Each week the Advertiser's history 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 24 JANUARY 1862
ACCIDENT
An accident involving some pecuniary loss occurred in the George yard on Monday last.
It appears that a waggon and horses belonging to Mr C Lush, with the necessary attendants, had been engaged during the day in carting away the manure from the yard, and between 1 and 2 o’clock the carter left the team in charge of the boy, and went into the public house for about 10 minutes.
At this time, a horse and cart driven by Mr Braxton of Penton, passed up the yard, and in going by the waggon and horses, which were standing close to the edge of the manure pit, a valuable horse, recently purchased by Mr Lush for £40, slipped over the edge and was seriously hurt, so much so as to now be almost valueless.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 25 JANUARY 1901
DEATH OF THE QUEEN
On the announcement of the death of the Queen on Tuesday evening by the posting of a telegram to that effect outside the Advertiser office, the streets quickly filled with anxious inhabitants desirous of making certain that the news was authentic.
As may be anticipated, there was a deep gloom over the various small crowds which discussed the circumstance; while later the ringers at the parish church rang a muffled peal, which seemed to accentuate the sadness and gloom.
The Royal Standard was hoisted to half-mast on the Town Hall, and the flag floated from the church tower in the same position.
The Mayor telegraphed a message of sympathy to Osborne House in the Isle of Wight and yesterday received the following in reply: ‘Am commanded by the King to thank you and the burgesses of Andover for your kind expression of sympathy.’
We also learn from the Vicar that he hopes to hold a memorial service for our late Queen, if possible on the day and at the hour fixed for the funeral.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 22 JANUARY 1926
CAR PARK WANTED
Major E Rickards of Croye House was summoned for allowing his motor car to be used in the High Street on 11 January, without having a white light showing in the direction towards which the motor car was intending to proceed. He pleaded guilty.
PC Harding, Amport, said at 6.15 pm he saw the car standing near the monument without lights.
He kept it under observation till 7.15 when the defendant returned for it.
He told the defendant his car had been there without a light and he replied, ‘Yes, I am sorry, I did not think it was necessary to have a light.’
He told the court that on the day in question he drove into Andover for a dance, and he put his car in what he thought was the recognised rank.
He had known it for 12 years and had seen that place constantly used for parking cars.
He put his car, with others, near the Cenotaph, and thinking it was a recognised rank, thought there was no need to put lights on the car. By use and custom, this appeared to be a parking place.
Supt Jones said the area was part of the highway and therefore a light was necessary.
He only wished the council would take advantage of the Public Health Act 1925 which allowed it to procure a proper parking area there, as it would help the police considerably.
Major Rickards said that he was between two other cars, while six or seven were parked in the same rank.
The Mayor as chief magistrate thought the offence was committed without any intention to break the law but warned the defendant not to park there again until a proper parking place was made; he undertook to bring the matter before the council.
He agreed there was a certain misunderstanding of the case and would dismiss the charge but with a warning.
In view of this case being dismissed, other similar summons against Ruth Barlow, Henry Robert Reynolds and Grace Barnes would also be dismissed.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 1951
50 YEARS WITH ANTON LAUNDRY – DEATH OF MISS ETHEL DURRAD
Miss Ethel Durrad, who was connected with the Bracher family and the Anton Laundry for over 50 years, has died at her home, Church Cottage, New Street, on Sunday at the age of 69.
The daughter of Mr and Mrs William Henry Durrad, she came to the town as a girl of 19 to live with Mr and Mrs William Bracher, acting as secretary to Miss E M Bracher, who at that time was managing the laundry on behalf of Mr C W Bracher, her brother.
Miss Durrad joined the firm five years after it was established in 1895, and worked her way up, until in 1936 she was taken into partnership with Miss E M Bracher and Mr C R B Bracher of Hurstbourne Tarrant.
On Miss Bracher’s death in 1941, Miss Durrad took over the management, making the laundry’s welfare her life’s work.
She remained in that position until only a few days before her death.
During her life, she had seen many changes.
She saw horse-drawn vehicles give way to modern delivery methods, and when she first started all clothes were hand pressed and washed.
Although a familiar figure in the town, her quiet and reserved disposition limited her circle of intimate friends, and few knew her outside the work to which she devoted all her time, though she was a treasurer of the New Street Mission Hall Women’s Club.
The funeral service takes place today at St Mary’s Church at 12.30.
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 1979
LOCAL WORKERS FOLLOW STRIKE CALL
Schools were shut, ambulance services hit, streets unswept and dustbins unemptied, as public service workers in Andover staged a one-day strike over a national 40% pay claim on Monday.
Only five schools in the town – East Street, Vigo, Shepherds Spring, Icknield and Wolversdene, plus Cricklade College – were open on Monday as caretakers and meal staff stopped work.
Ambulance men in the town answered only emergency calls and ignored out-patient work.
This meant emergency cover in the district was increased with two ambulances available to respond to 999 calls instead of the usual one.
After Monday, the ambulance service was being reviewed throughout Hampshire on a day-to-day basis, but all emergency cases were being dealt with, such as kidney machines and deep X-ray treatment patients.
It was back to work as usual on Tuesday for all manual workers employed by Test Valley Borough Council.
Monday’s 24-hour stoppage meant refuse collection, street cleaning and road maintenance came to a halt throughout Test Valley.
The strike was called by four unions representing the lower-paid workers in the public sector, the campaign being for a 35-hour week and £60.
Pickets were outside the borough council’s Walworth Technical Services Depot in Andover and at the council’s headquarters at Beech Hurst.
Office staff were working normally.
Other pickets stood outside school gates in the town.
Share