Stan & Ollie – the Grantham years

The film Stan and Ollie is released this week, and is expected to be among the Oscar winners.

It tells how Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the world’s most famous comedy duo, how attempt to reignite their film careers as they embark on what becomes their swan song – a grueling theatre tour of post-war Britain, back in 1953.

The year previous, the duo were in Grantham, thanks to Stan’s sister Olga Healey – who had married local musician Bill Healey. She was landlady first at the Plough, Barkstone, then the Bull at Bottesford.

It is at the latter where their fan club – Sons of the Desert – still meet.