Daughter’s appeal to find historic water tower photo for dad

Annette Dearsley now lives in Bromley in Kent, after her dad Peter Dawson, left Ruskington in the late 1950’s to move down south.

The rest of the family remained in Ruskington until the 1990’s but have now passed away and are buried in Ruskington cemetery, she explains. She is now appealing to the residents of Sleaford, Ruskington and any other nearby villages in her search for a specific old photo of the Ruskington Water Tower for very sentimental reasons.

The tower, part of a waterworks complex off Manor Street, was established around 1900-1910 to provide clean, pressurized water. It was a key part of the local infrastructure before being demolished around 1982 to make way for new development and the Ruskington Community Church on Westgate. Annette said: “There was once a photo of this water tower with quite a few men standing in front of it with my great grandfather in the centre. Many decades ago (probably 1920’s) this framed photo was presented to my great grandfather Esau Cole (known to everyone as Arthur) as he was the supervisor of this tower for over 40 years, into his 80s. He was even exempt from the First World War as he was deemed so important to the running of the tower. It may have been the council that presented it to him - we do not know that detail.” The large photo had the water tower in the background with a row of people in front of it, with Annette’s great grandfather standing in the centre. When Esau eventually moved from his home in Ruskington in the late 1950’s to a care home, he offered the picture to Annette’s father, but as a young man in his 20s, he was not interested at the time and so Esau gave this framed picture to the Rectory in Ruskington so that it would remain in the village. The Rectory is now a private dwelling and staff at All Saints’ Church know that all the pictures from the Rectory were cleared and stored in the church, but sadly couldn’t find this picture. Annette says: “My dad, who is now 93, is very regretful that he didn’t keep the picture in the family and would now like to trace this photo.” So far she has contacted Lincolnshire Archives, the local library network, All Saints Church and two Ruskington community Facebook pages. “The Ruskington Parish Council have been extremely helpful by putting an article of my search in their monthly online magazine in October and November’s editions. “I have also been in contact with the great granddaughter of Mr Peatman who owned the well known Peatman photographic studio in Ruskington back in the early 1900’s.” She is now appealing to the Ruskington community and wider area, in case someone knows of this picture and its whereabouts. If found, she would love to present it to her father once again, as well as giving a copy to Ruskington Library.