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 27 JANUARY 1860

ALICE BREWER

Mrs Alice Brewer, widow of the late Mr John G Brewer, in returning her most sincere thanks for the many favours conferred upon her late husband, during the twenty-two year she conducted business, has much pleasure in informing them that she has disposed of the same to Mr W N Peaty, whom she can confidently recommend. WALTER N PEATY begs respectfully to inform the numerous patrons of the late Mr Brewer he has succeeded to the above business, and trusts that punctuality and dispatch, combined with moderate charges, will ensure a continuance of their support. A good harness hand wanted. (Compiler’s note: John Brewer had been a saddle and harness maker in London Street.)  

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 27 JANUARY 1899

NETHER WALLOP

A meeting of the parish council was held in the schoolroom on Thursday evening when there were present Mr Pothecary (chairman), and Councillors Mouland, Vincent, Webb, Price and the clerk, Mr Seward. The notice convening the meeting being read, the minutes of the last meeting were confirmed. The only business on the agenda was a motion by Councillor Price, to report to the district council on the dilapidated state of the footpath across the meadow leading from Bolton Road to the school, also on the dirty condition of the highway known as Wisdom’s Lane. It was recognised with respect to the latter that it was somewhat of a difficult matter to deal with as the road is lower than the present water level, but Cllr Webb, who seconded the proposition, said that the sides of the road had not been scoured for three years, and if this were done he was of opinion that to would to some extent be remedied.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 25 JANUARY 1924

THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

After months of delay by the Education Department in London, work has now been ordered to start on the new secondary school for girls off the Alexandra Road on the Croye Estate. Messrs W E Chivers and Sons have taken over the ground and are at work setting it out so that they can start upon the foundations at the beginning of February. Their only difficulty ahead is the shortage of skilled bricklayers at the present time in this part of the country, for as the dykes have all been filled by the January rains, one can anticipate February being favourable for building operations so that if the men come along good progress will be made.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 28 JANUARY 1949

ON THE AIR AGAIN – FRED SHADWELL

‘I am not a gentleman, I’m a farmer!’ How many of the hundreds of people listening to their radio after lunch on Sunday recognised that voice with its infectious chuckle? To his friends it was unmistakeable. It was Fred Shadwell, of Church Farm, Over Wallop, broadcasting again in ‘Country Magazine’ from the Western Region’s Bristol Studio. Ralph Wightman, as usual, performed the introductions, and it was whilst a lady in the programme was explaining that her husband was an ex-prisoner of war that Fred intervened. Ralph Wightman had asked her if her husband had difficulty with the language and Fred remarked, ‘Don’t let him pick up the Dorset drawl, my dear!’ Mr Wightman subsequently got one in however. After another Wallop interruption, he remarked, ‘In spite of his voice, he is only a little chap, half-pint size, and I can deal with him!’ Described as the ‘sage of Wallop’, Mr Shadwell told how, like the Gaul, Wallop was divided into three parts, Over, Middle and Nether, and he surprised his hearers when he told them that Lady Godiva was born there. Nowadays, he continued, the land was used for mixed farming, and ‘his boy’ (Geof) had been successful in the county ploughing match a couple of times. He described the one-time local cricket Derby between Nether and Over Wallop; the Solomon-like judgment of a local umpire in dealing with a fast bowler, one John Clarke, and caused much amusement when he said it was no picnic fielding in the deep after the sheep had been grazing on the field.

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 28 JANUARY 1977

ORGANIST AND VICAR CLASH IN CHURCH

Startled church-goers saw the vicar of Andover try to stop the organist playing during evensong at St Mary’s church on Sunday. And, while the choir and congregation valiantly carried on singing the ‘Magnificat’, the vicar (the Reverend Peter Chandler) was in the organ loft, pushing in the stops and trying to snatch away organist Mr Lloyd Ponting’s music. Later Mr Ponting and the vicar found themselves playing an unrehearsed duet as Mr Chandler seated himself at the piano to lead the congregation in the first hymn, while Mr Ponting stayed at the organ. Mr Chandler refuses to comment on the incident. But Mr Ponting, who has been organist at the church for 37 years, was extremely upset. He described how the vicar came into the organ loft and told him not to be so silly and to cease using the organ. ‘There was a slight struggle while I attempted to get my book back, which fell to the floor and I just managed to play the ‘Gloria’ at the end.’ The vicar’s behaviour was later described as ‘despotic’ by other choir members.