the height of the Battle of Britain. Malan was known for sending German bomber pilots home with dead […]