The Story behind the Stone
ALLIN BARSBY
You may have marvelled at the story of local centenarian Nancy Titman, who as a child was encouraged to touch the gravestone of Allin Barsby in the Priory Church Yard. Allin died in 1876 aged 101 years and 17 weeks, and it was thought that this action would bring good luck and that Nancy would live a long life! Now approaching her 102nd birthday, this action might well have been considered fortuitous! Allin Barsby was born on 29th June 1775 in the village of Belton near Uppingham. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Barsby. He married Tabitha who was described at the time as being ‘respectful and industrious’. The couple were married for over sixty years; Tabitha died aged 82 in 1855 and is also buried in the churchyard at Deeping St James. They had a large family of three sons and six daughters. In his early life Allin was a farm servant and for many years a ground keeper, bailiff and shepherd of Stowgate Farm, finishing his working life as a shepherd for Edmund Pawlett of Priory Farm, Deeping St James. Out of his savings he had purchased some houses and land on one of them in Eastgate, where he was living with Tabitha, a granddaughter and three grandchildren at the time of the 1851 Census. He resided there until his death under the care of one of his daughters, Frances, and her husband John Leaton. His hundredth birthday celebrations were a grand affair; he was visited by his daughters and many of his descendants who all sat down for a grand tea together. Allin had always been an early riser and early to bed; in fact, until a few years before his death, he was rarely in bed after three in the morning. He was described as having an erect gait, being in good health with good hearing and able to see to read. His short-term memory was deficient but his tales of days of old and his own early history were full of vivid recollection. His rule for living had been moderation in all things: he was not a spirit drinker but he never denied himself a ‘point of old yakle’ and he enjoyed his beer and pipe until the end of his life.
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