ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 4 JULY 1862
TOM SAYERS’ CIRCUS
The equestrian establishment of this redoubtable champion visited Andover on Tuesday last, and gave two performances in the meadow adjoining the Wellington Inn.
The afternoon’s entertainment was very scantily patronised, but in the evening the immense tent was almost filled, and it has been computed that nearly 1000 persons were present.
The riding and gymnastic performances were of a superior order, but the chief attraction seemed to be a friendly boxing match between the hero of Farnborough (who received a perfect ovation on entering the ring) and a professional pugilist named Brooks.
Mention should also be made of the witty and cynical drolleries of the well-known clown, Mr Thomas Mitchell, whose original funnyisms kept the audience in continual good humour and called forth frequent applause.
Considering the short notice given, Sayers must have every reason to be satisfied with the amount of patronage secured by the mere mention of his name on the handbills.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 5 JULY 1901
THUNDERSTORM AND FIRE
Andover and the neighbourhood were visited by a heavy thunderstorm on Saturday night last, the lightning being very vivid, accompanied by loud peals of thunder.
The rain that fell was very welcome indeed, all vegetation having become parched for want of moisture, and the minds of all felt relieved when the rain descended.
In the height of the storm – about 10 o’clock – the sky was illuminated in the direction of the Foundry, and shortly afterwards a messenger arrived in the town bringing the news that a couple of hay ricks at Bagsbury Farm, belonging to Messrs Webb and Honey, were on fire.
It is surmised that these must have been struck by lightning and in this way ignited.
The alarm was sounded, and the members of the fire brigade with their engine proceeded to the spot and prevented further spread of the fire.
On Sunday afternoon, there was a steady and continuous fall of rain such as farmers and gardeners like; it fell quietly without beating the crops down, and more thoroughly soaked the ground than rain that falls too heavily.
Several parts of the town were however flooded, the water extending from side to side of the Charlton Road at the bottom of Marlborough Street and under the railway arch near the Folly; while the bottom of Weyhill Road and parts of South Street and Junction Road were flooded.
There was a third instalment of a thunderstorm on Tuesday morning, when the sky became so darkened by the clouds as to necessitate the lighting of the gas indoors for a short time, but on the rain coming down, the darkness soon passed away.
This storm did considerable damage to some of the roads.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 2 JULY 1926
LONDON NIGHTS
‘London Nights’ is an extremely fine show at the New Theatre all this week.
Presented by Ballard Brown and Percy H Holmshaw, it is as advertised, a ‘great comedy and spectacular revue,’ and must be ranked as one of the best we have seen in the town.
The comedy is mainly supplied by Darby Day in the male line, and May Royal from the ladies’ point of view, and these two fill many a side-splitting moment during the long programme while other members of the company assist in a great way in short comic sketches like ‘The Ballywell Express’ and ‘A night in Parliament.’
An exceedingly pretty and unusual item is the singing of ‘Ukelele lady’ by Ivy Helden and chorus, and the different coloured lights turned on the singers make such a scene that the thing is encored time after time.
The dancing of the Whiteway Girls gives evidence of very careful training, and Ivy Helder, the soprano singer, gives great pleasure.
The little plot explained in singing by the company at the start is that of an heiress who, to get her money, has to find a relation somewhere in the world and say, ‘Kiss me, Uncle,’ and this of course led to some amusing situations.
It is a splendid evening’s entertainment.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 6 JULY 1951
MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION OVER ANDOVER
A mysterious explosion rocked Andover shortly before 10 o’clock on Tuesday morning, shaking buildings and making windows rattle.
Many housewives came out of their houses wondering what had happened and many who heard it likened the noise to that of a 500lb bomb.
The explosion was so great that it was heard over a wide area and people from as far afield as Romsey, Broughton, Collingbourne and Chute were ringing up their local police stations to report it.
The Andover police station had dozens of callers within the space of half-an-hour, and many people rang the Advertiser asking what had happened.
Among those who heard the noise was Mr W Hayes, an Andover fireman, who said, ‘I heard a terrific explosion and then a whining through the air, and looking up saw what appeared to be a cloud of smoke form in the sky.
‘I don’t think it could have been an aircraft, otherwise I would have seen some debris coming down as the smoke was only about cloud high (the clouds were about 1,000ft on Tuesday).'
An Andover Grammar School master said that the explosion seemed to shake the school building.
The Advertiser made many enquiries from the police, the Hampshire Fire Service, the Army and the RAF authorities and local units, over a very wide area, but the cause of the incident was not known.
Hundreds of people heard the big bang, or felt the concussion of it, several saying they heard the whine or saw the explosion, but none was able to give any explanation of the cause.
Many theories have been advanced during the week as to the reason for the explosion, but none of them can be proved.
It may have had something to do with an aircraft, since one was heard in the vicinity both before and after the noise but the odds are that the big bang will remain a mystery.
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 6 JULY 1979
RECOGNISED FOR HIS LIFE-SAVING WORK
Many old Hansonians will have good reason to remember their former French master at Andover Grammar School, Mr H C Phillips, in his role as a life-saving instructor – a duty he has performed for the past 36 years.
During that time, he has received quite a collection of awards and certificates from the Royal Life Saving Society for his abilities and in recognition of his voluntary work.
Mr Phillips, who lives in Croye Close, Andover, taught many hundreds of people, both youngsters and adults how to life save.
‘One of my best moments was when a former pupil came back to see me to say that he was delighted I had taught him, as he had just saved a life himself,’ Mr Phillips recalled.
This year, when he announced he could no longer continue as an instructor, Mr Phillips was awarded the Service Cross, the highest recognition for his work.
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