New Pulpit for the Cathedral

28/11/1873

Information

The Northamptonshire Mercury of this date reported the erection in the nave of Peterborough Cathedral, near the organ screen, of an extremely handsome pulpit. It was said that it would cost £700 and that it was being raised to the memory of the late John James D.D., formally a canon of the cathedral, by the deceased gentleman's family. It is certainly a magnificent structure, a great ornament to the interior of the sacred edifice, and would supply a want long felt at the Sunday evening services. The materials of which the pulpit is built are red Mansfield stone and Devonshire and Greek green marble. The Revd James was a prolific writer on the many strands of Christian belief and worship. His 1842 work on The Mother's Help Towards Instructing Her Children in the Excellences of the Catechism, and of the Services Appointed by the Church of England for the More Special Occasions which Mark Christian Life and his 1853 book A harmonized summary of the Four Gospels, comprising every chapter and verse therein are typical of his ability to cover complex subjects in a way that the families of the time could understand and use.

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

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Ice Racing

15/02/1871

Information

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.