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Middle Rasen
Middle Rasen photos
Displaying the first of 2 old photos of Middle Rasen. View all Middle Rasen photos
Middle Rasen maps
Historic maps of Middle Rasen and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Middle Rasen maps
Middle Rasen area books
Displaying 1 of 8 books about Middle Rasen and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Middle Rasen
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Middle Rasen.
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Middle Rasen Farmer Sires Two Mayors For Grimsby
My 2nd G/Grandfather, Robert Milner (1794-1870), married Mary Ann Norton on 25th April 1821 in St. Peters Church, Middle Rasen, winessed by Thomas Miller, Nicholas Danby and Frances Popple. They had ten children, all born in Middle Rasen, and the family remained there until my grandfather Christopher Miller (1865-1937), grandson of Robert Milner, moved to Grimsby and later became Mayor of that town in the year 1912/13. Walter Banyard Smith (1913-1993), a 2nd G/Grandson of Robert Miller, was also Mayor of Grimsby in the year 1980/81.
Lincolnshire memories
Childhood
Me and my sister used to go and stay in the school holidays with our great nanna, Mrs Hilda Pocklington, in her cottage at Walsbey Road, we used to love our time there. The tennis courts were out the back, and we often used to sit and watch them play tennis in the summer and often wondered whether any of them would end up at Wimbleden, or indeed ourselves - childhood dreams I guess. I also remember she had a coal shoot on the side wall and the coal man arriving and tipping it in and cleaning out the grate and re lighting the fire on cold days. I now have a fake coal fire that brings back memories. The Sellars lived over the road in their bungalow and a Lady Jessie lived next door in a big white house and a man called Jack lived next door to Nan. His house is no longer there, after being rebuilt. My nan's cottage is now almost unrecognisable due to being modernised,... Read more
Black Horse Inn
The photograph of the High Street with the Black Horse Inn Sign in the foreground reminded me that one of my ancestors, Sims Briggs, was the landlord of the inn according to the 1881 Census. Some of the other members are interned in the churchyard including my 2x Great Grandmother Susannah Briggs, wife of John who also died in Ludford but I have no knowledge of his resting place. I recently visited the village and was impressed by the way the churchyard is kept.
The Blacksmith Arms
In 1962 I moved to The Blacksmith Arms with my parents and brother. My parents were Mr and Mrs Mitchell and were employed by Joseph Nickerson, a local landowner. Now I am mature in years and both parents have gone, but the memories are aways vivid. I remember the harsh winter of 1963, and customers being stranded in the pub. Despite my long evenings spent on my own I appreciate the hospitality and community presence there was at Rothwell. My biggest memory was of ghostly goings on within the pub, many stories to tell. Does anyone have any memories or stories to tell. A beautiful village with many stories and much local history.
'Blacksmith Arms Ghost'
In 1978 my sister-in-law Diane Plaskitt worked in the kitchens at the pub. During her time there along with another member of staff they came across 'the Blacksmith Ghost'. They caught site of an image of a man walking from the kitchen door into the hall and then down into the men's toilet at the bottom of the hall. One of the staff decided to go into the toilets to see who it was......and when they entered noone was to be seen! It is said that the man was Stephen Rowles dad who had been a blacksmith on the premises.
Nickersons And Blacksmiths Arms.
I left Caistor Yarborough School in 1961 and went to work for Mr Joseph Nickerson as a telephonist in a big house where his offices were (Nickersons Seeds had their labs too I believe), it was on on the hill leading to Cuxwold. I remember there was a lot of staff, most of whom I still remember the names of. We all used to go down to the Blacksmiths Arms for our lunch.They were good days, it was a beautiful village full of daffodils in Spring. I was only 15 at the time and I remember being very much in awe of Mr Nickerson, I used to make the tea and coffee for everyone and when Mr Nickerson 'was in' I was always terrified at having to take his tray down to his office! We lived near Cuxwold and before I left school we used to go to the Youth Club which was held in the Hall attached to the Blacksmiths that was the highlight of our week had some... Read more
Blacksmith Arms Pub
We used to have children's parties here, I remember a Christmas party in the large hall attached to the pub, with all the village children and there was always a huge Christmas tree in the car park with fairy lights.
The pub used to be a favourite of the RAF men based at Binbrook and on the walls of the pub were endless pairs of boots nailed up, said to be from the airmen who had to bail out? unless I have got that part wrong! I wonder what has happened to all those boots. A wonderful lady named Sandra ran the pub, who sadly died far too young. Her daughter Clare was a childhood friend of mine, but we have since lost touch.
