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The nature reserve grassland off Marine Embankment in Cleethorpes has this week had its annual cut. The mowing has been thorough, but some areas have been left untouched because, at this time of year, they are likely to be home to butterfly eggs - including those of the uncommon Green Hairstreak. Part of the cost of the mowing is likely to defrayed by sale of the grass to be converted to high-silage as fodder to be fed to ruminant cattle and other livestock. |
AN historic map of North Lincolnshire and the Humber this week failed to find a buyer at auction.
It is of great interest because it dates back to 1778 and depicts Grimsby, 'Clea' (= Cleethorpes), Immingham and adjacent hamlets before their development.
Inset within the map, which measures 85cm x 67cm, is a street plan of Grimsby as it was almost 250 years ago (see below).
Louth auction house John Taylors had estimated that the hammer would fall at between £100 and £150, but the map, which is framed, was withdrawn from sale - presumably because bids failed to reach the reserve price.
However, all is not lost. It has been entered in a new online auction which runs until Monday.
More details from John Taylors at 01507 603648.
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| You can't beat a good sponge cake - especially one made with fresh cream! |
THE planning green light has been given by North East Lincolnshire Council for major works tat the Morrisons supermarket and fuel station on the outskirts of Grimsby.
These include construction of a bakery extension to the side of the store which is on Hilmore Road, Laceby.
Also in the pipeline are installation of an outdoor laundrette and parcel lockers.
At the fuel station, the height of the forecourt canopy will be raised and the existing jet wash bays will be replaced by four new ones, all to be screened, and two valet bays.
The Motor Fuel Group, which operates the filling station, also intends to install EV charging points and to enlarge the kiosk to provide a wider range of goods.
Some landscaping will also be incorporated into the overall project.
There has been no objection from Laceby Parish Council.
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| Tree-lined St Peter's Avenue is in the Croft Baker ward |
A DATE of Thursday November 12 has been set for the by-election in Cleethorpes’ Croft Baker ward.
The vacancy on North East Lincolnshire Council has been brought about by the resignation through ill health of Labour representative Marian Jervis.
Croft Baker includes St Peter’s Avenue, Pier Gardens and much of the promenade.
The seat - which regularly changes political allegiance - is certain to be contested by the main political parties, and it may be that one or more Independents will also throw their hats into the ring.
For prospective candidates, NELC is holding a briefing session at Grimsby Town Hall at 5.30pm today (Wednesday).
It will cover the following:
* Election timetable
* Qualifications and disqualifications
* Nomination process
* Appointment of election agents
* Voter ID
* Candidates’ expenses.
Says a council spokesperson: "Anyone thinking of standing as a candidate, particularly if new to the nomination and election process, is strongly urged to attend the briefing session which will last for approximately one hour."
The closing date for nominations to be submitted to the municipal offices in Town Hall Square, Grimsby, is 4pm on Friday October 16.
Croft Baker ward has two other sitting candidates, NELC leader Oliver Freeston (Reform UK) and Malcolm Morland (Lab) who chairs the authority’s economy, culture and tourism scrutiny panel.
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| The inshore lifeboat and air ambulance were both prompt in their attendance |
A RACE to save a man seen floating in the water off Humberston proved in vain.
After the alarm was raised early yesterday afternoon, emergency services attended the beach of Anthony's Bank car park.
But after he was lifted from the incoming tide, it became evident that, sadly, the man was lifeless. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man's identity and age have not yet been released, but his family have been informed as has been the Coroner.
An inquest will be held at a date to be fixed.
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| Despite their best efforts, there was nothing the ambulance crew could do to resuscitate the man |
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| The incident occurred on the beach off Anthony's Bank car park |
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| Jeffrey Archer - politician turned best-selling novelist who aspired to be Prime Minister or captain of England cricket team |
There is shock and sadness today at the unexpected death yesterday at his home in Cambridge of Jeffrey Archer - one of the most colourful political and literary figures of the past half-a-century. Although he had reached the advanced age of 86, he was one of those characters that you half expect to live for ever. There will still be many local people who will remember when, between 1969 and 1974, he was Conservative MP for Louth at a time when the constituency also embraced Cleethorpes and Immingham. Lord Archer was also a vigorous fund-raiser for several charities including the RNLI. Earlier this year he completed what he claims to be his "most satisfying" novel, Adam and Eve, which is published today by Harper Collins. He had been looking forward to publicising it with a weekend engagement at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. In an open letter to potential readers, this is what he wrote:
After 50 years of storytelling, I have decided the time has come to write my final novel.
I first had the idea for Adam and Eve when reading a speech Adolf Hitler made in 1940 that caused Winston Churchill to respond in kind in the House of Commons later that year.
Churchill’s words inspired me to read several more speeches by both war leaders while at the same time seeking advice from two eminent historians, even before picking up my pen to write Adam and Eve.
The idea itself was simple enough: if Hitler had not changed his mind, three times, on 15 September 1940, concerning Operation Seelöwe, could the Second World War have ended within days, and which side would have been the victor?
If Hitler had stuck to his original plan, would history have taken a different course?
But, as a writer, how do you tackle such a momentous challenge?
I decided to tell the story through the eyes of two young people who came from totally different backgrounds.
One was the daughter of an Earl, the other was the son of a shepherd, but they had one thing in common: they were both born on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, when the First World War ended.
You can follow their lives, from their birth on that day, to September 15, 1940, when they caused Hitler once again to change his mind.
This not only changed their lives, but possibly all of our lives.
I have pent many happy hours over the past 50 years since writing Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less in 1976, Kane and Abel in 1979 and more recently, from 2018, The William Warwick series.
However, Adam and Eve has now proved to be my most satisfying writing endeavour, and I can only hope you will feel the same way.
Allow me to end by thanking all my readers from around the world, in 119 countries (translated into 51 languages) from Sydney to Toronto, from Buenos Aires to New York, from Mumbai to Tokyo, while not forgetting my homeland which has allowed this simple storyteller the privilege of spending so many hours in your company.
I should have been Prime Minister, captain of the England cricket team or won an Olympic gold for the 100 metres, but then we can all dream. . .
As the French novelist, Marcel Proust, once reminded us: "We always end up doing the thing we’re second best at."
I can only hope that you’ve discovered what you’re second best at.
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| The former Lincolnshire MP's last novel is published today |
– Jeffrey
