8th December 2015 Edward Thrift – 8 Eight Acres Edward Cecil Thrift was born on 14th Feb 1897 and baptised at St Michael’s Church on 24th Feb. His early years were spent with his mother, grandmother and extended family at 18 East St In 1911 he was living at 8 Eight Acres with his mother Ellen (née Thrift), his stepfather Edward Wharton and his young stepbrother and stepsister. His stepfather was a coach painter at the Carriage Works (Hayes & Son) and Edward was a Gardener at the Nursery Gardens (probably W & J Brown). He must have been one of the first to respond to Lord Kitchener’s appeal enlisting on 10th August 1914. He initially joined the Northants Regiment and was posted to France in November 1914 where he was wounded on 21st December 1914. Later he joined the Machine Gun Corps and served until he was taken prisoner in 1917. He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British Medal and the 1914 Star and granted £9 from Stamford’s Prisoner of War Fund. At some time before the War Edward started work for Williamson Cliff Brickworks and he returned to their employ afterwards. He continued to live at 8 Eight Acres until 1919 at least. In June 1920 he married Mary E Fairchild at Peterborough. Their son was born in Stamford in 1923 and their two daughters in Peterborough in 1930 and 1938. He died in Peterborough in 1971 aged 74 years.