Birth of Frank Perkins

26/02/1889

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This day saw the birth of Francis (Frank) Arthur Perkins at Clifton Villa, Park Road, Peterborough. His name resonates still throughout twenty-first-century Peterborough - remembered and recognised as the founder and driving force of the company known throughout the world today as Perkins Engines. His father and grandfather were engineers manufacturing a wide range of agricultural machinery. In 1932 the business collapsed. The rest of the story begins on 7 June 1932, you'll have to wait until then to find out more. (Warman, E., People of Peterborough, Peterborough Museum Publications, 2009)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

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Ice Racing

15/02/1871

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As the extreme cold weather continued, a skating match was arranged for this Thursday afternoon with a prize of a leg of mutton for the winner and a shoulder of mutton for second place. The race surface for amateurs was considered very good. The Peterborough Standard reported that, 'the floods near the north Bank where the trials came off, presented a very animated appearance'. There were ten entries for the races. The final was between Messrs C Richmond, R. Blades (both of Peterborough) and T. Payne (of Stanground). Richmond succeeded in carrying off the leg of mutton and Payne the shoulder, leaving Blades with nothing but the paper's comment that he finished 'with the satisfaction of having worked creditably and having been fairly vanquished'! At the end of the race the organiser, Mr T.Blackman, raised 16s for prize money for a second day's racing. However, there was a change in the weather on the Wednesday and the racing did not take place. The Standard reported that Mr Blackman spent the 16s collected on forty quarter loaves, which were distributed to that number of working men who could prove they were unable to gain employment.

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.