ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 13 DECEMBER 1889

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The Public Hall or Baths, ADELAIDE ROAD.

FOR TEMPERANCE, POLITICAL, or other MEETINGS, where Space is required for Large Audiences, the above is the LARGEST BUILDING IN ANDOVER, containing 2140 feet of Floor Space. Two Exits. Only four short easy steps. For terms and particulars apply to F.Beale, Builder, Andover.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 11 DECEMBER 1914

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Telephone No. 1 ALL AT POPULAR PRICES.

H.W.BURDEN Will offer for the Christmas season a magnificent assortment of POULTRY selected with the greatest care from Local Farms, and comprising TURKEYS, GEESE Hundreds of Chicken and Ducks.

Large Quantities of HARES, PHEASANTS and GAME of all kinds.

Finest York Hams, Sausages and Sausage Meat.

Two Deliveries Daily of the Prmest Quality Fish. Baskets from 1/6 carriage paid to any part. Small Barrels of Native Oysters suitable for Presents.

Every Description of the Choicest Fruits, Flowers, Vegetables & Salads Well-Berries Holly abd Mistletoe in any quantity.

Orders by Post and Carrier receive the same careful attention as if personally selected.

1 and 56, High Street, Andover, And at Tidworth Market, where orders can be given.

Contractor to H.M. Government.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 15 DECEMBER 1939

E.N.S.A. DRAMA FIRST VISIT TO SALISBURY PLAIN THIS WEEK

This week, the second in its new career, saw an entirely different entertainment. Last week Ensa sent down a West End variety company, this week, to get a proper idea of what is really popular with the troops they sent down a drama company with a strong cast, such as might be carried by, to use a theatrical expression, a No. 1 touring company, headed by the film star James Mason, and including among its numbers the West End actress, Kathleen O’Regan.

Actually the company put on two melodramas, twice nightly during the week. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Percy G.Mandley’s sea play “Eight Bells,” which is in three acts, occupied the stage with a cast as follows (in order of appearance): Collister (Thorley Walters); Carl (Bertram Marsh-Dunn); Marjorie (Kathleen O’Regan); Ormrod (Anthony Marlow); Gerhardt (Raymond Lovell); Dale (James Mason); Ashworth (George Bishop); Seamen (Alex McCrindle), who is also stage manager of the company, Norman Rutherford, the assistant stage manager, Donald Bissett and Derek Tansley. The whole of the action was laid in the captain’s saloon of the full rigged ship “Combermere.”

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 11 DECEMBER 1964

NO MUMMERS THIS YEAR

The Andover Mummers, probably the last band of active mummers in the South of England, will not be touring the streets and oublic houses of the town at Christmas with their ancient mystery play representing the victory of good over evil.

Mr.Charles Welch, of New Street, whose family have been connected with the Andover Mummers for over 100 years, cannot get enough volunteers to play the seven parts required to perform Andover’s version of the play.

Mr.Welch, a borough council roadman, told the “Advertiser”: “Most of my friends who helped me in past years cannot spare the time to do it this year and the youngsters are just not interested in keeping the play going.”

So tradition is broken this year. Does this mean that the town will never again see such characters as Little Johnny Jack, Bold Rumour, Turkish Knight, and, of course, Father Christmas, dressed in theiur quaint paper costumes made up from rolls of wall-paper, entertaining the public over the Christmas period?

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 15 DECEMBER 1989

WAITROSE ON THE MOVE IN NEW CHANTRY CENTRE

Waitrose, one of Andover’s longest established food supermarkets, is taking a larger store inb the £16 million revamped Chantry Centre — at an annual rent of £243,000.

The form’s mew unit extending to 27,000 square feet — an increase on its present 24,6000 square feet store — is over half the 30,000 square feet extension to the centre.

The remaining footage is divided into 10 further units.

A spokesman for Sun Life Properties Ltd., Test Valley Borough Council’s partner in the development, confirmed that all the shops in the existing centre had been let and retailers, including well-know High Street shop names, had shown ‘great interest’ in the new stores.

Despite the prevailing retailing gloom throughout the country he was optimistic about the future of Chantry Centre.

10 YEARS AGO — 10 DECEMBER 2004

COMMUTER CAR PARKING CHEATS BROUGHT TO HALT

Cheapskate commuters who park at Andover Hospital before catching trains will be thwarted when parking charges are introduced in January, says the chairman of the area’s health trust.

Barbara North, chairman of the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare Trust (WEHT) told Andover residents at a patient and public involvement forum that the charges should put a stop to the rail commuters’ cost cutting.

“There are people currently using the car park who do not go to the hospital or the health centre. Staff are coming in at 7am and seeing there are cars already parked there.

“We believe people are using our car park because it’s close to the station and completely free,” she said.