Ramsden, Mike  – Mayor’s son died in dentist’s chair

Michael Edward Ramsden (1942 – 1955)

On the 8th of March 1955 Michael Edward Ramsden, the 12 years old son of Lloyd Ramsden of  Redcross Street, collapsed and died in the surgery of George Wilfred Lager and Duncan McKenzie situated at 25, St. Peter’s Hill.

Michael was a pupil of Grantham Central School and the Headmaster, E.W Jacob, described him as “a very nice boy with a pleasant disposition”.

The lad had been taken to the dentists by his Mother to have some teeth extracted where Mr. Lager administered an anaesthetic and his partner performed the extraction.

Michael recovered but later collapsed and Dr John Allen was hastily summoned but his aid was unavailing.

The boy had died from asphyxsia due to a cotton wool pedget in the throat.

His Father was one of the Labour group on Grantham Borough Council and a guard on British Railways. He was mayor of Grantham 1956-57 and a walkway in Wyndham Park bears his name.

His other son, John Ramsden, played right-half for Grantham FC in 1952-58. G.W. Lager and D. McKenzie moved to 10 Avenue Road in the late 1950s.

That form at Boys Central lost two other classmates.

‘Masher’ Marris of Foston died of a heart attack while Mick Garton died after colliding with a coal lorry on his bike outside KGGS, on Sandon Road.

Posted with the assistance of Vaughan Hardy