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Moondial & The LOWE Family of Belton, Lincolnshire

During the book and TV series MOONDIAL the main character Minty wanders around the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul, Belton, Lincolnshire and comes across a “tiny thumbnail headstone” with “E. L. 1871” engraved upon it. This is later revealed to be the final resting place of the character “Tom”, E.L. standing for his given name of Edward Larkin, but who was the real E.L.?

Armstrong Garfield Robinson (1883-1954) ~ Trains, Brains and False Claims

From time to time I scan the newspaper archives for mention of interesting historical stories from my hometown of Hadleigh, Essex from the same month. February’s search threw up what at first appeared to be an amusing story of a Hadleigh bridegroom’s over-exuberance in London on the eve of his wedding causing him the need to beg for money to get back home. What I went on to uncover were three generations of well-respected railway engineers, and a clever man’s life blighted by alcohol and the after-effects of a head injury sustained during WWI.