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Hand-cranked newspaper copies beat adverse weather

Struggling to get a newspaper published in adverse weather is not just restricted to modern day floods…

Holdthefrontpage reader Peter Hopper recalled how atrocious weather in the 1950s resulted in printing the Skegness News by hand.

The episode happened during winter in the mid 1950s, when the Lincolnshire resort was without electricity for a whole week because the weight of snow brought down several pylons.

Peter, now in his 70s and still writing, said: “The few members of staff of the Skegness News got together with the thought that, just as the show must go on, so the newspaper must come out.

“We – I was the junior reporter – brought out a four-page, A4 size newspaper – and compositors put in every single letter by hand.

“Printing was carried out on a hand-cranked machine – a very laborious process.

“We sold every copy, but I now wish I had kept one for myself.”

Peter, who now lives near Ipswich, is on the lookout for one of the hand-cranked copies, and is appealing to HTFP readers to help find him one, or send a photocopy.

He can be contacted at [email protected]