Market Rasen Hospital - Caistor Road
This image has been taken from Google Maps of what we know today in Market Rasen as the Almshouses. This was originally known as the Hospital, even though the function of the buildings are still the same, and the charity founded in 1612 that maintained them and it's residents, still exists and remains the providor.
The Origins of the Hospital (now Almshouses) go back to Sir George St. Paul of Snarford. Not only was he High Sherriff of Lincolnshire, but he was later Knighted and made a Baronet.
It was in his Will, dated 1612, that he left £200 towards the building of a hospital (or almshouses) in Market Rasen for 8 poor men over the age of 49 or 50, and £40 yearly rent from land in Cabourne to maintain it.
This is basically explained in a paragraph in the early pages of this book - "The Book of Orders Concerning the Hospital of Market Rasen
"It is ordered and agreed upon that after the decease of Dame Lady Francis St. Paul now Countess of Warwick that there shall be put every half year £20 of that £40 yearly given to the Hospital by Sir George St. Paul Knight and Baronet into a Chest which shall stand in the upper chamber with two locks upon it and two keys for the Overseers of the Hospital and out of the said chest to be taken weekly such allowance as is before mentioned and to be given to the Hospital men by the aforesaid Overseers" (the other £20 was used for maintenance of the Hospital and it's grounds.
Lady Francis was the wife of George St. Paul. Although I have no evidence to suggest such, but due to it's close proximity to the "Hospital" this could be where the name of Lady Francis Drive originated from.
This book would have been written in the infancy of the Hospital, and is basically a set of rules and instructions for the running and maintenance of the Hospital. It also explains the selection process of the "Hospital men", and of the staff, and the responsible people in charge and who the selectors were.
It also gives us an insight into the Geographical surroundings...
"Whereas there is a little house near the Hospital standing upon the Hospital ground..."
I am part way through transcribing the document at time of writing, but a very interesting insight into 17th Century Market Rasen.
Many thanks to Fred Rowlands for this copy.
Market Rasen Railway
The first public preliminary annoucement found telling us that the railway will be coming through Market Rasen was seen in the London Standard dated Oct 16th 1845. Waring & Sons were the contractors to construct the line through the town, and the opening of the Mkt Rasen branch of the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire line was in November 1848, with Mr. W.B. Taylor being the 1st Station Master until 1855.
The station was to keep open until 1995, but not without it's casualties along the way. There was once a large roof covering the platform and tracks, but this was taken down in July 1941 to be used to rebuild bombed stations after the war. In September 1962 Rasen station saw its last steam passenger train leave as diesel engines began to dominate the tracks.
Shortly after this in 1966 saw the retirement of the last Station Master Rex Kew after 14 years. The station was to become just a booking office rather than a full station.
By the late eighties, the station was falling into disrepair and no one would put up the money to keep it open. As previously mentioned, it closed in 1995 and was bought in an auction by Lindum Group in 2014.
Lindum Group refurbished the the station, turning it into both office and meeting space available to rent. To read more click on the Lindum link to the right.
Also another group help to keep the platforms looking their best - the Market Rasen Station Adoption Group. To read more click on the other link to the right.
This is my nanna (the one looking at the camera) sat outside the railway station in the 1940's She was known as Rasen's "Ticket Girl" as was recalled in the Mkt Rasen Mail in 1949 when details of her marriage to my grandad were published. Nanna loved working at the railway station and was always happy to see the boys in uniform come back.... one in particular by the name of Richards! Although she lived in neighbouring village to my grandad, I believe it was their meetings at the station that actually got them together.
To read more about Lindum Group's involvement in injecting life back into the old station house, please click on the link below
To read a bit more about the Market Rasen Station Adoption group, please click on the link below
https://marketrasenstationadoptiongroup.wordpress.com/
You can also find out more about the history of the station here
Barton Family
This envelope from 1878 is addressesd to C. S. Barton Market Rasen. Charles Steventon Barton was the brother of Dr George Henry Barton, General Practicioner of the town who lived in the large King Street house many of you would have known as the Grange (which he had built in 1891). Their father Maurice Searle Barton was also a General Practicioner of the town. In turn Maurice was the son of Zephaniah Barton, also a General Practicioner / Surgeon and very well respected townsman. He lived in Sheffield Manor in George Street, and the family monument in the graveyard where he is buried is buried in the SouthWest corner at the nearest point to Sheffield Manor. Charles Steventon Barton later became a Solicitor and settled in Grimsby with his wife Elizabeth and their children.
Market Rasen Town Band
Market Rasen Town Band LP from 1974. The earliest mention of the town band that I have found is from 1822. Although the band had been around for many years it wasn't until 1971 until their competition successes began. For a more detailed recent history, please go to http://www.marketrasenband.org.uk/2.html
Market Rasen Water Works Company
“The Market Rasen Water Works Company, incorporated 29th June, 1875; the water, derived from chalk springs at the foot of Bully hill, in the parish of Tealby, a distance of 5 ½ miles, is conveyed from thence through iron pipes; no pumping is required, as the pressure of the water from the higher level (about 280 feet) forces it to a greater height than any building in the town; the water is pure and soft, and is perfectly fit for use without any filtration: the total cost of the works was about £7,500.” (Kellys Directory 1896)The Waterworks was completed May 1876 and was celebrated by a company dinner at the White Hart. Documents from 1914 tell us that the average daily quantity of water obtained is 150,000 gallons and a further 20.000 gallons per day could be obtained! In 1950 the company was bought by Caistor Rural District Council for £10,000 with a further £10,250 having to be spent, however by 1953 the company had gone into liquidation. Many thanks to Fred Rowlands for this donation to the Museum
1668 William Chapman half penny
The half penny of William Chapman of Market Raison from 1668 - unfortunately a poor example
Consolidated Petroleum Company
Terraced houses of Linwood Road in the background, this is now Tescos!
The building with the chimney was probably the old station gas works. The company had another site in Mkt. Rasen, and that was where the Festival Hall now stands.