* ONLY 2,000 out of 35,000 letters from Allied Prisoners of War in Japanese camps were salvaged after a plane carrying them crashed – but a number of letters still found their way to loved ones in Boston.
Irene Freeman, of Jubilee Avenue, received a
charred portion of a postcard from her husband, L.A.C. Joseph Gordon Freeman.
Gunner Arthur Sizer sent parents Mr and Mrs J. Sizer, of Freiston Road, a letter, as did driver Charles Holland to Mrs J. Holland, of Jubilee Avenue.
Mrs C. Middleton, of Tooley Street, received a letter from her son Bert, a gunner.
* FAILING to have a reflective mirror on his lorry cost one Benington man a fine of 10 shillings.
Boston Police Court imposed the fine after Kenneth Birtwistle was seen by Pc Marshall on August 9 in Boston's Market Place.
Mr Birtwistle admitted his outside reflective mirror was accidentally knocked off a few days earlier, but he had not replaced it.
Pc Marshall added that the inside mirror was obscured by a five-ton load of potatoes.
* TWO teams from Boston's National Fire Service showed their prowess at the pumps in the second annual competition of the Number Three North Midland region, held in Nottingham.
The light trailer pump competition for part-time firemen was won by Boston, while the town's firewomen came second in the women's squad drill competition, losing to Nottingham by just two points.
Messenger Swain, of Wrangle, also finished second in the messengers' cycle race.
* YOUNGSTERS were being called up for registrations or to exchange their National Registration Identity Cards.
All British boys and girls born between March 14, 1927 and August 28, 1927, had to register at either a labour exchange, a Juvenile Employment Bureau, or at the special registration stations.
Those born between August 1-28, 1943, were also able to collect their new blue adult card – although a postal application could be sent by those living more than six miles from a registration station or if suffering from permanent incapacity.
Butler family hit a high note
1963…45 years ago
A row of buildings, a crew yard, and straw were all destroyed in a blaze at Grange Farm in Sutterton.
* WHY did the chicken cross the road?
It certainly wasn't to avoid the early-morning traffic as one found itself in the middle of rush hour.
Police took the white chicken into custody after the chaos in Boston's High Street. It was said to be 'strutting' into the road before becoming a pest at around 8.30am.
After a scuffle, it was captured by Mr P. Maltby, of Park Road.
A spokesman for the police said: "We are now trying to trace the owner."
* FIRE swept through a farmyard in Sutterton, burning out a number of outbuildings.
Crews from Boston and Kirton battled the blaze at Grange Farm for around seven-and-a-half hours, although the extent of the damage was unknown.
Buildings, a crew yard, baled and loose straw were all destroyed in the fire.
The alarm was raised by owner Richard Lasswell, who lived at Manor House, Quadring.
He said: "There was a diesel tank we could not move. Luckily, there was no livestock in the yard."
* MUSICAL talent was running in the family for one household in Swineshead.
Roy Butler, 13, and brother Brian, 19, both played the cornet in the Swineshead Silver Band.
But they weren't the only family members in the band as they were also joined by their two uncles and grandfather.
Roy, of Swineshead Cowley School, had been taught how to play by his grandfather before being tutored by bandmaster Reg Patchett.
He hoped to join the Royal Artillery Band.
* A SLUMP in the price of potatoes was an increasing concern for Boston-area farmers.
Boston had become one of the country's main growing areas, but prices had hit as low as £7 or £8 per ton.
After an average price of £20 for the previous five years, low market prices at the beginning of the season was being touted as one of the many reasons for the fall.
Deputy county secretary of the Holland county branch of the National Farmers Union, Mr C.J. Vivian, said he considered it 'an utterly disastrous' season.
Diamond duo celebrated
1973…35 years ago
Youngsters at Holy Trinity Holiday Club might not have been able to get their rocket into space, but they had fun trying.
* IF YOU thought a three-month waiting list was long, then think again.
That was what a spokesman for the transport section of the Department of Environment told learner drivers in Boston.
The national average waiting time had risen to 18 weeks due to high demand in the summer months and a 20 per cent increase in learner driver numbers.
But the wait was also blamed on the shortage of instructors and examiners and a failure rate of more than 50 per cent.
* RESIDENTS in Wyberton could be forgiven for being perfectionists for the past few months as it was officially crowned the best kept large village.
It beat off competition from 34 other villages, including Alford and Washingborough, in the final round.
Other winners were Wellingore, in the medium-sized village competition, and Timberland in the small village section.
Second and third-placed winners were still being kept under wraps by the judges.
* it can be hard to keep youngsters amused during the summer holidays.
But more than 100 of them packed into Holy Trinity Church and the nearby hall for its annual holiday club.
Deaconess Bridget Langley organised a host of activities for the sessions, in their fourth successful year.
While children aged up to five years old looked at the story of the Creation, the six-nine age group took a glimpse at life in biblical times.
Youngsters from nine to 12 looked at space, the boys building rockets and the girls exploring the solar system.
* A TELEGRAM from the Queen marked a diamond anniversary for one Boston couple.
Mr and Mrs James H. Atterby, of Irby Street, reached the 60-year landmark, having married at Boston Parish Church on August 28, 1913.
They marked their anniversary with a party with 35 guests, and also received a fruit basket from the mayor.
The couple met when Mr Atterby was 14 years old and was working in the shop below where his wife lived with her aunt and uncle.
Mr Atterby described his wife as 'a wonderful person'.
Fans shook with excitement at thought of pop idol's visit
1983…25 years ago
Lucky fans wave their tickets after joining the long queue at the South Square theatre.
* Gardener Tony Harrison proved just how well his garden grows by winning a special merit award.
But green-fingered Mr Harrison, of Parthian Avenue, Wyberton, tends to his picture-postcard garden in a unique way.
He pushes himself around the flowerbeds on a set of old pram wheels and uses specially-adapted tools in the garden he has grown from scratch.
Mr Harrison received the award after entering a council competition.
* MORE than 500 fans turned out in the hope of getting their hands on tickets to see a music legend at Boston's Haven Theatre.
Shakin' Stevens was due to perform on November 19 and die-hard fan June Andrew, of Swineshead, was at the front of the queue at 7.45pm the day before the tickets were released.
The theatre owners had announced in The Standard that no early bookings or postal applications would be accepted because of demand.
* THE test is often in the taste, but it was actually a quiz that proved Jean Harrison's cooking prowess.
She walked away as winner of the Anchor Cookbook Quiz while on holiday at Butlins in Filey.
Mrs Harrison, of Clifton Road, became the proud owner of an apron, basket, and a box of Anchor dairy goods.
She told The Standard that she liked cooking, especially cakes, and liked trying out new recipes.
* A BOSTON graduate was among the first people in the country to become involved with a scheme to get small businesses off the ground.
Mark Dunn, 22, of Wyberton West Road, was to be given £40 a week for a year to help kick start his photography business.
Only seven people in Lincolnshire had joined the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, which was run by the Manpower Services Commission.
A sign writer and a metal worker from Boston were also to receive the boost.
Around 25,000 places were believed to be available nationwide, with more than 50,000 eligible.
