Arthur Eatch (1877-1959)

BORN in Newark Arthur Eatch came from humble beginnings to become Mayor of Grantham, President of the Chamber of Trade and manager of Grantham Football club.

He was one of a family of 13 and he was the eldest of the nine to survive.

He was only 11 when he left school and his first job was potato picking. He then became errand boy to a clothier then at 15 took an apprenticeship as a builder.

He moved to Grantham in 1904 as foreman bricklayer for builder Fred Read. He stayed there for 10 years before creating his own company in his name which continued long after his death.

He was very active in sport, especially bowls and football.

He was responsible for taking Grantham FC from the Central Alliance, which had just collapsed, to the prestigious Midland League.

In 1925-26 the previous committee had just resigned en bloc and Coun Eatch had just four days to negotiate.

He became manager and promising players he signed for nothing were sold to clubs including Blackpool, Sunderland, Wolves, Hull City and Notts County.

In one season he made the club £1,000 profit with such deals, an astonishing amount in those days. He also built the club’s first stand.

He was on the management of the Midland League and helped to form the Hospitals Cup.

He had also reformed the Grantham Referees Association and was himself a Central Alliance referee.
A major trophy he presented for bowls still bears his name. He was president of Grantham Bowling Club for several years and represented the county.

He became a councillor in 1925, serving Somerby Ward for 26 years, and from 1935-37 was the Mayor. During this time many new major engineering companies were introduced to the town.

And it was a time when most of the work was done by the councillors themselves, not officers.
Yet he still had time to run one of the town’s major building firms.