A ghost story from the Fens of Lincolnshire

The Hobgoblin of Spital Hill

Decades before Ckare Balding's Ramblings on the Radio was Out with Romany. Here I describe the nature of this broadcasting pioneer's radio programs.

In 1937 Spalding had over 20 butchers with the announcement of the closure of Bennett's by 2027 it is looking to have just one.

This article from 1930's may resonate with us in 2026.

Here Pat Wensor tells us about his new history book about Spalding which is possibly one of the best ever produced.

There are many ghostly tales of the Holbeach card players from the Chequers playing cards with their dead comrade. This poem is possibly the most haunting.

In a week where we have seen the worst of urban bias from a Suffolk Labour MP and minister I give a more balanced view of national and local urban bias in politics in this excerpt from my book Marsh Fen and Town South Lincolnshire and Beyond.

With news of the anticipated axing of Sean Dunderdale's Farm Watch program from BBC Radio Lincolnshire I post an excerpt from my book Marsh Fen and Town South Lincolnshire and Beyond. Is this Urban Bias or Regional neglect? Urban bias in the media – the Fenland area has been protected by a strong history of free, unfettered and at times fearless local press. Indeed the Lincolnshire Free Press was originally founded as The Lincolnshire Boston and Spalding Free Press to counte

July 1915 saw a tornado hit Saracens Head near Holbeach

In 1915 shortage of harvest labour saw schoolboys being released from study to help with farm work. The issue over whether this should be paid work arose and the President of the Board of Education, Mr. Henderson, showed wisdom in his instruction: “…local education authorities which take responsibility of excusing boys from school in order to serve the special needs of the country in the present emergency cannot reasonably disclaim responsibility for seeing that fair wages ar

In July 1912 an 80 year old John Dixon of 19 Spain Lane in Boston was interviewed about his life – the following are some of the excerpts printed from this interview that give insight into his work for the engineering firm Tuxford’s and then the Waterworks Company. In the interview he gave insight into the bones buried around Boston giving an insight into superstition, spirituality and local history:

As the numbers of rural poor increased from the 1870's various policies were enacted to reduce their cost such as emigration and allotments - here I consider the development of allotments and smallholdings in South Lincolnshire

Here I consider fen ague and how it combined with opiate addiction

In 1911 the Stamford Spalding and Boston Banking Company was taken over by Barclays. Here I explain how this happened.

Spalding Fire Brigade entered the 20th Century under equipped, under-trained and under-funded.

A little know hero of beekeeping was located in Moulton Chapel. here I describe the significance to Thomas Nutt's work.

Here I look at the development of Moulton Marsh and Moulton Marsh Nature Reserve

It is perhaps bizarre that in the middle of Spalding down the road from the house I was raised in, in Stonegate was a house that relied entirely on gas for it had no electricity until the 21st century. In it lived Edna Basam and her elderly mother when I was young and they had gas lamps on the walls for lighting. I remember asking them what they were as I hadn’t seen gaslight before and Edna lit one to show me.# The electricity grid to supply the whole country with electric

The Wash had its share of shipwrecks with Samuel Plimsol M.P. fighting hard to reduce the mortality of sailors