FEATURE
The Wheel thing When you mention cycles in the Deepings these days the first name that comes to mind is Terry Wright, who first had a shop in Church St, Deeping St James, moving to the site where Scholes now is and then to a store on what used to be Todds Garage site (now home to Devonports) and then more recently to the larger store opposite before moving to Werrington. But if you had said cycles in the Deepings in the late nineteenth century then Brightman would have been the name on your lips! Robert Brightman was born in 1865 in Bourne and became an apprentice to Elijah Greenfield, wheelwright and implement maker in Halfleet, Market Deeping. In 1892, he married Ann Tales, who was a member of the ill-fated local family who had been publicans at The Wheel Public House, Stamford Road for a decade in the mid 1870s. Robert took over as inn keeper at the Wheel at the same time as carrying on his business as a wheel maker. When the Licensing Board closed the pub in 1907 Robert was successful in a claim for compensation and received £145. which he used to further finance his cycle business.
He purchased the old Wheel Pub from the Philips Brewery and lived there with his wife and children and his mother Jane. His shop was remembered as a rendezvous for many a friendly chat. In his spare time he was a bell ringer at St Guthlac’s and taught many to ring as well, including Horace Day who became Captain of the belfry. His oldest son John (b. 1895) worked for Richard Stroud at the Distillery after he left school and emigrated with Richard when he went to work for A.M. Todd Distillery at Mentha USA, in 1909. John’s brothers Alfred (b. 1900) and Arthur (b. 1903) emigrated to the USA shortly after him. Their sister Annie (b.1910) married Robert Dack, son of William Dack of Barholm, in a ceremony that was described as ‘exceptionally pretty’ at St Guthlac’s Church in 1936. ‘The sun shone gloriously on the bride who was charmingly attired in an ivory satin gown with an embroidered veil and wreath of orange blossom with shoes and hose to tone. She wore a string of pearls, a gift of the bridegroom, and carried a bouquet of pink and lemon roses with trailing fern. ‘The bridesmaids were Kathleen Hornsby and Claire Wright, friends of the bride who looked charming in their flowered lemon georgette dresses with brown hats and shoes to tone. They carried bouquets of double pink tulips and wore pale lemon and green crystal necklaces, the gifts of the bridegroom. Mr Robert Baldwin, a friend of the groom, was best man. The bride was given away by her brother Charles. ‘A reception was held at the bride’s home where some thirty guests were entertained and Mr & Mrs Dack afterwards left by rail for their honeymoon in Yorkshire. The bride’s travelling attire consisting of a fawn costume with hat and shoes to match and a fur tie, gift of the bridegroom. The couple made their home in Barholm.’
Annies Wedding 1936 continued >
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