ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 11 MAY 1894

CORRESPONDENCE — ONIONS, HOME AND FOREIGN

Sir, —In last week’s Andover Advertiser there was the following paragraph, which has caused me much perplexity and astonishment:—

“Onions are imported into this country annually to the extent of about 4,000,000 bushels.”

At one of the lectures given under the auspices of the County Council this year I heard two very worthy neighbours of mine say that, after supplying the wants of their families, they had sold onions raised on their allotments to the amount respectively of 27 and 30 shillings. If then onions pay growing in England why can’t we grow sufficient to supply our own markets?

I ask for information, as I am

NO GARDENER.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 9 MAY 1919

NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS

In consequence of the growing custom on the part of advertising agents, organisers of trade exhibitions, officials of philanthropic societies and of public bodies, of sending to newspapers charitable appeals, business notices, Government and other official circulars, and other items of the nature of advertisement, with request for (free) publication as “news,” the proprietors of the under-mentioned newspapers published and circulating in Wiltshire beg to state that they do not insert contributions of this nature unless paid for at their usual rates as public notices or business announcements.

The newspapers issuing this notice are:—

Wiltshire Gazette, Andover Advertiser, Romsey Advertiser, North Wilts Herald, Salisbury and Winchester Journal, Salisbury Times, Swindon Advertiser, Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, Wilts, Berks, and Hants County Paper, Wiltshire News, Wiltshire Times.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 12 MAY 1944

CHUTE — “SHIP” HALFPENNIES COLLECTION

The collecting of “Ship” coppers to help provide needs and comforts for Merchant Seamen has become very popular amongst school children, and the sum of 6/6 [32½p – 78 coins] collected by the pupils at Chute School in “Ship” halfpennies has been received by the Merchant Navy Comforts Service to add to the many donations already contributed by these donors by collections of these coins.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 9 MAY 1969

INTRODUCING THE NEW “CABIN”

The Cabin Tea Rooms in Bridge Street have not echoed with the voices of joking men and the clatter of crockery since they were closed by their proprietors, Mr.Peter Brown and Mr.Jack Norris, for rebuilding and redecoration, eight weeks ago.

Those people who remember the original “Cabin” of several years ago will find that the same four ladies who served them then will be there again on Monday, when the new Cabin opens its doors.

The modern interior of the present Cabin is a far cry from the original. The walls are a fresh yellow colour, and the floor is an attractive blue and black tile pattern.

The décor of the Cabin may have changed, but Mr.Jack Norris and Mr.Peter Brown, proprietors of the Mikado Café in London Road, are anxious to preserve the atmosphere that existed when Sid Gilham was caterer.

Sid described this atmosphere when he said “I did not believe in the usual customer-landlord relationship; we were just one big family.”

The Cabin, prior to 1966, was the domain of working class people, a daytime haven where they could drink tea, joke and chat in the company of men of their own kind, free from the sophistries of modern restaurants such as piped music.

IT’S “TIME GENTLEMEN, PLEASE” FOR THE SPOTTED DOG

No beer, no customers, and within the next few months, no pub. The Spotted Dog in East Street, Andover, closed its doors for the last time on Sunday, ready for a violent end as the bulldozers make way for the Eastern Distributor Road.

Landlord William Grace gloomily surveyed the remains of his home for the last 12 years as the workmen went about their ruthless task.

“I’m retiring undefeated,” he said. “I don’t like it a bit, because there’s been a good crowd here. Strike me, I’d never have gone, if it hadn’t have been for the C.P.O.* Vi, the wife, will miss it a lot.

“That’s when we will feel it worst, at six o’clock at night, when we feel we should be doing something. I won’t be able to lay idle, I’m not a lazy man, I’ll find myself a little job, but first of all we’ll go off for a month’s break.”

Compiler’s note: *C.P.O. = Compulsory Purchase Order.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 13 MAY 1994

AAC ‘COMES OF AGE’

A spectacular helicopter display formed the centre-piece of Prince Charles’s visit to the Army Air Corps.

The Prince revealed of his association with the regiment, which has its headquarters at Middle Wallop; “Nothing has given me so much pleasure for a long time.”

And on presenting the AAC with its first guidon he said: “The receipt of the guidon signifies a coming of age as a corps. Guard your guidon well.”

He added that the ‘spirit and the panache of the AAC warms the cockles of the heart’.

And then, in a magnificent piece of drama, helicopters, five at a time, flew in from the horizon and dropped off men who fell in and then braced themselves against the down-draught of the stream of Lynx and Gazelle helicopters.

After 10 minutes of noise, fumes and wind, and 70 different aircraft stops 444 soldiers and 17 officers w.aited on parade.

Nostalgia brought the parade to a fitting climax as 66 different aircraft, including the Historic Air Flight, led by the First World War Auster, took part in a fly-past.

Music before, after and during the event came from the newly formed Band of the Army Air Corps on its first cweremonial outing.

The Prince then enjoyed lunch with the Regiment before departing in an AAC helicopter.