Each week the Advertiser's heritage writer David Borrett brings readers interesting news stories and letters from editions of the paper from years gone by.

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER 1859

THE BOROUGH JAIL

The town clerk read the minutes of a special meeting that had been held with reference to the difficulty that had arisen in the conveyance of the borough jail to the County, for the purpose of being converted into a joint police station. The Lords of the Treasury (in accordance with a resolution passed at the meeting) had been again communicated with, and a reply received through the secretary Mr Hamilton, advising them to memorialise their lordship again.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER 1898

FOOTBALL – ANDOVER AND DISTRICT NOTES

This week I am able to congratulate the Andoverians on their first victory of the present season, and I do so most heartily. Not that they have done badly hitherto, as I consider taking the calibre of the teams opposed to them in the Southern League the wearers of the ‘red and black’ have done quite as well, if not better than was to be expected and it can be said, without wounding the susceptibilities of any, that against Trowbridge and Sandown it has clearly been a case of defeat with honour. Then there was the undeniable credit of a draw against East Lancashire Regiment, and the only blot on the Andover escutcheon up to date is the signal reverse at Ludgershall. However, I know that when the curtain descends on the season’s doings, results are counted by wins and losses, without regard to extenuating circumstances, and therefore those who follow the fortunes of the Andoverians cannot but join in the congratulations to the team on their substantial victory over Shaftesbury on Saturday last. (Compiler’s note: the late Alan Mussell records in his booklet History of Andover Football Club (2000) that in the 1898-99 season Andover entered the Southern League for the first time and won just two games out of 16 for the season, finishing bottom. It was a bad period for the club.)

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 9 NOVEMBER 1923

DEATH OF MR BARNARD

On Tuesday, the funeral took place of Mr T Barnard, of London Street, whose death, as a result of cancer had occurred on Saturday. Mr Barnard was for many years a partner of the late Mr H Edwards in the well-known business in Winchester Street, and was particularly attentive to the country section of their customers, being well known and looked for over a wide area around Andover. Mr Barnard and Mr H W Edwards carried on until a few years ago, when the former retired and ill-health has kept him from joining in any local activities since. The loss which his wife and daughter have sustained have brought them the sympathy of many friends. (Compiler’s note: Edwards and Barnard’s grocery shop was at 2 and 4 Winchester Street during the 1900-1920 period).

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER 1948

‘POP GOES…’

Proposers and seconders were much in evidence at the annual meeting of the Town Council, held in the Guildhall at noon on Tuesday. Nominations for committee were being proposed and carried when suddenly, in the midst of all the serious business, there was heard a distinct ‘pop’ – like the sound of a cork being withdrawn from a bottle – in the neighbouring room. ‘I second that,’ said a member of the public, while among the councillors there were gurgles of suppressed laughter. At the conclusion of the meeting however, the mayor addressed the assembled councillors, officials, aldermen and the press, and invited them, and the members of the public present, to ‘take wine with him in the council chamber’.

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER 1976

WHEN WILL WE BE MOVED? – ASK THE TENANTS

An Andover councillor on Tuesday night urged that tenants on town development estates be given some idea as to when they would have to move out of their defective homes while repairs are carried out. Cllr W Hennesy told the Test Valley Housing Committee on Tuesday night that tenants wanted to know what was going to happen to them. ‘They want to know, for instance, if it is worthwhile decorating their house – or if they are going to be moved out in a few months.’ And Cllr Betty Stone said: ‘All the tenants on these estates want to know where they stand. They are all in the dark.’ Mr John Taylor, chief administrative officer, pointed out that the pilot repair scheme had now started. ‘But we don’t know at this moment what the pilot scheme will reveal, and it would be imprudent to suggest a date by which any dwelling – other than the 42 houses currently being dealt with – will be subject to remedial work. All you can tell the tenants is – if you want to redecorate you are taking a chance. It seems hard, but I don’t think you can say other than that.’ But Cllr Alf Parke (the council’s chairman) felt it would probably be another 18 months before other houses would be affected. ‘And it may be that at the end of the day some of these houses will only need a minimum amount of work done on them.’