Francis Fane (1900 – 1947) BORN in London and brought up in Fulbeck, Francis Christopher Fane had an adventurous career. He was the second son of Col WVR King-Fane, of Fulbeck Hall . He went to sea as a midshipman while still in his teens and served in the Royal Navy in the First World […]
Hook, Ross – Rugby star became Bishop of Grantham
Ross Hook (1917-1996) ROSS Hook and Maurice Wood were the redoubtable second- row forwards in the rugby team at Ridley Hall, Cambridge in 1939. After ordination, they both went on to be RNVR chaplains, were both decorated on active service and both in due course became diocesan bishops. Hook became examining chaplain to the Bishop […]
Nixon, Ernie – Forest youth became a Grantham star
Ernie Nixon (b1947) BALDERTON-born Brian ‘Ernie’ Nixon became one of Grantham Town’s most popular forwards in the late 1960s to the mid-1970s. He had previously spent time at Nottingham Forest, (captaining their Youth side in a tour of Holland), and briefly, Lincoln City. Ernie made his Grantham debut in September 1968, a Midland League match […]
Lee, Rothwell – Brought thousands of jobs to Grantham
Rothwell Lee (1881-1963) ROTHWELL Lee was the grandson of the founder of John Lee and Son (Grantham) Ltd and continued to run the family business. The company was in recycling and is especially remembered for rabbit skins, which were left to dry in the open windows alongside Hands Yard, a path from St Peter’s Hill […]
Ryder, Dudley – Many Grantham streets named after him and his family
Dudley Ryder (1798-1882) DUDLEY Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby KG, PC, FRS (styled Viscount Sandon between 1809 and 1847), was a British politician. He held office under Lord Palmerston as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1855 and as Lord Privy Seal between 1855 and 1857. Ryder was born in London, the son of […]
Wyndham, Reginald – Had a Grantham park named after him
Capt Reginald Wyndham (1876-1914) CAPTAIN the Hon William Reginald Wyndham was the eldest son of Henry Wyndham, the 2nd Lord Leconfield and Lady Constance Evelyn Primrose. He was born at Petworth, Sussex. He served in the South African (Boer) War receiving the Queen’s medal with three clasps. He retired from the Army in 1903 owing […]
Winter, Helen – The golden voice from a musical family
Helen Winter (b1976) HELEN Winter was born in Grantham, the daughter of church organist and music teacher Geoff Winter and his musician wife Cecilia. She took lessons in piano, violin, clarinet and recorder as well as singing. Aged only six, she debuted in Grantham Operatic Society’s The Sound of Music while still at the National […]
Little, John – Local footballer inspired many a Meccano mechanic
John Little (1932 – ) BORN at Swindon, John Little’s father was training to be a pilot at RAF Spitalgate where he met and married a local girl. But a year after John’s birth, his father was killed when his Bulldog crashed on Salisbury Plain. Mother and baby returned to Grantham, where she met Harold […]
More, Blessed Hugh – Grantham martyr had school named after him
HUGH More was the son of Grantham landowner and devout protestant Richard More. It is likely that he was born ar Orange Tree House, St Peter’s Hill, the birthplace of his posthumous uncled, Henry More. His father owned the Manors of Earl’s Fields, Walton & Houghton, and Spittlegate together with lands in Lincolnshire, Rutland, Staffordshire, […]
Audus, Agnes – Mayoress worked hard for waifs and strays
Agnes Audus (1911-1999) AGNES Audus moved to Grantham from Yorkshire with her husband Leonard in 1942 when he was appointed secretary and general manager of Grantham Co-operative Society. They soon became well established in the town. When Agnes and Leonard became Mayor and Mayoress in 1954, Agnes was approached to form a fund raising committee for […]
Cunningham, George – The General’s past was a mystery
George Cunningham (1919-2001) GEORGE Cunningham – known to everyone in Grantham as ‘The General’ because he often wore an Army greatcoat, was one of the town’s great characters. He was often seen on St Peter’s Hill, bottle of cider in hand pushing his bike in the other, singing, shouting, laughing and generally entertaining passers-by. His […]
Lewis, Graham – Grantham musician makes Sweden rock
Edward Graham Lewis (b1953) GRANTHAM born Edward Graham Lewis is a famous rock musician in Sweden. His father was in the RAF and posting in East Anglia provided his formative musical experience, enabling him to listen to pirate radio stations broadcasting American and homegrown rock. His first instrument was a bass assembled by a local […]
Ind, Bill – Bishop Bill was a keen cricketer
Steptoe, Nick – local sportsman played for Town
Nick Steptoe (1962-2008) ROPSLEY born Nicholas Steptoe, went to the village school, until his family moved to Grantham when he switched to Earlesfield County Primary, followed by St Hugh’s. He studied his bricklaying City & Guilds at both Grantham and Lincoln colleges, as an apprentice with local builders Fosters. After a spell at Ken Greasley’s, […]
Imber, Howard – Wrote for many top comedians
Howard Imber (1931-2014) A CAREER as a comedy scriptwriter allowed Howard Imber to rub shoulders with TV superstars like Chris Tarrant, Lenny Henry and Bob Monkhouse. Born at Manthorpe Road, overlooking Wyndham Park, he went to Brownlow, Harrowby Infants and Little Gonerby before going to King’s School. He became a quantity surveyor, first with the […]
Nixon, Jon – Town manager got into a ‘winning rut’
Jon Nixon (b1948) BORN at Ilkeston, Jonathan Nixon began his footballing career at Derby County and Ilkeston Town, before scoring 65 times in a total of 420 appearances for Notts County. He joined Peterborough United, where he scored the winning goal in the FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest that sent The Posh to Old […]
Whitaker, William – Tailor was an Oddfellow for half-a-century
William Whitaker (1830-1914) BORN in Leeds, 15-year-old William Whitaker came to Grantham as an apprentice to tailor George Gibbon in 1845. In 1869, on the death of Mr Gibbons, William took over the business and gave his name to it until his retirement in 1904 when his son Frederick took over. Aged 20, he volunteered […]
Cecil, William – King School old boy was a fan of Queen
SIR William Cecil was born in Bourne, in 1520, the only son of Richard Cecil, owner of the Burghley estate (near Stamford), and his wife, Jane (nee Heckington). William was educated first at The King’s School, Grantham, then at Stamford School, which he later saved and endowed. In May 1535, at the age of fourteen, […]
Dawson, Ivan – Grantham Mayor died on Germany visit
Ivan Dawson (1930-1985) IVAN Dawson was a Labour councillor and one of the founders of Grantham Twinning Association. And it was on a visit to twin Town Sankt Augustin – where he was an honorary citizen – that he had a heart attack and died in a German hospital. First elected as a borough councillor […]
Bundrick, Rabbit – Grantham was rock star’s country retreat
John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick (b1948) JOHN Douglas “Rabbit” Bundrick, born in Houston, Texas, is an American rock keyboardist, pianist and organist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roger Waters, Free and Crawler. Bundrick is noted as the principal musician for […]