ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 15 DECEMBER 1893

CORRESPONDENCE — THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

Sir,—Your admirable note of warning relative to the late Council meeting comes not one day too soon. As you observe, subjects of magnitude, requiring tact and judgement, do appear to be beyond the grasp of the majority; and this river pollution business may any day commit the borough to a ruinous and useless expenditure, to the cost of which many of its authors will be virtually exempt. The worst feature in the future prospect is that the intelligent majority of substantial men are gradually clearing out of the Corporation.

“Some-one has blundered,” that is beyond question; but much blundering has been going on for years, and will go on so long as capable business men, having some material stake in the town, are kept from taking part in its management, swamped by roystering outlying voters, and winked at by people who take “law and order” for their shibboleth.

Nevertheless a rude awakening in the form of local taxation may happen, reducing the value of real property a fourth or fifth. “Then comes the reckoning,” &c., &c. RATEPAYER.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 13 DECEMBER 1918

HOME FROM CAPTIVITY

Another returned prisoner of war is Pte.Cecil Webb, R.A.M.C.,son of Mr.and Mrs.J.Webb, Old Winton Road, who have their three sons serving. Soon after the outbreak of war Cecil and his brother Ernest joined the local R.A.M.C.unit proceeding to France on Nov.5, 1914. During the big German offensive on May 27 last Cecil, who was further up in the lines than his brother, was captured, in company with Pte.Beaves, another Andover lad. He was taken back behind the lines, and for five weeks was doing hospital work, then he was taken to Dulmen Camp, where he has since been incarcerated. He has been more fortunate than some of the prisoners at other camps, for he received all the parcels and letters that were sent from home. He arrived home much to the great delight of his parents, on Dec.3 looking fairly well, and it is hoped that his two months leave will thoroughly restore him to his normal health and strength. By the way he has been mentioned in despatches for bravery in attending wounded under heavy shell fire.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 17 DECEMBER 1943

ACCIDENT ON HURSTBOURNE HILL

There was an amazing accident of Hurstbourne Hill on Saturday afternoon, involving three lorries with trailers.

A civilian lorry, with tank transporter attached, was proceeding down the hill, and pulled-out and began to pass a lorry proceeding in the same direction. Before getting to his nearside again the overtaking lorry came in contact with the offside wheel of a lorry with trailer attached coming up the hill. This caused the tank transporter trailer to swing round and collide with the lorry and trailer he had been overtaking.

The collision diverted the latter into a field, then through a garden wall and a garage, finishing up in the garden in the front of “The Limes.” The cab of the lorry was badly damaged, and there was some damage to the front of the lorry coming up. Meanwhile the overtaking lorry had passed to the bottom of the hill, apparently little damaged. It is believed that the overtaking lorry and trailer had brake trouble.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 13 DECEMBER 1968

THE PEOPLE WHO BRING YOU THE NEWS!

“Advertiser” staff-men again won awards in this year’s journalist and photographer of the year contests, organised by the Hampshire branch of the National Union of Journalists.

Mr.John Anderson — last year’s winner — was placed second in the reporter’s contest.

Seventeen-year-old Mark Bond was runner-up in the photographers’ contest and Mr.Charles Green — a previous winner — added another third prize to the one he won last year.

Reporter of the year trophy went to 20-year-old Eva Burns, a former pupil at Andover Grammar School.

Eva, who works for the Hants and Berks Gazette at Basingstoke, lives at Elm Bank Road, Andover.

“Advertiser” and “Gazette” staff, in fact, swept the board-John Hocknell (29) of the “Gazette” winning the Photographer of the Year title for the third time in four years, and Barry Congdon, also of the “Gazette,” gaining third place in the reporters’ contest.

Competitors had to submit three stories—news, feature and general, sport or a diary assignment. Similar criteria were set for the photographers.

Miss Burns’ winning trio: the story of a blind housewife at Whitchurch; local drug taking and the driver who was given a breathalyser test at home.

Mary the gypsy; proposed gravel extraction at Wherwell and a number of Andover people’s never-to-be-forgotten holidays were Mr.Anderson’s prizewinning entries.

It was success at the first attempt for Mark, who joined the “Advertiser” 15 months ago as a trainee photographer.

His picture of an injured Andover footballer being carried off the field at Torquay; an “orphaned” puppy, and window gazing in Andover gave him a well-deserved second prize.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 17 DECEMBER 1993

EURO CASH INJECTION FOR TIDWORTH

European money to the tune of £70,000 will boost economic prospects in Tidworth.

The money which comes from the EC’s KONVER project, a scheme aimed at easing problems caused by the reduction of Europe’s armed forces, will be spent on helping build small business units and providing the necessary backup and training for the companies.

TEN YEARS AGO — 12 DECEMBER 2008

UPGRADE BRINGS PEDESTRIAN ZONE

Work on improving the look of two important streets in the centre of Andover has stopped for the Christmas break but it is on schedule.

The work in London Street and Bridge Street will bring an improvement to the look of the area — as has already happened outside Sainsbury’s