* AFTER indulging in a little extra for a few weeks, tomato lovers had to face the consequences.
A decision was taken to restrict the quantity of tomatoes available on rations after J.W. Mowbray, A. Battley, A. Lealand and C. Valentine consulted wi
th the Ministry of Food (tomato division).
It emerged that residents in Boston, Sleaford, Skegness, Horncastle, Spalding and districts were found to have had considerably more than their quota.
Those with a category 'A' card were entitled to six 12lbs boxes, category 'B' meant three 12lbs boxes, and only two 12lbs boxes were available for a category 'C' card.
It was an offence for growers to supply directly to any retailer without marking up their allocation cards.
* A COMMISSION agent from Sheffield found himself before Spilsby Magistrates after giving into temptation while on holiday in Stickney.
An inspection of Thomas Fiddler's bag as he was on his way to the train station to return home revealed 155 eggs.
Fiddler pleaded guilty to two instances of buying eggs when not licensed to do so, saying he was tempted when 'seeing all the poultry and eggs, plentiful in great contrast to Sheffield'.
He was fined £6 with £2 2s costs.
* HOUSE and farm prices in the Boston area continued to be high.
A Mr Yates managed to sell his six-room semi-detached house in Robin Hoods Walk, Boston, for £1,040 with agents James Eley and Son.
In Freiston, arable land was bought by Jim Watson for £2,250, while other land in the same area reached £925.
James Eley and Son were also responsible for the sale of freehold arable land in Creasey Plot Lane in the north end of Swineshead.
The land was said to have been ploughed in spring and was 'practically all' maiden soil. It sold for £510.
* TWO Boston brothers found themselves fighting together in North Africa.
Lance Cpl Stanley Tebbs and Sapper Geoffrey Tebbs, sons of Mrs and the late Mr M.E. Tebbs, of Grand Sluice Lane, Boston, had both been serving in the area for 10 months.
But despite fighting in North Africa, both boys said they each received their copy of The Standard regularly.
In his diary home, Geoffrey wrote: "Tunis is a grand place. The people were pleased when we took over. It was nothing out of the ordinary to be grabbed and kissed on both cheeks. None of us minded, particularly when the girls did it!"
Cadets strode out as Boston took the plunge
45 years ago this week... 1963
Cooling off – Cadets R. Beasley, A.M. Quantrill, I. Doughty, and Cpl J.E. Huggins celebrate with their feet in a bucket of pop rather than champagne.
* FOUR Boston air cadets walked 50 miles in under 14 hours to prove teenagers are not 'soft'.
Cadets R. 'Bees' Beasley, 16, A.M. 'Quanny' Quantrill,15, I. 'Dodger' Doughty, 15, and Cpl J.E. 'Spitfire' Huggins, 16, all of Boston's 141 squadron, walked from RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, back to Boston.
They left at 7.20am, carrying 7.5-9lbs of pack on their backs, including snacks of hard-boiled eggs and chocolate, and arrived in their home town at 8.50pm.
'Spitfire', of Woad Farm Road, felt the reputation of his generation was at stake.
* A HEATWAVE caused thousands to flock to Boston's new swimming baths.
A new attendance record was set on the Sunday as 1,781 were counted through the doors to cool off – setting a record for the pool, which had only been open five weeks.
The record was even more impressive since ticket sales had stopped at 5pm rather than the usual 8pm.
Manager Mr M. Hellawell said more than 1,000 of the entrants had been young children.
He added: "For baths that are supposedly unsafe for children, I don't think that is a bad record."
* A BAD smell was to blame for making school children, teachers and residents ill in Skirbeck.
At a public meeting it was agreed action had to be taken to put an end to the 'obnoxious' smell, which had been invading homes and caused classes at St Nicholas' Primary School to be sent home.
The rector of St Nicholas' Church, the Rev H.A. Jennings, said the smell was believed to come from a factory.
The residents decided, by 54 votes to six, that a campaign to raise funds should begin so they could instruct a solicitor.
* BREAKING five school sports records in one day was just not meant to be for boys at Boston Grammar School.
The five boys – all running the 100-yard event – had times ranging from 10.1 seconds in the open event to 13 seconds in the under 12 race.
But headmaster Mr W.J. Ricketts explained to pupils and visitors that the times could not be counted because the track had been measured inaccurately.
Each winner was to be given the opportunity to run against the clock to try beat the records again.
Champion racer Jack rolled back the years
35 years ago this week... 1973
Racing to success – Margaret Pitcher gets behind the wheel with co-drivers William Rose, left, and husband Jack, and sons Stephen, aged three, and Philip, five.
* A FORMER racing champ regained his taste for race track glory in a car he bought for only £2.
Jack Pitcher, of Pilleys Lane, Boston, completed 311 laps of Silverstone in the Morris 8, with the help of his co-drivers, wife Margaret and William Rose, as part of an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Morris Motors.
Mr Pitcher had previously been 500cc national motorcycle champion in 1960, and the following year went on to formula junior racing.
But it wasn't the first time Mr Pitcher had driven the Morris 8 – it had been bought by his father in 1940 and given to Jack after he had passed his driving test.
* CLAIMS that there were secret plans for a bypass for Boston were denied by the county surveyor.
Borough Alderman John Dell, who was also county planning chairman, told borough councillors a document outlining the plans was kept secret, even though work on an inner relief road had not begun.
The bypass would begin north of Kirton, pass over the railway line and South Forty Foot Drain, and strike across countyside to join the A16 south of Sibsey.
But surveyor Mr J.B. Irving said the plan was not secret and had existed 'for years'.
* WORKERS at one Boston office were given the first taste of working flexible hours.
The Royal Insurance Company, based in Wide Bargate, was offering staff the choice of varying their start and finish times between 8am-6pm.
* SCHOOL leavers were turning down apprenticeships because they felt an extra year had equipped them for different work, according to Boston's careers officer.
The leaving age had been raised, reducing the number of job seekers from between 700-800 to around 250.
Miss R. Kiddier, from the Boston Employment Exchange, said positions as carpenters and motor mechanics were still available, but that some leavers were 16 instead of 15 and wanted a different kind of work.
No bull – George and John walked off with show prize
25 years ago this week... 1983
Best beast – farmer John Metcalf's bull Fishtoft George 1st outclassed the other beasts at his first ever showing at the East of England Showground in Peterborough.
* SHOCKED Old Leake residents had to escape out of a window after their bungalow was struck by lightning.
Roof tiles were thrown hundreds of yards up the road, plugs, light fittings and power points were smashed and ceilings began to collapse at Elsie and Edward Skinner's home in Church Road.
Their son Geoffrey also had a lucky escape, arriving at the house minutes before but waiting in his car due to the rain.
* A FISHTOFT farmer scooped two top prizes in his first ever show outing with his bull.
The 19-month-old bull called Fishtoft George 1st was awarded best bull in the South Devon class and also walked away with best beast overall in that class at the East of England Showground.
Farmer John Metcalf previously only had cross-bred Friesians or Herefords but decided to pitch his red bull against high-class company.
* STRAY dogs had no reason to worry about ending up in a pound in Boston.
Boston borough councillors decided they could not afford a dog warden scheme for the third time in five years.
Governors from Park School asked for the council to take 'serious consideration' on health and safety grounds to appointing a town dog catcher.
But the environment committee decided the police should be asked to take action in areas which suffered with roaming packs of dogs.
* BROWNIES and guides were taking the plunge to raise funds for a new guide camp in Boston.
The Boston Division held a swimming gala as part of its annual challenge and felt the funds could start the ball rolling for the proposed site behind Spilsby Road.
Negotiations for the purchase of Wing's Meadow were in the final stages, but it was felt that as a large group with 35 different units, more money would be needed for building toilets, a kitchen, store room, and shelter for the girls in late-night storms.
The gala helped to raise £77.
