ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 JULY 1893

NEATLY PUT

Butcher: "Ow is my daughter gettin' on with 'er moosic, professor?" Professor: "Well, I am only teaching her the scales at present."

Butcher (indignantly): "Teachin' 'er the scales[?] I don't want 'er to know anything about the scales! She ain't goin' to serve in the shop; I mean 'er to be a lady. Teach 'er the pianner, or I'll take 'er away from yer."

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 26 JULY 1918

HURSTBOURNE TARRANT — CHICKEN REARING UNDER DIFFICULTIES

During the retreat of our forces from a portion of the front some time ago, Gunner A.Bradbury saved a fowl and a sitting of eggs from the hands of the Huns. He carried the same away on his waggon, and in due time was rewarded with a fine brood of chickens.

We understand his fowl is still doing her duty for the allied cause, and has laid quite a number of eggs.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 30 JULY 1943

ST MARY BOURNE — AFTER THE WAR

At a specially convened meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday, consideration was given to the questionnaire on post-war development recently addressed by the Kingsclere and Whitchurch Rural District Council to all parishes in its district.

The St.Mary Bourne Council were of opinion that 28 new cottages will be required after the war, principally to house agricultural workers in St.Mary Bourne, Stoke and Binley.

In addition 28 existing cottages in the parish were considered utterly inadequate for social standards and family needs, though, probably one-half of them could be reconditioned.

— On the subjects of water supply and sanitation, the Council considered that the main water scheme for the parish projected before the war should be proceeded with, and coincidently that there should be carried out a main sewerage system to serve the whole valley, taking in St.Mary Bourne and Stoke, to which the majority of houses and cottages should be connected.

—The present transport facilities available to the parish were regarded as too limited for daily working needs, and an extended bus service along the valley to Hurstbourne Tarrant, giving regular connection to Newbury, and in the other direction to Whitchurch, giving regular connection to Winchester, is recommended.

The provision of a bus shelter at the Summerhaugh would also be a useful amenity.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 26 JULY 1968

CHARLIE MCCARTHY RETURNS FOR LADIES' MATCH

Andover Football Club's star of the golden 1948/51 era, Charlie McCarthy, returned to the Walled Meadow on Saturday. But instead of facing a beefy Hampshire League team, Charlie trotted out on the field amide a host of shapely legs.

He kicked off the charity match between the Andover Six-a-Side Ladies Champions, Minicabs FC and the South of England champions, Real FC.

Also at the match were three other former members of the team, centre-half Stan Gearing, John Smith and Eddie Batchelor, who is now manager of Whitchurch F.C.

It was the first full-scale match of the season between two of Southampton's best exponents of women's football.

In their first season, Real won the Southampton League, The K.O.Cup and the South of England Six-a-Side Championships to maintain an unbeaten record.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 30 JULY 1993

ONLY CLEAN TRAMPS WELCOME

Tramps dossing down in the rear garage of Andover High Street store, Peacocks, have been told they can stay, so long as they clear up after themselves.

A message written on a piece of cardboard, in true tramp style, advises guests: "We don't mind you using this shelter, but please have the decency to keep it tidy."

About five or six tramps sleep in the garage, presided over by a 'regular' known only as 'Charlie', whose socks can often be seen drying on the pipes.

"They have to have somewhere to sleep, and it's fine for them to stay here if they're clean," said manager's assistant, Mrs Linda Arnold.

TEN YEARS AGO — 25 JULY 2008

'UNJUSTIFIED' — THRIVING NURSERY SHUT BY PROPERTY ROW SAYS JUDGE

St Benedict's Pre-School at Penton Mewsey was shut down because of the 'unjustified' intervention of the Roman Catholic Church, a top judge ruled this week.

Mr Justice Evans Lombe made his decision at the High Court on Tuesday. He rejected arguments that the church was entitled to Penton Lodge, which, until 2006, was the home of St Benedict's.

The pre-school and nursery, which had glowing Ofsted reports, was forced to close its doors to its 170 nursery-age pupils in April 2006. More than 40 staff lost their jobs.

During a High Court hearing lawyers for The Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev Crispian Hollis, argued that Penton Lodge effectively belonged to the church.

By 2003 Penton Lodge was owned by builder and property developer Doug Rolfe, aged 67.

His ex-wife, Vivienne, in her 60s, owned West Lodge.

Both had become involved in trying to save St Benedict's when it ran into financial difficulties in the 1990s, and did so through their friendship with Sister Scholastica, aged 83, a member of the original Benedictine community of nuns which had owned and run the school since the 1940s.