Ray Michelson (1934-2010) GRANTHAM businessman Ray Michelson was a tireless charity campaigner for Help the Aged. Born in Leicestershire, he was brought up in Ropsley. After leaving school. he worked in a variety of roles for Chandler’s Oil and Gas, Co-op Insurance and builders merchants Jackson Shipley. He later set up in business as a […]
Hardy, Joan
Joan Hardy (1922-2013) JOAN Marguerite Emma Hardy, was the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Walter Meadows. She attended St Anne’s School in Grantham, from 1926 to 1932, followed by Spitalgate Girls’ School until 1935. In January 1942 she married Oliver Hardy a union that lasted 69 years. Her first job was as a housemaid […]
Newcome, John – Pharmacist followed in father’s footsteps
John Newcome (1871-1931) PHARMACIST John Newcome practised his art at a shop on the corner of High Street and Market Place, which a year after his death was demolished to make way for the art deco Burton’s Tailoring store. It was a family business begun in 1832 which his father had joined in 1851. John […]
Bosnell, Mike – Signed for Town after leg break
Mike Bosnell (1932 – 2013) LINCOLN-born Mike Bosnell was a popular player with the London Road fans. The former Lincoln City Reserves striker, who after breaking his leg returned to the game with Holbeach United, signed for The Gingerbreads. He first played for Grantham in the November 1954 Midland League game at London Road against […]
Willoughby, Lady Jane – a member of UK’s rich-list
Lady Jane Willoughby (b1934) NANCY Jane Marie Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, owns one of the nicest piles in the Grantham area – Grimsthorpe Castle. She is an English peeress and the daughter of the late Gilbert James Heathcote-Drummond-WIlloughby and Nancy Phyllis Louise Astor. She was a train bearer and Maid of Honour to […]
Simpson, John James – Fruity John grew much of his own
John James Simpson (1841 – 1907) JOHN Simpson was a fruiterer and greengrocer who grew much of his own produce at his market garden. He came from an old Grantham family and could name several freemen of the borough among his ancestors. He began business in Watergate in a small way, and built up his […]
Lockton, Frederick William – Fancied all kinds of birds
Frederick William Lockton, (1883-1931) FRED Lockton was well known throughout the country as a bird fancier, a specialist in British birds and hybridising. He was on the committee of Grantham Victory Cage Bird Society and was a judge at shows across the country. For 25 years he played for and on the committee of Grantham […]
Proctor, Jim – Jim just kept singing
James Proctor (1930-2012) JAMES Ivan Proctor was born in Grantham, the son of Frank and Alice Proctor, of Houghton Road. He was a keen singer and was a long-serving member of St Wulfram’s Choir and together with his brothers Stanley and Ralph were regular performers with the Grantham Operatic Society, where he consistently played the […]
Hutchinson, James – Agent to the Brownlow family
Col James Hutchinson (1844-1924) JAMES Hutchinson was born and died at Manthorpe Lodge, Manthorpe Road. The eldest son of Simon Hutchinson, he was educated at the King’s School and on leaving joined his father in Earl Brownlow’s estate office. He was appointed agent on his father’s death in 1867 – by coincidence the same day […]
Burrows, Allan – Painter became a major property developer
Allan Burrows (1930-2011) ALAN Burrows was a leading and highly regarded local businessman. Born in Great Ponton he attended the local primary school and then the Boys’ Central School, Hill Avenue, Grantham. After school he served in the RAF before returning to Great Ponton to work with his uncle as a painter and decorator. He […]
Hardy, Oliver – Grantham draper joined Army intelligence
Oliver Hardy (1920-2011) Born in Tindal Road, Grantham, Oliver Hardy was the youngest son of Caroline and Fred Hardy. He attended the National School and the Boys’ Central School, Grantham and in January 1942 married Joan Meadows. On leaving school he went to work at Arthur Chambers as a draper. He joined the Territorial […]
Dawes, Samuel – Head of teacher training college
Samuel Dawes (1915-1981) SOUTHAMPTON-born Samuel Raymond Dawes was educated at Taunton Grammar School and Southampton University where he gained a BSc in mathematics. While teaching maths at Southend-on-Sea and a Quaker school in Reading, he gained a diploma in theology and an MA in education and psychology. Armed with his new qualifications, he came Kesteven […]
Nicholl, Charles – Grantham head was Welsh international
Charles Nicholl (1870-1939) HEADTEACHER at the King’s School, Charles “Boomer” Bowen Nicholl was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and Llanelli. Nicholl played for Wales on 15occasions during the 1891 and 1896 Home Nations Championships, and was part of the historic 1893 Triple Crown winning team. Nicholl was […]
Round, John – Decorator was a charity fund raiser
John Kelvin Round, (1949-2013) BORN in Grantham, John Round attended Belton Lane Primary School and the Boys’ Central School. He met his wife, Jean, at Grantham College and they married in 1975. Mr Round worked in Leicester for a while and then at Kontak Manufacturing, Grantham. He then worked for his father in the […]
Weatherhogg, William – Grantham’s last Chief Constable
William Weatherhogg (1895-1971) WILLIAM Weatherhog was Grantham’s last Chief Constable, before the borough police was merged into the Lincolnshire Constabulary 1949, after which he retired. He was born in the south of the county and was educated at Spalding Grammar School. He enlisted with the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1915 and three years later took a […]
Taylor, Pim – Spent 32 years with Grantham Town
Pim Taylor (1925-1977) LESLIE Alfred Taylor, known to all as Pim, was a local footballing legend and never was the term ‘club stalwart’ better deserved. He was a fitter at Aveling Barford, but it was on the sports fields he was best known. Born in Lincoln, he played for Lincoln City as an amateur before […]
Rickards, Trevor – The restoration man
Trevor Rickards (b1956) BORN and educated at Melton Mowbray, on leaving school at 17, he became a graduate trainee manager with supermarket giant Tesco. As part of his provisions training, he was sent to the Grantham store, which was then on St Peter’s Hill. But aged only 21 he made a career change, and began […]
Lockton, Charles – the market man
Charles Lockton (1830-1925) FRUITERER and greengrocer Charles Lockton carried out his business in in Castlegate for 70 years. He began work at Spittlegate Ironworks when he was none years old., whch was founded by Richard Hornsby. He then became a butcher in Brewery Hill, when cattle had to be collected from farms on foot. […]
Neal, Norman – Advertising manager died on active service
Norman Neal (1909-1942) CQMC Norman Percy Neal was killed on active service, the first member of the Grantham Journal staff to do so. Born in Victoria Street and then living at Gorse Rise, he volunteered to join the Army in 1940, aged 30. Educated at Spittlegate Boys and Boys Central, he was an active member […]
Ford, John James – Appointed Grantham station master aged 21
John James Ford (1846-1928) LONDON-born John James Ford joined the Great Northern Railway Company at Hatfield in 1861, and at the age of only 21 was appointed Grantham’s first station master. From there he went to King’s Cross station, where he was private secretary to Sir Henry Oakley, GNR’s general manager. He returned to Grantham […]