Back Through The Pages: Andover Advertisers from the past

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1860

THE NEW GAS ACT

At their monthly meeting, the borough council considered the adoption of the new Gas Act, lately passed for regulating the supply and consumption of gas. The Act enjoined that a properly qualified person should be appointed as inspector, with the necessary apparatus for measuring and regulating the supply. There were only two courses open to the council – either to adopt the Act and themselves appoint the proper officer, or should they decline to do so the matter would be left to the jurisdiction and control of the county magistrates. Mr Footner read the Act of Parliament referred to and also several letters from various towns. Of the officials with whom he had communicated, the majority were in favour of the Act’s adoption. Mr Poore said he should be sorry to see the control of the matter pass from the hands of the borough council to the county magistrates, and moved that the Act be adopted, which was seconded by Mr Wakeford, and carried unanimously.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1899

FIRES

The Andover fire brigade on Saturday received a call to what is known as Cottage Farm on the Doles estate. On arrival, it was found that a large beam which had been carried into the chimney had caught fire and was extending to other parts. With a good supply of water from a pond it was quickly extinguished; but there is little doubt that had it not been for the promptness of the brigade an extensive conflagration might have resulted. On Tuesday night there was another call, and this time it was found to be a chimney in one of the cottages in South Street, which was easily got under.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 8 FEBRUARY 1924

CORRESPONDENCE – THE NUMBERING OF HOUSES

Sir: Please could builders or owners adopt a common-sense method of numbering houses. In executing my visitations, I am often out after dark and it is a sore difficulty to find the house I am trying to get to. Most houses have names - usually inappropriate - such as The Hortensias, The Aspidistras, The Laburnums and even The Rhubarbs, but these designations, however graceful during the day, are invisible at night. I am therefore driven back upon the numbers. These, however, are usually in the wrong place, namely on the front door. The number should be affixed to the front door only when it is close to the pavement or road, and there is no other place for it. But many houses stand back from the road and are approached through a gate and along a nice circuitous footpath. Therefore, when I attempt a visitation, I have to fumble about at the hinge end of the gate trying to find the latch, and having ultimately succeeded at the other end, I get in. Then in the darkness I scratch myself on a rambling Hortensia, walk about a little on someone’s tulip bulbs, trip over the scraper and at last reach the front door. I have to strike a match in order to see the number and find it’s the wrong one. Now had the number been affixed to the front gate or the gate post instead of to the front door, I should not have been arrested for burglarious intent. The Avenue and Winchester Road behave well in this respect and also a little one-sided road called Cross Lane. Junction Road and Old Winton Road are glaring offenders, and in these two roads I propose to discontinue all visitations; the difficulty, discomfort and waste of time are too great. Yours truly, J H Barlow, The Apostlery, Andover.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 1949

CORRESPONDENCE – AN OFFER TO THE COUNCIL

Andover market during the 1960s (Image: Jeffery Saunders)

Sir: As an old Andoverian I have always been interested in the welfare of our town, but on reading the council news I feel disturbed the way things are going. Fancy proposing £2 a week extra to council employees to collect tolls and clean up in the market square. If the two who collect the tolls had any energy in them this could be done in half an hour (10/-) and the same would apply to those who clean up – if there were six of them (30/-) and no doubt there are. I thought the tolls were to assist the rates but that way of spending them won’t. I for one would do it every Saturday for £1, of which I would give 10/- to the Old People’s Welfare Fund and 10/- to the Andover branch of the British Legion. If the council wish to save £50 a year, they may write to me. Yours faithfully, F G Waite, 36 South Street, Andover.

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 1977

PLANNERS APPROVE SALISBURY ROAD HOUSING PLAN

A footbridge is to be erected over Salisbury Road as part of the plan for a new housing estate at Balksbury Camp. Swattons of Andover propose to build 437 dwellings on the 33-acre site. The developers will also pay the cost of two mini-roundabouts at which there would be pedestrian crossings. Councillors paid tribute to the developers for having arrived at such a satisfactory conclusion to what had been a thorny issue.