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Photo: Courtesy of Alan Brown (Copyright 2007)
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Brigg Town
BRIGG has developed in many ways, but is still the most widely used "crossing of the Ancholme" and a
good place to sell goods. (Although in recent years, thanks to Tesco's, Council decisions, local business failures,
banks etc. and Large "Shed" mentality, Brigg, as a market town has suffered.) The first recorded reference
to the county of Lincolnshire was fifty years before The Battle of Hastings, but the ancient territory of Lindsey,
of which Brigg was part, existed as an entirely separate "county".
The Ancholme is still navigable to Brigg, and in the past, this allowed trade with many areas, particularly in
timber and agricultural products. Rabbits became one of the settlement's most lucrative commodities, the warrens
of the area being supposedly Britain's biggest. Hence Lincolnshire Poacher song?
In 1669 with the foundation of the grammar school, courtesy of landowner Sir John Nelthorpe who left lands in his
will to pay for its continuing upkeep and at this time "rumour has it", free land was granted for parking
in Brigg, later rescinded by the very Council who now have their own free parking, but charge all visitors.
 At Brigg
Music Festival in 1905 the folk song section was won by Joseph Taylor of Saxby-All-Saints and the "Brigg Fair"
tune, allegedly inspired Delius to compose his famous rhapsody of the same name.
Today Brigg is well known as the base for Falcon Cycles. However, manufacture of bikes in the town was thriving
more than a century ago, courtesy of George Henry Layne, who exported widely to Australia and the United States.
Founder Henry Spring was a qualified chemist who began manufacture in Coney Court but eventually moved to his striking
riverside premises where several hundred men and women were employed. The sugar factory, from the late 1920s, also
employed many hundreds, particularly on seasonal work during the processing "campaign," while Corah's
stocking factory was another significant job provider. I remember visiting "Springs hardware", as a child,
where Ladbrokes is, now??
Today, Layne's, Spring's, Corah's and the sugar factory (with its attendant oddly, sickly smell), have all gone
from Brigg, as have the Cattle Market, DDM auctions, The Ford Retailer in the Market Place etc..
Brigg still has some specialist shops but "High Street" names like Marks & Spencers, Binns, Woolworth,
Curry's, etc. have long since left in the 70's when the bypass road slowed trade to a trickle.
 High rates/rent,
poor assistance and grants, bad decisions at trader, chamber and council level have all contributed, but "plucky"
survivors and entrepeneurs struggle against the increasing tide of VAT and tax bureacracy and Government legislation
to provide employmebnt and sertv ices in the few remaining businesses.
Not long ago, I counted 3 mobile phone shops, 8 tanning centres and 6 florists in Brigg, yet only one greengrocer
and half the butchers and bakers that used to exist? ... This odd mix of businesses may well be an indicator of
problems surmounting the current business community
We still have a thriving Grammar School, Prep School,Leisure Centre and now, a "Pavilion" ... There are
still some small discrete "novelty" shops and fashion shops, but much fewer than in Louth, for instance,
where a more loyal shopping community seems to have existed?
Long Live Brigg - Long may it thrive.
Come to Brigg and Shop/explore today, as there is still lots to see ! |