Cleethorpes' Proudest Day - And Sir George Was Speechless!

23rd September 1936 was a great day for Cleethorpes, as it was the day it officially became a municipal borough. This report from the Nottingham Evening Post the following day describes the events, which took place nearly eighty years ago:

CLEETHORPES BECOMES A BOROUGH

CHARTER GRANTED AMID COLOURFUL SCENES

CROWDS WATCH PICTURESQUE CEREMONY IN SIDNEY PARK

TRIBUTES TO LINCOLNSHIRE RESORT

“The great ambition of Cleethorpes to become a municipal borough has at last been achieved. Yesterday, amidst colourful scenes, the Charter of Incorporation was presented to the Charter Mayor, Sir George E.J. Moody, by the Right Hon. Lord Heneage.

The singling out of Sir George Moody for the honour of Charter Mayor is a great tribute to a native of Cleethorpes who has served the town in its public life for over 40 years. Sir George has chosen for the Charter Mayoress Mrs Dudley Nelson, his daughter.

The ceremony of presenting the Charter of Incorporation, which took place in the picturesque setting of Sidney Park, will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it. For the future citizens of Cleethorpes – the school children – it was a great occasion, and they were provided with ideal vantage points around the bandstand on which the ceremony was staged.

Shortly after midday, the Mayoral party, consisting of the Charter Mayor and the Deputy Charter Mayor (Coun. E. Houghton) – in their red robes and chains of office, complete with the cocked hats – the Charter Mayoress and the Deputy Charter Mayoress, together with the Town Clerk (Mr A.S. Barter) in wig and gown, and Mrs Barter, Sir Walter Womersley, M.P. for Grimsby, and Lady Womersley, Lieut. Col. A.P. Heneage, M.P. for Louth, the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire (Mr R.H. Fookes M.A.) and Supt B. Brumfield of the Cleethorpes Police, set out from the Council Offices to meet Lord Heneage at the borough boundary. Here a guard of honour composed of members of the Cleethorpes branch of the British Legion was drawn up and inspected by his Lordship prior to the party driving off en route to the pier, where luncheon was served.

SUCCESS TO NEW BOROUGH

All along the route were bands of cheering children, and at the Girls’ High School the scholars lined up in the grounds in front of the school. On arriving at the pier the Charter Mayoress and the wife of the chairman of the Cleethorpes Council, Mrs J. Harvey, were presented with bouquets by Joyce Rimmington “Beauty Princess”, while the Deputy Charter Mayoress received another bouquet at the hands of Marie Osborne.

The guests at the luncheon numbered over 200 and included the Mayors of Grimsby, Lincoln and Louth and the chairmen of the various Urban District Councils in the parts of Lindsey, together with the respective clerks. There were also present the Bishop of Grimsby, the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (Rev. Canon Weekes M.A.), the Clerk to the Lindsey County Council (Mr Eric Scorer) and county aldermen and councilors. During luncheon, music was provided by Mr Bob Walker’s band.

“Success to the new Borough of Cleethorpes,” was proposed by Lord Heneage, who said he knew that the toast would be pledged with enthusiasm as it was the first occasion on which the health of a new borough in that county had been proposed for some four or five hundred years. The other boroughs in the county were of considerable antiquity, but he was sure that in the future they would be able to boast of the ancient borough of Cleethorpes. He congratulated them upon the honour which had been conferred upon them, and he earnestly hoped that the incorporation of the town would bring with it ever increasing prosperity in the days to come. It was most fitting, said Lord Heneage, that such a worthy representative of the town as Sir George Moody had always proved himself to be, had been appointed Charter Mayor for the occasion. He had more than earned the honorable position which he held on this historic occasion by the services which he had rendered.

REWARD OF GOOD GOVERNMENT

Owing to the effects of a severe cold Sir George Moody was unable to reply personally, but his speech was read by the Town Clerk. In it Sir George said that as one who was born in Cleethorpes and had watched it grow from a mere fishing village to a township of over 7500 houses and 30,000 inhabitants it was naturally very pleasing to him that he should be invited to occupy the position of Charter Mayor. Cleethorpes was one of the oldest watering places and one of the most salubrious on the Lincolnshire coast.

Sir George went on to refer to the way in which Cleethorpes had grown and of the numerous undertakings which had been taken over by this Council.

On behalf of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, the Rev. Canon Weeks, M.A., Master of the College, presented the new Corporation with a mace.

The drive from the pier to Sidney Park was along a route that was lined with people and the park itself presented an animated picture. At the entrance a guard of honour formed from members of the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment, under the command of Captain C.G. Franklin, was inspected by Lord Heneage, who subsequently, along with the Charter Mayor, planted an oak tree to commemorate the occasion.

In asking Sir George Moody to accept the charter, Lord Heneage said the rank and dignity which they had attained were the reward which had been well and worthily earned by a long period of good government which had witnessed the steady growth in importance and popularity of the seaside resort. On behalf of the county of Lincoln, and especially the Parts of Lindsey, in the Council of which Cleethorpes had always played an important part he offered the new borough his sincere congratulations. He hoped that from that day onwards, the borough would continue to prosper and there would never fail a succession of good and able citizens willing to give loyal service and maintain the high standard of government. It was fitting that such a worthy representative of Cleethorpes as Sir George had been chosen as the Charter Mayor. It was with particular pleasure that he asked Sir George to accept the charter of incorporation.

SIR GEORGE MOODY’S REPLY

Sir George Moody’s reply, which was read by the Town Clerk, recorded the fact that the Charter was the first which had been granted by his Majesty King Edward VIII in this his year of

accession to the throne. It was also the first that had been granted to a township in the county for quite a number of years. The county was quite rich in its ancient boroughs, the youngest of which received its charter more than 380 years ago, but Cleethorpes could claim to be the first of the new boroughs. Cleethorpes was proud to receive its charter at the hands of one who had done so much for the public good of the county.

“We have been justly proud of our town in the past, and we are prouder still to-day in the knowledge that his Majesty has seen fit to grant us the charter,” went on Sir George’s reply, which concluded with the hope that, as a result of his lordship’s visit, the inhabitants of Cleethorpes would be inspired to greater efforts, and that there would never wanting proper persons to come forward to give their wholehearted services for the benefit of the community.

The Town Clerk then read the loyal message which had been despatched to the King, and also extracts of the Charter, after which the chairman of the Council (Coun. J.Harvey) thanked Lord Heneage for presenting the Charter. The singing of “Jerusalem” by the children of the schools of Cleethorpes, followed by special prayers, read by the Rev. Canon Wade, and a dedicatory prayer by the Bishop of Grimsby, terminated the proceedings.

The day concluded with a Charter Ball in the Pier Pavilion. To-day is children’s day.”

For more interesting information about the Charter celebrations, visit the Sidney Sussex Community website