©Kirton News 2024

The Editors Letter

Dear readers, I am very pleased to report that Ken Pearson found some time to produce some more local type crosswords. He has also given us some Kirton word definitions. My favourite one is ‘bourn-shecker’ for bone shaker.

My first ‘proper’ bike didn’t come into that category since it was very robust; almost too robust. It proudly displayed ‘Raleigh All Steel Bicycle’ in gold letters on a glossy black frame but it might as well have said ‘all lead bicycle’ because it weighed a ton and had no gears.

This was a major drawback because I grew up in the Chiltern Hills and for some years biked to school three miles away in all weathers up and down hills. At least its flat here; I wonder how many youths bike it to school now? It should be encouraged because it is healthy and gets cars off the road. You might say there was less traffic in the 1950’s which is true but to their credit I have noticed local drivers have a healthy respect for cyclists. Speaking of youths and anti-social behaviour of which regrettably we see a lot of on television I think some of it stems from a lack of local togetherness. Take time to at least say ‘Hello’ to your neighbours and simply talking to people in your street or road is hugely important. It costs nothing and promotes local discussion.

The youth club is going from strength to strength thanks mostly to Brian, Catrina and helpers but the local youth football club has nowhere to play. This was raised at the Parish Council AGM and I wonder if a local farmer has a field he could spare.

Enough of my ramblings – there are some interesting happenings in Kirton in the near future. The Watoto Choir (a Ugandan children’s group) are performing at Middlecott School on the 20th June, ‘Open Doors’ are having a cookery demonstration at the Town Hall on the 25th June evening and the Youth Club are having a ‘fun day’ for the whole family on the 13th July. There are more details inside and of course read ‘Further Attractions’.

Roger Booth

Memories of a Marine Engineer - Part 7

After some leave I joined a cargo vessel which literally was a heap of junk. My employers were part of a large well known shipping group and3 this ship belonged to the parent company who had sadly neglected it. Our engineers worked hard and played hard. I was to find out that the parent company’s engineers only did one half of that expression – the play part!

For about three weeks the ship was loading general cargo around UK and continental ports bound for Indonesia via the Suez Canal, Pakistan and India. During the loading period we had to suffer a very pompous second engineer; somewhat unusual because the engineers were normally very down to earth folks, the deck officers were often of the ‘high and mighty’ variety.

The ship had two ‘Doxford’ opposed piston two stroke engines each powering two propellers but all the auxiliaries were steam powered including the infamous ‘Weir’s’ pumps mentioned previously. The pump end was a simple piston with a single ring of some synthetic material. Once the pump end liner became worn it developed a ridge at the bottom of the stroke. This was OK when the pump was in motion but once stopped the pump piston ring would catch under the ridge and it was impossible to restart it. The only solution was to remove the steam cylinder cover, fasten an eye bolt (a screwed bolt with a doughnut shaped head) into the top of the steam piston, attach a chain block and pull the steam piston, rod and water pump piston assembly clear of the ridge all of which took some time. To avoid same the engineers had provided wooden blocks at each pump which you put under the rod crosshead preventing the pump end piston reaching the end of the stroke. Our pompous second engineer threw all the wood blocks away much to the chagrin of the other engineers.

The regular second engineer from Belfast rejoined the ship before we left UK on our deep sea leg and promptly reinstated our wood blocks. Before leaving deep sea I phoned our personnel department (why do they call them ‘Human Resources’ now?), because I knew I was booked into a six months course at an engineering college and was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get back in time to attend. I was assured the company would get me back in time.

I was the only engineer apprentice on the ship and shared a cabin with the only deck apprentice. I took the top bunk but as soon as the ship got into hotter climes (we had no air conditioning) realised this was a mistake. The deck crew would turn out at six in the morning to wash down the decks with sea water from the fire main which ran over the top of my bunk. In hot weather the cold sea water running through the unlagged pipe would cause heavy condensation droplets to fall on me whilst asleep.

Our extremely pompous Chief Officer would roar at us apprentices to get up at six but I soon got a reprieve from this because the second engineer who hated the Chief Officer with an extreme intensity insisted I stayed put – in my bunk. The second was making the point that as an engineer apprentice I was under his charge. The Chief Officer would burst into our cabin at six am, shout at the deck apprentice and glare at me; being on the top bunk we had a daily eyeball to eyeball confrontation.

This was not the only effective second engineer manoeuvre – you had to admire the man. Our ship was fitted with steam winches with completely open gears. They were extremely noisy in operation. The second knew that the Chief Officer enjoyed a Sunday afternoon siesta after his G and T’s and heavy curry lunch so every Sunday afternoon at two o’clock I had strict instructions to test the cargo winch located behind the Chief Officer’s cabin. I was to run the winch for one hour at maximum speed and randomly reverse rotation which created a sound like the original ‘howling banshees’.

Our first port was Aden to take on bunkers (fuel oil for the boiler and engines) and discharge some small cargo into barges after which we set off for Karachi. A few days before arrival we received a message from Head Office saying that I was to leave the ship there, fly back to Aden, and after several days in a hotel join a company vessel enroute from East Africa to UK enabling me to join the course.

Our captain was furious not only because we had just left Aden but because I was flying which in those days was almost unheard of. It seems strange now because people think nothing of flying on holiday or business but in 1961 very few people flew. It was an experience only for the very rich or important.

Our devious second engineer had his own strategy to avoid me leaving. The day before arriving in Karachi he attempted to get me drunk and incapable and probably would have succeeded if the third engineer had not tipped me off. Anyway I duly flew on a British Overseas Airways Corporation Comet to Aden which I found very exciting and impressive.

The vessel I joined in Aden had loaded oranges in South Africa into a refrigerated hold but unfortunately instead of simply chilling them (carriage at say 5°C) by some accident with the refrigerating plant they became frozen like cricket balls. When defrosted they became completely soggy. The procedure before discharging refrigerated cargo was for a cargo inspector at the discharge port to view same and issue a quality certificate. I don’t know if the Chief Engineer was related to my former second engineer but his solution to this predicament was to fill the cargo inspector full of whisky and sign the certificate without even seeing the oranges.

As Grandad used to say - Definitions of words Kirton oldies may use:

Bourn-shecker: bone shaker, an old decrepit bicycle, ‘Yer can’t go to Boston on that owd bourn-shecker’.

Beacon Lane: old name for Hill Lane where there was a beacon in the nineteenth century.

Gob-stopper: large hard boiled sweet, at ‘Beatie’s’ shop you could get two for a ha’penny.

Gyro-tiller: larger agricultural machine which could raise sub-soil from deeper levels than ploughs could manage collared-rind pits legendary mine workings at Kirton End from which collared-rind (to make brawn) was supposedly extracted.

Church pump: publicly used water pump set in the churchyard wall in Willington Road.

Cockly: unstable, not standing firm on legs or wheels,‘Watch out if you sit on that, it’s a bit cockly’.

TUNO: trade mark of ‘Tunnard Bros’, produce merchants with premises in Station Road.

Four-cross roads: a place where two roads cross, if a road joins another without crossing it’s a three-cross roads

Foster’s field: a grass field off Green Lane, now the primary school playing field, originally used by Gilbert Foster, the butcher

Skee-whiff: misplaced or misaligned, a nose pointing east or west on a face is said to be skee-whiff

Jumper: a marsh creek narrow enough to be crossed in one jump

Dollop: a lump of anything soft, especially food, ‘Anybody want another dollop o’ spotted dick?’

Double-crosser: five barred gate with two X shaped braces

Mardy: cross, disagreeable, ‘I would have axed her to do it but she’s a bit mardy this morning’

Dilly-cart: horse-drawn vehicle for collecting the contents of bucket lavatories

All rip: with great energy, ‘As soon as it dries up we s’ll be getting tairts in all rip’

Parigo: name of an horticultural company which had premises on Skeldyke Road

Onion-head: chump or simpleton, ‘No good giving the job to that onion head, he’ll onny mess it up’

Miss Green’s: a private school at ‘The Elms’, Sutterton Road,

Owery: (rhymes with showery), wet on the ground, especially when muddy as well, ‘Bit owery down yon bottom field’

The cannon: a German field-gun captured in WW1; originally displayed on the town hall front but removed to the rec to make room for the Dennis statue - melted down in WW2 and returned to the Germans in the form of shells

Posher: plunger type gadget for agitating the weekly wash in the dolly-tub, also called a poncher

Editor’s Note: these definitions are kindly supplied by Ken Pearson some of which appear in his book book ‘Tairtyville Talk’

Kirton Kids Club

What a busy few weeks for the club and children! With the onslaught of better weather the children have managed to take sports equipment, scooters and skateboards outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Its always nice to see them enjoying themselves, while getting a good amount of exercise, socialising with their friends as well as being kept occupied and safe in the confides of the grassed area behind the youth centre, with its tables and benches for snack times.
The planning for the May half term holiday session is already catered for and the three weeks the club is open over the school summer holidays are well underway as far as planning and booking is concerned.

During the holiday sessions the children enjoy numerous activities including sports, coaching, arts and crafts, workshops, cooking (with tasting sessions of course) plus trips out and parties.
These sessions cost £60.00 for a full week or £12.00 a day per child.
They extend from 8.30am to 3.30pm each day the club is open. Bookings can be taken either over the phone (722426) or by popping into the Youth Centre during club times: 7.30 am to school or after school until 5.45 pm.

The club is open to any children nursery to fourteen year who wishes to enjoy the many exciting activities open to them. The older children have a room of their own to enjoy music, ps2’s, TV, or simply to chill or do their homework. Either way it is a very trendy, well decorated room for their age group with sofas, pictures and rugs.

If you wish to take a look at the club, have any questions or need more information please feel free to pop into the club or phone 722426 during club hours.

The Kirton Ladies Luncheon Club

We had a very good attendance for our meeting on the 10th April to hear one of our favourite speakers Jennie Storr regaling us with her experience as a speaker on the ‘Saga Rose’ cruise ship. Not being crew members or paying passengers but as part of the entertainment presented Jennie and her husband with a few surprises such as being an escort on various coach trips and wearing the rather garish ‘Saga Rose’ uniform complete with baseball cap. ( Mr.Storr firmly put his uniform back in the cupboard, shut the door and said ‘No way!’.)

Jennie became seasick in the Bay of Biscay but thanks to an injection from the nurse was able to give her talk that evening and with the help of some pills purchased in Spain sailed on happily for the rest of the cruise. The food was wonderful and plentiful, the passengers happy and appreciative, the crew – mostly Filipinos; worked their socks off. It was a great experience but I don’t think Jennie would do it again unless they went as paying passengers.

On 12th June Cordelia McCartney will be speaking to us about Antiques of the future and on 10th July Marguerite Clarke will be giving a talk about The School Matron

Pauline Chubb

Editor’s Note: I have observed Filipino crews for almost thirty years – what they lack in skill they make up for in a phenomenal work output.

‘On Common Ground’

A capacity audience in Frampton Village Hall experienced this moving evening of stories, music, poetry and song by Chris Wood and Hugh Lupton. It was a celebration of the ordinary man and his very close connection with the land and his right to it.

The first half of the performance told of Robin Hood, the peasants’ revolt and the acts of enclosure. During the second half we heard the life story of the poet John Clare who lived at Helpston near Peterborough. His beautiful words shone through both the story telling and the song. Chris sang about labouring and horses and provided atmospheric music on the violin, guitar and Tibetan temple bells to accompany Hugh’s spellbinding unfolding of the sad story of John Clare. This ranged from John Clare’s love of Mary Joyce, marriage to Martha Turner to his decline into melancholy and mental derangement. Hugh left us with the words that described John Clare as a man with an addiction to poetical phrases.

Watch this space for future professional live performances from the Lincolnshire Rural and Community Touring Scheme.

Rosemary Hutchinson - On Stage in Frampton

Kirton Youth Club

We are still increasing our members and now have 130 registered with us now which is great. Due to the high demand of the youth club we are now open Wednesdays and Fridays 7pm till 9pm I would like to thank everyone who has donated equipment and games to the youth club. We have had so much we have to hire a storage container to store them all.
This leads me nicely on to mention that  I am organising a fun day at Kirton town hall on the 13th July to help raise money to pay for a new storage area to be built.
We will have a bouncy castle, gladiator duel, activity  assault course, face painting, various organisations, etc etc.

We will also have Corporal Richard ‘Nooki’ Nyokas from the tv shows ‘Bad Lads Army’, Jeremy Kyle and the ‘Trisha Show’. He will be signing autographs and you can also enter your child or yourself to do a mini boot camp. Inside the town hall will be craft stalls and table top sales.

If you would like to book a table they are only £5 and you can ring me on 07804241339. I would advise you to book early as I have already started taking bookings.
The youth club has also been involved with a sponsored walk for dogs for the deaf around Frampton and by the time you read this we would have done our bit and hopefully helped them to raise some money for this fantastic cause.

If you would like more information about the youth club or Funday don’t hesitate to contact me on 07804241339.

Regards, Catrina.

The Beacon Baptist Church to host Ugandan Children’s Choir - ‘Watoto’

Since 1994, Watoto Children’s Choirs have toured internationally spreading a message of hope for Africa’s children. The choir presents Watoto’s vision and missions through their music and dance, which is an energetic fusion of contemporary gospel and traditional African rhythm. The children are among 1.7 million boys and girls in Uganda who have had the tragic experience of losing one or both of their parents to AIDS or war. Now, through their inspiring performances, The Watoto Children’s Choir is moving the hearts of people around the world as they share their stories of joy and hope. ‘Concerts of Hope’ are a colourful and lively demonstration of the life changing love of God experienced by the children of Watoto. Audiences are informed of the plight of Africa’s needy children and given an opportunity to support the vital work of Watoto in Uganda.

The Watoto Choir is visiting Boston for 6 days from 15 to 21 June 2008, being hosted by The Beacon Baptist Church and will be performing 2 concerts in the area. They will also be visiting schools to provide children with an insight into life in Uganda, as well as performing their music and dance for the schools.

Amongst other international venues visited by Watoto is the White House, Washington DC. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States said: ‘Thank you for coming to the White House and for your inspiring performance in the Rose Garden. Your happy faces and cheerful music brightened the day for everyone’. Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State added: ‘Watoto Child Care’s work is clearly an important contribution to the future of these children and of Uganda’. Watoto can be seen at Boston High School on 18th June at 7.30 pm and Kirton Middlecott School on 20th June at 7.30pm.

Currently, there are 880,000Ugandan Children living as orphans as a result of AIDS. Watoto is a holistic program targeted towards meeting the essential needs of parentless children. Their purpose is to provide spiritual, physical educational and emotional care for every child so that each one will become a responsible Christian and productive citizen of Uganda. They are presently responsible for 1500 children. Their goal is to care for 10,000 children by 2010.

Watoto cares for children in two ways. Single-family dwellings are constructed to provide shelter for the most destitute children. Watoto is strongly committed to placing the children in a family environment, rather than in large institutional orphanages. Watoto accepts children between the ages of 2 and 12 into the programme. Once enrolled in Watoto, the children remain a part of their new family for life. Eight children and a ‘house-mother’live in one of the homes that volunteer teams from around the world construct for around £8,000. The houses consist of three bedrooms, a kitchen, living area and bathroom with running water.

Watoto also assist relatives to care for parentless children in their extended families by providing education, clothing and food, they believe that as the children are trained academically and spiritually, they will enter society equipped with the necessary life skills and moral values enabling them to make a significant and lasting impact on the future of Uganda.

Suubi Children’s Village is Watoto’s newest project, where development is currently underway. Plans for the 144 acre site include 117 homes for 936 children, a boarding high school for 1200 children for all Watoto children and others from the community, a primary school for Watoto Children as well as disadvantaged children from the community, a medical clinic, a multi-purpose hall for use as a church and community centre, an agricultural project to provide food for Suubi Children’s Village and a community water project.

In 2006 a house was purchased in Kampala which has been renovated and converted into a home for babies. It will house 20 babies and 20 toddlers. The project is nearing completion and it is hoped that the first babies can be taken in soon.

Nutritional Meals For Busy People
Open Doors - Wednesday 25th June 7-9pm Town Hall Kirton

Cookery experts, Mel and Margaret, will be demonstrating quick to prepare, healthy nutritious meals for a wide range of tastes – something for everyone.

A very practical evening not to be missed. So take time out and come along and don’t forget there’s a warm welcome EVERY Wednesday evening 7-9pm in the Town Hall.

Sutterton Parent & Toddler Group

In Sutterton in the village hall, the parent & toddler group are desperately looking for new families to join the small but very friendly playgroup. It runs every Monday from 9.30am until 11.00am, with tea and coffee available, with juice and biscuits for the children.

Due to the recent new school year, the numbers attending have dropped alarmingly, and so Norma, who runs the meetings, is appealing for anyone with pre-school kids to come along and have a look. All are welcome, and no pre-booking required. It only costs £1 to cover the cost of the drinks, so is reasonably priced too! Hope to see you there.

Tiny Totz

We are a voluntary led Parent & Toddler Group 0-3 years who meet at the Kirton Youth Centre Fridays 10am -12pm. Relax and meet new people, get involved in messy play and sing silly songs and nursery rhymes. Admission £1.50 per adult, children are FREE.

Lisa Simpson - Telephone 724029

Parish Council News - Boston Borough Council Green Waste Collection

The fortnightly green waste collection dates are, June 14/28, July 12/26, August 9/30, September 13/27 and October 11/25. Any queries phone 01205 311112.

09:45 Willington Road, Kirton End
10:30 Town Hall car park
11:15 King Street/London Road junction
12:00 Middlecott School
12:30 Marketstead Estate entrance
12:30 Lighton Avenue, open space – the triangle
13:00 Lenton Way
13:00 Dennis Estate, cul-de-sac at No 30
13:30 Hardwick Estate, opposite flats

For further information visit www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/kirton

Kirton Parish Council Chairman’s Report to Kirton Annual Parish Meeting

Good evening and welcome to the Kirton Annual Parish Meeting. At this stage I think it would be correct to remind people that the Kirton Parish is one of the largest in the Borough and stretches from Kirton Marsh to Hubberts Bridge. With this in mind we decided to have two of our monthly meetings at Kirton Holme Church Room to give people at the other end of the Parish a chance to participate if they want to do so.

Kirton has expanded and continues to do so and some may say too large and too quickly, but the powers that be make a lot of the decisions because Central Government says so. We on the Parish Council are very aware of the possible problems that may occur and try to put forward our concerns as forcibly as possible. When we hear in the media, the problems that some communities have with losses of Post Offices, Shops and Schools we are very lucky to have the range of shops, plus Post Office, Schools, Doctors Surgery, Youth Centre and a fine meeting place like the Town Hall.

As the village expands it is imperative that open space is provide for the young people and this is something we are doing our utmost to pursue.

I mentioned the Town Hall and this is the first year of the Town Hall Committee under the very capable Chairmanship of Ian Turner. The running of the Town Hall moved from the Parish Council to a committee of local people who are working very hard to improve the facilities and make it a place that people want to use and from the comments I have received they are succeeding. Like any new venture help is required and so the Parish Council is still helping on the finance side.
The events of Kirton over the year are quite varied and competition is always fairly intense. Kirton in Bloom shows what care is taken by more people to show their properties at their best and it is becoming even more difficult to Judge. Here I thank Ann Cheer for her time and knowledge. We entered the Best Kept Village Competition for the first time in several years and we got to the second stage and received some favourable comments from the judges. We hope to do better this year.

The Last Night of the Proms was again a very popular event which is organised and run by Kirton Brass Band. An evening of fine music and supper provided and the Band also give a very generous donation to the Parish Council to go towards the Senior Citizens Christmas Party, which was once again enjoyed by a full hall of people. My thanks go to Taina Welberry for her catering knowhow, Parish Councillors for helping on the night and Pat Campbell for his music. The great thing about the evening is to watch people enjoying themselves and the smiles and thanks we receive afterwards. The Remembrance Day Parade was welled attended and it was especially pleasing to see the young ones taking their part in the proceedings. The Village Quiz was well attended and enjoyed. My thanks to Andy Bakewell for being question master and to Alan and Gill Lee and Taina Welberry for their help on the night.

My thanks go to our Borough Councillors John Rylatt, Richard Dungworth and Brian Rush for their help on our behalf. To our local Police who sometimes have a thankless task. To our press coverage in the Standard. To our village caretaker who can be seen beavering away collecting rubbish and making a fine job of clearing up.

At the start of the Council year in May we lost the services of two former Chairmen, George Davies and Ian Ladds, who had put in years of good service between them. We thank them.
My thanks must go to my fellow Parish Councillors for their attendance and the work they have put in during the year and I especially thank my Vice-Chairman, Alan for his support.

My thanks also go to Geoff Sharp for his hard work and knowledge and his ability to nudge me into remembering things. My final thanks go to the people of this Parish for allowing this Council to try to help them. We do not get everything right, but we do try.
I suppose our major project this coming year is to extend the Cemetery. This is under way.

On a salutary note I shall finish my report. It concerns vandalism, wanton destruction and general anti-social behaviour, which has crept into our society. This saddens me. This is not just a problem of our Parish. These problems are caused by a very small minority who upset a large majority. I wish I knew some answers.

Thank you for listening, Councillor David H Smith.

Frampton Playgroup

We have been very patriotic this month and have celebrated St George’s day by making flags. We used our crafty skills with tissue paper, crayons, card, straws and glue and produced some very bright and impressive flags.

Now that the weather is finally improving we have been enjoying the outdoors and enjoying a spot of gardening by planting sunflower seeds. We were then exploring what makes the seeds grow so hopefully the sun will continue to shine on our seeds and help them grow big and tall.

‘Out of this world’ has been one of our themes this month and we have been experiencing some space exploration. Our space station play set has been very much enjoyed by our adventurers and some of us even dressed up as space men ready for our mission, aliens beware! Within this theme we have once again used our crafty skills and made space rockets out of everyday ‘junk.’ There were some brilliant rockets that looked ‘out of this world.’ We are looking forward to the summer months and making plans for our summer outing. A trip to the seaside is the destination of choice, we can’t wait!

We will also be holding another ‘pop in and play’ session in the near future so if you have a child between 2 and 4 years and are interested in seeing our playgroup in action, watch this space for the date and time.

If you would like any information about playgroup, please contact Sue our playgroup manager on 07939 266154.

Local Policing

During April there have been 8 reports of antisocial behaviour. They are as follows: 1 reports of inconsiderate behaviour, 3 reports of throwing things and 4 reports of vehicle nuisance.

Are you suffering from anti social behaviour? Please call the local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 01205 722002. If they are not available please call 01205 366222 or 999 in an emergency.
On Sunday 30th March windows were broken at the rear of Kirton Middlecott School, the local Neighbourhood Policing team reviewed CCTV and were able to identify the offenders who were later arrested. One of the youths arrested is currently being put forward for an ASBO regarding his behaviour in and around the Boston area.

Your local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be hold street surgeries on Wednesday 11th June betwen 9.30am and 3.00pm and Wednesday 6th August between 3.00pm and 9.00pm at Kirton Town Hall.

Street Surgeries are also being held in Wyberton & Swineshead, if you would like these dates and times please let me know.

We currently have a Neighbourhood Engagement box in the Co-op, Station Road. This will give residents the opportunity to raise any concerns or issues to the Neighbourhood Panel. If anyone would like more information on the Engagement Cards or Neighbourhood Panels please contact me on the details below.

If anyone has any issues or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at: Kirton Police Station, Station Road on 01205 722002 or alternatively you can e-mail me at adam.eden@lincs.pnn.police.uk

PCSO Adam Eden - Boston Neighbourhood Policing Team - South Rural

The Registers

Baptisms - We welcome into God’s family:

13th April - Isabelle Ivy Robinson
27th April - Lauren Victoria Holmes
27th April - Harry Benjamin Jackson

Weddings - We ask God's blessing on:

12th April - Karl Andrew Potterton and Julie Pettinger

Funerals - We commend to God’s keeping:

7th May - Sidney (Sid) Alfred Traves
14th May - Joan Mary Greenhead
14th April - Violet Ingham (At The Methodist Church)

Donations

The magazine committee wish to say ‘Thank-you’ for the following donations
which are much appreciated.

Community Coffee Shop..............£50

Donations for the magazine may be taken into Fossitt & Thorne (The Green), enclosed in an envelope.