British Library

British Library material on Spalding and South Holland

 

The following is a search conducted of the material at British Library which relates to Spalding and South Holland. Our aim will be to develop links to this material and make it available through this site.

•  “Copies of public thanks, and other honourable testimonies to the conduct of the South Holland squadron of Loyal Lincolnshire Gentlemen and Yeomen Cavalry, for their spirit and alacrity in preventing a meditated riot at Boston, on … the 9th of November, 1796, and aiding the civil power in the execution of the Militia Laws, etc.”, (Spalding: J. L. & T. Albin, 1797)
•  “Experimental religion. The circular letter, from the Baptist ministers and messengers, assembled at Spalding, Lincolnshire, May 29, 30, 31, 1798”, (Northampton: 1798)
• “Lincolnshire 1841 census [electronic resource]”, (Chilmark: S&N British Data Archive, c2006)
•  “Lincolnshire 1891 census [electronic resource]”, (Chilmark: S&N British Data Archive, c2003)
•  “Lincolnshire, Holbeach and Whaplode inclosure. An Alphabetical list of claims of Lords of Manors and of the proprietors … having right of Common, etc.”, (Spalding: 1812)
•  “South Holland drainage. Acts of Parliament. [33 Geo. III. cap. 109, June 3, 1793, etc.]”, (Spalding: Trustees of the South Holland Drainage, 1846)
• Spalding, Lincolnshire, The Official Guide, (Cheltenham: Burrow, 1972)
• , Spalding in the Fifties, (Altrincham: At Heart in conjunction with Spalding Guardian & Lincolnshire Free Press, 2007)
• Back, Michael, Branch Lines around Spalding, (Midhurst: Middleton Press, 2009)
• Bagley, George S., Samuel Partridge : a Lincolnshire minister and magistrate, (S.l.: Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, 2003)
• Bailey, George William, “Spalding Gentlemen’s Society” … Reprinted from The Lincolnshire Magazine,( Spalding: 1937)
• Brassington, Marion, ed., 700 Years in the Life of A Parish Church, (Spalding: St. Mary and St. Nicolas Parochial Church Council, 1984)
• Braybrooks, Doug, The Golden Years: Spalding Flower Parade, (Attrincham: At Heart, 2007)
• Brown, Clive, Walking Close to South Lincolnshire, (Great Britain: Clive Brown, c2010)
• Carroll, Ray, Holbeach Past, (Spalding: R. Carroll, 1988)
• Chapman, Kate, Spalding in the Sixties: 1960-1964, (Altrincham: At Heart; Spalding Guardian and Lincolnshire Free Press, 2008)
• Clark, Bernard, Mid-nineteenth Century Spalding: A Portrait, (Fleet Hargate: Arcturus. 1988)
• Clement, William, The Catholic Church in Spalding, Lincolnshire, (London: D. Lane, 1877)
• Davis, Susanna, Embanking, draining: the changing Fens, (Spalding: South Holland District Council, 1994)
• Dear, James, Aspects of Yellowbelly history : the development and settlement of the East, West & Wildmore Fens : a history of the Fens north of Boston described in words and pictures, (Spalding: Chameleon International, 1988)
• Drake, Ken, 1891 census of Lincolnshire index of surnames, Emptage, Eileen & Eric, (eds.,), Vol.3, Spalding registration district RG12/2559-2565 and part of Peterborough registration district RG12/1232 / compiled by Ken Drake and Reg Fawcett, (Lincoln: Family History Publications, 1992)
• Edmonds, Dulcie, My Village: Pinchbeck, (Spalding, [15 Market Way, Pinchbeck, Spalding, Lincs PE11 3PE]: D. Cox, c1986)
• Fryer, Bert, Recollections of a Country Copper: 1936 – 1966, (Spalding, Lincs.: B. Fryer, 1998, c1996)
• Gooch, Edward Henry, A History of Spalding, (Spalding: Spalding Free Press Co., 1940)
• Grundy, John,             “A Plan of the Town of Spalding in South Holland, Lincolnshire, as surveyed, delineated and humbly presented to the Gentlemen’s Society in Spalding, by … John Grundy … 1732. [With twelve views in prospect of the public buildings]”, (London: 1944)
• Hance, Shelia, Living Stones: The Story of the Baptists in Spalding, 1646-1996, (Spalding?: Spalding Baptist Church?, 1996)
• Larken, Edmund Roberts, A Pastoral Letter to the Inhabitants of Cowbit, Lincolnshire, (Spalding: 1836)
• Leveritt, Norman, Aspects of Spalding 1790-1930, in Words and Photographs, (Spalding: Chameleon, 1986)
• Leveritt, Norman, Aspects of Spalding: People & Places in Words and Photographs, (Spalding: Chameleon, 1989)
• Lock, John, Donington Community Guide,(6 High St., Donington, Spalding, Lincs. : J. V. Lock, 1974)
• Martin, John, Watch-Maker, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, Mechanicus and Flaven or, the watch spiritualized, (___: 1763)
• Mills, Joseph, “A collection of letters and verses, on Several Occasions. Written by the Rev. Joseph Mills, A. B. Minister of Cowbit, near Spalding, Lincolnshire”, (Spalding: 1771)
• Mills, Joseph, “A collection of letters and verses, on Several Occasions. Written by the Rev. Joseph Mills, A. B. Minister of Cowbit, near Spalding, Lincolnshire”, (Stamford: 1775)
• Minnis, John, “Church of St Paul, Holbeach Road, Fulney, Spalding, Lincolnshire : Historic Buildings Report”,(Portsmouth: English Heritage, 2008)
• Perry, Marten, “Spalding Gentlemen’s Society”, [Reprinted from “Memorials of Old Lincolnshire.”], (___, 1911)
• Pike, Leslie Elgar, Spalding Rural District, Lincolnshire: The Official Guide, (Croydon: Home Publishing Co., 1956)
• Ratcliffe, Richard E. B., and Richard A. Westland, (Contributors), 1871 census of Lincolnshire index of surnames, Vol.3, Spalding registration district RG10/3318-3325 and part of Peterborough registration district RG10/1520, (Lincoln?: Lincolnshire Family History Society, 1990)
• Robinson, Frank William and Brue Alan Robinson, A history of Long Sutton, (Spalding : F. W. and B. A. Robinson, 1965)
• Ryde, Peter, Some Lincolnshire film-makers, (Spalding: Lincolnshire Film Archive, 2004)
• Smith and Peaty, “Boston, Sutterton, and Friskney, Lincolnshire : particulars of very desirable and valuable freehold and tithe-free estates … which will be submitted for sale by public auction by Smith and Peaty, at the Peacock Inn, in Boston aforesaid, on Wednesday the 7th day of February next … Descriptive particulars with a plan of the Sutterton estate … may be had … at the offices of Messrs. Millington and Cooke, solicitors, Boston & Spalding”, (Boston : John Morton, printer, 1855)
• South Holland District Council, “Shopping and Spalding town centre : issues and objectives”, (Spalding Planning Department, 12 Market Place, Spalding, Lincs. : South Holland District Council, 1981)
• South Holland District Council, “Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge local plan : the first round of public participation, (Spalding: South Holland District Council, 1984)
• South Holland District Council, “Spalding and Pinchbeck Local Plan”, ([Spalding] [Council Offices, Chatterton Tower, Winfrey Avenue, Spaulding, Lincolnshire PE11 1DB] : The District Council, 1985)
• South Holland District Council, “The Spalding and Pinchbeck District Plan”, (Spalding 12 Market Place, Spalding, Lincs.: South Holland District Planning Office, 1981)
• Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, The minute-books of the Spalding Gentleman’s Society 1712-1755, selected and introduced by Dorothy M. Owen with the help of S.W. Woodward, (Lincoln [21 Queensway, Lincoln]: Lincoln Record Society, 1981)
• Spalding Junior Chamber for Enterprise & Leadership, Spalding : an access guide for the disabled, (Spalding : Spalding Junior Chamber for Enterprise & Leadership, 1986)
• Taylor, Brian, The Parish Church of Saint John Baptist, Spalding, Lincolnshire, (Ramsgate: Graham Cumming, 1962)
• Watkinson, Arthur James, History of Spalding District Association of the National Union of Teachers, (Spalding 32 Park Rd, Spalding, Lincs.: The author, 1973?)
• Watkinson, Arthur James, A Short History of Spalding Baptist Church, 1646-1972, (Spalding: A. J. Watkinson, 1973)
• Wills, Norman Thomas, The history of Sutton Bridge, (Long Sutton: The author, 1980)
• Wright, Neil R., John Grundy of Spalding, engineer, 1719-1783: his life and times, (Lincoln: Department of Recreational Services, Lincolnshire County Council, 1983)
• Wright, Neil R., Spalding, an Industrial History, (Lincoln 74 Alexandra Terrace, Lincoln LN1 1JE: Industrial Archaeology Sub-committee of the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 1975)

JOURNAL ARTICLES

• Jones, E. D., “Medieval merchets as demographic data: some evidence from the Spalding Priory estates, Lincolnshire”, in Continuity and Change : a journal of social structure, law and demography in past societies, Vol. 11; NO. 3, (1996), pp.459-470
• Jones, E. D., “Merchet Practice on the Spalding Priory Manor of Sutton from 1253 to 1477,” in Lincolnshire history and archaeology, Vol. 33, (1998), pp.79-84
• Jones, E. D., “Spalding Priory and Its Serfs in the Fifteenth Century”, in Lincolnshire history and archaeology,. Vol. 35, (2000), pp.64-68
• Menuge, A., “RCHME, White Hart Hotel, Spalding, Lincolnshire,” in Vernacular Architecture, Vol. 27, (1996), pp.57-58
• Renn, C., “Keeping the Flame Burning. The Revival of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society from 1889 to 1911”, in Lincolnshire history and archaeology, Vol. 42, (2007), pp.29-39

JOURNAL ARCHIVES

• The Fens Magazine, 2003-Current, (Spalding Ayscoughfee Hall, Churchgate, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2RA: Fens Tourism Group, 2003-)
• The N.F.U. Record. Holland, with Bourne and Wainfleet Section (Holland, with Boston, Bourne and Wainfleet, County Branch). vol. 1. no. 1-vol. 23. no. 2, (Spalding: Jan. 1924-Feb. 1946)
• The South Lincolnshire Farmer, vol. 41, no. 9, (Spalding: Sept. 1964)

NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE

• Lincolnshire Free Press, Boston and Spalding, South Holland and Eastern Counties Advertiser, 1942-1971, (Spalding, Lincolnshire, 1942) microfilm held in the British Library Newspaper Library: No 4521-6382 (6th April 1942 to 5th Oct 1971)

NB: Earlier Title: Lincolnshire, Boston and Spalding Free Press, and Eastern Counties Advertiser, No. 77-4520 (27th March 1849-30th March 1942)

Later Title: Lincolnshire Free Press No. 6383- (12 Oct. 1971-)

• Lincolnshire Free Press, 1971-Current, Spalding: Welland Valley Newspapers, 1971 onwards, Held in British Library Newspaper Library: No 6383 – 12th Oct 1971 issues to 1985 available in print. For issues in 1986 see microfilm.
  
• Lincolnshire Free Press, 1991-1998,(Bourne ed) Spalding Lincolnshire: 1991 onwards, held in British Library Newspaper Library: 26th Nov. 1991 to 8th Dec 1998
• Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury and Spalding Guardian, 1936-1953, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1936 onwards), Held in British Library Newspaper Library: No 2892 to 12545 (17th July 1936 t0 2nd Jan 1953
• NB: Earlier Title: Spalding Guardian and Holbeach, Long Sutton, and Sutton Bridge Advertiser No 1-2891 (5th Feb 1881 to 10th July 1936
• Later Title: Spalding Guardian No 12546 to 9th Jan 1953
• Spalding Standard, 1923-1972,
• Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1923 onwards, held in the British Library Newspaper Library: No. 1 to 2543 (23rd June 1923 to 24th March 1972)
• Spalding and Lincolnshire Standard, 1912-1915, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1912-), Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 1-141 (6^th July 1912 – 27^th Feb. 1915)       
• NB: Amalgamated with the Boston and Lincolnshire Standard and subsequently published as the Lincolnshire Standard.           
• Spalding Free Press and Eastern Counties Advertiser, 1847-1849 (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1847), Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 1-76 (5th Oct. 1847-13th March 1849)
• NB: Later Title: Lincolnshire, Boston and Spalding Free Press, and Eastern Counties Advertiser, No. 77-4520 (27th March 1849-30th March 1942)
• Spalding Guardian, 1953-Current, (Spalding: Welland Valley Newspapers, 1953-), Held in British Library Newspaper Library: No.12546- (9th Jan. 1953-) ISSUES TO 1985 AVAILABLE IN PRINT. FOR ISSUES 1986- SEE MICROFILM
• Spalding Herald & Post, 1995, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1995), Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: (28^th Sept 1995)
• Spalding Post, 1995-Current, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1995-), Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: (5^th Oct. 1995-Current)
• Spalding Target, 2003-2008, (Boston: Spalding Target, 2003-), Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: (22^nd Oct. 2003-2008)
• The Boston, Lincoln, Louth & Spalding Herald, etc,.1832-1843, (Boston, Lincolnshire: 1832-), held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 196-772 (27th March 1832-26th Sept. 1843)
• NB: Earlier Title: Boston, Lincoln & Louth Herald and County Advertiser no. 189-195 (7th Feb.-20th March 1832)
• Later Title: Boston, Stamford and Lincolnshire Herald [n.s.] no. 1-562 (3rd Oct. 1843-20th Dec. 1853)
• The Boston, Lincoln & Louth Herald and County Advertiser, 1832-1832, (Boston, Lincs.: 1832), held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 189-195 (7th Feb.-20th March 1832)

NB: A continuation of the “Lincolnshire Herald and County Advertiser” which is entered under LINCOLN, Lincolnshire in the place sequence.

• Later Title: Boston, Lincoln, Louth & Spalding Herald, etc. No. 196-772 (27th March 1832-26th Sept. 1843)
• The Boston, Stamford and Lincolnshire Herald, 1843-1853, (Boston, Lincolnshire: 1843), held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 1-562 (3rd Oct. 1843-20th Dec. 1853)
• NB: Earlier Title: Boston, Lincoln, Louth & Spalding Herald, etc. No. 196-772 (27th March 1832-26th Sept. 1843)
• Later Title: Lincolnshire Herald [n.s.] No. 1-4675 (3rd Jan. 1854-19th Oct. 1894)
• The Lincolnshire, Boston and Spalding Free Press, and Eastern Counties Advertiser,1849-1942,(Spalding, Lincolnshire 1849 onwards) Microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library No 77 to 4520 (27th March 1849 to 30th March 1942)
  • NB – Earlier Title: Spalding Free Press and Eastern Counties Advertiser No. 1-76 (5th Oct 1847 to 13th March 1849)
  • Later Title: Lincolnshire Free Press, Boston and Spalding, South Holland and Eastern Counties Advertiser No 4521 to 6382 (6th April 1942 to 5th Oct 1971
    
• The South Lincolnshire Standard, and Holbeach, Spalding and Long Sutton Advertiser, 1874-1875, (Holbeach, Lincolnshire: 1874), held in British Library Newspaper Library: No 1 t0 80 (25th March 1874 to 29th Sept 1875)
• The Spalding Guardian and Holbeach, Long Sutton, and Sutton Bridge Advertiser.1881-1936, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1881), held in British Library Library: No 1 to 2891 (5th Feb 1881 to 10th July 1936)
• NB: Later  Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury and Spalding Guardian No 2892 to 12545 (17th July 1936 to 2nd Jan 1953)
• The Spalding Post and Lincolnshire Weekly Messenger, 1903-1904, (Spalding, Lincolnshire: 1903-), microfilm held in British Library Newspaper Library: No. 2-54, (17^th Oct. 1903- 20^th Aug. 1904)

MAPS

• Ordnance Plan of the Town of Spalding … Scale, 1 : 500 or 10.56 feet = 1 mile, (Southampton: 1888)
• Armstrong, Capt. A., Map of Lincoln-Shire, 1778, Scale of chains, 8[ = 32 mm.], (___: 1779)
• Badeslade, Thomas, Map of Wisbech & Spalding Rivers. Miles, 20[ = 108 mm], (Pub: 1735)
• Burgess, ___,  View of Spalding Church, 1797, (Pub: 1801), from British Museum, Catalogue of Maps, Prints, Drawings, etc., forming the geographical and topographical collection attached to the Library of his late Majesty King George the third, etc., London, 1829
• Burgess, H., View of Spalding Market-Place, &c. (View of Spalding High-Bridge, &c.), (Spalding, Lincolnshire: H. Burgess, 1822-1823)

ORAL HISTORIES

• Adams, George, 1925-2003 (speaker, male: interviewee); Brodie, Louise, (speaker, female ; interviewer), “NLSC: Food: From Source to Salespoint”, Recording date: 199902 Interviewee’s office, Interviewee’s factory, Ruskington, and interviewee’s home, Spalding.
• Edited Description: Extensive family history and story of growing up and farming in the local area.
• Blackbourn, Rex, 1929 Sep. 04- (speaker, male; Royal Navy / Police Inspector); Lee, Chris Eldon (speaker; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.01.05 Home Recording
• Edited Description: First house . an off licence with a big yard with pigs in it. Rex being put on the back of a pig for a ride round the yard. All the brothers slept together. Eldest brother would study in the bathroom to get peace and quiet. Second house had bake house but no bathroom. Had a tin bath once a week…… Policing the Spalding Flower Show by motorcycle.
• Boekestyk, Ted, 1929 Dec. 03- (speaker, male; Horticultural Salesman); Richards, John (speaker ; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.02.11 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: Ted Boekestyk was born in the glass growing area of Holland. He recalls the food drops made by Lancaster bombers during the Second World War, and years later meeting the pilot of one of the planes. He became a cook on one of the coasters bringing produce to Boston, which is where he met his wife. He eventually left the boat, and started work in Spalding. He talks about learning to speak English, which he says wasn’t too difficult. In 1953, he started work at a nursery in Spalding. He considers himself very much a rural person, and admits to being scared whenever he has to drive in a city. He thinks that the countryside has suffered from the removal of hedgerows and the use of pesticides, but is pleased that a lot is being done in Lincolnshire to remedy these problems He talks about the greater freedom that he has enjoyed in this country, and now feels that he is English. He talks about the help he received in setting up home in his early married years, and the friendship he has been show by local people….
• Clifton, Stuart, 1944 Feb. 04- (speaker, male ; Retired Detective Superintendent); Swire, Malcolm (speaker ; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1998.10.14 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: Retired senior detective with Lincolnshire Police. Joined  from Yorkshire after being brought up in the building trade, and changed jobs due to the recession…. Also served in Spalding “a better quality of crime.”
• Coates, Kevin (speaker, male ; interviewee); Hughes, Hawksmoor (speaker, female ; interviewer), “NLSC: Crafts Lives”, Recording date: 2008.09.23, 2008.10.08, 2008.10.15, 2008.10.20, 2008.10.23
• Edited Description: … Track Two… [01:14:50] Description of living in Spalding, Lincolnshire, first day at school, remarks on learning to read before going to school, comments on KC retaining his childhood ability at art and music…
• Day, Alan, 1923 Jun. 28- (speaker, male ; Retired. Mayor Of Boston At Date Of Interview); Swire, Malcolm (speaker ; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.03.17 Mayor’s Parlour, Boston Recording
• Edited Description: Alan Day, mayor of Boston. Came to Boston at one year of age, when his father acquired a flour milling business in the town. Partly educated in Boston, he then went to Oakham School for three years, leaving in 1940 and joining the air force soon afterwards …
• Dobbs, Reginald, 1921 Jan. 03- (speaker, male; Farmer); Stennett, Alan (speaker; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.02.24 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: Reg Dobbs OBE is a member of a south Lincolnshire farming family. He can trace the family’s farming history back to his great grandfather, and he intends to research the family background in more detail. He’s lived in the same village all his life. He talks about his childhood on the farm, the use of horses, and of the problems and poverty of farming in the days of the agricultural depression of the late 20s and early 30s. Reg recalls his schooldays…. Reg says he has lived through the biggest changes in agricultural technology, ranging from horses to machinery. And he says that we must continue this pace of change, even embracing genetic modification of crops. He talks about the importance of training in agriculture. Returning to earlier times on the farm he talks about the creation of local pig clubs, which locals contributed a shilling a week to – to ensure that they had food through the winter. He says that farmers learned how to manage with a lot of hard cash in the 40s and goes on to talk about the financial problems they face today. He feels that today’s financial pressures are discouraging people to start up in farming, which he sees as a bad thing. He talks about the attitude of incomers, who have the time to serve on the local parish council, but then often make life difficult for the farming community because they do not appreciate the ways of the countryside. Reg was involved at the start of the annual Spalding Tulip Festival and talks about how it came into being. He also discusses the changing employment pattern of the fens, with fewer people now working in horticulture, and more in the pre-pack food industry. He talks of the loss of village community spirit and identity, which he blames on car ownership. He is also saddened by the withdrawal of the church from the villages, with clergymen being responsible for several parishes, and the modernising of the bible and church services…
• Gaymer, Vivien, 1946- (speaker, female ; interviewee ; company lawyer); Manson, Hugo, (speaker, male ; interviewer), “Lives in the Oil Industry”, Recording date: 2002.08.12, 2004.05.17
• Edited Description: Tape 1 (F12252) Side A: VIVIEN MURRAY GAYMER nee GALL now GIBNEY born 21 February 1946 Spalding, Lincolnshire…
• Harrison, Alec, 1917 Dec. 11- (speaker, male ; Retired Farmer) ; Swire, Malcolm (speaker ; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1998.11.02 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: Born in the Lincolnshire Fens and lived here all his life. He was  children – the other four were girls. All the villages in the area are about 1 1/2 miles wide and about a mile long, because the land has emerged from the silt. Main village activities were going to the pub. Vividly recalls his first visit to Spalding market in his father’s pony and trap at the age of five. Talks about the use of carrier’s carts in the days before cars or public transport was widely available, and the local names of the places where horses were stopped to regain their wind on the journeys into Spalding. Alec talks about a day’s shopping with his mother – including recollections of shops now no longer there. On more modern matters, he thinks that town centres are over-planned, and thinks that “incomers” should accept the naturalness of the countryside rather than complaining about it.
• Johnson, Vic, 1922- (speaker, male; interviewee); Johnson, Edna, (speaker, female; interviewee); Brodie, Louise (speaker, female; interviewer), “NLSC: Food From Source to Salespoint”, Recording date: 1999.20.01; 1999.21.01 interviewees’ home
• Edited Description: Extensive family history.
• Marvin, Margaret, 1910 Nov. 05- (speaker, female; Retired Domestic); Elmer, Betty (speaker; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.03.08 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: Margaret Annie Marvin, retired domestic, born Folkingham 1910. Talks in vivid detail about her schooldays, and the family’s move into Grantham…. During the war she did temporary work in the post office, then when the men started returning from the forces, she became housekeeper at the Red Lion in Spalding.
• Whelbourn, Peter, 1924 May. 10- (speaker, male; Retired Sea Pilot); Swire, Malcolm (speaker ; interviewer), “Millennium Memory Bank”, Recording date: 1999.03.18 Interviewee’s Home Recording
• Edited Description: … He speaks about his membership of Shipwreck Societies in Boston and Spalding, which were originally formed to provide essentials for those shipwrecked . Now they provide a cash sum per annum to seamen’s widows.