1980's - Wonderful characters from Middle Rasen

Our photo from the Mail archives shows Mrs W Gravell with an early Victorian letter box which for perhaps 100 years stood at the corner of her house just beside Middle Rasen church. It was a sad day in 1964 when the letter box was taken away by the Post O

ONE man who knew Middle Rasen like the back of his hand was Bill Hardwick. Writing in the Mail back in the 1980s he recalled the good old days.
He said: "In the old days at Middle Rasen everybody knew everybody else. Money was always scarce but everybody was ready to lend a helping hand when anybody else was in trouble.
"News of anyone being sick passed around very quickly. What they said was, 'Can we help with the kiddies?' or 'Let me take the washing home so as to give you a bit of a rest.'"
Old village characters included Bill Brown, who was supposed to weigh over 20 stones and had a smallholding with land adjoining Stock Moor Farm, and Joe Butler who looked after the churchyard.
There was 'Whacky' Cash who lived in a thatched cottage on Church Street. He wore a tall silk hat and a long coat with tails which flapped in the wind. The front of his coat was always badly stained with soup and gravy!
'Pilly' Chapman used to make pills from herbs and travel round the countryside selling them from a black bag. They were supposed to cure every ache and pain.
And then there was 'Peggy' Rands who had a wooden leg and kept the post office.
Mr Hardwick recalled: "Church and chapel were well attended. In the village were two butchers' shops, four general stores, a post office, two cobblers' shops, one bootmakers' shop, a tailor's shop, one windmill, one water mill and about 18 or 19 thatched cottages.
"It was all very different to the Middle Rasen of today."

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August 1981- The end of the line...

End of the line: It was goodbye to Market Rasen's old signal box back in 1981.

THEY called it an 'economy measure' but the removal of Market Rasen's century old signal box this week back in 1981 marked another blow for local railway services.
After years of service the box was decomissioned following the retirement of Mr G E Ball who had been senior signalman at Market Rasen for 27 years.
Signal control of the local section of the line was moved to Claxby and Wickenby signal boxes.
Your Mail said at the time: "Although Market Rasen is now the only passenger station remaining between Lincoln and Barnetby, many of its earlier functions have gradually been phased out, the most important being the closure of the former busy Rasen goods yard.
"It was when this yard closed the future of the Market Rasen signal box, which is believed to have been in its present position for well over a century, first came up for review.
"Market Rasen station staff have been reduced from about 12 when Mr Kew was stationmaster to the present staff of two. The station is now served by one clerk and one porter."
Now in 2003 there is no one at the station - and passengers have to get information from a timetable board or try and work the computer screen.
There is light at the end of the tunnel however for a railway buff is planning to develop the station buildings and turn the former stationmaster's house into his home.
The human presence will hopefully deter the vandals who have made such a mess of the station in recent years.

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1982 - Hero saves mechanic

Snippet from the Market Rasen Mail:


A quick thinking apprentice has saved a fellow worker from highly serious injury.
John Burkitt, aged 17, rushed to the rescue of County Council mechanic Jim Friend, who was engulfed in flames at Gallamore Lane repair depot.
The accident happened as both men were servicing a school bus.
Mr Friend (33) of Willingham Road, Market Rasen, was working on the bus carburettor when the engine back-fired and a jet of flame set light to his clothing and parts of his body.
John, of Caistor, rushed to his aid and put out the flames with his bare hands, allowing Mr Friend to be quickly taken to hospital for treatment.
County Council officials were so pleased with John's presence of mind, they gave him a special treat this week by sending him for a day out at the Motor Show in Birmingham.

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