NOSTALGIA: Inner relief road no relief in 1978 and Prince Charles visits in 1988, plus snapshot from 1993

This week (November 28 edition) in 1978 ...
A week of activities themed around the written word was enjoyed at Staniland School, in Boston, 25 years ago. On one day, staff and pupils dressed as their favourite characters from the world of literature.A week of activities themed around the written word was enjoyed at Staniland School, in Boston, 25 years ago. On one day, staff and pupils dressed as their favourite characters from the world of literature.
A week of activities themed around the written word was enjoyed at Staniland School, in Boston, 25 years ago. On one day, staff and pupils dressed as their favourite characters from the world of literature.

* It was meant to alleviate traffic congestion in the town, but Boston’s new inner relief road was bringing fresh problems on the roads, it was claimed.

Traffic coming off John Adams Way was blocking access to Haven Bridge from High Street, causing tailbacks.

Another scene from Staniland School's book week in 1993.Another scene from Staniland School's book week in 1993.
Another scene from Staniland School's book week in 1993.

Among those affected was bus manager Geoffrey Knight, of Lincolnshire Road Car’s Boston depot, who said: “I have a lot of complaints from passengers. But without a helicopter what can I do?”

Three scheme were being considered to ease congestion in High Street: one would see part of the street widened, a second would see another road built parallel and close to it, while a third would be a miniature bypass from Newton’s Corner across old railway land to near Haven Bridge.

* Boston was holding up well during a national bread strike.

“There’s no sign of a let-up in the strike,” said Walter Aliwell, managing director of Altoft’s. “But Boston is very easy to deal with. It’s in the outlying districts we serve, like Skegness and Spalding, where they are suffering a bit more.”

“In Boston there are nine private bakers working flat out to bake enough bread and probably neglecting their Christmas work a bit in the process.”

This week in 1988

* Thousands thronged the streets of Boston as Prince Charles paid his respects to the men and women who were restoring St Botolph’s Church.

It was a bitterly cold day for the hundreds of schoolchildren waiting in Central Park to meet the Prince of Wales.

Mini Union flags were waved as the Prince’s red helicopter landed, scattering snow in all directions, and he chatted to children before being chauffeur-driven through Boston’s blocked-off back streets to where more crowds waited.

The Prince was in town to see how work was progressing on the restoration of the Stump.

Local people had in the previous 10 years donated £800,000 to the cost of the work, but £366,000 more was still needed.

The crowds were delighted when the Prince showed no qualms about climbing the ladders on the scaffolding and there was a loud cheer each time he climbed to a higher level.

The Prince’s visit also saw him presented with a number of gifts, including two baseball cap and ball sets – one each for Princes William and Harry, one in red, one in blue.

“That’s nice – they won’t fight over them,” he said.