Paradise Row.

Church Close, the quaint row of old houses opposite the Stump, was once called Paradise Row. The first building on the extreme left is Lloyd's Bank, built in 1864 by the bankers Garfit, Claypon and Co. Ltd. It was taken over by Lloyd's and has remained in their possession ever since.

The row is basically late 18th. century, probably built around George III's time, the buildings to the right were slightly remodelled in the 19th. century and again in 1964.

Isaac Reckitt once lived in the row, then known as " Part of Church Yard ", his family owned the Maud Foster Windmill at the time and were later taken over by Reckitt and Colman, a rival firm who are now much better known in Britain for their famous mustard.

There are recordings down for 1817 and 1828 which state that two private schools were set up at those times in one of the houses. The first run by Mr. and Mrs. Staniland and the other by Miss Hannah Tuxford.

One man who lived in the row went by the name of John Field Smyth, he owned a tobacco and cigar making factory at the bottom of Wide Bargate. The story goes that the Customs and Excise asked him to expose some tobacco smuggling that was going on around the docks at that time, he did - but suffered the consequences. An angry mob hurled bricks through his shop window in a riot, then repeated the procedure on his house. Other occupiers have included attorneys, auctioneers and millinery and dress establishments.

Apparently the houses in the row replaced mediaeval buildings as they got woodrot.

 

 

Lloyd's Bank with the date above it.

The Dock site 1882

Mr. Walter Whyers (looking bck in 1935) remembers the beginnings of Boston Dock in 1882.

Mrs. Simonds, wife of the Mayor, cuts the first turf.

" I was present at the ceremony of turning the first sod for the commencement of the building of the dock. I well remember the grand time we had, the public tea to the school-children, the sports and the fireworks, but the most vivid recollection I retain of the building of the docks is taking a walk with three or four other lads to look at the progress that was being made during the excavations. On our way back we walked through the derelict gardens that had been attached to the old windmills. The ground was littered with planks, huge stones and heaps of earth and clay, dumped there by the navvies.

The two windmills that were demolished to make way for the dock.

There were, however, still a number of redcurrant bushes that appeared to have determined to let their last crop of berries be the most plentiful that they had ever borne. Since no one seemed to own them, or take the trouble to gather them, we set to and had the most glorious feed of fully ripened fruit that I ever remember having partaken of. The currant bushes would be situated near the centre of the present dock."

Early 1800's Boston.

In the 1830's Boston was described as the most flourishing market town and sea port in Lincolnshire. In 1831 it had 11,240 inhabitants, though thirty years earlier it had only 5,926.

Forty boats were were engaged in fishing for shrimps, soles, herrings, oysters, cockles, mussels, sprats etc., and it is stated that the shrimps were of superior quality and had a great reputation in London. The market for sheep and cattle was also in a thriving condition with as many as 30,000 sheep being penned at the May Fair.

At that time there were six steam corn mills and no less than eleven windmills in the Borough and all kept busy grinding corn.

A map of 1835, Vauxhall Gardens can be seen near Spilsby Road.

One of the most popular places of amusement was the Vauxhall Gardens, which were designed by Mr. Charles Cave, and opened to the public in 1815. They covered about two acres of ground with walks, and an elegant central saloon, sixty two feet long, on the sides of which were painted a view of Paris and a hunting scene. There was also a maze, copied from that at Hampton Court.

Boston Athenaeum was on the site of the present Marks and Spencers store.

In common with many other towns in England, Boston had its Mechanics' Institute, founded in1837, but it soon began to decline from lack of support, and was eventually transformed into the Boston Athenaeum, where a well equipped library and news room became available, and courses of lectures arranged.

Artists inspired by Boston.

Boston has inspired many artists over the years, here are just a few of them.

The Stump by Arthur Huston

The Gallows Mills (demolished when the dock was built) by James Rowell.

The Stump and riverside by J.M.W. Turner.

Spitfires flying over Boston, signed "Tovey".

The Stump from Haven Bank by Jim Sorrell.

The Maud Foster Windmill by an unknown artist.

The Stump by William Willoughby.

TUXFORD AND SON.

William Wedd Tuxford was a miller and baker. He designed and produced a reeing (corn screening) machine, which led him into engineering. It is said that the engineering business started in 1826, but it is most likely to have been somewhat later than that (the patent for the reeing machine is dated 1830).
From these beginnings a fairly large business grew based at the Boston and Skirbeck Ironworks alongside Tuxford's windmill (the milling and baking business was continued by the Tuxfords).

Tuxford's, with Mount Bridge in the foreground and Skirbeck Church in the distance.

Above: A steeple engine of 1850. 

 Tuxfords were among the pioneers in the development of agricultural steam engines. Weston Tuxford (W. W.'s son) was probably influential in this. Their first portable engine was made in 1842, and they made a traction engine in 1857, following that with an improved design in 1861.

Above: One of Tuxford's traction engines. Below: Tuxford's exhibiting a portable steam engine at the Royal Agricultural Show at Newcastle in 1864.

The firm employed about 300 at its height, but faced difficulties as agricultural depression from the 1870s onwards reduced demand from British farmers. When Weston Tuxford, sole surviving partner, died in 1885 the business was closed. Much of the ironworks was taken over by a new firm, Collitt & Co., who seem to have continued making some of the Tuxford products. But that only lasted until 1891. The eight sails from Tuxford's mill were later taken and put on the mill at Heckington (a village between Boston and Sleaford) where they can still be seen today.

Below: Heckington mill, where Tuxford's sails ended up.

Windmills

According to the book "The History and Antiquities of Boston" there was a windmill in Wormgate, Boston as far back as 1591.

By the early 1800’s there were about a dozen windmills in and around Boston, many of them on sites that had been used for centuries. Pictured below are a few of these mills.

Above and Below: The Gallows Mills which were demolished when Boston dock was built. Skirbeck Church can be seen in both sketches.

The following three pictures show the "Good Intent" mill that stood down Sleaford Road. The first was drawn by W. Brand in 1796.

Below, the Good Intent in 1888.

Below, the Good Intent in 1967 when it was demolished.

Below can be seen Tuxford's Mill which was near Mount Bridge. There were eight sails on the mill and when it was demolished they were taken and put on the mill at Heckington where they are to this day.

Below: Thompson's Mill which stood down Spilsby Road.

And finally (below) the only one remaining in Boston, the Maud Foster mill.