< Back STAMFORD PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL (another religious location in the town) On Sunday last, two sermons were preached in the Primitive Methodist Chapel, New-gates, Stamford, by Mr. William Lewin, from Whissendine. Congregations were good, and collections very liberal. On the following day, a public tea meeting was held in the place of worship, at which 60 or 70 persons sat down. The subsequent meeting was addressed by Mr. Lewin (chairman), Mrs Cobley, the Rev. A. Beanland, and others. The Primitives have taken the above-mentioned place of worship, and intend to hold services every Sunday afternoon and evening. Source Stamford Mercury (Friday) November 7 th 1862 p4/c2. Notes. Although we have no precise location for this Chapel, however, it must have been on the east side of Newgates, as to the west we have the Stag and Pheasant Inn with its associated yard and outbuildings. The Primitive Methodists must not be confused with the Trinity Methodists on Barn Hill, who, in 1862, were worshipping in what is now the Barn Hill Church Meeting Room. The Primitive Methodists saw themselves as practising a purer form of Christianity and being closer to that of earlier Methodists. William Lewin, chair of the meeting, was a Coal Merchant, Brick and Tile Manufacturer, as well as a local Preacher living in Whissendine. In 1871, his daughter was an Infant School teacher in the Primitive Methodist Chapel School in Whissendine. The Rev. A. Beanland is Mr. Arthur Beanland who, in 1861, resided in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Both men were obviously travelling preachers, spreading the Word in Stamford. Chris Hunt February 2026 A Print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

< Back Carmen Nuptiale On the Marriage of Lord and Lady Burghley, September 7th 1875 Submitted By Chris Hunt Our Church bells loud are ringing, Our Streets with garlands gay, For Burghley’s Heir to Burghley His Bride’s brings home to-day; One more bright link is added To that ancestral chain, Which binds the heart of Stamford To Cecil’s old domain. Chorus. Then let this prayer of welcome Resound on every side: “God bless the Heir of Burghley,” “And bless his youthful Bride.” The Whichcote’s witching glances Have charmed her Soldier’s heart, And Mars, as erst, to Venus, Hath played the Captive’s part; But now, in turn, the Captives His Captor holds in thrall, And thrones her as his consort In Burghley’s lordly Hall. Chorus. May Heaven send brightest sunshine To gild their onward way, And smile upon their future, As it has smiled today; Should clouds o’ercast that sunshine With shadows from above, May they sustain each sorrow Strong in each other’s love. Chorus. In Bride and noble Bridegroom, May all delight to trace His Father’s kindly virtues, His Mother’s winning grace; So shall the House of Burghley Support its ancient fame, And pass to future ages Its old and honour’d name. Chorus. Then let the prayer of welcome Re-echo far and wide, “God bless the Heir of Burghley.” “And bless his youthful Bride.” A.R.W. (author unknown) Source An Undated Newspaper Cutting inserted in a book owned by Justin Simpson. A print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

Barrel Ring & Opener BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Lowe, Son & Cobbold - Barrel Ring and Crown Cork Bottle Opener Although the firm of Lowe, Son and Cobbold was registered as a limited company in 1895 the Lowe family had run a successful Wine and Spirits business on the Broad Street site adjoining the Nags Head Passage since 1819. The brewery was in operation from the mid-1890s until the Second World War. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Hayes & Son Milk Cart BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Hayes and Son - Coach and Wagon Builders Based locally at their works on Scotgate, 1825-1924, partly where the car park is now sited. They produced almost anything that needed a wheel, from carriages for a Maharaja and the British Royal family, to a wheelbarrow for a labourer, and in the 20th century, coach built bodies for motor cars. One of their examples is this three wheeled milk cart owned by John Thomas Tabram from Uppingham and built c.1910, which can be seen at the Rutland Museum in Oakham. DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

Willcocks Kitchen Range BACK CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IN FULL Joseph William Willcocks Kitchen Range (c.1880 to 1909) Hidden away in the cellar of 62 High Street is this fine Victorian kitchen range. Now long out of use, but still solidly built, below what could be a century of rust. The coal chute from the street above is blocked and access to what would be a museum piece is through a series of cellars. The building above was the old Stamford Mercury offices, originally just in No. 62, and later extended into No. 61, to become a substantial structure where the newspaper was prepared for the print works out the back. Clearly the many re-builds in the 20 th century did not touch the cellar where this kitchen range provided sustenance originally to the Editor and his family who lived “above the shop”. The range has a Joseph Willcocks’ retailer’s cast-iron badge. Joseph William Willcocks’ (1853-1909) business at the top of St. Mary’s Hill was based in 14 St. Mary’s Street where he carried out a successful ironmongery business from the early 1880s until his death in February 1909. At probate he left £10,791 16s 4d, a not untidy sum for the time. Living above the shop, he moved to Broadmead House on Tinwell Road in later life. He was described as an ironmonger, oil, and colourman. Families who were “in trade“, and employed “live in servants”, had the servants working in the cellars and sleeping in the attics; the ground floor was for business, and the first floor was living accommodation for the family. How many other buildings in the centre of town still have such reminders of the past hidden away in their cellars? DOWLOAD PDF Previous Next

< Back New Footbridge over the River Welland 1863 Submitted by Chris Hunt The new footbridge across the River Welland, leading from Terra-cotta Lane to the Water Street railway station, was formally opened on Saturday last by Alderman Octavius N. Simpson, chairman of the committee, and attended by the Mayor and other members of the committee. The structure will be found exceedingly convenient to the residents of the eastern half of Stamford, more especially to those residing in St George’s parish. It has a very pretty appearance as viewed from the town bridge, and is quite an ornament to the part of the river which it spans. The structure consists of two stone abutments and one arch of 80 feet span, with a roadway of 6 feet wide, which is carried on Mallet’s buckled plates overlaid with asphalt. The main portion of the bridge is of rolled angle tee and plate iron, cast iron is only used in the bed plates and parapets, and the whole is put together with more than 8,000 rivets, and contains about 7 tons of iron. The stonework has been carried out by Messrs. Roberts, the ironwork by Mr. Cliffe, and the asphalt has been laid by Mr. Reedman, the whole having been done according to the plans and under the superintendence of Mr. Wright, Civil Engineer, Stamford whose plans it will be remembered were selected in competition out of 17 others. The total cost from first to last, including professional charges, will not exceed £400. Source STAMFORD MERCURY (FRIDAY) JULY 10TH 1863 p4/c3 Note. This footbridge was swept away by the floods of July 1880 and was replaced with the present Albert Bridge. Terra-cotta Lane was renamed Albert Road after Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, who died in 1861. The railway station mentioned above is of course the old Stamford and Essendine Railway station whose main building and goods shed still stand at the east end of Water Street. A print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

Are you interested in your family history? Do you have ancestors in or around Stamford? The Stamford Local History Society may be able to help with your research, contact us today. FAMILY HISTORY In conjunction with Stamford Library, volunteers from the Society assist the public in utilising all of the freely available digital platforms to trace their ancestors. Our Workshops The Society hosts weekly family history and research sessions at Stamford Library, making use of online databases and the library’s Local History Collection. These include but are not limited to the following: You can seek advice on searching for Military Records, using Census information from 1841, finding Births, Marriages and Deaths, and delving into past newspaper articles. The workshops take place on Wednesday mornings between 10.30 and 12.30 and are led by officers and committee members of the Society. These sessions are free to both members and non-members and a Lincolnshire Library Card is required.

< Back The State of Stamford's Housing at the end of the Great War Chris Hunt 2022 At the General Election held in 1918. Lloyd George, a Liberal politician, and Prime Minister of the War Coalition Government, called for "a country fit for heroes to live in". If not fully accepted by all political parties, it was one that none could argue against. It was therefore not surprising that the resulting elected Coalition Government of which nearly two thirds were Conservatives Members of Parliament, followed this ethos by carrying out a number of reforms championed by their junior partners, the Liberal Party. One of these revolved around improving the housing stock for working class families. A commissioned Parliamentary report on housing was produced by the Tudor Walters Committee in November 1918. This led to the The Housing, Town Planning, &c. Act of 1919. The recommendation of the committee and the subsequent Act set the standards for council house design in the inter-war years. It was in this atmosphere that the Borough of Stamford Medical Officer of Health, Mr E.A.Hutton Attenborough M.B. B.S. presented his 1918 report to the town’s Health Committee in March 1919. Housing was a major concern and he stated that he would like to see upwards of 200 houses built to replace those he wished to see closed. And that these new houses should be built as a Garden City, either singly or in pairs, and not to be more than eight to the acre. Once built he stated that he would ask the Council to close every court in Stamford and also numerous streets. Not only closed, but demolished, thereby improving the ‘supply of air’ to adjacent properties and also allowing the widening of some roads in the Borough. As to the list of streets to be demolished in whole or in part: 1) Water Street. 2) North Street, including Belgrave Terrace and School Terrace. 3) East Street and Hope Terrace. 4) Elm Street. 5) Gas Street, Stokoe’s Buildings and Milner’s Row. 6) Welland Street and Tenter Lane. 7) Wharf Road, from St George’s School House to St Leonard’s Street. 8) North side of St Leonard’s Street, except Cornstall Buildings. 9) Brazenose Lane. 10) Bath Row. 11) Sheep Market, Castle Buildings. 12) Austin Street and Austin Friar’s Lane. 13) Eight Acres and Foundry Road. Besides these streets the Medical Officer of Health stated that there were numerous other houses dotted around the town which needed to be closed, and that there were some betterclass houses in the ‘condemned streets’ which his remarks did not apply to. Concerns were also expressed over the sewerage system in the town and the supply of fresh water, neither were adequate, even by the standards of the day. As to the sewerage system, this had been improved before the Great War, but was still far from perfect and some expensive alterations and additions were necessary. The report also raised concerns over the Water Supply, both in quantity and quality and that fresh steps were needed to provide the town with a pure and plentiful supply. It was his understanding that the Stamford St Martin’s and Wothorpe Water Works Company, whose proprietor was The Most Hon. The Marquess of Exeter was consulting experts on this matter. The Medical Officer of Health was of the firm opinion that the Borough Council should now procure powers from the Local Government Board to build at least 200 houses and that as these were built, then an equal number of the worst houses should be closed (and demolished). And that under such a State-aided housing scheme the first too benefit should be those who were living under conditions dangerous to health. The then private sector developers were continuing to build private housing after the War on the eastern edge of the town along Doughty Street and Rutland Road and subsequently Drift Road, Drift Avenue and Drift Gardens. But, it was the Borough’s Council House Policy with the development of the council house estates north and south of New Cross Road and the gradual condemning of the slums in the centre of the town, that so radically changed the shape of the town in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and improve the living conditions Aided by Government Legislation and the Medical Officer of Health’s Report presented to the Council in 1919 kick-started the post-war expansion of the town. A print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

< Back Belgian Refugees in Stamford Jean Orpin 2014 This paper was prepared by Jean Orpin as part of the research carried out for the Stamford commemoration of the start of World war I in August 1914. Between late August 1914 and May 1915, 250,000 Belgian Refugees came to Britain. It was the largest influx of political refugees in British history. Today it is almost entirely forgotten. Yet in the early part of the war helping Belgian refugees was a significant part of Stamford’s contribution to the war effort. October 16th 1914 Stamford Mercury An appeal is made by Mr Samuel, President of the Local Government Board for hospitality which is urgently necessary for town and country organisations to provide accommodation on a considerable scale and is asking for places to take 50-100 or more. He also appealed for individuals to offer care. The Belgian refugees tell an awful story of savagery which compelled them to flee from Mekelen, a manufacturing town of 60,000. On Sunday September 27th after German bombardment the whole town lay in ruins. It was then occupied by German soldiers. Refugees fled to Welhem where they stayed for 3 days and nights then that town was invaded and they went to Antwerp and were shipped to Harwich. October 23rd A crowded meeting was held at the Town Hall to consider the maintenance of the refugees attended by the Mayoress, the Marchioness of Exeter, Countess Villiers, the Countess of Ancaster and other prominent residents. The Mayor hoped that everyone would do all they could and they needed to think of expenses. Mrs Edmonds had offered furniture and the Mayor had bought 9 beds and 16 blankets and would make the gift up to £20. The estimated cost of maintenance was 7/- per week. Mr Halliday and Reverend Rogers advised proceeding cautiously as many of Stamford’s own residents might need help before the war was over. Mr Coulson said that the town could be divided into districts and ladies appointed to collect weekly subscriptions. The Roman Catholic priest asked if they could get French refugees as he did not understand Flemish. The Mayor proposed that they proceed with arrangements for 20 and appointed a committee. The Mayor said that gifts of clothing, bedding, furniture and linen were acceptable. Satisfactory arrangements were made with the owner of Eversley House School, Mr R. G. Evans. This commodious dwelling has been furnished for the reception of the refugees. Large quantities of bedding, furniture and household requisites have been given or loaned by the townspeople. The gas company undertook to supply gas free of cost and the Urban Electric Company would supply electric light at 2d a unit instead of 5d. A letter to the Mercury suggested that a quiet reception be made as he had already noticed a lot of schoolchildren peering through the windows of Eversley House as if something in the nature of a freek show was taking place. Villages were participating too. Easton had a house available. Collyweston planned to make a weekly collection. Folkingham had a scheme for entertaining and accommodating a number of refugees. Duddington and Ryhall also offered support. October 30th The Belgian Refugee fund had £389 in the bank. Mrs Pepper of Red Lion Square collected 2040 pennies.Madame Matilde Dorzou was put in charge of Eversley House, which had been fitted up to house about 30 refugees. The first party of 30 including a banker, an accountant and the postmaster of Louvain arrived on the 22nd and was met at the station by the Mayor and Mayoress, the Town Clerk and Reverend Father West, the Honourable Mrs Geoffrey Pearson and Mr Orlando Edmonds. Brakes conveyed the refugees to Eversley House where they were addressed by the Mayor. Ten more refugees arrived on Saturday evening. They attended mass each morning. The light and gas company supplied fuel on special terms. Drs Greenwood and Attenborough were in attendance. November 6th £462 has been paid into the Relief Fund. Another party of refugees were expected and preparations were made at a house on Broad Street, formerly occupied by Mr Hassan which brought the number of refugees up to 60. November 13th Relief Fund £ 493. To avoid difficulties at Eversley House two families left for Manchester. November 20th A whist drive raised £8 10s 6d for the refugees. December 6th A party arrived but soon moved on. Peasant classes arrived to occupy premises at 18 and 19 Broad Street. December 11th Relief fund £689. December 18th It was agreed that empty houses occupied by refugees should not pay rates. T he Invasion of Belgium Germany planned to conquer France quickly. As the border was heavily fortified they planned to avoid the French fortifications by invading neutral Belgium as part of the Schleifflen Plan to capture Paris quickly. This act was seen as a violation of International law as Belgium was a neutral country. Belgian neutrality had been respected in the past and Britain had guaranteed Belgium independence with the Treaty of London in 1839. The invasion took place on August 4th. King Albert, declaring that Belgium was a country not a road, led the Belgian army which resisted the invasion. The first battle in Belgium was at Liege (August 5-16th). This delayed the German progress and gave the British time to send a British Expeditionary Force to Belgium to join the Belgian army. It was small but highly professional. (The British did not have a large army and depended on the Navy as a main line of defence.) Although the Germans were stopped, they had overrun Belgium which remained in their hands for the rest of the war. Over a million refugees fled the country, a quarter a million to England. War Refugee Committees were set up to cope with the refugees.Belgium had a population of 7.5 million. It was a prosperous country with an economy based on trade and industry including a steel industry and coal and iron but imported food. The major ports were Antwerp and Ostend. A print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

< Back Stamford Post Boxes: A History By Trish Auciello Introduction Stamford is not unique … but it is unusual for a small town like ours to have post boxes from six different monarchs, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II, all we are missing is King Charles III. This article traces the historic locations and monarchs of post boxes in Stamford. It concentrates on Queen Victoria to King George VI, with a few notable ones from Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. Most of the historic information has come from the various directories, such as Dolby, which listed locations from 1855 up to 1939; unfortunately, these don’t give precise locations or the type of box, and there are some anomalies and omissions. Descriptions of the current locations of post boxes are correct as of April 2026. First some background to set the stage for the entrance of the post box. The Postal Service before 1840 The first letters were carried by horse, with recognised places and persons responsible for providing horses and post-boys, and many old hostelries were used, including Stamford, which was the 8 th stop on the London to Berwick route, later extended to Edinburgh. Mail coaches on the London to Edinburgh route were introduced in 1786. In the 1830s, postal rates were expensive and anomalous, charged by the number of sheets (no envelopes) and the distance travelled. The recipient paid the postage upon delivery and this system was subject to abuse e.g. if the recipient recognised the writing and knew that their relative was well enough to write, they could refuse to pay the postage, leaving the Postal Service out of pocket. It was usual for the sender to take the letter to the receiving office themselves, which could be some miles away, although some places had a Bellman who would collect mail. Records were kept of each letter, sender, and recipient, which was a major administrative burden. The Penny Black Sir Rowland Hill conducted a review of the Postal Service in the late 1830s and recommended a much cheaper, pre-paid system, using an adhesive stamp to show that postage had been paid. This started in May 1840 with the introduction of the Penny Black stamp. It cost one penny for letters up to half an ounce (14 grams) no matter the distance. Hill’s thinking was that a cheaper system meant more people would send letters and eventually lead to profits. He was proved right as nationally the number of letters sent more than doubled in 1840. In Stamford itself, an average of roughly 1,700 letters was sent each week in November and December 1839; in one week in January 1846, this had risen to 5,760. Post Boxes With the increase in mail, a more efficient system was needed to collect letters ready for the mail trains. Anthony Trollope, now more famous as a novelist, worked for the Post Office as a surveyor, and had probably seen roadside letter boxes in France and Belgium. He proposed a similar system in Britain, and a trial started with four boxes in Jersey in 1852 and others in Guernsey in1853. None of these boxes remains in use. The first post box in mainland Britain was installed in Carlisle in 1853. There was no standard design, although nearly all were pillar, but some were fluted, others hexagonal, or had ornate decorations. Some early boxes had vertical slits, with an internal flap that moved to the side. By 1857, horizontal slits were usual with a flap over the aperture and a protruding cap. Wall boxes first appeared in 1857, and lamp boxes in 1896. The “Resources” section, at the end of this article, lists books and websites where more information can be found on the progression to the boxes used today. Cyphers As the Royal Mail service, nearly all post boxes show the cypher of the monarch at the time they were manufactured. There are some without a cypher, known as “anonymous” that were issued in error. Here are the names of the monarch, their dates, and their cypher. The small Victorian wall boxes just show the initials VR. An interesting side thought – Edward VII was a colourful character and his cypher has a flourish to it, by contrast George V was a quiet, reserved man. His cypher shows only “GR” and not “GVR”, as he was the first George with post boxes and felt “GR” was quite sufficient. Stamford’s First Post Box The first post box in Stamford was installed on High Street St. Martin’s in October 1855 in the same year that London installed its first post boxes. This was in the reign of Queen Victoria (VR 1837-1901) and was reported in the Stamford Mercury on Friday 26 th October 1855. The black and white photograph below shows the box outside St. Martin’s Church; it probably wasn’t a coincidence that it was opposite the Burghley Estate Offices. The post box appears to be hexagonal, and may have been similar to this one still in use today in Framlingham, Suffolk. I don’t know how long this box remained in use, whether in this location or elsewhere. A sub post office was opened in High Street St. Martin’s in 1897 closer to the town bridge; a photograph in the Francis Frith collection of the post office doesn’t show a post box outside it – did people still use the old box, in its original location, or perhaps relocated nearer the bridge? The current box on St. Martin’s, near the corner with Water Street, is a George V (GR 1910-1936) pillar box. This box has the remains of a frame on top which would have held a sign showing the direction of the nearest post office. Stamford’s Second Post Box The Stamford Mercury in December 1959 mentions that the post master had applied to install an “iron letter-box somewhere in St. Peter’s-street” and a meeting was arranged to choose the location. The book “Stamford Postal History” gives the location as Tinwell Road, perhaps they meant “the road to Tinwell”? It was described as the “new type”, probably a cylindrical pillar with a horizontal aperture, not that different from modern boxes. In the directories, the location is sometimes described as St. Peter’s Hill and sometimes as St. Peter’s Street. In 1896, Potter’s Directory says Hill and Dolby’s says Street. The black and white photograph below dates from 1913, and shows a box outside 32 St. Peter’s Street, which was the yard of John Woolston, a well-known local builder. In more modern times, it was a car dealership, and is now the Stamford Eye Clinic. The current box is a George V pillar box outside 22 St. Peter’s Street. This used to be a hardware shop and is now a firm of accountants. Victoria (1837-1901) Boxes still in use There is only one Victorian pillar box still in Stamford, it’s on St. Mary’s Street , opposite St. Mary’s Hill, and was installed around 1896-97. The other Victorian boxes still in Stamford are all wall boxes. There is one on platform one at the Rail Station , installed between 1868 and 1871. Another is on Scotgate , installed at about the same time. It’s outside number 48, part of a kitchen showroom. The last remaining VR wall box is in Torkington Street , in the wall of a now closed sub post office. The sub post office was previously on Casterton Road ; when the post office moved to Torkington Street, the box moved as well. However, the directories don’t show a box on Casterton Road until 1909, during the reign of Edward VII (EVIIR 1901-1910) and Torkington Street is not mentioned at all. Previous Victorian Post Boxes Wharf Road – the directories show a box on Blackfriars Street from 1874 to 1896, then one on Wharf Road from 1897 onwards. Did the box move or was it described differently? At some stage, the box has been changed to an Eliabeth II (EIIR 1952-2022) wall box, opposite the entrance to the Wharf Road car park. Conduit Road 1891-1896, Recreation Road 1897-1903, Bentley Street Sub Post Office 1904 onward - these three boxes pose a conundrum. It seems too much of a coincidence that the dates they appear in the directories follow on if they’re not connected in some way. Perhaps Conduit Road was a wall box, with a small capacity. The roads north of New Cross Road were being developed around this time, and Recreation Road would have seen more foot traffic than Conduit Road, and a pillar box may have been installed here to handle a larger volume of mail. The same box was probably described as Bentley Street sub post office, when it opened, as it was only about 50 yards away. The current box on Recreation Ground Road is an Elizabeth II, recently converted to solar. High Street first appears in the directories in 1876, described as being near the (fire) engine house, which was at the back of the portico – the current library building. The portico was a butcher’s market with the police station in the small section on the left. The present box is an Elizabeth II pillar box at the front of this section. St. Paul’s Street – another conundrum. The earliest mention is in 1872, exact location or type unknown, and the latest is 1882, both very much Victorian. The current box is an Edward VII wall box outside what locals will know as the Boys School/Grammar School/Stamford Endowed School, however this box is not mentioned in any directories up to 1939. Did this box move from another location in town, but why isn’t it mentioned? Tinwell Road , first mentioned in 1891, so not the location of the second post box as “Stamford Postal History” stated. Its exact location and type are unknown. There are two boxes currently: a George V (GR 1910-1936) pillar box at the bottom of Roman Bank, and an Elizabeth II lamp box at the corner of Exeter Gardens. Water Street , there is a box listed as near the Iron Bridge (Albert Bridge) between 1876 and 1937, type unknown. In 1938, it has moved to Newtown , which rises from the end of Water Street to Barnack Road. The change in location may have been to bring it closer to Stamford East Station; was the same box moved or was a newer one installed? The current box is an Elizabeth II lamp box outside the old station building. Wothorpe Road was first mentioned in 1898, lastly in 1934. Was this actually Wothorpe Road in town or outside near Wothorpe itself? There was a sub post office on High Street St. Martin’s and a box at the station so would a box on Wothorpe Road have been necessary? Edward VII (1901-1910) boxes There are only two Edward VII boxes in Stamford, the wall box previously mentioned on St. Paul’s Street , and another wall box on the corner of Priory Road and Cherry Holt Road installed 1909-1910, the photo below is a close up of the cypher. Possible other Edward VII boxes Broad Street , this was first mentioned about 1905, presumably Edward VII but it may have been a Victoria box being reused. It was a wall box at the junction with Ironmonger Street, the outline of the box can still be seen, although partly hidden by an electricity box. The current box is an Elizabeth II pillar box next to Browne’s Hospital. Was this a direct replacement or had the earlier one already been replaced? If an Edward VII, was it moved to St. Paul’s Street? Queen Street , a box was installed in 1905; as with Broad Street, we can’t be certain if it was a VR or EVIIR. The current box is an Elizabeth II wall box. Empingham Hill/Road , the first mention of a box is in 1909, would this have been at the lower end when there was a VR wall box close by on Scotgate, or was it further up, near or at the present location? The current box is a George VI (GVIR 1910-1936) wall box on the corner of Empingham Road and Foundry Road. George V (1910-1936) post boxes I’ve already mentioned three George V pillar boxes in Stamford: St. Martin’s , St. Peter’s Street , and Tinwell Road . There are two other pillar boxes in town: Ermine Way , near the junction with Empingham Road. this is not mentioned in the directories up to 1939, perhaps a re-used GVR box was installed after WWII. Sussex Road , on the corner of Cornwall Road, probably described as New Cross Road in the directories, and first mentioned in 1934. This has an attached red painted drop box, where the postal service left mail waiting to be delivered to individual addresses. This is the only attached drop box in town, all the others are lamp boxes, and grey in colour. They are not used nowadays. There are only two GV wall boxes in Stamford: Radcliffe Road , in the wall of the cemetery, first mentioned in 1939 when it should have been George VI, another box being reused, but from where? Kesteven Road , outside the shop, previously a sub post office. This is another anachronism: George V was king between 1910 and 1936, Kesteven Road post office was opened on 1 st February 1957. I have no way of telling where the box came from, whether it was relocated from Stamford or elsewhere. Edward VIII – the jewel in the crown The Dolby Directory first lists a post box on Ryhall Road in 1908, which was probably Edward VII. The description of the location was changed to Ryhall Road sub post office in 1924. The photograph below shows the Burghley Tea and Coffee Tavern, incorporating the post office, with a wall box by the door. Unfortunately, the photograph isn’t clear enough to show the cypher. Edward VIII only ruled from 20 th January 1936 to 11 th December 1936. There were about 270 boxes manufactured during his short reign, but many were altered after his abdication, with the doors being replaced. It’s estimated that about 160-170 remain, and we have one in Stamford, which was installed as a pillar box outside the sub post office mentioned above. This is now a barber’s shop. The sub post office has had alterations to the entrance, and an extension was built in the late 1960s. It looks as if the front has been replaced as there’s no sign of the earlier box in the modern brickwork. If it was Edward VII, is it a candidate for the St. Paul’s Street box? GEORGE VI (1936-1952) boxes There are three George VI pillar boxes in town: Casterton Road , as previously mentioned, it would have been a VR or EVIIR when first included in the directories in 1909. The current GVIR box is north of the traffic lights, not far from Vence Close. This is on the grass verge and is sinking into it, the ground is almost up to the bottom of the door. Lindsey Road , on the corner of Kesteven Road, this must have been one of the last George VI boxes to be installed in town, as the houses on Holland Road, Lindsey Road, Witham Close, and Kesteven Road were first inhabited in 1950. Rutland Road, on the corner with Lincoln Road, probably installed post WWII. The door of this box is also almost at ground level, in this case because repeated tarmacking has raised the level of the foot path. There are four George VI wall boxes in town: Empingham Road, on the corner with Foundry Road, as previously mentioned. Little Casterton Road , near the junction with Lambeth Walk, opposite the shop, not mentioned in the directories so probably post WWII. This box is a little shy and can often be found hiding in the ivy. Stamford Post Office, All Saints’ Place . These don’t have a cypher but they are in the extension to the building that was built in 1937. Elizabeth II (1952-2022) I’ve mentioned some of the Elizabeth II boxes already. A full list of all of them is at the end of this article. Solar Boxes Two Elizabeth II boxes have recently been converted to solar in Stamford, on Recreation Ground Road and outside the Stirling Road post office. They have been fitted with new caps with a solar panel and the doors have been altered with a larger aperture so they can take parcels up to a shoe box in size. The solar panel provides power for an app which is needed to send parcels, provide proof of posting etc. Royal Mail have said they will only change Elizabeth II boxes, so our Edward VIII should be safe. Charles III (2022- ) We don’t have a Charles III post box in town; Royal Mail don’t proactively offer to install new boxes but communities or new estates can ask for a box to be installed if they show a need and no other boxes are close by. The new estate on what was Williamson Cliffe’s old works doesn’t have a box, and with new estates being planned for Ryhall Road and possibly Casterton Road, we might see a Charles III one day. Summary As with most historic research, even with such relatively modern events, it’s difficult to achieve complete accuracy. I hope you’ve gained some interesting knowledge, even with the questions and puzzles that remain. I have also written a self-guided walk, about 60-70 minutes long, around the boxes of six monarchs in the town centre, which can be found on the Stamford Local History Society website. Trish Auciello © May 2026 Acknowledgements Thanks are due to: Chris Hunt, Chair of the Stamford Local History Society, who first sparked my interest, and who provided the old black and white photographs. All other photographs were taken by the author. Paul Hewitt, committee member of the Letter Box Study Group, who set this process in motion by asking if I knew where Stamford’s 38 post boxes were. Lea Rickard and the staff at Stamford Library for their help with the directories. Resources Books: Stamford Postal History, by W G Stitt Dibden and L Tebbutt – out of print but Stamford Library has a loan copy Old Letter Boxes, by Martin Robinson (Shire 2000) ISBN 978 0 74780 446 8 The Letter Box – a History of Pillar and Wallboxes, by Jean Farrugia (Centaur Press 1969) ISBN 978-0900000140 Pillar Boxes, by Jonathan Glancey (Chatto and Windus 1990) ISBN 978-0701134471 Online: The Letter Box Study Group www.lbsg.org Various Facebook groups Twitter/X – #PostboxSaturday , usually not for technical information but interesting photographs of post boxes in the UK and worldwide A walk around Stamford town centre post boxes www.stamfordlocalhistorysociety.org.uk Museums (check out their websites as well): The Postal Museum, London WC1 – www.postalmuseum.org Colne Valley Postal History, Essex – www.cvphm.org.uk Oakham Treasures, not in Oakham but near Bristol – www.oakhamtreasures.co.uk Other Interesting Boxes not found in Stamford (hint: Lincoln is a good place to visit) Penfold – a standard pillar box design between 1866 and 1879, very popular but expensive to make – there’s one in Lincoln in Exchequer Gate near the Cathedral. Modern copies can be found near tourist sites or other attractions. Gold – the above box in Lincoln has been painted gold, in honour of Paralympian Sophie Wells after the 2012 London Olympics. Search online for a full list of gold boxes. Double – the closest oval double boxes are in the centre of Bourne, the centre of Market Deeping, and in Cathedral Square, Peterborough. There is one on Clacketgate in Lincoln, west of the High Street. Rectangular double – on the High Street in Lincoln. Edward VII pillar boxes are quite unusual, there’s one on Clacketgate in Lincoln, east of the High Street. Edward VIII wall box, in Bawdsey, Suffolk. Possibly the only EVIIIR wall box remaining, it’s a Ludlow type used by sub post offices. Charles III – the first one, a pillar box, was installed in Cambourne, west of Cambridge, in July 2024. Stamford Post Boxes – the full list as at April 2026 is here: Victoria – VR Pillar - St. Mary’s Street, outside King West estate agents Wall - Stamford rail station, on the platform Wall - Scotgate, outside the Home kitchen showroom Wall - Torkington Street, off Casterton Road Edward VII - EVIIR Wall - St. Paul’s Street, outside Stamford School Wall - Priory Road, on the corner of Cherry Holt Road George V - GR Pillar - St. Martins, opposite the George Hotel Pillar - St. Peter’s Street, next to the accountants Pillar - Tinwell Road, on the corner of Roman Bank Pillar - Ermine Way, on the corner with Empingham Road Pillar - Sussex Road, on the corner of Cornwall Road Wall - Radcliffe Road, in the cemetery wall Wall - Kesteven Road, outside the shop Edward VIII - EVIIIR Pillar- Ryhall Road, near B&M. Very rare, probably about 160 still in existence. George VI - GVIR Pillar - Casterton Road, just north(ish) of the traffic lights Pillar - Lindsey Road, on the corner of Kesteven Road Pillar - Rutland Road, on the corner of Lincoln Road Wall - Empingham Road, on the corner with Foundry Road Wall - Little Casterton Road, opposite the shop, on the corner of Lambeth Walk Wall – Stamford Post Office, All Saint’s Place – no cypher Elizabeth II - EIIR Pillar - High Street, outside the library Pillar - Broad Street, near the War Memorial Pillar - Recreation Ground Road, opposite the end of Bentley Street Pillar - Green Lane, on the corner of Edinburgh Road Pillar - Sutherland Way, outside the shops (Stirling Road Post Office) Pillar - Morrison’s lobby Lamp - Barnack Road, near Abbot’s Close Lamp - Water Street, outside Welland Mews Lamp - Tinwell Road, on the corner of Exeter Gardens Lamp - Lonsdale Road, opposite the Danish Invader Lamp - Caithness Road Lamp - Arran Road Lamp - Primrose Way 1 Lamp - Primrose Way 2 Lamp - Hardwick Road, on the corner with Casterton Road Lamp - Cambridge Road, on the corner of Charles Road Wall - Wharf Road, opposite the car park Wall – Queen Street A print version can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

< Back The Night of the Coventry Blitz - 1940 On the night of November 14th and into the morning of November 15th 1940, squadrons of German planes flew over Stamford on their way to bomb Coventry. That night, as on many others, fire watchers were readying in cities, towns and villages for the ever-expected arrival of the War to their communities. In Stamford, fourteen-year-old Eric Hunt, too young for the Army or the Home Guard, was on duty as a fire watcher at the top of Lowe, Son, and Cobbold’s brew house on North Street, wondering who was getting bombed tonight. Memories of Eric Hunt. A printed copy can be downloaded HERE Previous Next

< Back Stamford Mid-lent Fair in the past Submitted by Keith Hansell Stamford Mercury March 1724 William Newzam, cutler in Stamford, selleth all sorts of London, Birmingham and Sheffield cutlery ware etc, either wholesale or retail, with all sort of white or yellow buttons for livery. Likewise hath laid on a fresh stock of fine tea, coffee and chocolate where gentlemen, ladies and others may be accommodated with as large or as small a quantity as they please. NB, during the time of the fair he will sell as cheap and as good as the Londoners, or any fair keepers whatever. Stamford Mercury March 1894 The pleasure fair was in full swing yesterday (Thursday), although tomorrow is the popular day. Several of the attractions were opened on Monday night. About the average amount of ground space has been taken up, but there are more shows than usual, the stalls and bazaars being fewer in number. The novelties this year include two of Edison’s phonographs and two fine circular switchbacks, one of the latter being in the Square and the other in the Sheep-market, and both of them being illuminated by means of the electric light. Other attractions include a ghost show, a large roundabout in the Square, an exhibition of divers at work, and a small menagerie, with a large number of coconut shies, etc. Up to yesterday afternoon the attendance was about the average. Stamford Mercury March 1920 PLEASURE FAIR, - One of the largest in respect of space occupied, the Mid-lent pleasure fairs the main attraction of Stamford and district during the current week. Owing to the wintery weather on Monday the start was delayed, but on Tuesday the visiting showmen and roundabout proprietors were able to complete the erection of their respective stands and that evening the “fun of the fair” was in full swing. The most extensive site in Broad-street is occupied by Thurston’s electrically propelled scenic railway, a highly artistic and attractive erection, and close to are Headley’s interesting show of novelties, and Peter’s collection of living freaks of nature. More stories and a history of Stamford Fairs & Markets by Keith Hansell is available in print. A printed copy can be downloaded HERE Previous Next