ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 14 DECEMBER 1894

ADVERTISEMENT

This Company was patronised by H.R.H. the Duchess of Albany, on Tuesday, Nov.13th,1894, at Esher.

ADELAIDE ASSEMBLY ROOMS, ANDOVER.

SIX NIGHTS AND ONE MATINEE, commencing

MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th.

Every Evening at 8. Saturday at 3 and 8. Doors open half-an-hour earlier.

VICTOR ROSINI’S ROYAL SPECTRAL OPERA COMPANY.

Monday, CHRISTMAS CAROL. Tuesday, EAST LYNNE. (School Children admitted to Saturday Afternoon Performance, 2d, each). Wednesday, MY SWEETHEART. Thursday, UNCLE TOM’S CABIN. Friday, (Grand Fashionable Night), FAUST. Saturday, COLLEEN BAWN. To conclude each evening with a Variety Concert and Laughable Spectral Farce.

Popular Prices—Back Seats 6d., Second Seats 1s., Front Seats 2s. Children Half-price (6d. Seats excepted). Plan and Tickets at Mr.J.C.Holmes’.

Sole Proprietor, Mr.Victor Rosini.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 12 DECEMBER 1919

CORRESPONDENCE — SHOP HOURS

Sir, —No one, I feel sure, would wish to go back to the old long hours for shops to be open, in fact many of us wonder why the majority of them should not close for a whole day instead of half-a-day a week. The shops with perishable goods might be open for, say, two hours in the morning, but if the Andover tradespeople can see their way to doing away with or shortening the dinner closing time on Fridays they would confer a great boon on the country people who have to wait about during that time, and who cannot get their shopping done before it is dark; even if it were altered for the winter months it would cause great satisfaction. Many have long walks, and others still longer drives in the carriers’ carts.—Yours truly, MARGARET J.CLAPTON, Hatherden Vicarage.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 15 DECEMBER 1944

WHITCHURCH — HOME GUARD “STAND DOWN”

Although the weather was far from being kind, a large number of people attended the “standing down” ceremony of the local Home Guard , No 5 Platoon 5th Coy. 2nd Hants. Under Capt.W.H.Watts, the Platoon formed up outside the Senior Schools in Micheldever Road.

Their Commanding Officer, Major Hickling, read four messages to them, one from The King, The Special Order of the Day from General Sir Harold E.Franklyn, Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, one from Lieut.-General W.D.Morgan, Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command, and one from their Battalion Commander, Lt.-Col.Kingsmill. The last named wrote: “On this the final parade of the Home Guard I should like to express to all the officers, Warrant Officers, N.C.O.’s and men of the Home Guard my personal appreciation of the hard work which has been put in by all ranks during the last 4½ years. The Home Guard (then L.D.V.) started at a time when the country was in imminent danger of invasion, and all c lasses of the community at once rose to the occasion, and offered their services for the protection of their homes and families. We were then unarmed, but the spirit of sacrifice and service for the country was paramount in all. Gradually arms and uniforms arrived, and the turning of what in many cases was a civilian mob into a disciplined and well trained military body took place. If it had not been for the keenness of all ranks that could never have been accomplished in the time at our disposal. You can and should be proud of your work and the standard of training which you have attained., and it will probably be found that the spontaneous response to the call for the L.D.V. had a lot to do with Hitler’s decision not to invade the country, as he might (and probably would) have had one of the biggest reverses the Germans have ever suffered. You are now being “stood down,” but not disbanded, and I would remind you that in the event of any danger to the country you are liable to recall (and will be recalled), and that, until you are disbanded, you are still responsible for your uniforms, etc., being kept in the state in which they were issued. Personally having had the honour to command you almost from the start , I wish to thank you for your whole-hearted support and the help you all have given me in this not too easy work, and to wish you all the very best of luck and prosperity in the future, being sure that you will in times to come look back on your Home Guard work with pride and satisfaction. Good luck to you all.”

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 12 DECEMBER 1969

ANDOVER CARAVAN SITE NOT REQUIRED FOR FACTORY ESTATE

After years of wrangling, prolonged negotiations, voluminous correspondence and appeals to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Andover Borough Council has now decided it no longer wants the Shaw Close Caravan site, off Weyhill Road, for the proposed Portway Industrial Estate.

The shock news was given to the owners of the 115-caravan site, Caravan Contractors (Andover) Limited, in a letter from the development manager, Mr.C.Sale.

The firm promptly instructed their solicitors to apply once again for permission to establish a permanent caravan site on the land.

The site is at present being run-down, and must close at the beginning of 1971.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 16 DECEMBER 1994

POPULATION EXPLOSION

Andover’s population could soar to over 50,000 in the next 15 years — if a county blueprint for housing development is accepted.

The town is one of four locations in Hampshire thought suitable for large scale new estate development by county council planners.

They argue that between 2,500 and 7,500 new houses could be added to the town in the first decade of the next century — bringing up to 18,500 extra residents to the area.