Martin Brookes Oakham Rutland: spalding

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Pinchbeck Village, Spalding, Lincolnshire, Photographs

The New Bridge Inn

W. Hargrave & Son Popular Butchers

The Bull Inn / Stocks

Pinchbeck Hall

http://www.chestertonhumberts.com/asset-images/rps12/brochures/sta110199.pdf

Former Home of Mr Royce MP who was quite a character. He couldn’t get into Parliament as a Conservative MP so he crossed and got in as a Labour MP at what was quite a turbulent time politically.

“He bought the hall and several farms around it and enlarged the house because he had a large family with nine children. His wife had a soup kitchen and fed the poor from the kitchen door.

“It was said he had two Pygmy maids with him who were about four foot tall and people used to come and watch them go to church because they were somewhat of a curiosity.

“He died in 1924 on his way to the Houses of Parliament where he was going to be appointed the Governor of Tasmania. Apparently he fell asleep on a London omnibus and never woke up.”