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 21 FEBRUARY 1862
NETHER WALLOP
We are glad to observe that this parish has followed the laudable example set by the adjoining village of Broughton in warming the church by means of hot water.
The apparatus has just been finished by Mr Wilton of Salisbury.
The discomfort and ill effects of sitting in a cold damp church for two hours will now be prevented, and we hope to hear that Over Wallop has adopted the same means of remedying a complaint very much felt in that village.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 1901
AN INTERESTING EXHIBITION
During the week, there has been an interesting exhibition in the Town Hall in connection with the School of Art, affording an opportunity for the public to see some beautiful specimens of ancient tapestry and hammered metal work, reproduced in electrotype etc., on loan from the South Kensington School.
Among the many samples are silk brocades of the Louis XV period and the hood of a cape of c.1500.
There were also fabrics from the 13th century of French and Italian origin, the former being marked by lively patterns and the latter being more subdued, both in colour and pattern.
Also on exhibit were some architectural drawings, lent by Mr R Sydney Whincup, while the school master, Mr Siminson, lent oil paintings, watercolours and some specimens of figure modelling.
Carving was represented by several examples done by the county council wood-carving classes, and among these is the front of a corner cupboard splendidly carved by Mr Baker, a gardener of Whitchurch, who joined the classes four years ago, and has now attained a wonderful state of proficiency.
In connection with the Andover class there were exhibits by Messrs Orchard, Sanders, Blackmore and Vacher, and by Mrs H Beale and Miss Woods, all of which showed the use these classes must have been to those attending them.
Then there were specimens of modelling done by Andover School of Art pupils, and considering this is the first year this subject has been taught, they were wonderfully good.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 1926
MARKET DAY GARAGING OF CARS
It is very refreshing today to see that there are no cars standing about in the main thoroughfares of the borough.
Supt Jones, through his officers, having ensured their being sent to various garages in the town.
On market days, it is very difficult to get about, especially in the High Street, where the stalls take up a considerable space, and this action on the part of the police, we feel sure, will be highly commended.
True, the town council has allowed free garaging of cars in High Street on the other days of the week, but it is only fair to say that the people with garages who pay rates and taxes are entitled to a little consideration in the matter, and ought to be given the opportunity of putting their garages at the disposal of the public for a small charge!
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY 1951
TANK TRANSPORTER WRECKS SHOP
Hundreds of pieces of pottery and fragments of glass, brickwork and iron girders were scattered into Bridge Street on Friday night when a 10-ton tank transporter trailer, which jumped its towing hook, careered across the street, mounted the pavement and smashed in half the frontage of the Pottery Shop, owned by Mrs N Thompson and Miss B Portsmouth.
People walking by the shop at the time scattered to save themselves from being crushed to death as the transporter left its towing truck by the Wilts and Dorset bus station and swung 80 feet into the shop window.
Members of the Andover Angling Association, at dinner above the shop, were severely shaken by the terrific impact.
Nobody was hurt but the damage to the shop is estimated to be in the region of several hundreds of pounds.
The accident occurred at 9.30 pm as Craftsman William Edward Armstrong REME, of Matthew Barracks, North Tidworth, was driving the transporter from Ashford, Middlesex.
He told an Advertiser reporter, ‘There were three transporters being brought down to Tidworth.
‘As I got to the station, I think the bumping must have dislodged the towing hook, which dropped and let the trailer loose.’
Mrs J Bowley of Hurstbourne Tarrant, who was with two other women, Mrs Wells and Mrs Louffler, said, ‘Only a minute before the accident occurred we had all been looking in the shop window.
‘We had just moved away when there was a terrific crash and we turned and saw the transporter where we had been standing.’
One of our reporters, who was only a matter of feet away from where it occurred said, ‘I was just by the window in the room above the shop when there was a heavy thud, followed by a terrific impact that shook the whole building.
‘The floor danced under my feet and for a moment it seemed I was in the middle of an earthquake.
‘I discovered afterwards that the main support to the room – a cast-iron and brickwork pillar – had been sheared off completely.’
Mr Roy Beddington, who was also by the window at the time added, ‘I thought that I was going through the floor.
‘It was a good job that there was no tank on the transporter at the time or the whole building might have come down.’
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY 1979
ANGRY PARENTS STEP UP FIGHT TO SAVE PLAY AREA
Angry parents are stepping up their campaign to save the Mead Hedges playing field at Andover.
They formed a committee on Wednesday night to fight the plan to construct an access road across the playing field to the proposed housing estate at Barlows Lane.
Test Valley Borough Council has agreed to sell a strip of playing field land to the developer, subject to the approval of the Department of the Environment and the National Playing Fields Association.
And provided the developer provides an equivalent piece of land for recreational purposes.
But the residents of Suffolk Road, Mead Road, Salisbury Road and Lansdowne Avenue area are not happy about it and strenuously oppose the loss of any of the playing field and are concerned about traffic dangers to children if the road is built.
They have protested to the council, and in a letter to councillors have spelled out their objections and suggested that access to the new estate should be from Anton Mill Road.
The residents list the advantages of an Anton Mill Road access which they say would only require about 60 metres of new road, as against 120 metres from Mead Road.
It would not disturb the use of the playing field where 30-60 children can be seen playing on most summer evenings and during the school holidays – and there would be no traffic dangers either.
The views of the residents were summed up by Mr Frank Read, one of the leaders of the campaign: ‘It is essential we retain the playing field for the safe use of the children.’
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