Neglecting Boston's history

The neglect of Boston's history is nothing new, when the Court Room in the Guildhall was dismantled in 1878 an old turned oak balustrade was removed and for the next 33 years formed part of Mr. G.E. Hackford's garden fence on the Haven Bank !!

Fortunately in June 1911 it was rescued by the Boston Antiquarian Society and given to the Corporation and it was hoped that the old balustrade would find a resting place in the Peoples Park (near the old General Hospital and swimming baths) where it would be a suitable addition to the memorial archway (pictured below) made from the oak timber removed from St. George's Hall in the 1890's. I don't know if they actually did this with the balustrade, maybe someone out there knows?

St. George's Hall

St. Georges Hall (above) stood in Pinfold Lane and was demolished in March 1898. The Hall was mentioned in the Corporation records as far back as 1568.
It was once the residence of Thomas Lodowick and the small stone shield visible in the diagram was embedded in the wall bearing the Lodowick arms. It was very substantially built and one great oak rafter ran the entire length of the structure, 56ft.
The wood from this rafter was later used to make an ornamental arch (below) which was situated in the Old Park near the old Corporation swimming baths.