Early 1900's - A scene from farming history

This picture from the archives of sheep shearing at Linwood was taken perhaps 100 years ago. This typical farming scene was soon to become a part of history as farmers quietly adapted to change.

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Early 1900's - Old Owersby recalled

Some delightful old photos of Owersby for you this week. Probably taken in the early 1900s they show a simpler, more peaceful time. Note the curious folk who have stepped out into the street to have their photos taken!



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Binbrook at the turn of the century

This photo shows the topic of our special themed nostalgia page this week - the village of Binbrook. The Market Place has not changed very much since this photo was taken at the turn of the 20th century. The trees have gone and there is now a bus shelter on the right - but the village pump is still there, the centrepiece of the new-look Market Place.

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Early 1900's- When Rasen streets were lit by gas



LET'S turn the clock back to the days before electricity - when Market Rasen was lit by the warm glow of flickering gas lamps. One man who as a lad in the early 1900s went round the old lamp standards and put a light to the incandescent mantles which illuminated the town was Donald Casterton. The Mail spoke to Mr Casterton in the sixties after he received a gold watch for 40 years service to the local gas industry.
He told us then: "In the depth of winter I started going round to light the lamps at about 4 o'clock and then I started to put them out at about 11 o'clock at night.
"One of the most trying jobs was when you were stoking and lighting lamps on the same day.
"This meant you went out from the glare and heat of the furnaces to the freezing cold outside."
Surprisingly, when Rasen changed over from gas to electricity for street lighting and illuminating shops it did not make a lot of difference to the consumption of gas.
Mr Casterton said: "This was partly because the old gas lamps provided a certain amount of warmth as well as light.
"When the tradesmen changed over to electricity many of them put in radiators for the heating of their shops and the radiators used more gas."
In periods of severe weather it was often touch and go whether the old gas plant in Chapel Street would be equal to the task of supplying all the gas needed.
"There were times," said Mr Casterton, "when demand was so great we were going all out, both night and day.
"Gas was going straight out into the town without being stored. We had to keep our pressure up, and we did it, but we had no reserves - no reserves at all."
After the war the whole of the Market Rasen gas undertaking was sold by the New Lighting Co to Mr R Holland of Bawtry.
More changes came later when control passed to the central Gas Board.

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