South Lincs UFO Study Group Newsletter - No 53 - 1973-74

Magazine Overview

This document is the 53rd issue of the South Lincs. U.F.O. Study Group Newsletter, covering the period from November 1973 to April 1974. It is a handwritten newsletter detailing various UFO sightings and related news from the UK and USA.

UFO Sighting in Halifax

An eleven-year-old boy named Richard Stolly reported seeing a UFO on a recent evening. He described it as long and thin with a wedge on top, travelling slowly over Halifax before vanishing behind a cloud. This sighting was reported in a Halifax paper in late September 1973.

Flying Saucers Making News

The newsletter highlights that flying saucers are generating news. In Greenwood, Delaware, USA, five volunteer firemen were charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly building a 'flying saucer' as a prank. They reportedly did this after hearing numerous stories about little green men landing in UFOs.

Governor of Ohio Reports Saucer

John Gilligan, the Governor of Ohio, reported seeing a 'saucer' that was amber-coloured and gave off a vertical beam. This report was published in the Daily Express on October 19, 1973.

Reward for UFO Sightings in Oregon

An offer is detailed for 'little green men from outer space' who are short of money: a reward of £9,000 is waiting to be claimed in Oregon. This offer is reportedly made seriously by Bob Hougtium, the owner and station manager of radio station Kloo, located 60 miles south of Portland. The station has received many calls with 'positive evidence' from people who claim to have seen strange creatures. One man in Chicago claimed to have tape-recorded a hairy, 9-foot-tall creature, describing the sound as similar to Tarzan sliding down a prickly vine. The idea for the reward apparently stems from a rash of 'saucer sightings'. The newsletter also notes that Barry Goldwater, a respected US Senator, stated that he believes the earth has been visited by creatures from outer space, as reported in the Daily Express on November 8, 1973.

UFO Spotted Over Peterborough

Bruce McKain reported in the Peterborough Evening Telegraph on November 9, 1973, that a mysterious flying object with red and white lights was seen hovering over Peterborough. Several people, including 14-year-old Andrew Wright, his friend Jane Howe, and her mother Mrs. Betty Howe, witnessed the craft. Andrew Wright described seeing 'large white lights at first', which then went out, followed by '4 or 5 red lights'. When the lights went out, he perceived a 'greyish, square shaped object behind them'. He stated he had never seen anything like it before and was convinced it was a UFO. The object was also spotted by a housewife and children in the Ortons, coming from the direction of the A1.

Motorist Sees Lights Over Deppings

On a Wednesday, a motorist reported seeing two white lights in the sky over the Deppings. A comment from 'Slutorg' suggests these were 'almost certainly aircraft landing lights, & a Harris Jump Jet from nearby RAF Wittering'.

Washingborough Man Claims UFO Visit

Mr. John Spalding, a wood turner from Washingborough, Lincolnshire, claims he sighted a UFO on the evening of Monday, November 12, 1973. From his garden, he observed a mysterious bright light moving across the sky from the direction of Boodray around 10:30 pm. The object moved silently towards Washingborough at the speed of a jet, passed over the town, moved towards Lincoln, and then stopped. It remained visible until Mr. Spalding went to bed at midnight. He studied the light through binoculars but could not make out an outline due to its height. He described it as a bright light, too high to be a plane, and initially thought it might be a satellite, until it stopped dead. Mr. Spalding stated, "People may think I'm barmy, but I know what I saw. The only explanation for that object is that it came from some intelligence outside this planet."

Mr. Spalding's wife and parents, who live nearby, also saw the moving light. He has previously seen UFOs twice: the first time at age 14, a 'great cylindrical object' seen by his mother above Portland Street, Lincoln; and three years prior, a moving light similar to his recent sighting above Washingborough.

Former Astronaut Believes in UFOs

Former astronaut John Young, a member of the Apollo crew, is quoted as saying that the odds are that UFOs do exist. He stated, "It is mathematically improbable that there aren't other life sources in the universe." This was reported in the Daily Express on November 26, 1973.

Advertisement

An advertisement is included for a book of poems dedicated to the late Peter Duell, titled "Tribute to a Beautiful Legend." Interested parties are directed to write to Janet Bissell at 75 Parkside Estate, Rutland Rd., Hackney, London, E9 7JY.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently reports on UFO sightings and related phenomena, presenting accounts from various witnesses and news sources. There is a clear interest in unexplained aerial phenomena and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The inclusion of a reward for sightings and the mention of a former astronaut's belief suggest an editorial stance that takes the subject seriously, while also acknowledging potential hoaxes or misidentifications (e.g., the Peterborough sighting being potentially aircraft lights).