Skegness Magazine

Initial construction of the boating lake commenced in 1924. This is illustrated in the first photo, which was taken in 1924 but appeared in the newspaper in 1932 as a flashback.

see newspaper clipping

The second picture of the Norman Arch with the Lincoln Imp aloft appeared in the Skegness Standard in 1929.

The photo below is taken from the same perspective as the original newspaper picture above, as close as I could get without paddling!

The structure has remained the same, albeit more profuse in flora.I tried to find evidence of the ‘Lincoln Imp [left] perched aloft’, as described in the newspaper caption.
We examined the south side of the Norman Arch, emulating the original perspective.
I saw no evidence of the Lincoln Imp here.

Do YOU know where the Lincoln Imp is? Is he still on the boating lake? What happened to him?

I will be photographing the north side of the arch shortly to discover if he is ‘perched aloft’ there!

Update
We inspected the south side of the Norman Arch on the boating lake.
No signs of the elusive Lincoln Imp! There is a triangular ‘heading stone’ over the arch which seems to suggest some importance.

Curiously, zooming into a picture of the northern side of the arch, we can see two wall plugs just to the right of the main stone.

I was initially looking for an image of the Imp carved into the stone, but it’s been suggested to me that the then council would have been unlikely to extend to this expense, More likely the Lincoln Imp would have been a plaque.
I must say that this does fit in with the screw holes in the picture below.
So was the Lincoln Imp removed? Stolen? Help, please!

see original newspaper clipping

This photo is of the extreme south end of the boating lake extension. The landing stage for the boats, as described in the old newspaper article, has now been removed. You can see the remnants of it in the right foreground.

This photograph illustrates the present day beauty of the boating lake.
Of course the Clock Tower, peeping from the background, has witnessed it all…

Mirrored in the Lake
The next newspaper article, as I recall, appeared in a 1932 Skegness Standard.
The write-up explains a dilemma that I had in tracing the exact location of a postcard scene which was donated by the Mayor of Skegness, Coun Phil Kemp.
The article reads ‘[on the boating lake there is] an island, on which is to be laid a floral representation of the Skegness Jolly Fisherman….a magic lantern was installed on a platform installed in the bed of the boating lake, and a greatly magnified slide of the Fisherman was projected onto the island, the idea being to outline the figure with pegs preparatory to planting the various flowers.’ The article continues ‘the design will be about 17 feet in length … and should be extremely effective’.

see original newspaper cutting

So judge for yourself – scroll down and see the finished design as it appears on the Mayor’s postcard…

Skegness Jolly Fisherman Floral Representation with the logo ‘Skegness is so Bracing’.

Image kindly supplied by the Mayor of Skegness, Coun Phil Kemp
Extra confirmation of the location of the postcards was found in the Skegness News 17th August 1932.
The photograph below was taken by Mr J H Banks of Nottingham as an entry the the Butlins Photographic Competition.