Before entering the store I wandered over to the edge of the car park and viewed the old Blackstone's factory. To my amazement all I observed was a vast expanse of emptiness.

Being an ex-apprentice and ex-employee of Blackstone this brought a lump to my throat.

I realised the Blackstone factory had closed several years ago, but to see an empty space in what was once a thriving factor, employing more than 1,000 local people saddened me.

Gone was a large part of the history of Stamford, people of Stamford have lost a world-renowned firm whose diesel engines were once famous.

For instance the 1960s saw many of the Dutch dredging fleet powered by Blackstone engines, also the trawlers of Lowestoft, Hull and Aberdeen relied on the Blackstone engine, the popular single cylinder engine powered and probably still does irrigate many a water bore hole in the deserts of the Middle East.

Also not generally known, the first engines powering the Thames barrier were Blackstone engines. On the agriculture front Blackstone produced potatoe spinners, hay rakes and elevators, popular among our farmers throughout the land.

Blackstone was also well-known for its excellent apprenticeship training.

This excellent training was recognised throughout the engineering industry and its engineers, when available, were quickly snapped up by other leading firms. The opportunity for local youths has now gone for them to experience a recognised engineering training.

The only evidence that Blackstone operated in Stamford can be seen in the local museum and on the internet and of course Stamford still has the spares of Blackstone's, now named Mann.

A part of the history of Stamford, which certain areas of the world knew only as Blackstone has disappeared.

IAN MACGILLIVRAY
New Road, Ryhall