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The Andover Advertiser:Remembering the way we were

Looking down Hurstbourne Hill: Hurstbourne Tarrant in the early 20th century. Courtesy of the John Marchment collection

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO FRIDAY, 4 MAY 1883 WHITCHURCH - THE NEW RAILWAY Rapid progress is being made here with the new railway, one example of which is worthy of record, viz., that of the arch over the road leading from Bell Street. This arch was begun on the 2nd March and completed on the 28th April. It is 80ft. long, and contains upwards of 144,000 cubic feet of brick and flint work.

Although the piers and wings are only faced with 9in. brickwork, upwards of 200,000 bricks have been used, of which the arch contains about 70,000.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO FRIDAY, 1 MAY 1908 HURSTBOURNE TARRANT - THE SNOWSTORM Saturday's snowstorm was the heaviest April snowstorm known by the oldest inhabitant, although thirty-two years ago a large amount of snow fell about the 13th of April. The general level of the snow in this district on Saturday was about 15 inches, but as there was a strong wind blowing drifts of five feet were not uncommon, Hurstbourne Hill being quite impassable for a time.

Mr. West, the Hurstbourne carrier, found it impossible to leave Newbury until late Sunday morning, and the local tradesmen found great difficulty in delivering their goods in outlying districts. A motor car, belonging to Mr. Knowles, of Linkenholt, was snowed in on the Stoke road, and had to be abandoned until Sunday morning, when Mr. Edwards and Mr. G. Green, with the aid of three horses, brought it into the village, the chauffeur steering and the youthful element forming an interested bodyguard.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO FRIDAY, 5 MAY 1933 VERNHAM DEAN - SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Since the opening of the Vernham Dean Village Hall in the autumn, the social activities of the village have developed considerably. There is now a most flourishing men's club, with over fifty members, which meets four nights a week to enjoy the amenities the club affords. The Vicar, Rev. F. A. Iremonger, has worked very hard to bring the Hall and Club into being, and the grateful thanks of the village go to him. The village of Vernham Dean and Linkenholt have joined to form a Women's Institute.

Mrs. Dudley of Linkenholt Manor, who has always shown such interest in, and kindness to the children of the district, has been instrumental in forming the Women's Institute. Enthusiastic, and well attended preliminary meetings have been held, and a small jumble sale realising £10 12s. 3d.

FIFTY YEARS AGO FRIDAY, 2 MAY 1958 SUMMER TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS STARTING THIS WEEK-END From the week-end voluntary traffic diversions for Andover will come into force to relieve congestion in the town itself.

Traffic travelling from London to the West Country along the main A303 Bullington Cross-Andover-Amesbury road will be diverted at Picket Twenty corner through Picket Twenty, across the Whitchurch road into Icknield Way. Thence it will go by way of Vigo Road, Newbury Street, Marlborough Street, The Folly, Crossways and the Avenue to join up with the main road again.

The west to east flow will be diverted at Weyhill Fair ground via Penton Mewsey, Charlton, Knight's Enham, over Smannell crossroads into Icknield Way and then across the main Whitchurch road via Picket Twenty to link up with the A303.

Vehicles on the main Salisbury-Wallop-Andover road will be sent via Millway Road, Mylen Road, to Charlton where they will follow the route to be taken by other east bound traffic.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO FRIDAY 6 MAY 1983 VERY STRANGE RACE IS A WINNER FOR CHARITY No, you weren't dreaming, Andover was being used as a race track by a motley selection of four-footed friends on May Day.

Joint licensees of the Lardicake, John Featherby and Dave Rayner, disguised themselves as a horse enlisted the aid of a jockey, Ron Westbury, and led the field to tackle as many public houses in the town as possible with the Lamb as the middle point of the course.

Keeping close to their tail was a cow, with a milk-maid, powered, the "Advertiser" is reliably informed, by our Friends in Blue from the corner of South Street, a dragon with a damson in distress and a reindeer which had lost Father Christmas but which still managed to complete the course.

The winners were Steve Cawthorn and Steve Leicester otherwise disguised as a fire-breathing dragon which managed to visit and imbibe at 16 pubs. The horse managed 14 visits. The reindeer and the cow startled patrons in 10 pubs. Three of the teams hope to have raised about £200 for Icknield School. The police will give their funds to their own charity.

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