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When Grantham firemen tried to extinguish the Moon

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A NOTABLE episode in the history of the town’s fire brigade was in1892 when they tried to ‘put out the moon’.


They arrived at the top of Hall’s Hill after being summoned by a group of men who had been imbibing generously at a local hostelry and saw what they thought was a fire.


They trained their hoses on it with no effect. Then one of them looked behind the hedge to discover it was the moon.
This led to the nickname Grantham Toms (the equivalent of “right Charlies”) and the event was commemorated in this postcard as well as the brigade’s own Christmas Card.


And for an encore, in 1923 they attended a call out on Wharf Road. This time it was the flames of the blast furnace at the Western Engineering Company which deceived them.

Do you remember this Grantham factory?

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CADDY Castings was one of the town’s oldest manufacturing companies. It was formed in 1896 and has outlived the great names of it contempories and many later companies. It made most casting, except steel. The picture shows Arthur Wheeler pouring the moulton metal from a witches cauldron into a mould at the Springfield Road foundry in 1996. The business closed about 10 years ago and the site cleared.

Do you know these Grantham bowlers?

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Grantham & Dist Bowls Assn Finalists 1982. Along the back are Ken Logsdon, Arthur Geeson, Chick Fowler, Brian Foster, Bill Gent, George Baxter, Geoff Cant, Ray Newbatt, Ray Smith, Vic Bye, Steve Franklin & Fred Barnard. Middle left Harry Peel & Norman Thompson. Seated Pete Shelbourne, Gina Browne, Jenny Geeson & Ted Squires. From Jenny Geeson

Do you know these young twisters?

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Donald Holmes at Grantham’s first twist competition which was in May 1962. Organised by Huntingtower Road Allotment Association, it was staged at Bmarco Social Club. Dancing to the Pontiacs one of the winning couples were Miss J Murphy and Donald Holmes (pictured) who won an electric razor and a hair dryer,

Do you remember this Grantham pub?

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This was taken in the rear yard of the Oddfellows. The two gentlemen on the left with hands in pockets are from the left, my Uncle, Charles Leverett (who passed away several years ago) And looking at the camera is my Father Richard Leverett who lives at Gonerby Hill Foot. He tells me It was the Harvest Festival, and all the produce was later auctioned for the church. In the previous pic I sent you of the rear bar, you can see a bread loaf in the shape of a sheaf of corn on the piano. And this would also explain the flowers and fruit. My father says the photos were taken around 1950. From Pete Leverett

Grantham’s Old Contemptibles

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Grantham Branch of the “Old Contemptibles” taken in the grounds of Grantham House in 1942 by Walter Lee. The “Old Contemptibles” were men who had served in the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the front line in France & Belgium between 6th August & 22nd November 1914. The Kaiser called the BEF “Contemptible” because of its size & the soldiers wore the term as a badge of honour.

Gardeners at the Spotted Cow

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THE Victoria Lodge 1752 of the National United Order of Free Gardeners, pictured sometime in the 1920s. The lodge, part of Kingston Upon Hull District, was based at the Spotted Cow, London Road, Grantham. It was a friendly society in much the same way as the RAOB and the Oddfellows. The picture was taken near Lambley’s garage on Bridge End Road. On the extreme right is George Dennis, who lived at No 1 South Parade.

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