ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 27 DECEMBER 1889

A LATE TRAIN

A short time ago Messrs.Clark and Webb, butchers, of Bridge Street, interested themselves in getting up a petition to the London and South Western Railway Company, asking them to put on a late train on between Andover and Romsey on Saturday nights, in order to enable those doing their shopping in Andover to return home later than 6 o’clock. This petition was largely signed by Andover tradesmen, and we are pleased to learn that the Company have granted the request, and on Saturday next, the 4th January, a train will leave Andover Town Station at 8.25 p.m. This is an important concession, and the wonder is that the local tradesmen have not bestirred themselves in the matter before, as for want of a train people living below Clatford have gone to Romsey to do their shopping, as they were not able to do so up to a later hour and then got home by train.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 25 DECEMBER 1914

WHITCHURCH — A NEW SPORT

In place of football Whitchurch sport-loving public had an opportunity on Saturday of watching a sport the like of which has probably never been seen locally before, [illegible] wrestling. The reason for this innovation is that included amongst the 7th Loyal North Lancs.—whom we shall shortly have to designate the “regiment of all the talents”—is one Pte.Jack Carroll of Wigan, champion wrestler of Lancashire and Cumberland, whom it is whispered might very well be called champion of England. Another exponent of this “exercise” in the same regiment is Pte.Brown, and these two were opposed on the football ground last week end. Carroll undertook to throw Brown five times an hour, and that he would have succeeded is not seriously questioned for the first throw took place after seven minutes odd, and a second four minutes later, after which Brown retired. The bouts were very interesting, of course, to the civilian spectators, many of whom had never seen such a match before. Carroll was proved to be all that is claimed for him, his enormous muscular body strength being altogether beyond his opponent, while his various and subtle finessing were very pleasing to the crowd. We understand that another chance is to be given local people of seeing this sport, when Carroll is to take a fresh man after each fall.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 29 DECEMBER 1939

TWO PEOPLE WHO HAD A BUSY CHRISTMAS

If you were one of the fortunate ones, perhaps you can sympathise with Andover’s Mayor and Mayoress (Mr.and Mrs.S.R.Bell). They spent their Christmas bringing pleasure to others. They started on Friday and Saturday. Accompanied by Mr.A.G.Baker, they must have covered quite a few miles travelling all over the town distributing half-crowns to necessitous people. They disposed of £30 this way, so they must have paid well over 200 calls.

Christmas Day, of course, was their busiest time. Their own dinner had to be neglected while they paid a visit to the Public Assistance Institution, where they helped serve the dinner and made personal; tours of the wards (they are firm favourites with the old people now), to the Hospital, and to the Children’s Home in Wolversdene Road. They went back to the Institution in the evening, for the Mayor had to introduce Father Christmas, so that altogether their day was just about as busy as it well could be. I think they rather enjoyed it, though. All the Mayors and Mayoresses seem to. As they go through their year of office they are brought to realise how many sides there are to the life of the town; they have to come into contact with all of them. Sometimes, indeed usually, the experience is pleasant, sometimes it isn’t. A Mayor and a reporter have a lot in common!

—Spinner.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 23 DECEMBER 1964

MAYOR AND MAORESS PLAN BUSY CHRISTMAS

The Mayor and Mayoress (Cllr.and Mrs.G.Lynn) will be accompanied by their four sons when they visit local hospitals and homes on Christmas Day.

Their first call will be made on the house mothers and children Copsehill and Woodend Shepherds Row, Dene Path, the County Council Homes.

They will help to serve the Christmas lunches to patients and residents at St John’s, where they will be spending nearly two hours.

After a break for their own lunch, they will go to the Home for the Blind, Eastfield House, to distribute presents given by the Hampshire Association for the Blind.

Then they will go on to the War Memorial Hospital, where they will visit the patients, cut the Christmas cake in the wards, and have tea with the staff.

Their last visit of the day will be to the Hostel at Enham-Alamein—and then home to their own Christmas celebrations.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 29 DECEMBER 1989

NO DISCOUNT FOR PEOPLE PAYING POLL TAX PROMPTLY

Community charge bills should be sent out by Test Valley Borough Council before the end of March but the borough will not give discounts for prompt, lump sum payments.

Most people are expected to pay be 10 monthly instalments from 15 April (first instalment date) until 15 January and local authorities are allowed to give discounts as incentives for lump sum payment on or before 15 April.

Borough treasurer Peter Giddings said he couldn’t see the discount scheme paying for itself as additional administration would be needed.

He thought no other Hampshire authority was giving the discount.

His advice was for people to leave their money in high interest bank accounts and pay by direct debit.

10 YEARS AGO — 24 DECEMBER 2004

AUDITOR PRAISES COUNCIL

Test Valley Borough Council is a ‘good council and will improve’ according to a report by the district auditor.

The report says that the council delivers some high quality services in key areas and residents are satisfied with its work.

And while Test Valley is aware of its weakness it has robust plans in place to address them.

The comprehensive performance assessment reveals that the council has a clear vision for the area and has six key corporate objectives which support its ambitions.

The report adds that the council is making significant improvements in priority areas such as reducing crime and ‘improving the waste collection service’, and it has a good understanding of housing needs in the area.