Matthews, Stanley – Stan the Man keeps on rockin’

Stan ‘ The Man’ Matthews (b1936)

BORN in Grantham, Stanley Herbert Matthews was educated at first Huntingtower School then the Boys Central School.

Throughout his life he was destined to meet local musicians -Trevor Leeson, Vince Eager, Roy Clarke,  etc –  at both his schools and place of work.

He loves rock ‘a’ roll and a jukebox has pride of place in his home.

He is also a familiar sight at local rock ‘n’ roll nights wearing his Teddy Boy outfit.

He worked at Fenland Laundry before joining the RAOC from 1955 to 1957 for his National Service

(Stan’s father was also in the RAOC, and died during the Second World War aged 29 when Stan was just five years old. His mother was Elise Matthews, a Nanny and midwife.)

On demob, he joined Reads Laundry, Aveling Barford (machine shop then stores) and worked there for 14 years.

Together with his wife Rosa and children Brian and Cheryl, he left Grantham in 1974 to become a prison officer at Lowdham Grange borstal then HMP Stocken.  He retired 1994.

On returning to his home town with his wife Rosa, he began to produce books, four of them in The Grantham Allstars series about music makers in the town, one on the history of Grantham Physical Culture Club and more recently, the 50 year history of the State/Granada cinema and Faces Rhythm and Blues Club.