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©Kirton News 2024
April 2023
The Editors Letter
I want to start by saying a HUGE ‘Thank You’ to those who answered my call to arms! I received quite a few contributions for this issue and I know they will all make for a wonderful read. I would have liked to have heard from those who have opinions on some regular content for the magazine though. I’m taking this as confirmation that the magazine is currently all you want it to be (always thinking positively)!
Our front cover shows the swift development of the New Life Community Church building. Pastor Neal Mugglestone contacted me with an update and the completed building will bring lots of much needed facilities to our village such as improved space for the library, a 300 seat auditorium and office spaces. Read more on Page 9.
Our Meet the Locals feature was sent to us from Boston Choral Society who celebrate their 70th anniversary this year! They are always on the lookout for new members so if you are looking for a local, friendly group to join please contact them! They currently meet every Thursday at Kirton Town Hall. Read more on Page 6.
I also received a wonderful letter from Lynne Dowse who found a copy of the Kirton Town Hall Recipe book from 1913 amongst her mother’s belongings. It’s thoroughly entertaining and a lovely reminder of a bygone age. I for one really enjoy reading historical information about Kirton so if any of you have any memories or photos to share please do send them my way! I would certainly love to hear if any of you have attempted some of the recipes! Read more on Page 15.
I’m always contactable on Editor@kirtonnews.co.uk.
Take care of yourselves and each other.
Rachael.
irton Town Hall Recipe Book
It was interesting to find this 110 year old book amongst my mother’s belongings. Printed by The Lincolnshire Standard for Kirton’s Floral Bazaar held in the Town Hall on 24th & 25th July 1913 there’s an array of contributions from old Kirtonians compiled by a lady by the name of A.M. Spikin. She’d obviously gone to a lot of trouble to not only galvanise the locals into sharing their favourite recipes but also to get the book printed in hard-back and sold for the princely sum of 1/- (£5 in today’s money), and all to benefit the village “Town Hall Site Fund”.
There’s 83 well-worn pages of recipes using local produce like marrow, turnip, rhubarb, crab apples, dandelion flowers and hare, rabbit, lamb sweetbreads and even pigeon. It’s not just the ingredients that are so fascinating, but the contributors are such familiar Kirton local names. There was even a Mrs Beaton(!) in the village who made mean pork rissoles.
We have Mrs Bannister’s Potted Salmon, Mrs Illingworth’s Fish Pudding, Mrs Fossitt’s Stuffed Tomatoes, Mrs Flatters’ Cottage Cake, Mrs Graves’ Teacakes, Mrs Burts’ Almond Simnel Cake, Mrs Tunnard’s Maids of Honour, Mrs Jessop’s Atterdale Pudding, Mrs Lighton’s Bakewell Pudding and Mrs Atkinson’s Sir Walter Wynn’s Pudding. So many puddings! And some with very strange names like Scripture Cake, Button Pudding, Canary Pudding, Puzzle Pudding and Never-Know-Your-Luck Pudding.
A lot of single ladies participated too, with Miss Hemington’s Pancakes, Miss Story’s Rich Birthday Cake, Miss Cheer’s Curd Cheesecake, Miss Green’s Orange Pudding, Miss Loveday’s Best Plum Cake, Miss Graves’ Madeira Cake and Miss Smith’s Trifle. I wonder if this was a ploy to get them noticed by the men folk of the village?
Mr F W Dennis was a rare male contributor with his recipes for Oxtail Soup and Banana Trifle. (Banana? Yes I’ve since found out that bananas were first imported in 1897 and that Fyffes had just begun trading in 1913). He had male support from Kirton’s Reverend Griffin with his recipe for Barley Water, Captain Paulson’s Dough Rings and Mr Bucknall’s Bachelors Cake. We even have a recipe for Shark Fins Soup from a Reverend H Q Lloyd in Shanghai.
There’s contributions from The Black Bull, Tytton Hall, Frampton House, Algarkirk Hall, Sutterton Mill, Grantchester Vicarage, Frampton School and Wellington College. But only one recipe which contained alcohol and that (Champagne Cup) was from Mr Dennis of Kirton House.
It ends with a strange miscellaneous section which includes Kirton’s Dr Witham’s recipe for shampoo, Reverend Lawton’s recipe for sore throats (“cut ‘em”), and Reverend Palmer at Kirton Vicarage had a cure for hiccoughs. But it’s Mr Paulson’s Bazaar Recipe which has a very pertinent and timely message:
Work a little, sing a little,
make the stall all gay!
Read a little, cook a little,
busy every way
Talk a little, sell a little,
don’t forget to pay
Buy a little, give a little,
will bring success our way
The youngsters then will have the sunshine,
when on the site they play
Lynne Dowse
Meet The Locals
This month we're talking to Anna Zahorski from Boston Choral Society!
We are a very long established group of choral singers, going back to 1953. Our numbers have fluctuated over the years, reaching a high of over 60 members in the 1990’s. Those were also the days of local authority and music making grants which allowed us to do performances at large venues such as the Boston Stump with a full orchestra and professional soloists. We have also over the years joined with other choirs and sung at different venues across the country, such as Lincoln Cathedral, and abroad, visiting our twinned town of Laval where our combined choirs performed Verdi’s Requiem in the town stadium.
The Society is of more modest dimensions now, and emerging from the pandemic, there are about 25 of us in all comprising soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices. We rehearse and mainly perform, at the Kirton Town Hall.
We would very much welcome new members, particularly male singers, and although it is not essential, the type of music we rehearse and perform is easier to get to grips with if you are able to read music.
Our repertoire is varied and exciting. You would really enjoy the contrast of singing classics such as Mozart, Verdi and Hayden and then another week, Lloyd Webber, the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle. In between there is so much more and our musical director, Peter Coughtrey-Wellsted, former head of music at Skegness Grammar school, is endlessly imaginative in his choice of pieces to stimulate and challenge. There is never a dull moment!
Our rehearsals and performances are also reliant on the unmatched talents of our esteemed accompanist, Lisa Coe, a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music, piano teacher by day.
This all sounds rather grand? Not at all. We are a really welcoming, friendly group of music enthusiasts who greatly appreciate the privilege of having experts like Peter and Lisa in our Society.
Come along for a taster session and see if you agree. We rehearse on Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm at Kirton Town Hall. Check out our website for more information, and find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BostonChoral.
Our next concert will be our summer programme, date to be fixed at the end of June. Look out for posters and on social media.
A Kirton Fairy Tale
from an anonymous writer
Once upon a time there was a King and he lived in a village.
Once a month the King called his courtiers to his castle in the middle of the village.
The castle was surrounded by land that the villagers used for their carts and wagons.
The land was once owned by the villagers but now the King owned it.
The King & courtiers didn’t like the villagers using the land, so the King and his court thought of a plan to get the land for themselves. They kept the plan a secret and didn’t even tell the local sheriff.
The land stayed empty, but the villagers now had nowhere to put their carts and wagons. So, the kind villagers helped each other out with the carts and wagons.
The King knew, of their distress and desperation and he hatched another plan.
“I’ll make a cart & wagon place of my own” he said, “and I’ll charge the villagers 300 silver pieces every year to use it.”
Now the King & courtiers weren’t very bright, and they thought that the villagers wouldn’t notice that they were now paying for something they once had for free.
However, the villagers weren’t as stupid, as the King thought.
Once every 4 years of the King & courtiers reign, in the month of May, the villagers could cast a secret ballot to remove and replace them.
So that’s what they did. They got together and planned and planned and planned.
When the result of the secret ballot was revealed, the villagers lived happy ever after and their carts and wagons were back where they always had been.
The End
Kirton Church Fund
Winning numbers for the draw on 27th March will be in the May magazine and the 24th April draw numbers in the June magazine
Having received the books back after their annual audit I have again checked through them to update you on the winning streaks as promised. In all this last year we have had 21 different numbers winning with 3 of them winning twice!
Since we started the draw in June 2012 we have paid out £6567.15 in prize money and had a total of 77 different winners with 60 of those winning more than once.
Currently we have 51 players. Only a few players are waiting for their first win. The other members have all won several times. Of our February winners have both had previous wins and in fact have both had a win in the August draw. Congratulations to both of them.
Looking back at my report in the May magazine last year I commented on my May 2019 report in which I said “Currently, money is being raised to replace the roofs of the chancel and side aisles, all of which are leaking quite badly when it rains heavily.” Unfortunately, four years on, we still need to replace the lead on all three of these roofs. We urgently need to raise money to do this. We have been working really hard to raise the very large amount of money needed.
Kirton Church Fund is one way we raise money for the church. You could help us do this and be in with a chance of winning the monthly draw. Why not come and join us? We have plenty of room for more members and there is a very good chance of winning. Anyone over 18 may take part. It’s still only £5 a number each month as it was when we started way back in June 2012. Not much else has stayed the same price since then! Most of the members pay annually (£60), some pay £30 for 6 months, some £15 for 3 months or you can of course pay the £5 monthly if you wish. The choice is yours. You can also have more than one number as our first prize winner has. Anyone over 18 may take part.
The prize fund is ¼ of the money taken each month. The rest of the money goes to Kirton Church. The more people that take part the higher the prize money and the more money we raise for the church.
Registration forms are available from Fay, please ring 01205 723529, or pick up a form from the back of the church or from Paula’s Gifts on Station Road. If you would like more information please give Fay a ring.
February 2023 Winners
1st PRIZE - £47.81 - TICKET NUMBER: 26
2nd PRIZE - £15.94 -
TICKET NUMBER: 20
Data protection. All information (name, address and phone number) of Kirton Church Fund members is held solely for the purpose of managing Kirton Church Fund and is not passed on to any other organisation or used for any other purpose.
Kirton Parish Church Needs Your Help
Kirton Church urgently needs to raise £300,000 for the renovation of its roof or the building may become unsafe and be forced to close.
We need local volunteers to help us organise and raise money to repair the building, and, as the centre of our village community, to help us find new ways to ensure the building is used for local people and well looked after.
The church has a rich and fascinating history and is a great resource for our community, not just as a place of worship but as a place for the community to gather and through its stories learn about our shared past and build for our future.
Many of us have a personal connection to the building, perhaps the place where we were baptised, married or where we said goodbye to a loved one. Others may see it as a sign of home or a peaceful place of contemplation to walk through the churchyard.
The building belongs to our community, it could be developed as a great resource for local people and it would be a tragedy if it were forced to close.
If you can help, even just a small amount; please join our team of volunteers. We need people with the skills to help us organise our project, help raise money for the building, develop events in the community and look at new ways to bring people in and make use of the church in a way that respects its past and purpose as a place of worship, but goes beyond that to look at how it can serve all in our village. If you can’t give your time to help us then please spread the word of our appeal.
You can talk to a member of our team after services on a Sunday or get in touch with Fay (telephone 01205 723529 or email fayngeoff@gmail.com).
The Kirton Parish Church Project/ Appeal Team
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
I was pleased to have read the news that the Kirton Roundabout has been defeated by the Lib Dems. I would like to suggest to the councillor concerned - take a ride to Kirton Town Hall car park, leave your car there and walk the paths of Kirton and surrounding area. There they would discover the disgusting disrepair of these paths.
Broken and cracked paths, dropped kerbs smashed into the roads, leaving holes deep enough for an elderly person to step into and twist an ankle. Or worse still, a toddler twisting or breaking an ankle which would lead to permanent disfigurement. What then the cost to the Council?
These paths need to be repaired properly, not just a quick spray with tar and stone chippings. What a waste of money! Dear Editor, I have no computer, thus the letter and I am an 82 year old disabled person. Myself and many others would benefit from these repairs.
Good morning Rachael
First of all I would like to thank you for the Kirton News. The main reason for me writing is to give praise to one of the local Kirton traders.
Jack Coley Plumbing have just completed a complete redesign and build of our bathroom, alongside Paul Atkins Tiling (Kirton based) the have done an amazing job, absolutely first class. I would most definitely recommend them.
Before anyone says, they did not prompt me to write this review.
Jack Coley Plumbing advertises in the Kirton News , this is the reason for me writing, it is great to support local tradesmen as they are part of our community.
Kirton Kids Club
As I sit typing this update it is snowing outside – hard, but not settling. I believe we had snow in March last year too.
As the large flakes fall the snow drops and daffodils still keep their heads up and wave around in the wind.
The Kids Club children are looking forward to the better weather as they just loving playing outside during sessions.
We have outside play equipment, sand and water play areas, mud kitchens, astro turf and benches and tables – plus a great area for riding scooters and a large football/games area.
So really you can’t blame them for wanting the good weather to hurry up!
This term we have two special occasions – Mother’s Day and Easter.
For the first the children will be given tiny posies to give out and will make their own personalised gift cards and Easter will mean an egg hunt at the club and chocolates to take home.
They also enjoy all the Easter colouring and art that we do at the Kids Club. We even decorate an ‘Easter tree’ – just something a little different.
There are a few ‘one off’ places on some days but the club is pretty much full and very busy at the moment – a very different and more positive situation from last year, it is so good to be able to say that.
Should you wish to know more about the club or want to ask about places then just give me a call on 07583762072. The phone is manned 5.30am to 9am and from 1pm to 5.45pm.
term time.
We also have a part time job for anyone who likes walking – we need someone to help escort the children to and from school. This is a paid position and would suit anyone with time each side of the school day. Again, just give me a call if you are interested and I can give you details.
Boston Classic Car Club
Charity Presentation Evening
Tuesday 21st February saw the Boston Classic Car Club hosting their annual Charity Presentation evening at Graves Park social club, where the chosen beneficiary, the ‘We’ll Meet Again’ Museum at Freiston near Boston, were delighted to receive a cheque from the Club amounting to £1500. Paul and Linda Britchford accepted the cheque from John Simpson the BCCC Chairman.
This impressive amount has been raised through a combination of raffles, events and donations during the year. The Boston Classic Car Club has donated well over £30,000 over the years to, mainly, local charities and plans to continue this tradition into the future.
Paul Britchford developed an interest in WW2 artefacts at the tender of age of eight by being taken by his father to the site of a downed US Flying Fortress near his home in Northampton. This led him to explore the area further on his own and one of his finds led to unexpected consequences. A ‘bring and tell’ session in his Primary school saw Paul arriving with an unexploded German bomb clutched firmly in his arms. His teacher immediately recognised the potentially devastating problems which could ensue and the whole school was immediately evacuated! The bomb squad were called in and dealt with the offending item.
Undeterred, Paul continued to collect artefacts under the watchful eye of his father and mainly away from potentially dangerous sites. His collection continued to grow and eventually he met and married Linda who accepted and embraced his interest. The couple bought an old army truck, filled it with over two tons of wartime memorabilia and toured around the country at shows and exhibitions. Having noticed how enthralled children in particular were with their displays and with the enthusiastic backing of a teacher friend they started taking their display into schools around the country. This took a huge toll on them both because they were still holding down jobs and the days spent in schools often meant excessively long hours. This led to the decision to use all their personal time, energy and funds into developing a dedicated educational and fixed, museum at Frieston.
The ‘We’ll Meet Again’ was officially opened by local MP, Matt Warman on 12th August 2017. It is divided into two sections dealing with life on the front line and on the ‘home front’ and offers important and fascinating insights for every visitor into what life was like in those turbulent and increasingly distant days. Since opening it has seen visitors from 57 countries visit, received exceptional reviews from school groups and others and won the prestigious ‘Pride of Boston’ award in 2018.
New Life community building
It’s an exciting start to the year for us at New Life Community church, as we see our new building rising up out of the ground . During the years of the pandemic our builders managed to keep moving forward and we were able to complete the groundworks and lay the concrete slab.
This spring and summer we will finish the walls up to first floor level, and we hope to build all the internal walls.
The new building will enable us to increase our capacity, extend our reach, and create additional social impact by providing:
• A 300 seat auditorium to meet the increased demand for the Sunday morning church service, and our ever growing groups that meet during the week, but also to create a new, high quality, flexible and accessible conferencing, event, and performance space.
• A new larger office for our CAP Dept. centre, helping relieve poverty in the area.
• A new improved library space including digital and internet facilities.
• A café with soft play area to appeal to a wide range of customers
• Catering facilities
• New and competitive rental opportunities for meeting rooms, and offices for community organisations, social enterprises, and start-ups to develop and grow.
Our aim is that this new community space will bring:
• Improved quality of life for local people
• Reduction in social and economic inequalities in Kirton and the surrounding area
• Reduction in social isolation, less people feeling lonely
• More people reporting improved mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Less people in crisis through timely access to appropriate support and services
• Reduction in levels of poverty as more people having access to financial support
• More people accessing meaningful social activities
• More people having access to volunteering and training opportunities
We are very grateful to all those local people and charities that have supported and funded this project so far. All of our funds have come through donations and we are continually reaching out to draw more funds in to see this great project completed as soon as possible. If you would like to help or would like more information please call in and see us, or visit our website www.nlccboston.org.uk
To all the villagers who are interested in the Royal British Legion Kirton and District branch, we need your help!
We want to take part in the events in the village, especially during the coronation of King Charles III. But without the help of able body members we will struggle to be a part of the celebrations.
In the past we have taken part in events like the Queens Platinum Jubilee and a tombola stall at the Classis Car Rally. One of our main responsibilities is to make sure that remembrance is observe, we do this by liaising and organising together with the village church and the Methodist church a Service of Remembrance at the war memorial and then in St. Peter and St. Paul church. The Parish Council organise and are responsible for the parade through the village which we are please to be taking part with our standard and with other local organisations and groups and with the Parish Council leading the parade.
If you are interested please contact either Roland on: 07704 741841or David on: 07957 443163.
Kirton Community Hub Library
Did you know that Kirton still has a public library? Since most of Lincolnshire’s Libraries became volunteer run in 2016 we have been located in the New Life Community Church, The Junction, Wash Road, Kirton, PE20 1QJ. (On the A16 between the Kirton/Frampton roundabout and the Jaguar showroom).
We have books for all ages and tastes from board books for babies, through picture books, early readers, teenage fiction and all genres of adult fiction. There are books in large print or audio as well as a selection of nonfiction books.
We stock a good selection of books, but your own choice can be ordered from Lincolnshire Libraries from whom we get a weekly delivery.
We also provide free computer and internet access with printing/photocopying at reasonable prices. We would like to reach out to the community to let us know what activities you would like to see offered. Should we have a regular story time for preschools, help with the computers for form filling or researching your family tree, a book club - what would you like? Any suggestions are welcome.
The library is free for anyone to join so why not pop in to meet us – you could even volunteer to help!
We are open: Tuesday 10.00a.m. – 12 noon, Thursday 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m, Saturday 10.0 a.m. – 12 noon. For more information, please contact Frances on 07845 481621 or email f_brooks@sky.com
Admission to Kirton Nursery School
Places are filling quickly for September in Kirton Primary School’s award-winning nursery.
If your child’s date of birth falls between 1.9.19 and 31.8.20, and you would like a place at the Nursery, please send an email to enquires@parliamentfederation.co.uk and the school will forward details on how to apply.
Remember, every child is entitled to 15 free hours a week at the teacher-led Nursery. This can be taken in the morning, in the afternoon or all day, as long as they have enough places available. Afternoon places are often easier to secure than morning places which are regularly oversubscribed.
As well as the 15 free hours a week, to which all three-year-olds are entitled, the Nursery offers additional sessions over and above these, as well as flexibility when selecting sessions for your child. You may choose mornings, afternoons, or a mixture of both, including full days - or even 5 full days a week. The Nursery will do its best to accommodate your request.
Additional sessions, above the free entitlement of 15 hours, may be purchased at a cost of £12.50 for 3 hours. This is extremely competitive locally. Eligible working parents may be entitled to 30 free hours for their child. Lunch is also available if required.
Kirton Nursery School is having its outdoor area extensively remodelled to ensure even better outdoor provision.
If you know anyone else who might benefit from the village school’s excellent Nursery facilities, please let them know. Remember, they are the only local provider with fully qualified, school teachers.
Ofsted said of the Nursery:
Children in the Nursery Year settle quickly and make a good start to their school life. Staff build effective relationships with parents to meet children’s learning and care needs well. Relationships between adults and children throughout the early years are nurturing and positive. Well-structured routines and procedures mean that children enjoy their time in school and are kept safe. They cooperate with each other and behave well.
For further information, contact the office at enquiries@parliamentfederation.co.uk or on 01205 722236.
News from Boston Woods
As Kirton is rapidly expanding there may be families who are not aware of the work of the Boston Woods Trust. Very close at hand we have Sir Joseph Banks Country Park, which includes Westgate Wood and Jenny’s Wood and the wildflower meadow, which stretches from West End Road through to Old Hammond Beck Road. There are 85 acres of woods and parkland freely open to all. Dogs, kept under control, are allowed but please keep them off the meadow during spring and summer to protect the ground nesting birds. With parking at both ends and on Five House Lane, close to Westwood Lakes, the paths provide easy access around the site where there are various points of interest from the Owl Tower to animal carvings, the ponds, a trim trail or even an orienteering course – details are available on our website.
Closer to Boston we have Fenside Woods. These are usually quieter than Westgate and well worth a visit. There is even a Green Burial Site in Beech Wood, an environmentally friendly option which provides a natural final resting place. Plots can be reserved if you would like to ensure your future wishes are understood.
The opening of our third site, Dion’s Wood Nature Reserve, has been delayed due to problems beyond our control. But the land has been landscaped, lake dug, paths laid, and all the trees have all been planted. We hope it will be officially opened soon! As this area is designated as a nature reserve dogs will not be allowed.
Visitors to the Woods, especially Westgate Wood and Grange Wood may be surprised at the number of trees which have been cut down in the last few months. This is partly for essential thinning but more significantly we have been quite badly affected by Ash Dieback. There is a danger that affected trees could fall so, for safety reasons, we are felling those which have died. At the same time we are pruning other trees to encourage healthy growth. Letting more light into the wood will allow the younger oaks and hazel to develop. These were planted some years ago when we realised the potential problem with the ash. The woodland flowers have also benefitted and are naturalising well, with a little help from the volunteers who split larger clumps of bulbs and replant smaller groups.
The woods are part of an ambitious project to provide an arc of woodland around the west side of Boston.
Would you like to get involved?
On the Coronation Bank Holiday, 8th May, we invite you to take part in The Big Help Out – and find out more about volunteering or supporting us.
We will have various jobs for you to join in with, from bulb planting to bramble clearing - whatever needs doing on the day.
Join us at the Jenny’s Wood carpark on West End Road from 9am – 1pm Monday 8th May
See the website for more details: www.bostonwoods.co.uk or contact Frances on 07845 481621, or BostonWoods.Fran@gmail.com
Gardening Time with Tim Hewett
Welcome to the New Year, and a timer of rest and preparation for the garden, there is little actual work we can do this month as we wait for the weather to improve. It feels as it has been a wet Autumn and start to the Winter, and any plants in storage should be checked for moulds, especially if you lifted Dahlias this autumn and they have not dried properly. If there are signs of moulds the damaged tubers should be removed and the cuts dusted with a proprietary fungicide.
If planting any trees or shrubs for hedging it is still possible to take advantage of the cheaper bare root plants available now. Place a small amount to well rotted horse manure or home-made compost in the planting hole, but do not over fertilise.
General tidying up of last years herbaceous plants should be left for another month if possible. Not only are the seed heads and shelter are good for the birds and beneficial insects but eh dead foliage will protect new and more tender growth from frosts. Any roses still requiring winter pruning should be completed now.
Snowdrops crocuses and early daffodils will be showing above ground and it is a good time to note any areas that require more planting come the Autumn. Although not yet apparent any blind, non-flowering, daffodils should be lifted and spread within the garden. The most common reason for blindness being overcrowding of the bulbs.
While the weather is poor it is a good time to think about future plantings, plan areas too plant this year, mark any plants that have become overgrown and require cutting back or splitting, and prepare any plants that may be needed for space filling. For example, Gladioli and Dutch Irises may be planted in pots in order to fill spaces left after Spring bulbs have finished.
Lastly if you have a greenhouse, or space indoors it is possible to start planting seed for hardy annuals in preparation for the summer.
The Registers
Baptisms - We welcome them all into the family of the church:
Arabella Andrew - 12th February
Weddings - We offer our congratulations to:
Bret Butler Brewater & Michelle Bourne
4th March
Funerals - May they all rest in peace: