Wolds World - People make the Wolds

Yes the landscape does define the Wolds, but above all it is the people who live here who make the best of our caring communities.

Just before the lockdown, the funeral took place of Don Morgan, a man who worked tirelessly for the town.

My picture of Don will always be of him lining up people outside the Heritage Centre before he took them on a tour of the sights.

A tall, upright figure, he looked the part with stick in hand and a few notes at the ready if needed. They rarely were.

In summer, he would always have his white sun hat in place before setting off.

What Don didn’t know about Caistor wasn’t worth knowing.

He died in Lincoln Hospital after a relatively short illness.

He was still doing his tours last summer, mostly for the civic society.

Don was originally from Rothwell in the ‘rhubarb triangle’ near Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

On leaving school he began training as an environmental health officer, but this was cut short when he was called up to do national service in the RAF. He asked to be posted overseas and he was...to the Isle of Man!

Still in the RAF, he worked as a dental technician at a clinic in Harley Street. He reportedly travelled in to his London office in civilian clothes before changing into uniform for work.

After leaving the RAF, Don resumed his civilian career back in the Wakefield area as a health officer in Sandall. This sometimes saw him visiting abattoirs, where he found himself working alongside rabbis, as they ensured meat was processed correctly to ensure it was kosher.

Don met Kath, who became his wife, in March 1955, and by 1960 they had moved to Caistor, where Don had got a job with the then Caistor Rural District Council.

This was later swallowed up by West Lindsey Council and Don and Kath moved to Gainsborough.

However, the family - Don and Kath, their son Ian and Janet their daughter - soon moved back to Caistor where they took a full part in the town’s life.

In later life, and especially in retirement, Don became involved with the Caistor Society, the town’s civic group, where he was planning officer.

The society was consulted over planning applications and Don’s role was to look at applications submitted to the council, especially if they were in the conservation area.

There was no-one more knowledgeable locally about Caistor’s history.

Don involved himself with the life of Caistor Parish Church, worshipping there each week and being on the church council.

He distributed church magazines and, in more recent years, wrote a column of jokes for readers. Where he got them from was something of a mystery!

He was part of the handyman team who did voluntary work on the church building, and part of the team that transported people to church when needed.

He and Kath began an annual Bridge tournament, which for 25 years has raised funds for the church.

He took part in the sponsored cycle ride each September and served on the West Lindsey Churches Festival Committee.

Don and Kath were involved with Caistor Primary School, where they went to hear children read and where Don was a school governor.

When Kath’s health failed, she went into Greenacres Care Home, where Don visited her most days.

He became a member of the Meals on Wheels distribution team.

Kath passed away in 2014, but Don carried on his involvement with the civic society, his support for the church and also for Greenacres.

At his funeral in Caistor Church, Vicar of Caistor the Rev Canon Ian Robinson said: “We are sad for the loss of Don, but we are so blessed that he was part of our life and for that we are truly grateful.

“Don was a very special member of our community; a lovely man who has touched our lives in many and varied ways.”

In short, Don was a real man of the Wolds.

Well done good and faithful servant!