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 2 MAY 1862
KIMPTON – SINGULAR OCCURRENCE
One of the most remarkable circumstances in connection with a wedding that has happened for many years, took place in this quiet village on Saturday last.
The parties being in haste to be married, arrived at the church before the appointed hour.
The ceremony being performed, the bride and bridegroom returned to their respective homes, and so far, things passed off comfortably.
We are sorry, however, to state that in the evening the bride was missing: the bridegroom anxious to regain the partner of his bed and board, found her on the following morning, and she returned with him to the delights of love in a cottage, but on Monday morning she made her exit from the village, without stopping to wish her lord and master goodbye, and her whereabouts have not been since ascertained.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 3 MAY 1901
FIRE
About six o’clock on Thursday morning a man passing down Union Street observed that the turret on Mr Clark’s brewery was on fire.
He at once rang the fire alarm after calling to one of Mr Clark’s men and informing him of the occurrence.
The sound of the bell attracted the attention of Mr Tilbury who was about to proceed to Messrs Poore’s brewery.
He and others proceeded to the brewery where they found the inside of the turret over the mash pan in flames.
By means of buckets and then a hand syringe they were able to throw water on the inside where the woodwork was alight; while in a few minutes the fire engine arrived and danger was quickly averted.
From the appearance of the turret it would seem that a fire must have originated from a hole in a newly-erected chimney, through which a spark may have escaped and, falling on one of the beams, set that smouldering till eventually it burst into flames.
Had the outbreak occurred earlier and been able to get a firm hold, there is no telling where it would have ended as there is a great deal of woodwork in the building.
Fortunately, it was discovered almost as soon as it broke into flames, and by the actions of the willing workers tackled with judgment and effect.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 30 APRIL 1926
CORRESPONDENCE - ANDOVER VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE
Sir: please allow me through your paper to offer my very grateful thanks to the captain, sub-captain and all the other members of the Andover Fire Brigade, for the excellent service they rendered me on Sunday afternoon last by attending and speedily putting out the fire at my model dairy.
It was a great relief to me to see the brigade arrive.
The turn-out must have been quite a record one.
I phoned at 2.55 p m and I believe that in about 15 minutes after, the brigade was here, and in a very few minutes had the fire under control.
I also wish to thank my own staff for the prompt and plucky efforts they made to keep the fire subdued until the motor fire engine arrived, by the use of water and a chemical fire engine.
It is worthy of mention that thanks to the willing help of my blacksmith and carpenter who quickly brought into use the covered wash at the garage as an emergency dairy, the cows were milked, the milk cooled and bottled and on its way to London within one hour of the usual Sunday time.
With repeated thanks to the fire brigade, the superintendent of police and his staff, not forgetting the courteous male voice at the telephone exchange, quite a triumph of organisation.
Yours faithfully E C Lovell.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 4 MAY 1951
BOYS DAY OUT IN NEWBURY
Instead of going to school, two Andover boys – one aged 11 years and the other 12 years – decided to spend a day out at Newbury.
The 12-year-old lad - who had found an abandoned lady’s pedal cycle – had visited the town the previous day, but the problem was how to get his younger companion there.
Some workmen were busy in New Street, and they had left their pedal cycles resting against a shed.
At dinner time, one of them, Mr Frederick John Paddock, of Vigo Road, Andover, found his machine, worth £10, missing.
Meantime, the two lads had cycled to Newbury.
At a cash store, they took a bottle of lemonade, at another store a telescope, but at a third store the younger lad was caught stealing an air gun, and handed over to the Newbury police.
Despite a search the older boy made good his escape on Mr Paddock’s pedal cycle.
He cycled out of Newbury, where he abandoned the machine and threw away the telescope.
He got a lift on a lorry back to Andover.
The day’s outing had a sequel at the borough juvenile court on Tuesday where the two lads pleaded guilty to stealing the pedal cycle and asked for the theft of the bottle of lemonade to be taken into consideration.
Neither boy had been in trouble before and the chairman (Mr W J Armstead) ordered the conditional discharge of the 11-year-old boy, whom he said had been led astray by the older boy, and the 12-year-old lad was placed on probation for two years on the condition that he joined some youth organisation.
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 4 MAY 1979
YOUNG PEOPLE ASKED TO SHOW AN INTEREST IN TOWN’S HISTORY
A move to encourage young people to interest themselves in local history was approved at the annual meeting of Andover Local Archives Committee on Friday.
The main purpose of the meeting was to consider ways of broadening the committee’s activities.
It was agreed to give whatever help possible to people who were already seeking information for histories of the Clatfords and Chilbolton.
The question of undertaking more verbal histories – tape recordings of reminiscences, dialects and vocabularies – was also considered.
Postcards and photographic history of the area was a field to be further explored, and an interesting feature raised by one member was the number of letters received from all over the world from people seeking information about their ancestors.
‘After 20 years we fell the time has come for a rethink,’ said Mr E W Bryant, retiring chairman, commenting on the need for widening the scope of the group.
‘At the same time, existing work, such as the publication of Test Valley and Border Anthologies would continue.’
The new committee and officers are sending a letter of thanks to the retiring secretary Mr J E H Spaul.
‘Mr Spaul has worked hard for the town and committee,’ said Mr Bryant, expressing the hope that he would continue to do so as a member of the committee.
A closer liaison with Andover Archaeological Society was envisaged with the possibility of sharing accommodation in the new museum being prepared in Andover.
Officers appointed were: Mr John Isherwood (chairman), Mr Richard Arnold Jones (vice-chairman), Mr A C Raper (secretary) and Mr A W Bawden (assistant secretary).
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