ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 26 JANUARY 1894

ANDOVER COTTAGE HOSPITAL — THE FRAGRANT WEED

The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Andover Cottage Hospital was held on Wednesday afternoon in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall.

The Rev.H.Hawkins raised the question of an alteration in the rules which prohibited smoking in the hospital , and urged that it might be relaxed so as to permit it at certain times in the day at the discretion of the matron. He did not think it would do any harm, whilst there were many who felt it a great deprivation not being able to indulge in a smoke. He sympathised with them most heartily, for it would be a terrible grievance to him if he had to give it up.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 24 JANUARY 1919

ANDOVER COUNTY BENCH — AN OLD PONY GOES LAME

The Court was M----- and William C---, for working an animal in an unfit state and causing the same to be worked on Jan.10 at Over Wallop.—Inspector Hughes, R.S.P.C.A., said he saw a pony driven by M-----, drawing a float, and noticed it was going lame. When the driver stopped he examined the animal and found an overshot fetlock joint and deformed foot on the near foreleg. He advised M----- to take the horse out, which he did. The next day he saw Mr.C--- and told him the horse was very lame and only fit for slaughter, to which he replied that he would be sending it to the Kennels on Monday; it had been drawing a heavier cart than usual the previous day.—Defendant C--- denied the foot was diseased.—Witness said it was between thrush and canker, it stank.—P.C.Annereau said on Jan.1 he saw the pony in question, it was very lame, and the hoof was very heated. Apparently the pony was in great pain.—Defendant C--- said the pony had been doing odd work for years; he bobbed slightly, that was all the signs of lameness there was, and it was wrong to say M----- would ill-treat an animal. He was a very careful man with a great experience of horses.—The Bench fined C--- £1, and M----- 10s.; it was a case of keeping an animal too long, it should have gone to the kennels a months ago.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 JANUARY 1944

CORRESPONDENCE — HOUSING

Sir,—It was indeed interesting and encouraging to read the letter of Alderman Shaw Porter, written in his capacity as Chairman of the Health and Planning Committee, regarding the plans already initiated for the Borough.

What we like especially is the idea of an exhibition prior to the scheme being undertaken and the views of the public invited. Such steps as these are necessary in view of all that has gone before. Too long have we been in the hands of the “expert” and “master builder,” who incidentally seldom lives in the house anything like the one he undertakes to construct for the working people and who has little or no knowledge of the needs of the people housed therein. In too many cases we have witnessed the plan of the house having to conform with certain preconceived ideas and “innovations” made to save money—I think of the tiny kitchen on the one hand and the kitchen-cum-dining room on the other, the lack of cupboard-room, built-in wardrobes, etc. The womenfolk can think of many items, which, if incorporated into the plan would ease their work considerably and give more time to the social life of the household.

The declaration that jerry-building will not be allowed to creep into the building is very welcome, and we look to the Borough Surveyor to watch, in all building, whether public or private, not only the conforming to local by-laws, but the many “fast-ones” which the building fraternity are capable of putting over. This will mean the strengthening of the powers of the Borough Surveyor, and we trust the necessary legislation will be forthcoming. With the insistence of the Fair Wages Clause and the employment of skilled Union labour a lot of these obstacles can be overcome at the beginning, and the houses will be a monument to the enterprise and efficiency of local administration.—Yours sincerely,

L.G.SIMS, Hon.Sec. Andover Labour Party.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 24 JANUARY 1969

HEADMASTER TO RETIRE AFTER 22 YEARS AT EAST STREET

As reported in the “Advertiser” last week, Mr.Reginald Harrison is retiring at the end of July after nearly 22 years as headmaster of the Andover Church of England Primary (Controlled) School in East Street.

Mr.Harrison came to the town in 1947 from Preston Candover where he was the headmaster of the local school. Since then he has played a prominent part in affairs in the town.

A well-known and popular figure in the town, Mr.Harrison has been a school master for 46 years, the last 33 as a headmaster.

Recognition of Mr.Harrison’s ability came in 1958 when he was elected Mayor of Andover.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 JANUARY 1994

ROW OVER ‘OBSCENE’ RENT INCREASE

A decision to increase local council house rents by an inflation-busting 7.25 per cent has been branded as ‘obscene and hypocritical’ by Liberal Democrat opponents.

Rents will go up by an average of £2.90p a week from April but Test Valley Borough Council blames the rise pm a £1 million cut in government housing subsidies.

The housing committee’s decision was condemned by Liberal Democrat councillors, including their leader, Cllr Mark Cooper, who accused the Conservative majority of acquiescing to flawed government policies.

“I find this rise obscene, and I also find it rather hypocritical to say it’s not our fault because, if you support the government line on anything, then it is your fault when it gets fed back to you,” he said.

The increase means the council’s 6,700 tenants will pay an average of £43.03 a week, up from the current rate of £40.13.