Where you see the cars is where the rail line used to run though to Spalding; to the right of the picture. Where the huge block of flats now stand was where the Oldmans Terrace stood. Newtons Corner and the old Rowell Road are straight across the roundabout. To the right of where the picture was taken (just out of sight) is where they are busily restoring the Railway Pub, originally known as the Railway Tavern (mid 1800s).
I have rather a lot on Mr Newton and one or two of his contemporaries:
Edward Newton and Walter Bradley-employer and employee-were the longest serving churchwardens. The nearest to their length of service was a more recent, Gordon Bourne. Gordon was buried in the churchyard of Saint Thomas's Church on the 4th October 1962.
Edward Newton was elected first as Peoples' Warden in 1913 and re-elected for the next four years. Then, in 1918, after a Mr J Killick, he was appointed Vicar's Warden. And so he remained until 1943, the year after he attained his 90th birthday.
Vicar Hopkins wrote of him: "he leaves behind him a memory of high devotion to duty which will be an inspiration to church people for many years to come" (News Sheet May 1943). Mr Newton died the following December.
Mr Newton certainly doesn't appear to have been the drinking man thought to be by some people. I, personally, don't believe a word of it.
Appointed in 1943 as the next as Vicar's Warden was Walter Broadley. He had served as peoples' Warden since 1930 and continued as Vicar's Warden for the next 15 years making a total of 28 years service in all; two years less that Mr Newton's total in both offices.
Walter died on 27th July 958. The Rev'd A L Beverley wrote of him afterwards: " In the early days of my stay here, he was a real guide and help. I valued his knowledge and his judgement, but what is more I valued his humour. I shall recall two very clear pictures of him. One, when he was clad in cassock and surplice, hymn book in hand, singing with all the force at his command. The other, when he was sitting in the chair in front of his own fire, with his pipe or cigarette 'going well', telling me of Skirbeck Quarter in the days gone by or else 'what we did when we were boys....' (Parish Magazine August 1958).
The Parish Magazine listed the choir for August 1913 as :
T Broadley, L Broadley, H Hackfath, A Hinde, M Cave, I Bedford, W Broadley, Chester, G Goodley, S Brierley, A Clift, R Stringer, A Woods and sixteen un-named boys. W, J and T Broadley were also in the 1909 choir (Parish Magazine).
Longest serving member of the choir by far was Mr Hugh Arthur Merry Cave, of 8 Wyberton West Road, Skirbeck Quarter. His father; Arthur Merry Cave and grandfather were also choir members.
The above is taken from research by Mr George Bagley entered in his book on the history of 'The Quarter', published in 1982 and now out of print, unfortunately.
