Local residents and others interested in the history of Ringstead, a village south of Thrapston, owe a great deal to the work and generosity of David Ball (1945-2022).
Based largely on his own research and memories, he wrote no fewer than six books that feature many of the men and women who have lived in the parish during the past 200 years or so.
The individuals whose lives are explored include labourers and shopkeepers, soldiers and sailors, and the men who served in the First World War. For the most part, they have not previously attracted a great deal of attention; an exception being Alfred Roberts (1892-1970) who moved to Grantham and was the father of Britain’s first female Prime Minister.
The six books, whose contents are supported by numerous references to original sources, are now available to the world at large at Ringstead People. This profusely illustrated site enables readers to search the collection by name, decade of birth and theme. All the books are free to keep and share, either separately or as a single file – with a choice of EPUB or PDF format.
The site is easily navigable. Its design, features and content will inspire others researching a particular place, a family or another topic and who want to share the results in an enduring way with as many readers as possible. The ‘About’ page will also spark the interest of people who are only curious about starting on such a journey.