16 minute read
The Kisbys
Bringing Christmas to the Deepings
When Joseph Kisby donned his new felt hat and scarlet jacket, his postman’s number emblazoned on the collar, and strode out in his grey trousers to deliver his first mail round in Market Deeping, little did he know that he would found a family dynasty working in the postal service for almost a century.
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Joseph was born in 1836 in Langtoft, son of Joseph and Mary (née Lake). Like many others initially on leaving school he became an agricultural labourer. In 1859 he married Betty Wade, daughter of Mr and Mrs Wade (née Walton) of Thurlby at Baston Parish Church. They set up home at 48 Church Street, Market Deeping, where they had eight children adding two to the brood after 1874 when they moved to Deeping Gate.
Starting in 1859 Joseph was part of the growth in employees in the Postal Service following the introduction of the uniform penny post in 1840 – when it became the sender who paid for the delivery instead of the receiver as it had previously been. Valiantly in all weathers, storms, snow and fog, Joe would start his round at Market Deeping at 6.00am en route to West Deeping, thence to Maxey and Helpston, returning home via Etton. He took the reverse journey in the afternoon covering 25 miles in a day.
For the last 28 years of his employment he had a pony and trap, necessitated by the increased volume, especially at Christmas with the growing popularity of cards and parcels. Henry Cole, who founded the tradition, sent his first Christmas card in 1843. Convivial and reliable, Joe was praised by residents who estimated that he had travelled 219,000 miles in his pony and trap. When he retired in 1901 after 42 years there had been no complaints about his work in all his years of service and he had six stripes, the maximum number.
As well as being a postman, Joe was a great authority on horses and was in great demand when a sale or purchase was about to be made. He was also an expert at breaking and taming horses, often called on in his later years in the two weeks’ holiday he then received from his postal duties.
In June 1879, Joseph’s round attracted the local press who ran a story on a pair of lively little birds known as blue caps or willow biters who had built a nest in a private letterbox attached to a gate. Letters were placed in and taken out each day and the little creatures were never disturbed. The nest contained a dozen eggs.
In 1880 the family were in the press again this time when six-year-old May Kisby received serious injuries to her leg. She and her brother had been on Stamford Road when a wagon load of flour belonging to Mr Thorpe passed. She went behind the wagon and took hold of some of the chains, becoming entangled with the wheel which carried her round and crushed her leg from the knee down tearing the flesh and muscle to the bone. She was taken to Peterborough Dispensary where she received skilful attention but it was feared that the leg would have to be amputated.
The family moved back to Market Deeping and rented 38 Church Street for £12 a week but they later bought the property for £150. It was from here that William (b.1860) their eldest son married Ruth Hainsworth at the Priory Church, Deeping St James, in 1885. Ruth was the youngest daughter of David, a stonemason from the village. On leaving school in 1876 William followed his father as a postman and settled in High Street, Market Deeping, putting up his sister May (b.1875), an assistant dressmaker, while helping to raise his and Ruth’s family of eight.
William’s other sisters had gone into domestic service, Emily (b.1871) at Carlton, Nottinghamshire, where she met her future husband Robert Lamb, marrying him at St Guthlac’s in 1897. Ada was in service at Lincoln. Annie (b.1869) married Alfred Shilling, a wholesale textile
Ruth Kisby
salesman from Bermondsey, at St Guthlac’s Church in 1899. Brother Thomas (b.1867) was a plumber and decorator in Romford, Essex.
Ada (b.1873) was married to Henry Tate at St Guthlac’s in February 1902 by the Rev. Henry Dean. Henry Tate was a steward on a cargo ship carrying bananas from Jamaica to Bristol and the couple lived in the city for eleven years before Henry took up an appointment as a steward on Canadian Pacific Railways and they relocated to Canada. It was a proud moment when during his service he served King George VI and the Queen Mother when they visited Canada as the Duke and Duchess of York.
St Guthlac’s was the chosen venue for the wedding the following year when Florence (b.1878), the youngest daughter of Joe and Betsy, married Police Sergeant Henry Bryan of New Basford, Nottingham. The bride, given away by her father looked resplendent in a dress of grey amazon cloth trimmed with white satin, a matching white hat with chiffon and feathers and carrying a shower bouquet. The bridesmaids were Mary and May, sisters of the bride, who both wore blue amazon cloth dresses trimmed with gallon and accordion pleated chiffon with matching hats. They carried bouquets of roses and lilies of the valley. Mr Bryan was best man. The bridesmaids each received a gold ring and the bridegroom gave the bride a gold watch and chain.
Joe passed away in 1911, leaving a not inconsiderable estate of £250, and Betsy five years later at the age of 82. Although William had sustained serious injuries after falling from his horse on the way to collect the midday letters from the station, crushing his leg and dislocating his ankle, but he continued as the town’s postman. In 1891 he had also added a picture framing and photography business to his repertoire – who said that side hustles were a new thing? Ruth supplemented the family income with her work as a dress and mantle maker.
Like his father before him, William started at 6.00 am by sorting the mail which had arrived by a horse drawn cart at 4.30 am from Peterborough. William then embarked on three daily routes; the first down the High Street as far as the boundary with Deeping St James and then back to Bridgefoot, over the bridge to Toll Bar Cottage and two nearby cottages and then back again to Stamford Road (then Mill Lane) as far as Thorpe’s Mill. Returning to the Market Place he then went up Church Street taking in Halfleet and Towngate East and West returning from Sheep Dyke at the corner of Godsey (then Tinkers) Lane over the fields to the church, arriving home at around 9.00 am for breakfast. After a quick meal he
William Kisby
would take a horse and cart to meet the Peterborough train which stopped at Peakirk at about 11.00 am. Sorting started again ready for the midday delivery. The afternoon delivery extended from the High Street to Deeping St James Bridge returning via Deeping Gate to Toll Bar and cottages thence to Bridgefoot, Mill Lane, Church Street and Towngate East and West. William arrived back home at 2.15, resuming duty at 5.00 pm to sort the evening mail, commencing delivery at 6.00 and returning at 7.45 pm in time to stamp the mail that had been collected in local pillar boxes and sent to Peterborough.
Market Deeping Post Office was a Crown Post Office and other postmen were employed to deliver Deeping St James, West Deeping and all nearby villages. During the War there was a shortage of clerks and so William was called to work behind the counter but he missed his round and the people he met, especially at Christmas time when he enjoyed delivering their cards and parcels. Although the Market Deeping round was classed a walking round, in later years he was allowed to use his own bike having got a doctor’s note for rheumatism.
In 1914 a very large congregation gathered again at St Guthlac’s to witness the marriage of William and Ruth’s eldest daughter Alice (b.1888) and George Mayes. The bridesmaids were Mabel (b.1891) and Margaret (b.1893) sisters of the bride and Ralph Mayes of Raunds, cousin of the bridegroom, was best man. The couple spent their honeymoon in Colne, Lancashire, and returned to many useful presents including one from the Sunday school where Alice taught.
In 1922 a fortuitous partnership was made when Mabel Kisby married Bert Lambert (from Deeping Gate (issue 066) again at St Guthlac’s. Canon Ashby, back from his wartime duties, officiated and Maggie was bridesmaid, while Mr Chambers from Spalding undertook best man duties. The happy couple left for their first home in Alford before returning to Deeping in 1924.
Two years later Horace Kisby (b.1895) married Elsie Stephenson, the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Stephenson of Gretadale Chase Estate, Kings Lynn, at the Congregational Church, Lynn. It was a joyous day and lifted the family who had lost a son, Arthur, who was in the Royal Naval Air Service, in 1918. The bride, who entered the church on her father’s arm wore a gown of rich ivory satin beaute in early Victorian style. The sleeves were edged with ivory lace and her tulle veil was trimmed with silver, and she carried a bouquet of white carnations and lilies of the valley. Freda and Olive Stephenson, sisters of the bride, and Nora Kisby (b.1896), sister of the groom, were bridesmaids in dresses of pale fancy marocain with matching crinoline hats trimmed with crepe de chine and gold tissue. Their bouquets were pink and gold roses. Lionel Kisby (b.1901) was best man.
Horace Kisby followed in the family tradition of working for the Post Office, starting in Market Deeping as a telegraph messenger and graduating to being a Post Office Overseer in Kings Lynn in 1939.
The Priory Church in Deeping St James was the scene of the marriage of Eric Kisby (b.1902) to Elizabeth Christian in 1927. Lillian was the only daughter of William Christian who proudly walked her down the aisle. She wore a crepe de chine dress with a wreath and veil. Eric’s brother Lionel was again best man. Bert Lambert and Horace Kisby were groomsmen, and the bridesmaids were Eric’s sisters, Ada (b.1898) in a dress of wine crepe de chine with a black hat, and Mabel (b.1891) attired in flowered voile with matching hat.
Eric broke with the family tradition, becoming a baker and grocer, and he ran Lambert & Kisby’s with his brother -in-law Bert Lambert for 22 years from 1924, later running a sweet and toy shop with his wife from 87 High Street. Margaret Kisby remained single, working in the grocer’s shop and caring for her mother Ruth after William died in 1928, leaving an estate of £1060. Nora had also stayed at home with her mother until her passing in 1948, then in 1950 she married William Jones, a widower who became a manager of the Gas Works.
Lionel married Ida Selby of Lyndon, Rutland, in 1928 and, following in the family tradition, he worked for the Post Office as a telephone engineer at Peterborough making his home at 13 Taveners Road.
When you open your Christmas cards this year spare a thought for Joseph and William and the miles they walked and rode to bring Christmas to the Deepings!
Mr and Mrs Lionel (Ken) Kisby
DEEPING ST JAMES PHARMACY
We are an independent pharmacy
giving patients a one-to-one service. We like to model ourselves on the old community pharmacy where patients get to know us and and you will always see a familiar face. Here at Deeping St James Pharmacy, we are proud to be part of the community and are always striving to give the community the best service available to them.
We stock a wide range of prescription medications
fast and efficient wholesaler service to enable us to fulfil all the prescriptions promptly. We also keep a wide range of over-the-counter medicines and also vitamins and mineral supplements
Our other services include
● We offer blister pack medication to patients who meet the criteria. ● Flu vaccinations will be available this winter as a pre-book or drop-in service. ● NHS unwanted medicine service, where you can return all unwanted medicines to the pharmacy where we will dispose of them safely. ● Emergency supplies: if you need one of your regular medicines in an emergency and you are unable to contact your doctor, we may be able to help. Come in and say hello, we’d be very glad to see you and assist you with anything you need.
21 Rycroft Avenue, Deeping St James PE6 8NT
JANUARY 2021 01778 349646 deepingstjamespharmacy@aah-n3.co.uk fast and efficient wholesaler service to enable us to fulfil all the prescriptions promptly. We also keep a wide range of over-the-counter medicines and also vitamins and mineral supplements
Our other services include
● We offer blister pack medication to patients who meet the criteria. ● Flu vaccinations will be available this winter as a pre-book or drop-in service. ● NHS unwanted medicine service, where you can return all unwanted medicines to the pharmacy where we will dispose of them safely. ● Emergency supplies: if you need one of your regular medicines in an emergency and you are unable to contact your doctor, we may be able to help.
DEEPING ST JAMES PHARMACY
We are an independent pharmacy
giving patients a one-to-one service. We like to model ourselves on the old community pharmacy where patients get to know us and and you will always see a familiar face. Here at Deeping St James Pharmacy, we are proud to be part of the community and are always striving to give the community the best service available to them.
We understand how important it is to speak faceto-face with a pharmacist about your medicines and prescriptions. Our services give you the chance to chat to a pharmacist about your concerns, while getting expert advice on how to improve your health in our private consultation room. We stock a wide range of prescription medications and dressings from all the main brands. We keep a comprehensive stock of all medicines and use a
We are an independent pharmacy giving patients a one-to-one service. We like to model ourselves on the old community pharmacy where patients get to know us and you will always see a familiar face. Here at Deeping St James Pharmacy, we are proud to be part of the community and are always striving to give the community the best service open to them.
We understand how important it is to speak face-to-face with a pharmacist about your medicines and prescriptions. Our fast and efficient wholesaler service to enable us to fulfil all the prescriptions promptly. We also keep a services give you the chance to chat to a pharmacist about wide range of over-the-counter medicines and also your concerns, while getting expert advice on how to impove vitamins and mineral supplements your health in our private consultation room. Our other services include ● We offer blister pack medication to We stock a wide range of prescription medications and patients who meet the criteria. dressings from all the main brands. We keep a comprehensive ● Flu vaccinations will be available this stock of all medicines and use a fast and efficient wholesaler winter as a pre-book or drop-in service. service to enable us to fulfill all the prescriptions promptly. We ● NHS unwanted medicine service, where you also keep a whole range of over the counter medicines and also vitamins and other mineral supplements. ● can return all unwanted medicines to the pharmacy where we will dispose of them safely. Emergency supplies: if you need one of your regular medicines in an emergency and you are unable to contact your doctor, we may *Come in and say hello, we’d be very glad to see you and assist you with anything you need. be able to help. Come in and say hello, we’d be very glad to see you and assist you with anything you need.21 Rycroft Avenue, Deeping St James PE6 8NT
01778 349646 deepingstjamespharmacy@aah-n3.co.uk
Our other services include
• We offer blister pack medication to patients who meet the criteria. • Flu vaccinations will be available this winter as a pre-book or drop in service. • NHS unwanted medicine service, where you can return all unwanted medicines to the pharmacy where we will dispose of them safely. • Emergency supplies. If you need one of your regular medicines in an emergency and you are unable to contact your doctor, we may be able to help. Some patients are eligible for free NHS blood pressure checks*DEEPING ST JAMES PHARMACY
We are an independent pharmacy
giving patients a one-to-one service. We like to model ourselves on the old community pharmacy where patients get to know us and and you will always see a familiar face. Here at Deeping St James Pharmacy, we are proud to be part of the community and are always striving to give the community the best service available to them.
We understand how important it is to speak faceto-face with a pharmacist about your medicines and prescriptions. Our services give you the chance to chat to a pharmacist about your concerns, while getting expert advice on how to improve your health in our private consultation room.
We stock a wide range of prescription medications and dressings from all the main brands. We keep a comprehensive stock of all medicines and use a
21 Rycroft Avenue, Deeping St James PE6 8NT
JANUARY 2021 58 D I S C O V E R I N G Deeping 01778 349646 deepingstjamespharmacy@aah-n3.co.uk
fast and efficient wholesaler service to enable us to fulfil all the prescriptions promptly. We also keep a wide range of over-the-counter medicines and also vitamins and mineral supplements
Our other services include
● We offer blister pack medication to patients who meet the criteria. ● Flu vaccinations will be available this winter as a pre-book or drop-in service. ● NHS unwanted medicine service, where you can return all unwanted medicines to the pharmacy where we will dispose of them safely. ● Emergency supplies: if you need one of your regular medicines in an emergency and you are unable to contact your doctor, we may be able to help. Come in and say hello, we’d be very glad to see you and assist you with anything you need.
