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We’re interested in discovering more about our family history, so any information that you can supply would be extremely helpful. Go to the Family History page for details.

We have lived in Lincolnshire, UK for more than 10 years. The local town, Grantham, is associated with Sir Isaac Newton and Baroness Margaret Thatcher, both of whom attended the local grammar schools. Grantham is also known for the town that had the first woman police officer and the first public library. It is also where the caterpillar track was first invented and developed before the patent was sold to Caterpillar Inc Tractor company of America.

During World War II Grantham was home to the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command No 5 group which led the famous Dambusters raid of 1943. In 1944 it was also home to the United States Air Force 9^th Troop Carrier Command who were part of the D-Day operations. Late in 1944 the RAF base on the outskirts of the town, and still used today for basic pilot training, was the base for aircraft involved in Operation Market Garden – the aerial assault at Arnhem. Factories at this time also made munitions, which combined with military operations led to frequent attention from the Luftwaffe.

Today the town is growing rapidly – some 40,000 inhabitants, and sits astride two major transport routes – the A1 road that runs from Edinburgh to London and the East Coast Main railway line from Inverness to London’s Kings Cross station (only some 60 minutes away). It still has major links to the military with the biggest Territorial Army base in the UK (The Royal Logistics Corp) and surrounded by several RAF bases, Wittering, Cottesmore, Waddington, Cranwell and Barkston Heath.

Grantham is also home to the world’s only living Pub sign at the Beehive Inn which has had a beehive since 1830! It also has one of the oldest Inns within the UK – the Angel and Royal Hotel – where King John held court in 1213. Close to Grantham are some superb stately houses; Belvoir Castle, Belton House and Harlaxton Manor.

Apart from Newton and Thatcher some other well known personalities have had an involvement with Grantham. The presenter Nicholas Parsons was born in Grantham and the noisy corporal Richard “Nooky” Nauyokas from ITV’s Lads Army also hails from Grantham. A famous Football manager, Martin O’Neil, started his managerial career at Grantham Town FC.

Pictures: (L-R Top) The Beehive Inn, Isaac Newton, Angel & Royal Hotel, Belton House, (L-R Bottom) Harlaxton Manor, Belvoir Castle.