David Layne (b1944) Great Gonerby-born David Layne was educated at Spittlegate Infants School, then Spittlegate Primary at Stonebridge House. After that he was educated privately. Aged 21, he decided to emigrate to Dayton, Ohio, in the United States. At that time (1966) the economy locally was poor and he was, to say the least, “restless!” […]
Asher, Percy – Porter’s son became a top academic
Percy Asher (1900-1966) BORN in Rutland Street, the son of a railway porter, Percy attended St Anne’s and Boy’s Central schools. He left school at the age of 14 and worked in Hornsby’s offices until 1926 when, after attending a number of WEA courses, he undertook a three-year degree course in economics at University […]
Darmon, Hazel – Shared the duties as Mayoress
Hazel Darmon (1936-2013) BORN in Great Ponton, Hazel Patricia Stella was an only child. Her family moved to Little Ponton when she was two years old and she attended Little Ponton Primary School. She was a member of the church choir and taught at the Sunday School for nine years. After leaving the Girls’ Central […]
Hawkins, John – Shoemaker was an avid collector
Kerr, David ‘Jock’ – Grantham Mayor who saved many lives
Jock Kerr (B1943) David ‘Jock’ Kerr’s early life was spent in a Glasgow orphanage. He began work in a nut and bolt factory in a Clyde shipyard, and over a sandwich during one lunch break he met Moira Craig, who turned out to be his sister. He began his health service career as a 14-year-old helping […]
Parkinson, Ann – First woman to die under anaesthetic
Ann Parkinson (C1820-1847) ANN Parkinson, of Spittlegate, hit the headlines and gets a mention in the medical annuls for all the wrong reasons. The wife of a gentlemen’s hairdresser, she was the first woman to die under anaesthetic, in her case ether. Ann had been put to sleep before an operation to have a tumour […]
Poole Berry, Harry – Doctor died of overwork
Harry Poole Berry, (1859 – 1922) Dr Harry Poole Berry MRCS, MB (London) was the son of GP Dr H P Berry of Bayswater, London. After qualifying at Guy’s Hospital, he came to Grantham in 1885, taking over the retiring Dr Frederick Newcombe’s practice. Three years later he was appointed Medical Officer of Health for […]
Bryan, Albert – Wounded soldier died in hospital
Hawker, Denis – Grantham bishop was a former Marine
Denis Hawker (1921-2003) The Right Reverend Denis Gascoyne Hawker was the eighth Bishop of Grantham, from 1972 to 1987. Born at Lewisham, south London, he went to Addey and Stanhope Grammar School in 1939 before joining the staff of Lloyds Bank. A year later he volunteered for the Royal Marines, serving in Egypt, Crete, Ceylon and […]
Harris, Jack – Ruston’s apprentice became builders merchant
Jack Harris (1900-1979) Grantham born Charles Frederick Harris, known to everyone as Jack, started his working life as an apprentice fitter at Ruston & Hornsby. During the First World War he service in the Royal Naval Air Service on aircraft carrier HMS Royal Sovereign. On his return, he joined builders Rudd on Wharf Road and […]
Bentley-Rudd, Samuel – The man who built Grantham’s mansions
Samuel Bentley-Rudd (1840-1922) MANY of Grantham’s most prestigious houses were built by Samuel Bentley-Rudd. Their usual hallmark is a half-timbered effect, such as Welby Gate, Shirley Croft and Norman Leas. But his work was not confined to this town. He built churches in Hornsey and Gospel Oak, London, as well as in Epping, Aslockton, Llandudno, […]
Layne, Wally – Grantham draper had an incredible war
Wally Layne (1916-1995) WALTER Henry Layne (Wally to his friends) was born in Brigg. He attended Brigg Grammar School. Prior to the outbreak of war he worked with his brother-in-law Walter Forth and his sister Isabel at Hill & Co in Grantham’s Market Place. The day after the outbreak of the Second World War was […]
McIntosh, William – The man with tartan tonic
William McIntosh (b 1954) BORN in Blackburn-by-Bathgate, Glasgow, just three doors from Susan ‘Subo’ Boyle, William Dennison McIntosh went to Whitburn Academy then Falkirk Technical College to study engineering. He was apprenticed to Renton & Fisher, but one fateful day he visited friends in Grantham – and stayed. That was in 1975. After spending nine […]
Bason, James – Head of Grantham school for 17 years
James Bason (1920-2013) James William Bason was headmaster of Belton Lane Primary School for 17 years. Born in Fakenham, Norfolk, he was the son of a station master and lived in various railway towns during his childhood. He began work as a printer’s apprentice around 1935 but when war was declared he joined the Royal […]
Shelbourne, Terry – A master of his art
Terry Shelbourne (1930 – 2021) BORN in Agnes Terrace, Terence John Shelbourne has always had a flair for art. It wasn’t inherited. His father, Frederick, was an engineer at Ruston & Hornsby while his grandfather was a taxidermist (his work included two polar bears that used to be in the town museum. He first went […]
Elliott, Charles – Singer could play any stringed instrument
Charles Elliott (1852-1903) CHARLES James Elliott was in the Goods Department Grantham Station for more than 30 years, rising to the position of chief accounts clerk. Six years before his death, he was promoted to chief goods clerk the Great Northern Station in Peterborough. He had lived in Grantham most of his life before the […]
Escritt, Henry – Employer cared for his workers
Henry Escritt (1836-1913) HENRY Escritt was born at Ross-in- Holderness, Yorkshire, and was educated at Great Driffield, but played a substantial part in Victorian Grantham. Possessing the indomitable perseverance and determination to succeed of the typical Yorkshireman, he came to Grantham in 1860, described as “ robust in body, alert mind, and equipped with a […]
Garrett, George – Big George is everyone’s favourite citizen –
George Garrett (b1946) GEORGE Garret is someone virtually everyone in Grantham knows and no one has a bad word for. Born in Welby Street when it was full of terraced houses, and later moving to George Street, George caught whooping cough at an early age, and the damage it did was to affect the rest […]
Thompson, Colin – Central pupil became a Posh boy
Colin Thompson (1942 – 2020) PETER Colin Thompson was born in Mombassa, Kenya. When his family returned to England, he became a pupil at the Boys Central School, where he was captain of the school soccer team. He was also the goalkeeper. After school, he joined Grantham Colts. He scored on his Grantham Town debut […]
Baumber, Jill – GP gave Grantham precious GIFTS
Jill Baumber (1941-2008) DONCASTER-born Jill Lester came to the Grantham area in 1973 after marrying pharmacist Noel Baumber. She moved with her family to Hamburg and Bremerhaven after the end of the Second World War then settled in York, attending St Anne’s School there. She studied medicine at St Andrew’s University, becoming vice-president of the […]