< Previous60 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY A mong Lincolnshire’s famous adventurers and explorers none led a more extraordinary life than Captain John Smith. Even today John Smith’s adventures would be remarkable, but for the C16th/C17th it was exceptionally so. His actual birthday remains uncertain but was likely in late December 1579 for we know from church records of his baptism in St Helen’s church Willoughby on 9th January 1580. His father was George Smith and mother was Alice. George was a yeoman farmer and tenant of Lord Willoughby and John’s birthplace is believed to have been on the site of Covell’s Farm in Willoughby. By the age of eight he was attending Alford grammar school, at that time situated in the room above the porch of St Wilfred’s church and by age twelve he had moved to King Edward Grammar School in Louth. Then in1595 he went to Kings Lynn as a clerk to merchant Thomas Sendall, an occupation to which he was entirely unsuited. However within a year he was attending his father’s funeral – and thus came into an inheritance. Shortly after this he began a European grand tour accompanying Lord Willoughby’s sons but Smith eventually cut this short and on his return voyage to England was shipwrecked on the Farne Islands in Northumberland. It was following this escapade that John began some military education at Tattershall where he learned martial arts under the tuition of Theodore Paleologue, the riding master to Earl Clinton; something he may have been recommended for by Lord Willoughby. Although the date is uncertain he then left for Europe to fight the Spanish in Holland before returning to England again but by late 1600 was off to Europe yet again, this time fighting the Turks (Saracens) in the Balkans (Hungary) alongside the Austrians and their allies. Whilst involved in one siege Smith accepted two challenges from Turkish warriors (and issued one of his own) to single-handed combat. He won all three fights, when the time-honoured tradition was for the victor to behead the loser, and was the awarded a new coat of arms showing three Turk’s heads by the Transylvanian Prince Zsigmond, plus the rank of Captain and an annual pension of 300 ducats. His luck did subsequently run out when he was captured and sold into slavery at Constantinople. He escaped by killing his master, stealing his horse and fleeing across Russia, Poland, France, Spain and Morocco, arriving back in England in 1604. But Smith’s adventures were not over. He became involved with the Virginia Company and its plans for colonisation in America. (Virginia was named after Elizabeth I the “Virgin Queen” and originally applied to the whole of the American east coast.) He set sail for America on the 26th December 1606 CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH heritage Lincolnshire explored 60-61.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:41 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 61 with a small fleet of three ships; the “Susan Constant”, “Godspeed” and the “Discovery”. (Smith was probably with Admiral Newport on the “Susan Constant”.) They were delayed in English Channel by bad weather and after an arduous voyage arrived at Jamestown (named after King James I) Virginia on 13th May 1607. Here he was a leading figure in the founding of the colony of Virginia and was elected president by 1608. Much of the period 1607/1608 was spent exploring and mapping Virginia and it was during this time that the famous Pocahontas incident took place. She was the eleven-year-old daughter of chief Powhaton of the Algonquin Indians who had captured Smith and intended to kill him, but Pocahontas intervened and successfully pleaded for Smith’s life. (She later married another colonist John Rolfe and visited England where she died in March 1617 and was buried at Gravesend, Kent.) As president of the new colony Smith experienced a difficult time with idle and quarrelling colonists. Even so by 1608 he had written the first early history of the colony but after being injured in an explosion returned to England in 1609. Once healed he was back in North Virginia by 1614 from where he explored and mapped much of the north American east coast, including Maine, Massachusetts and Cape Cod giving the region its name of New England. During this voyage he found the location of Plymouth, which he recommended for a new colony site, and which was eventually settled by the Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower. After finally returned to England in 1615 he never left these shores again. He published his American coastal maps in 1612 and they were so accurate that they remained in use for nearly 300 years. He also wrote a “History of Virginia”, published in 1624. John Smith died June 1631 aged 52 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s church, Newgate, London. So ended an amazing life of global adventure but unfortunately both St Sepulchre’s and his grave were lost in the Great Fire 1666. Captain John Smith is still commemorated with a prominent statue on Jamestown Island, Virginia; but what of his heritage remains in Lincolnshire? We should start at St. Wilfred’s church in Alford where his schoolroom above the porch survives before moving on to the village of Willoughby. There, in St Helen’s church the font at which Smith was baptised survives together with a memorial plaque and both the United States and Virginia flags. The church also has stained-glass windows donated by Philip Barbour from Kentucky USA who was Smith’s biographer. One window contains a segment depicting Pocahontas and another shows the three Turk’s heads from Smith’s coat of arms. The village inn, the Willoughby Arms, has the ships bell from the “Godspeed” and readers are welcome to call in and see it. There’s a large portrait painted on the outside wall too. The village sign also recalls his birthplace. A very detailed, and now somewhat rare, biography is Philip Barbour’s Three Worlds of Captain John Smith; MacMillan 1964. by Hugh Marrows 60-61.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:41 Page 262 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Delicious simplicity Celebrate the best of homegrown British ingredients with some simple, tasty recipes that are perfect for mid-spring. We’ve personally tested each and every one ourselves so we can vouch for their simplicity and flavour. There’s nothing quite like homemade food to make you feel great and to put a smile on you and your families face. During the lockdown that’s more important than ever. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 You’ll Need: 1 kg butternut squash - peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm dice 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes 1 tsp paprika 50g pumpkin seeds 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp honey 140g bag Watercress, Rocket & Spinach Salad What to do: Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Place squash in a large roasting tin, toss in 2 tbsp oil, chilli flakes, paprika and pumpkin seeds, season and roast for 20 minutes until tender. Whisk together the soy, vinegar, honey and remaining oil. Place the leaves in a bowl and toss the dressing into the salad leaves. Gently mix in the warm squash and serve immediately. Roasted spicy squash salad 62-65.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:43 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 63 FOOD & DINING Sweet chilli halloumi crunch wrap Crisp, crunchy salad and moreish griddled halloumi makes a great filling for wraps. Enjoy with friends and family, al fresco if you can! Serves: 3 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes You’ll need: For the dressing 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce Juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp olive oil For the salad 250g Halloumi 1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated 2 sticks of celery, sliced diagonally, keep any leaves to add to the salad 4 spring onions, sliced diagonally 6 radishes, quartered 3 wraps or flatbreads What to do: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Cut the halloumi into 9 slices and toss in half of the dressing. Cook on a BBQ, griddle or in a frying pan for 5 minutes, turning halfway through until they’re crisp and browned on the outside. While the halloumi is cooking put the leaves, celery, spring onion and radishes into a bowl, drizzle with the remaining dressing and mix it through. Divide the salad between the wraps, lay the halloumi slices on top of each and serve immediately. Recipe: www.lovethecrunch.com This salad is a gorgeous starter for spring or summer, and the horseradish gives it a perfect kick against the soft silky asparagus, it’s a fab combination. Serves 2 Preparation time: 5-10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes You’ll need: 1 pack (approx. 125g) British asparagus tips 135g watercress and salad leaves 100g smoked salmon 2 cooked beetroot dipped in vinegar (not pickled), cut into 1⁄ 8 s For the dressing 3 tbsp horseradish cream 2 tbsp Rachel’s Organic Natural Yogurt 1 tsp white wine vinegar Black pepper to season 1 lemon, juiced What to do: Place the British asparagus tips into a pan of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile assemble the salad leaves and watercress onto 2 small plates and lay on the smoked salmon. Add the beetroot. Then drain the British asparagus tips and lay on top of the salad. Finally mix the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salad with lots of black pepper over the top. Finish with the lemon juice. Recipe: www.lovebeetroot.co.uk Beetroot, British asparagus & smoked salmon salad with a pepper dressing 62-65.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:43 Page 2You’ll need: 2 smoked haddock skinned 200g Maris piper, quartered 1 Banana Shallot, finely diced 1/2 Lemon, zested and juiced 15g spring onion, sliced 200g of plain flour 3 eggs beaten 200g of Breadcrumbs Perfectly served with homemade tartar sauce: 100g gherkins 100g lilliput capers 1 banana shallot Tsp chopped chives Mayonnaise to bind 64 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Smoked haddock croquettes This recipe from Stephanie Barker, head chef and co-owner of The Cross Keys in Grasby, is great as a snack or as an element to accompany poached eggs, or seasoned green vegetables. What to do: Put the potatoes on to boil with a teaspoon of salt until tender then drain with colander Transfer into a large bowl and mash until smooth then set aside In a small pan, sweat off the shallots until transparent then put into the mash Flake the smoked haddock into a tray and then zest the lemon over then the juice. Fold the lemon juice and the spring onions. Then, finally, the mash potato Roll the mixture into cylinder shapes then place in the fridge to firm up Once firm roll in flour, add into the beaten eggs then breadcrumb For the tartar sauce: Finely dice the gherkins and shallot In a bowl fold together gherkins, shallot, capers and chopped chives Fold in mayonnaise to preferred amount Season with lemon zest and juice to taste with tartar sauce 62-65.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:43 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 65 FOOD & DINING Deceptively easy to make, this show stopping cake is full of delicate spicing and made with a lighter sponge and sticky fruit topping, meaning less need to feel guilty about indulging in this tasty treat. Serves: 8-10 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30-35 minutes You’ll need: 5 juniper berries, bruised with the back of a knife 1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 cloves 3-4 pears depending on their size, peeled cored & sliced (we used Blush pears) 4 tbsp Streamline apricot jam150g unsalted butter 150g caster sugar3 medium eggs 100g self-raising flour100g ground almonds 1 tsp baking powdercrème fraîche to serve What to do: Heat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas 4. Grease the bottom of a 9 inch spring form tin and line with greaseproof paper. Heat the juniper, cinnamon and cloves with the apricot jam in a pan then add the pear slices and cook gently for 5 minutes until they are soft. Set aside to cool. Whisk together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Use a large metal spoon to fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder. Pick the spices out of the pear juices and discard. Arrange the pear slices in the bottom of the tin along with just 2 tablespoons of the juices. Pour over the cake batter and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and the cake springs back when you touch the top. Take out of the oven and cool for 15 minutes then turn out onto a serving plate and peel off the greaseproof paper. Reheat the remaining pear juices and drizzle over. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of crème fraîche. Note: Cook the pears gently so they don’t break up and adjust the cooking time depending on their ripeness. Recipe: www.streamlinefoods.co.uk Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes You’ll need: 1 tbsp olive oil1 shallot, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed1 potato, peeled and chopped 100ml dry white wine1 pinch of chilli flakes 170g watercresssqueeze of lemon juice 4 tbsp half fat créme fraicheKing prawns, barbecued wedges of lemon to serve What to do: Heat the oil in a frying pan add the shallot and sauté over a gentle heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potato, wine and chilli, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender. Add the watercress and cook, stirring for 4 minutes until the leaves have wilted. Cool. Add the créme fraiche, then transfer to a food processor and blitz until just smooth. Season to taste. Spoon the dip into a bowl ready to serve with the prawns. Cook the prawns on a barbeque or griddle for 3-4 minutes on each side until they turn pink. Place on to the plate while still sizzling hot. The dip can be served with barbecued fish and meat or for a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables and warm pitta bread. Recipe: www.watercress.co.uk Watercress and Garlic Dip with King Prawns Spiced pear and Streamline apricot jam frangipane cake 62-65.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:44 Page 466 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY A COFFEE WITH… Your debut single, ‘Unboyfriendable’, hit the top 3 in the UK country charts when it released last summer. There’s a second single and EP in the works, but are there any plans for an album? Definitely in the future! With the current coronavirus crisis and lockdown happening, everything has been put on hold unfortunately, but I’m really looking forward to finishing the production of my next single and getting it released! I currently only have enough material in the pipeline for an EP and with me only being on the country scene the past 3/4 years an EP is definitely the right move to make first. In future, I’d definitely be planning for a full album and who knows... I might even get signed again before that! The single is very much rooted in the Nashville sound. How did you develop your style and what are your main influences? I’ve always had a country style voice, but I didn’t actually start listening to country music until around 9 years ago. My twin brother Sam Atkin moved to USA in 2011 to peruse his athletic career (very successful one at that!) and he introduced me to country artists that I’ve never heard of before and I’ve been in love ever since. My main influences are Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and Kelsea Ballerini. I fell in love with the way country songs tell a story. It would be my dream to visit Nashville one day. Has the coronavirus outbreak scuppered any plans to tour this year? Are there plans for any virtual/online gigs? I had a few charity gigs booked which, unfortunately, have had to be cancelled. My main plans this year aren’t until summer so I’m praying that they won’t be cancelled. I’m hosting and singing at the FSA country Music Festival in Newark in July – a huge honour! You were crowned Miss Great Britain 2020 earlier this year. Was this a childhood dream, or a more recent ambition? Pageantry came to me very late in my young life; I only discovered it around 3 years ago. However, becoming Miss Great Britain is a huge dream come true. I worked hard in the run up to the final and still can’t believe I won! I made so many friends and I’m so grateful. I’m an incredibly ambitious person, after losing 8 stone around 4/5 years ago, I was determined to push myself out my comfort zone but competing in Miss Great Britain felt so right and I feel like I’ve found where I belong. I love feeling empowered and I love inspiring others to feel empowered and to be the best version of themselves. I can’t thank the Miss Great Britain directors and judges for giving me this opportunity to inspire others. How do you strike a balance between beauty pageants and your music career? I’m still finding my feet and trying to get a balance to be honest, but I’m so lucky I have my directors’ (Jemma Simmonds and Kate Solomons) support and also my music production manager, Stephen Manley’s support. The first couple of weeks after becoming miss GB were very busy A coffee with Jen Atkin Jen Atkin rose to fame after she was crowned Miss Great Britain earlier this year. She’s also a country singer with a successful single under her belt. We chatted with Jen about her music, pageant success and future ambitions. 66-67.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:45 Page 1with TV and press but I’m hoping once that calms down, I can find the time to work on my music too. Will you compete in any global beauty pageants? As I won Miss Great Britain, this means I go to Miss Tourism World, however, with the current pandemic I’m unsure when this will be taking place, if at all. Where does your passion lie – with singing or with the pageants? Or is it an equal split? It’s absolutely an equal split! However, until I hand over my title next year, Miss Great Britain will be priority. I only have one year with this incredible title, so I’m determined to do as much with it as I can. I’m lucky I get to incorporate my singing and music into my title too! I love both in different ways and I love how I can help people with both! What are your plans going forward? To become a full-time country singer? Becoming a full-time country singer would be incredible! However, I just can’t make that move in my life right now. I actually work full time as a terminal administrator on Killingholme’s fuel bank, but one day I hope to earn enough money to pay the bills just singing. I hope to one day be the UK’s most known country artist. Right now, I’m just going with the flow and taking as many opportunities that come my way. photo courtesy of Jin Rathod Jen’s single, ‘Unboyfriendable’, is available to stream via Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube now. 66-67.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:45 Page 268 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY COUNTY MOTORING © Shutterstock /wavebreakmedia A ccording to data from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), March 2020 saw new car registrations fall by 44% which, as analysts have pointed out, is a steeper drop than during the 2008 recession and the worst March since 1999. In all, 254,684 new cars were registered this March, data shows, a fall of 203,370 compared with last year. Breaking that down, there was a major fall in demand from both private buyers and larger fleets – falling 40.4% and 47.4% respectively. Although registrations for both petrol and disease vehicles plummeted – at 49.9% and 61.9% respectively – it’s interesting to note that registrations of battery electric vehicles rose almost three times while plug-in hybrids grew 38%. The pandemic has affected the motoring industry on all fronts, leading to these huge declines in new registrations What’s driving the motoring industry? With the release of new plates, March is usually one of the car industry’s busiest times of the year, but as the industry struggles to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 has seen its worst March for decades. 68-69.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:46 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 69 COUNTY MOTORING and sales. Due to social distancing measures and government-enforced closures, customers have been unable to visit car showrooms. Given the financial uncertainty at present – and predictions of the worse global recession since the Great Depression – consumers are likely unwilling to make big-ticket purchases this year or, for some, even in the years to come. Understandably, as demand has declined, automotive brands have suspended vehicle production, leading to a near industry-wide halting of manufacturing. In March, major car markers including Honda, Nissan, Vauxhall and Jaguar Land Rover all ceased production in the UK. In the wake of these shutdowns, car makers across the board have warned, perhaps unsurprisingly, of delays on pre-ordered cars, especially from companies that depend on overseas suppliers. However, readers may be comforted in the knowledge that it is still possible in many cases to purchase cars from makers with existing stock by placing orders online. Some car dealerships are also offering remote services to continue to serve customers during this time and, elsewhere, some motoring brands are offering ways to help consumers navigate the financial implications of buying a car at present. It’s also worth noting that many drivers who are leasing cars have found themselves unable to continue paying the monthly costs as a direct result of the pandemic and have been forced to give the vehicles back. “With the country locked down in crisis mode for a large part of March, this decline will come as no surprise,” says Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the SMMT. “Despite this being the lowest March since we moved to the bi-annual plate change system, it could have been worse, had the significant advanced orders placed for the new 20 plate not been delivered in the early part of the month. We should not, however, draw long-term conclusions from these figures, other than this being a stark realisation of what happens when economies grind to a halt.” Mr Hawes added that it was uncertain how long the market would remain stalled – a sentiment shared by car makers themselves – but it would reopen and the products would be there. However, this article is largely concerned with new vehicles, but it’s important to ensure that your current vehicle is well looked after and maintained during this period – for example getting it serviced, repaired and an MOT – as there are dedicated garages still open and serving the community, which you can find more about in our local heroes feature (pages 51-55). © Shutterstock /Pushish Images © Shutterstock /stocksolutions 68-69.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:46 Page 2Next >