ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 4 MAY 1894

CORRESPONDENCE — THE POUND AND SHELTER

Sir,—Someone having commenced taking down the corner of the Pound near the Acre a favourable opportunity seems to present itself for the removal of this useless place, and at the same time affording a wider and more convenient roadway between East Street, The Acre and Adelaide Road. Our town council might with great advantage utilise some of the space for the erection of a shelter of some kind for the use of those who frequent the tennis lawns and Recreation Ground. All admit that this is much needed, while the increased space in the roadway would be an immense boon to carriages and other vehicles passing through the narrow but much used thoroughfare. The Council has claimed commendation for many of the improvements recently carried out; but while those already done have been good and useful, and have of course cost money, this one now suggested will be equally useful, and will be done at very trifling cost. Trusting that this will be shortly done, and apologising for taking up your space, I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

A RATEPAYER.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 2 MAY 1919

THE UNIONIST PARTY

After being in abeyance since the commencement of the war steps were taken last night to revive the old Andover Unionist Association. Mr.F.C.Ellen presided, and Col.Faber was unanimously elected president, Mr.Ellen chairman, and Dr.Farr vice-chairman, with Mr.T.Webb treasurer and Mr.Miller secretary. A general committee was elected, and from these a sub-committee was selected to act with the Chairman in drawing up the programme for the association. During the coming summer the Basingstoke Unionist Association will have to select a candidate, and the meeting elected delegates to represent Andover on that occasion.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 5 MAY 1944

NETHER WALLOP — “OUR ICE STAR”

Hailing from Nether Wallop is Hollywood’s new skating star, who is also Sonja Henie’s (the Norwegian skating star) new rival. The star is Miss Belita Jepson-Turner, who was born in the village 20 years ago, in the great house, named “Garlogs,” where she learned to skate on a lake in the grounds, specially built for her and her two brothers, Major B.W.Jepson-Turner, M.C., aged 24, and 22-years-old Capt.R.L.Jepson-Turner D.S.O. She is the daughter of Major and Mrs.William Jepson-Turner, of Nether Wallop. Her mother was the daughter of a physician, who was attached to the Court of King Edward VII. When she was very young, Miss Jepson-Turner was chasing one of her brothers around the house, when he slammed a glass door in her face, which cut her severely. It looked as if she would be marked for life, but a famous plastic surgeon removed all signs of the injury. People in the village, who knew her when she was a little girl, are surprised at her beauty. Recently they saw her in the film “Silver Skates,” when her beauty was confirmed. Her latest film is “The Lady Gets a Dance.” It was her great ambition to be a ballet dancer, but her father would not hear of it. She is accompanied in America by her mother, and all the news of her progress is sent to her father, her two brothers, and her grandmother, who is in London.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 2 MAY 1969

COUNCIL DISCUSS “ADVERTISER’S” FUTURE

Councillor Martin Loveridge accused sections of Andover Borough Council on Monday of trying to kill off the “Andover Advertiser” by “outrageous” and “undemocratic” methods.

In a five-minute speech Councillor Loveridge harangued officers and representatives for refusing planning permission for a development of Holmes and Sons (Printers) Ltd. fronting George Yard and then trying to enforce a compulsory purchase order for the land which the borough council did not need.

He said he was moving a motion of displeasure on a minute of the town development committee’s report “to bring to light the actions of the Andover Borough Council’s committee in private to harass the “Andover Advertiser.”

“It is a sorry circumstance to come to when we are blessed with a fair and unbiased local newspaper,” he said. “It has been categorically stated that expansion of the business by even one inch will not be permitted as that would be contrary to planning principles. In my opinion this attitude is outrageous.

“The ‘Advertiser’ has been produced for 112 years at the High Street premises which like those of 498 out of 500 provincial newspapers in the United Kingdom are situated in the hub of the areas they serve.

“Andover High Street has been designated mainly for shopping and to apply this as rigidly as the planning, finance and town development committees are seeking to do with “Andover Advertiser” is beyond humanity and reason, leading as it will do to the hamstringing of one of the town’s oldest businesses.”

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 6 MAY 1994

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — LEADERSHIP REFERENDUM

Jo Hawkins, Liberal Democrat prospective European Parliamentary Candidate for Hampshire North and Oxford, writes:

No matter how hard John Major protests, his own party is turning the European elections into a referendum on his leadership and on Britain’s continuation in the European Union.

This week’s media stories and the resignation of yet another senior local Conservative in the European constituency highlight the obvious. The Tory party from top to bottom is in complete disarray over Europe.

Did so many Tories really think that Britain has a future outside Europe? How can they hope to make any serious contribution to Europe when half of them are ripping the party apart and wrapping themselves up in Union Jacks? And meanwhile the Prime Minister dithers about whether to appease the sceptics or get on with running the country.

The electorate should not be fooled by appeals to narrow nationalism. Nor should we allow the European Elections to be distorted by John Major and the Conservative candidates into an internal battle to keep the Tory party in one, albeit badly cracked, piece.