Getting Steamed Up

24/10/1906

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Without entering into the debatable question of the desirability of two fire services in the city - one official, one volunteer - the Peterborough Express believed that it had become important to get a second steam fire engine in the city. It also pointed out that the volunteer team needed to become 'practically acquainted with the handling of a steamer'. Praising the volunteer service for their determination to raise sufficient money, it commented that they already had around £50 put aside for a steam engine. The Express also suggested that 'all citizens should show their gratitude for the Volunteer Fire Brigade by liberal donation to their fund'.

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

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The General Strike

1926

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The General Strike began on 4 May 1926 and lasted nine days until 12 May 1926 and was the first of its kind. The number of strikers was overwhelming - falling between 1.5 and 1.75 million people. It was called by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening conditions for 1.2 million locked-out coal miners. The strike chartered new territory for workers by closing mines, transport, newspapers, docks and power stations.

The Conservative Government led by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was prepared for the strike and enlisted volunteers to replace striking workers and maintain essential services. The strike ended in defeat for the workers but still gave them a sense of their power and in the 1929 General Election the Labour party won more seats than any other party.

Influenza Pandemic

1918

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The 1918 influenza pandemic also known as Spanish flu, was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza virus. It infected 500 million people around the world killing 50 million but possibly as many as 100 million people. It was one of the deadliest epidemics in human history. Where it originated is unclear but it certainly spread to Britain from France with returning soldiers, with Peterborough suffering as much as the rest of the country.

The name Spanish flu arose because Spain, being neutral in the First World War, did not censor the news to maintain wartime morale, so the epidemic’s effects were freely reported, falsely making it appear that Spain was particularly hard hit.

This particular pandemic had a very high mortality rate because of several factors including malnutrition due to the war, overcrowded medical camps and hospitals, poor hygiene and massive troop movements. The pandemic also came in 2 waves, the first in the spring of 1918 producing a more usual ‘Three Day Fever’ followed by recovery except in the very vulnerable, the very old and very young, but the second wave, peaking in October 1918, was more virulent and targeted particularly young adults; nearly half of all deaths were people aged between twenty and forty years.

By the summer of 1919, the flu pandemic came to an end, as those that were infected either died or developed immunity.

Images(in the Public Domain)

A chart of deaths in major cities, showing a peak in October and November 1918

World War I , Infection

Philanthropist Mary Deacon Christened

1654

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Mary Deacon nee Harvey was christened on 15th June 1654 in Spalding. She was known as the wife of philanthropist Thomas Deacon and she was as much a keen philanthropist as he was. Thomas died in 1721, leaving money to start and maintain a school, but so did his wife. According to the memorial to Thomas and Mary Deacon, she gave £250 for a school in Fleet (near Spalding) which had begun in 1727 and provided free education to poor children. She also bequeathed money for St John's vicarage and the Grammar School (The King’s School).

Mary died without any living children, so her money and effects were shared out between her nephews and nieces and worthy beneficiaries. Her collection of books were offered to the Spalding Gentlemen's Society, where her nephew Joseph Sparke was a prominent member; he had also been a founder member of the Peterborough gentlemen's Society too. The society would not open its doors to women for over 200 years, but she wished for her books to be sent to a society that was based in her birthplace and had a family link.

The memorial to Thomas and Mary Deacon can be found inside Peterborough Cathedral along with their graves.

Literature , School , The Deacon's School

Peterborough Book Society Founded

1730

Information

According to the Kelly's Directory for Northamptonshire 1890, the Peterborough Book Society had been founded in 1730. It claimed it was 'for the circulation of modern literature.' It was originally known as the Peterborough Gentleman's Society, but changed its name in 1820. When the society eventually folded all of the books were sent to local libraries.

Literature

Mesolithic Parnwell Way Archaeology

10,000 BC

Information

Parnwell is one of the newer areas of Peterborough, built beside the old village of Newark and separated from the rest of the city by the Frank Perkins Parkway. The recent addition of industrial and commercial buildings to the east of Parnwell way is revealing that Parnwell has a long past.

Evidence has been found of people living and travelling through the Parnwell area since the Mesolithic period, around 8-10,000 years ago, when Britain was still connected to mainline Europe. Archaeological remains have been found between Parnwell Way and Eyebury Road that suggest people lived in and used the area during Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Medieval times; evidence for other time periods hasn't been found... yet. Evidence has included ditches belonging to field systems, ring ditches, a round house, pots, urns, cremations, arrow heads, an axe head and animal remains. A Roman site, where the Tesco Distribution Centre is at present, contained evidence of corn drying, a quern stone, a brooch and tegula (roof tile), as well as human and animal remains suggesting that people were living there in the Roman period.

Roman , Pottery , Bronze Age , Iron Age , Medieval , round houses

Peterborough's Literary Institute

1833

Information

Peterborough Literary Institute was first established in 1833 and provided rooms to read books, periodicals and papers to wealthier men in the city. It was situated in rooms on Wentworth Street, which at this point was a dog-legged road linking Narrow Bridge Street and Priestgate. It would have occupied a good deal of space because the library contained 'over 2,000 volumes' and the reading room was 'furnished with about 30 Daily and Weekly papers and upwards of a dozen monthly periodicals.' Entry to the Institute was by subscription of 14 shillings, 10 shillings or 5 shillings, but the lowest subscription only allowed that man to access the library. It was open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m.

The Literary Institute was still running in 1876 and had a president as 'Lord Bishop of the Diocese' as well as Vice Presidents S Mayor Esq. and W Wilkins Esq. William Eaton was noted as the 'Secretary and Collector.'

Reference:

Peterborough Directory 1876, p 10

Image by Stocksnap from Pixabay

Literature , Wentworth Rooms

Newark's Neolithic Past

4,000 BC

Information

The village of Newark to the east of Peterborough, has sadly been lost to the march of progress. Although the name Newark still exists, the site of the village was largely lost under the Frank Perkins Parkway. The main road running roughly north to south through the village still exists as Eye Road in Welland.

What is most fascinating about this road is that it was built upon Car Dyke, the Roman canal dating to the early first century. Several Roman finds have been discovered in the area in gardens, public space and Newark Hill School playing fields.

However, further finds have pushed the date that people were living in Newark back even further to the Bronze Age and Neolithic (New Stone Age). Several Bronze Age finds have been discovered in the area as well as Neolithic. This suggests that although the original village of Newark has vanished, people have been occupying the area for at least 6,000 years.

Bronze Age , Neolithic , Car Dyke

Skating Rink Destroyed by Fire

1910

Information

Peterborough's first roller skating rink opened in 1877 and several graced the streets of Peterborough over the coming years. None appeared to be as unfortunate as the Princess Skating Rink, however. The rink, also known as the Princess Royal Skating Rink, was destroyed by fire on Saturday 2nd April 1910 in the morning whilst about twenty people were in the building. Everybody managed to escape unhurt, but the building was completely destroyed.¹

This is likely to be the same rink that in 1909 was wrecked in a storm. At that time the Princess Skating Rink was not in a building, but housed under a canvas roof. The storm that affected the city left the 'canvas roof torn to shreds and floor ripped up.' Damage to the rink was thought to be in the region of £1,000.²

The Peterborough Pavilion Rink appeared in 1911 offering 'the most up to date skating rink in the country.' It contained dressing rooms for ladies and gentlemen and offered children's sessions on a Saturday morning. Most if not all of the skating rinks were sited on land between Park Road and Broadway (which was created many years after the first rink), but as the home to the city's various cinemas and theatres, they would be well located for pleasure-seekers.³

References

1 Northampton Chronicle and Echo, Saturday 2nd April 1910, page 4, col 3

2. Lancashire Evening Post. Saturday 4th December 1909, page 4, col 3

3 Peterborough Advertiser, Saturday 14th January 1911, page 5, col 1

Recreation , Fire , Skating , Broadway

Peterborough's First Skating Rink

1877

Information

Many Peterborians may have fond memories of roller skating at the Wirrina in years gone past, but the history of roller skating starting 100 years earlier.

The Peterborough Skating Rink opened on 2nd April 1877 and it was quite the place to be! Far from being a simple wooden floor to skate on with the ability to hire skates, an evening at the rink was a full evening of entertainment. Mademoiselle Lily an 'accomplished lady skater' and gymnasts, were two of the draws, but the most impressive were events such as bonfire night which featured a Guy Fawkes, outdoor illuminations and two full bands!

The skating rink appears to have been part of Fitzwilliam Hall, the largest indoor space in the city at that time. An advert of November 1877 states:

'On Monday Evening, November 26th, will be performed, at the Fitzwilliam Hall and Skating Rink, Peterborough, Handel's Oratorio "Messiah"'1

Another advert refers to it as 'Flitzwilliam's Grand Skating Rink.'² The skating rink offered a large event most weekends, with live bands, trapeze artists, and 'fancy skating', all at great cost. By July 1878 it housed a Hound Show, being referred to as a 'covered skating rink'. By September of the same year the rink was turned into a theatre to show Robinson Crusoe with the line 'The theatre is intended to be permanent'.3 However the skating rink continued for several years thereafter and continued to be the home of the Hound Show and theatre performances.

^Reference

^{1 Peterborough Advertiser, Saturday 24th November 1877, page 2, col 2}

^{2 The Era, Saturday Saturday 28th April 1878, page 20}

^{3. Peterborough Advertiser, Saturday 28th December 1878,}

Recreation , Earl Fitzwillam , Skating , Fitzwilliam Hall , Broadway

Southorpe Hospital

1294

Information

Southorpe is a small linear hamlet to the south of Barnack. Today there are few houses in the hamlet, which has, until recently, maintained a strong agricultural heart based around the farms on the main road. However, there is a greater history to Southorpe, most of which remains as earthworks.

To the south of the hamlet are the remains of fishponds, clearly identified on the ground, as well as on maps and aerial photographs. The fishponds were thought to belong to Southorpe Hall, but may date to an earlier medieval hospital. Southorpe hospital was created by Peterborough Abbey, with a reference made to it in 1294, but very little else is known about the hospital or why it was sited there. Local belief is that the site, which is on the Hereward Way and adjacent to Ermine Street, was a popular route with pilgrims, which may explain its location.

Hospital , Peterborough Abbey , Abbey

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Getting Steamed Up

24/10/1906

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1918

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1654

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1730

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10,000 BC

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1833

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1910

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1877

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1294

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Southorpe Hospital