©Kirton News 2023

This month’s issue we have a lot of interesting articles about local groups in the village for you to attend. Why not got out there and make new friends and have fun while you’re doing it.

This month we have Halloween we have a piece on the origins of this inside. If you’re a child and are going trick or treating please please make sure that you have an adult with you.

In this day an age it is too dangerous for you to be walking out on your own at night. You never know who is about and I would hate for something to happen to one of you.

Happy Halloween.

Catrina

Letters to the Editor

Hi Catrina, I’ve been doing family history research for my family who lived in Kirton and have come across this photo of Kirton Y M football team of 1921 and was wondering if it was possible to publish it in one of your Kirton News to see if any reader could add some names to it and what the Y M stands for.

The small player on the back row in the centre is my uncle Harry Hodges who lodged with Gladys Van de Walle and worked for John Langley.  Thanking you, and would add that I read Kirton News on-line. 

Yours sincerely, Robin Watkin

If any one can help Robin his contact details are: e-mail address: robinwatkin@btinternet.com home address: Robin Watkin, 9 Longden Close, Haynes, Bedford, MK45 3PJ.

Halloween

Halloween is full of costumes and candy, trick-or-treating and terrifying haunted houses, pumpkins and black cats. But just where did Halloween come from? Why are we celebrating?
The history of Halloween goes back 2000 years. Many believe that Halloween’s origins are found in the Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who were located in Ireland, the UK and the northern parts of France, celebrated their New Year on the first of November. Samhain was celebrated the night before the New Year.

The New Year, Celts believed, marked summer’s end, harvest time, and the start of dark, cold winter months. Those winter months were associated with death by these people. On October 31, the night before the New Year, the Celts celebrated Samhain. This day, they believed, was when the ghosts of the deceased returned to earth because the boundaries between the living world and the dead world blurred.

When we think of “Trick-Or-Treating”, the origins can probably be found in the English All Souls’ Day parades. During these celebrations, the poor would come out and beg for food from the more wealthy families. When the families gave them pastries called “soul cakes”, they asked for the poor to pray for their relatives that had passed away.

Another possibility that may have grown into “Trick-Or-Treating” is the tradition of people leaving bowls of food in front of their homes. They did this to keep the ghosts that were wandering the earth from entering.

Dressing in costumes has a couple possible origins. European and Celtic people both felt winter was a frightening time. It was cold, it was darker, and the possibility of running out of food was great. When they reached the time when they thought the dead returned, they thought they might encounter these ghosts whenever they left their houses. The wearing of masks and costumes grew from these people donning masks so the ghosts would not recognize them!

This holiday was brought to the US by Scotch and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. At that time, much of the “spookiness” of the holiday was removed and a sense of community and fun were added. Although scary themes are still the focus of many Halloween celebrations, that scariness is done for fun, not because of actual fear. Halloween is currently the 2nd largest commercial holiday!

Enso acupuncture is coming to Kirton this September!

Local mature student Dee Blackburn graduated from Lincoln University this September with a First Class Honours Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture following three years of intensive study. Her degree included over 400 hours of clinical practice treating a myriad of patients with a wide range of conditions and illnesses. From 17th September, Dee is bringing her experience and skills to Kirton. Enso acupuncture will be available in the upstairs facilities (lift accessible) at Kirton Medical Centre, London Road for two days a week on Thursdays and Fridays.

Acupuncture has been used to restore, promote and maintain good health for thousands of years. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy ‘Qi’ moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin. This flow of qi can be disturbed by any number of factors including emotions (anxiety, anger, or grief), poor nutrition, hereditary factors, infections, and trauma. When the qi is unbalanced, illness may result.

Acupuncture can be used to treat many diseases and conditions such as headaches, menstrual problems, muscular aches, stress, irritable bowel and digestive conditions through to more general feelings of ill health such as nausea, insomnia, and low energy. Increasingly women are choosing to have acupuncture to support them throughout pregnancy, labour and after giving birth. It can be used very successfully in conjunction with western medicine.

The acupuncturist inserts ultra fine needles at chosen points along the channels of energy to stimulate the body’s own healing response and restore its natural balance. Dee may also use acupressure ‘tuina’ massage and cupping to help the healing process.

In December, Dee will be moving to her own purpose built clinic in Frampton West. The enso acupuncture clinic has been specifically designed with patient comfort in mind. It will offer a calm, luxurious and modern spa like environment set in its own gardens with plenty of free on site parking available.

Dee is a registered member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) the registering body for professional acupuncturists. As a BAcC member, you can be sure that Dee has completed degree level training and abides by the Council’s Code of Safe Practice and Code of Professional Conduct. For more information about acupuncture and acupuncture practitioners visit www.acupuncture.org.uk

To book an appointment or for any enquiries as to whether acupuncture could help you please contact Dee on tel nos 07889178810. Treatment price £35. Discover Acupuncture – Discover the real you.

Kettering Salvation Army Brass Band

Kettering Salvation Army Brass Band are putting on a concert at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Willington Road, Kirton on Saturday 31st October 2009 at 7pm. Tickets are £5 each and proceeds will be going to the Boston Salvation Army Building Fund. Refreshments will be on sale, proceeds of which will be going to Kirton Parish Church.

The event will be raising money to support the work of Boston Salvation Army.  The building work on the new centre is now well underway, and the money raised will be used to help purchase furniture and equipment needed to help the Salvation Army use the new centre to its full potential.
In its 125 year history, Kettering Salvation Army Band has performed at many prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall on many occasions, also undertaking overseas tours of Holland and the Netherlands, Canada, Norway and Italy.  The band is formed from Christian men and women, from all walks of life and are of all ages, sharing a common theme – their love of God and music. 

The band’s repertoire includes something for everyone from devotional to reflective, to worship, praise and beyond with thrilling, inspiring music with boundless energy!  It is set to be an excellent evening.

Tickets can be ordered by sending a cheque (made payable to ‘Boston Salvation Army Building Fund’) and a stamped addressed envelope to Brass Band Concert, 19 Old School Mews, Spilsby, Lincs, PE23 5QU.  Alternatively, contact Kirton Parish Church or call Major Graham House on 01205 363442.

Bygone Days by Ena Hemington

Looking at the photograph of ‘The Kirton Amateur Dramatic Society’ in the June edition of the magazine brought back happy memories of the good times we had in the old Parish Hall. It was demolished in the 1970s to make way for the road to Penny Gardens.
I must have been involved in this production as I too have the same photograph, although I am not on it. The person it says is me is in actual fact Bessie Jessop. Her mother is wrongly named as Mrs. Barlow. Bessie Barlow should be Betty.

I would like to tell you about some of the people in the photograph and what we did in the early war years: Enid Smithies lodged with the Jessop family in King street. Enid taught at Kirton School and came to Kirton with the evacuees from Hull. She was a very popular and lively person. I was a member of the Methodist Youth Club where she taught us (all girls) ballroom dancing from Victor Sylvester’s Instruction book. We only had a wind up gramophone and very few records. Whenever I hear the song ‘It’s a Sin to tell a lie’, my mind drifts back to those days, we played it over and over again. The boys of the youth club did woodwork with Mr. Kemp in some rooms above Tuno Bros offices, now Breathwicks, Station Road. Jessie Harvey was a popular and vivacious young lady and was great fun. She later married Arthur Sellars.

I used to admire Fred Fossitt for what he did for the village. He was M. C. at most dances in the Parish Hall. He and his wife were keen dancers. The Bowling Club was his main interest and for many years he was chairman. He did a tremendous amount of work to improve the surrounding gardens. He organised bowls matches with other clubs, etc. Nobody knew at the time that he was a member of ‘The Secret Army’ during the war. Each village had a group of men trained to ambush and shoot from a ‘dug out’ in case of invasion. It wasn’t until after the war we discovered that Fred was in this secret army. He did a great deal of work for the British Legion. I often thought there should have been a road named after him.

Harold Wander, also in the photograph, for many years editor of the village magazine, was also a reporter for the local paper. He could tell some amusing tales of his reporting days. Once, he said, he’d been to get a report on a wedding. When the door was opened the bride to be was sitting in a zinc bath in front of the fire. Needless to say he made a hasty retreat. He was a clerk for a firm of estate agents. Every Wednesday he would be seen in his little box at the cattle market on Bargate green, now a car park, recording details of the cattle as they were sold. Although lame and wearing callipers on both legs this did not prevent him from taking part in many activities including the tennis club, although he could not play.

Harold was always immaculately dressed with his special boots highly polished. He was fond of music and sang in church and village choirs. He did a tremendous amount of work at the Methodist Church, i.e. secretarial, drama, choir and was Sunday School Superintendent for many years. Never at a loss for words, he was the one to ask to make a speech. A car made life easier for him, up to then he cycled everywhere. He never mentioned his disability and if anyone deserves an accolade Harold does.

Mr. Jim Morley, also on the picture, was another well-known person in the village, clerk to the parish council for many years and was a keen bowler and enjoyed singing in both church and village choirs. In the early 1940s he was the Methodist Sunday School Superintendent. There were 80 scholars and 12 or more teachers divided into three departments. On one evening each week Mr. Morley would meet the teachers to arrange the following Sunday school work. He was a good organiser. The yearly anniversary was a great occasion. A stage was erected in the chapel, getting higher towards the back. Rehearsals took weeks, we memorised our parts, and everything had to be of the highest standard. The children wore new clothes. Beginners and Primary children performed in the afternoon and the seniors in the evening. Although no family of his own he certainly made up for this by giving so much of his time organising things at the chapel and in the village.

The annual prize giving was another special day. On the stage would be a table with a great pile of books. I always hoped I would get one of the big books. Those who had attended every Sunday of the year received a medal. I used to get so excited the night before the yearly outing to Skegness that I couldn’t sleep. We would have tea at ‘The Violet Café’ after a lovely day spent on the beach and looking around the amusements.

Mr. Morley also led the Junior Guild. He read several books to us, one of them being ‘Anne of Green Gables’. I was aged 10 or 11 then. I also loved acting and performed in several plays which he produced. We always had a large audience. We thought a lot of Mr. Morley, I suppose in present day language he was our ‘role model’.

Every year a bazaar was held in the chapel schoolroom. Saturday morning was spent preparing the stalls, a wooden framework was put over the trestle tables. We decorated this with crepe paper to make a sort of canopy over the stall. It made the event look festive. The ladies working party had made aprons, cushion covers and chair back covers, etc. These were fastened to the sides of the decorated framework. There would be a large variety of things to sell. Teas were served. The same people who had worked hard all day performed in a variety concert. There was quite a lot of talent among the members. What an exhausting day it must have been.
During the earlier part of the war the Town Hall was used as a first aid station.

On duty every night there were volunteer Air Raid wardens, messenger boys, First Aid workers and Ambulance drivers. We were lucky nothing serious happened, sometimes if a German plane had bombs left on their way home they would unload them anywhere. I well remember the night Coventry was bombed. The German planes were droning overhead all night. The only incident in Kirton that I remember was when incendiary bombs were dropped on and around the railway line. The sirens were sounded and those on duty prepared for casualties. Miss Stella Smith, who was on duty that night and could make anything sound exciting, said, “You couldn’t see across the Town Hall because of the steam produced by a large number of coppers boiling water”. Fortunately it was all to no avail, there were no casualties.

Living so near to the coast ‘Lookout’ posts were on the marsh and soldiers were stationed in private houses. In the village there were concrete blockades on the corner where the Stag and Pheasant public house was, also at the top of King Street and on Willington Road. All signposts were taken down in case of invasion.

The Parish Hall in Willington Road was in regular use as a place of entertainment, there were whist drives, dances, drama groups, women’s institute (even jam was made here), church meetings, Church Sunday school and wedding receptions. After someone’s death there would be an auction sale of their furniture in the Hall.

One of my most treasured memories was the Saturday night dance. People of all ages would attend. On the door would be Mr. Ernest Sellers, and also Joey Fox from the Cycle shop (now a fruit and veg. shop). Powder was put on the floor to make it slippery. Local bands included Aubrey Woods, Mark Marshall, Hallam and Perkins and later Gus Smalley. The M.C. (Master of Ceremonies) announced each dance, e.g. “Ladies and Gentlemen, take your partners for the military 2 step”. We didn’t have a bar or amplifiers for the music so unlike today we could hear each other speak. The last song of the evening was usually “Whose taking you home tonight”. Sometimes I walked home alone along King Street in the pitch dark. It could be frightening in the blackout if there was no moon, there wasn’t a chink of light coming through any of the windows even the cars had a mask on their headlamps.

At this time Lionel (who later became my husband) was in the R.A.F and stationed at Cranwell. He and Ted Cox would cycle from there to be at the dance and cycle back on the Sunday. I would often think to myself, “He doesn’t take me to the dance, he takes it for granted I will be there”. He did however walk me home and give me a goodnight kiss on the cheek. Little did I realise that I would become his wife seven years later after he finished his service in Burma.

Even though the war was on we had such happy times at the old Parish hall when there soldiers in the village, there was hardly room to dance. There would be such pandemonium when sometimes the lights would go out and someone had to find the money to put in the meter to return things to normal.

By today’s standards the place was shabby, the dressing rooms were damp, the kitchen much to be desired, and sometimes the two coke stoves would be smoking but we didn’t care, we were young and enjoying ourselves. It was sad to see the Parish Hall go it held such happy memories for so many people.

I cannot mention all the people on the photograph as I did not know them so well. I did know the young lad David. He joined the Royal Navy when he was only 17. In later years he joined the Canadian Navy. So I didn’t hear much about him for years. Eventually he settled in Canada. I understand that several of his Kirton friends have visited him there. When he has returned here on holiday I sometimes saw him at the armistice service at the war memorial. This fine figure of a man would greet me with a kiss and seemed genuinely pleased to see me. I understand he still comes, but finds there are fewer people he knows as they are all getting older. I hear that he himself is 80 this year. Thank you David for sending in the photograph and transporting me to ‘bygone days’.

Kirton Kids Club

What a wonderful summer! The Kids’ Club opened its doors for four weeks during the six-week summer break. The weather was mostly kind to us – I’ve known much worse!.
The numbers were fairly low for the first few weeks but the last week was much better.
The numbers did not detract from the many fun things the children did though.

We took them each Monday to Middlecott School to use the cookery facilities – the children are quite young but still make a great job of the cakes, scones and pizzas they made during these sessions.

They had days out to Play Towers twice during the four weeks plus a trip to Baytree to visit ‘our’ owl Jim – who the Kids’ Club continues to adopt each year. The best trip though had to be a visit to Frampton Marsh – to see the wonderful birds, scenery and wildlife. We all came away very impressed. But one of the nicest things and impressed me the most, was the reaction of the staff at the bird centre. They were not just great with the children but more importantly they commented on the good behaviour of our children too! Makes us proud as staff and hopefully you proud as parents.

The children were also involved in lots of sporty activities as well as T-shirt decorating, tent day, mug decorating, mask making, Hawaiian day, cat day, talent contests, water fun day, assault cause and bug day ……….to name a few.

The Kids’ Club really suits the younger children as they have chance to socialise, and play but also have the close care of staff that younger children require. We are a very happy and busy ‘family’ and I know children appreciate the security of such an environment. We mostly have the younger children up to the age of eleven during the holidays and they have a brilliant time of it.

The Kids’ Club is not just open holidays though – we are open term time before school – 7.30am to school and after school to 5.45pm. Children are given a choice of breakfast – including a drink. Play and then escorted to school where club staff stay with the younger ones. After school, children are involved in many activities and this session includes a snack and drink.

Club collect the younger children from their classes after school and all children have a registration outside the new hall before they are escorted to the club each evening.
If you are interested in booking your child/children for any of the above session please feel free to phone 722426 – or pop into the club at the Youth Centre during club hours.

The Kirton Village Task Force

Kirton Parish Council has for some time been organizing a village task force on Fridays, this comprises a few community-minded individuals who are prepared to offer an hour or two’s voluntary work to help improve various areas of the village.

This can be a regular weekly commitment or just whenever we have a little spare time to offer. I have recently become involved in this and so far I have helped with two different projects - just for an hour or so each time. There is nothing too taxing involved and each of us just helps with whatever that week’s project needs. Last week we were tidying up the gardens around the village monument, today we were at the burial ground at the north end of the village solving a small flooding problem around some of the gravestones in the south west corner and then tidying up some of the sapling protection.

I expected it just to be a way of ‘putting something back’ into the community in a small way but I found some real pleasure and enjoyment in working alongside some very selfless and motivated people and we all seem to have very enjoyable time. Afterwards we usually repair to the Town Hall for a cup of tea, a few biscuits, and a good old natter.

If you feel you might like to get involved, why not call Alan on 723612 or George on 722757, you won’t regret it.

Don Fowdrey

Show Stoppers

On Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th August was the summer workshop “Showstoppers” which was organized by the usual partnership of the parish church and the Methodist church in Kirton. The two day event was held at the Methodist church and was attended by around 25 primary aged children.

The activities and drama were based on two popular stories from the bible – David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lions’ Den. The children had great fun being lions! Puppet making and mask making were just two of the fun activities that all the children took part in. We also had a life sized- model of Goliath and he was massive!
The children were all measured to see how tall they were in comparison to Goliath. In the afternoon after lunch we played games.

Great fun was had by all – even the helpers. So much so that we have planned our next joint venture which is an afternoon of games and fun activities on Saturday 17th October at the Methodist Church 2- 4pm

So if you are of primary school age and would like to join us for an afternoon of fun and games come and join us then. To book a place please contact Jonathan on 01205 725055.

The Royal British Legion

The Royal British Legion women’s section in Kirton has been in existence now for over 60 years and with our Armed Forces engaged in conflicts in various parts of the world, funds are needed even more to help in the welfare of ex-servicemen personnel. But we do need new members if we are to keep going in the future.

We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 1-45pm in the Town Hall where we have a speaker on most months. Twice a year we run jumble sales.
Our monthly whist drives are held at the Chestnuts on the first Saturday of each month at 7pm. All are welcome to any of our meetings. This year our small group raised £800 plus our contribution to the poppy appeal in November.

Many people are too busy to regularly attend meetings but if anyone who would like to support the Legion could perhaps organise social events for the younger members of our local community we would be very grateful. Your only commitment would be an annual subscription, this year £4.70

For further information please phone Doris Traves (722029) or Joyce Williams (722713)

Fit as a fiddle

Residents of Kirton and surrounding villages who are over 50 can now get ‘fit as a fiddle’ thanks to a new age Concern project aimed at increasing activity amongst the over 50’s. The programme starts on Thursday October 8th from 2 - 4pm in Kirton Town Hall and continues for a further five consecutive Thursday afternoons.

Some of the activities on offer include line dancing, Tai Chi, healthy walking, Nintendo Wii, new age curling and extend exercise (vitality). Pictured is previous ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ participants enjoying line dancing & extend exercise.

The first afternoon is a ‘healthy’ living session and the hall will be full of stands giving out lots of relevant advice and information. There will also be the chance to take part in a fruit & veg quiz and sample some homemade ‘healthy’ snacks.

The sessions are all free and open to anyone aged over 50 so come along and see what is on offer; you never know you might enjoy it!

For further details please contact Sue McLaughlin, the Age Concern Fit as a Fiddle co-ordinator. Telephone: 0770 284 7009 or email: faafbsh@btconnect.com

Keep Fit for the Over 60’s in Kirton

Vitality is a project funded and approved by NHS Lincolnshire to provide safe, fun exercise classes for the over 60’s. Back in March 2009, Vitality launched a new class at Kirton Town Hall which was well received and enjoyed by all. Over the past few months, numbers have dwindled, possibly due to residents enjoying the summer weather outside and who can blame them? But now the nights are getting darker and the weather is turning cooler, we’d like to invite you to rejoin the class.

Kimberley Wilson takes the friendly, fun class on Wednesdays from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at Kirton Town Hall. The class costs just £1.50 each and she’ll even make you a cup of tea or coffee at the end whilst everyone has a natter.

The classes are specially designed for the older person and Kimberley will ensure you exercise safely – no matter what your ability, or even if you suffer from medical conditions that make exercising difficult, you’ll be made to feel very welcome. There is no floor work; just gentle therapeutic exercise set to music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

So come along and join your local community group – regrettably, if we cannot generate more interest in this class, it may have to close, so please pop along and give it ago. For further information please call Louise Thompson on 01529 411194.

Marshmallow Brownies

Makes: 24 slices
Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins

Ingredients:
240g/8oz butter
150g/5oz dark chocolate
60g/2oz cocoa
150g/5oz plain flour
500g/1lb 2oz caster sugar
5 eggs, beaten
150g/5oz marshmallows, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Line a 30cm/12in square tin with baking parchment.
2. Melt the butter and the chocolate together very gently.
3. Mix the cocoa with the flour and the sugar and, off the heat, mix this mixture into the butter and chocolate. Mix in the eggs and fold in the marshmallows.
4. Turn the brownie mixture into the tin and bake in the oven until the surface has set but still feels squidgy underneath. This will take about 20 minutes. Allow to cool and slice.

The Clean Up by Don Fowdrey

Village clean-up working party
Gets stuck-in to the village square
Weeding, sweeping, picking up leaves
Even polishing the ironwork there
Just a few, only a few
Turn out to tackle this task
Those that came enjoyed the day
Those that did not .. (Don’t ask)
Because it always is the Few
Always the same old few!
It did rain, but we don’t complain
There’s a New Face in the crew!
If we could get another six
A dozen there would be
And then we could ‘branch-out’
On jobs, and tackle two or three
The Village would be Spick and Span
We’d win THE PRIZE Hands Down
And maybe even, given time
We could become a Town!

Local Policing - Anti Social Behaviour

There have been 12 reports of anti social behaviour in Kirton for July 2009. These have been: 3 reports of inconsiderate behaviour, 7 reports of vehicle nuisance and 2 reports of throwing things. There have been 9 reports of anti social behaviour in Kirton for August 2009. These have been: 5 reports of inconsiderate behaviour, 3 reports of vehicle nuisance and 1 report of throwing things.

Kirton Neighbourhood Panel meeting was held on Tuesday 9th August at Kirton Town Hall. The current neighbourhood priorities set by the panel are: 1) The extension of double yellow lines on the Stag & Pheasant Corner, Kirton. 2) The Increase of a 30mph limit along London Road from the vets to the cemetery.

If anyone would like further information regarding Neighbourhood Panels, please do not hesitate to contact me.

It is with regret to announce that PC Mick Judge (Community Beat Manager) and PCSO Nerys McGarry have left for pastures new.

If anyone has any questions, queries or concerns, you can contact me at Kirton Police Station, Station Road, Kirton. Tel: 01205 722002 (not 24hrs) Or you can e-mail me at: BostonSouthRural@lincs.pnn.police.uk

PCSO Adam Eden

The Registers

Baptisms - We welcome into God’s family:

Katie Lilly Louise Hull

Weddings - We ask God's blessing on:

Christine and John Milson

Funerals - We commend to God’s keeping:

no funerals this month

Kirton Youth Club

Kirton youth club are pleased to inform you that we are now open on Friday nights too!! So if you are between 10 and 16 years old why not come along.

Admission is only 50p and you can enjoy karaoke, play stations sports, Pool etc. Opening times are Wednesday 7.00 -9.00 pm and Friday 7.00 - 9.00pm at the Youth Centre, Kirton.