Ingram, Joseph – The man who climbed St Wulfram’s

Parachute Joe (1850-1922)

‘Professor’ Joseph Ingram probably came to Grantham only once, but his visit in 1893 made a big impression.

Having a request to climb St Wulfram’s spire turned down by the vicar, Rev Glaister, he did it anyway.

With neither ladders nor scaffolding, he started at the ground, and once he reached the spire continued his 282-foot journey by way of the crockets.

Once he reached the top, he tied a handkerchief around the weathercock before making his descent.

He was born in Rutland and once caused a sensation in the Uppingham district by constructing a balloon, with which intended to make a flight, but it failed to take off. It is how he got the nickname “Parachute Joe”

A bricklayer by trade, he constructed many tall industrial chimneys and took a fancy to climbing tall buildings and doing fancy tricks for the crowds below.

At South Luffenham he climbed the parish church by the crockets to bring down the weather vane.

He claimed to be a bricklayer, a stonemason, steeple chimney jack, electrician, fitter trade, and also the professional champion walker of the world.

He also gave his titles as aerial hydro caloric designer, inventor, aircraft conductor, hydroplanes of air.

He once said, as a boy he saw an eagle descend 30,000 feet near Oakham and made vow that one day he would outstrip the eagle’s flight in the air.

He died in Northampton Workhouse.