8 Hamilton Road Lincoln, England
There was sport too for we boys. Due to the long period that the
stacks had been standing in the farmyard, some mice had made their
homes there. We stood round the stack each with a stick and as a
sheaf was picked up to be put into the thrashing machine, one or
two mice might be revealed. So sticks would come down on the poor
school in his pocket, unfortunately for the boy, the mouse got out
of his pocket in school and there was pandemonium. Girls screaming,
boys laughing and school teacher was furious. Needless to say that
boy was caned.
I am sending a few photo’s I took at a Traction Engine Rally
near Lincoln, and the engine made by Rustons was a type used for
driving the threshing machine. The Lincoln April Pleasure Fair has
been held here ever since before I can remember and I am 73. It is
still held though of course it has altered in design and build over
the years. As a pleasure fair, I think they were far better and
much more fun just over 50 years ago, than they are today. There
was more variety and no stentorian loud speakers. Included in my
pictures are two beautiful fairground organs, the Marenghi being
really impressive and it played music from ‘My Fair Lady’.
It was much admired at the Rally.
There is also a print of an old steam road roller, and I just
had to photograph it, because it has my name there on. Finally a
print of a cultivation engine. These are still used in some parts
of Lincolnshire. You may be aware that two such engines are needed,
one each side of the field. As one engine pulls the big plough,
with a man aboard, with the wire cable as seen on the drum beneath
the boiler, the other engine pays out its cable. When the plough
reaches one engine, the other engine moves up field a few yards and
then it in turn takes up the pull, and so it goes on.
The account of the Steam Whistle Concert, I found most
interesting (in the Jan.-Feb. issue), and I would have loved to be
present. What a grand idea.
