Trams at Last

23/01/1903

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It was on this Friday that the long-delayed Board of Trade inspection of Peterborough's new tram system took place - officialdom always takes its time, you know. Two trams left the depot for the Market Place to pick up the official parties. When everyone - including the inspectors - was on board the first car, the driver set off with a fearful jerk, throwing virtually all the officials off their feet! One wonders whether this was a case of nerves, carelessness or intent - we'll never know that. However, the driver reversed the car, made a fresh start and moved off in an extremely smooth manner. The second car followed on, carrying several members of the council and members of the press. Despite this faulty start, the trams passed the test with flying colours. The Peterborough tram service was formally approved and trams from Long Causeway to Walton and Dogsthorpe were able to start carrying passengers. At this time, the Peterborough Electric Traction Co. had twelve open-topped trams for the service. Why, you may ask, were the trams open top? It was because roofed trams would have been too high to pass under the Rhubarb Bridge! (Mitchell, Neil, Streets of Peterborough, 2007; Peterborough Advertiser)

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

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Birth of John Kippax

1915

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John Kippax was the pen name of science fiction writer John Charles Hynam, the author of many short stories and the Venturer Twelve series of novels, which tell the story of space going humans threatened by mysterious aliens. Much of his work was done in collaboration with Dan Morgan.

John Hynam was born on the 10^th of June 1915 in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire the son of Percy and Jane Hynam. His first short story was published in the early 1950s whilst working as a master at The Deacon's school. Papers relating to John Hynam’s published works are held in the Peterborough Archives, all of which were completed on a typewriter. As well as his science fiction writing these include many radio and television plays one of which is ‘The Daffodil Man’ which he wrote for Morecambe & Wise. A story, ‘Ali Barber’s Thieves’ was sold to the Daily Mail to be used in a children’s annual. Many of his short stories were either published in the Daily Mail Children’s Annual or Odham’s Children’s annual. ‘Galleon’s Key’ was his first piece of work to be televised in December 1956. The play originally began as a novel but was adapted into a children’s television play lasting just over thirty minutes.

John was unfortunately killed on 17^th of July 1974 when a lorry hit his car in Werrington.

His death left his series of science fiction novels unfinished.

In the postscript to "Where No Stars Guide" (Pan Books, London, 1975), published posthumously, Hynam's literary collaborator Dan Morgan wrote, "John had a larger-than-life physical and psychic presence. Likeable, eccentric, egocentric, kind, brusque, take your pick from the thesaurus to describe him, he was all of these and more. A man of enormous enthusiasms, he died as lived, at full speed".

John Charles Hynam , Science Fiction , Venturer Twelve , Dan Morgan , Morecombe & Wise , The Deacon's School , Alwalton

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Trams at Last

23/01/1903

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Birth of John Kippax

1915

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