Each week the Advertiser's history writer David Borrett brings readers interesting news stories and letters from editions of the paper from years gone by.
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 10 JANUARY 1862
SHOCKING ACCIDENT
An accident of a most serious nature occurred at the Tan Yard yesterday morning to an elderly man named William Rawins, in the employ of Mr T H Mortimore.
From the information we have obtained, it appears that Rawlins was engaged in attending to a machine worked by steam power for crushing bark, and that the working of the engine was temporarily stopped for the purpose of disengaging a large piece of bark which had jammed in the machine.
The poor man Rawlins was engaged in removing the obstruction, when the engine was again set to work, and the machinery caught his hand and dragged it between the crushers frightfully, mutilating the arm right up to the elbow.
An alarm was immediately raised and the works stopped.
Surgical attendance was speedily procured, but on examination of the injury the unfortunate man had sustained it was thought necessary to immediately amputate, an operation skilfully carried out by Mr Elliot and Mr Goodinge.
Sadly, because of the advanced age of the sufferer, which is between 60 and 70 years, doubts are entertained of his recovery.
Rawlins is an old pensioner and he formally served in the 67th foot regiment from which he now receives an allowance of 6d per day.
CHUTE
A singular accident happened to a cow recently, the property of Mr Charles Turner, a small farmer living at Chute.
The cow was left in a field to graze during the absence of Mr and Mrs Turner at Andover market.
She was then taken into the yard to have some hay about 1 o’clock by a man named Hays in the employ of Mr Wild.
A short time after, Hays, who was in the Malthouse close by, heard a noise and ran to see what was the matter.
He found the cow had strayed from the yard through an old gate near the house, to the hog vault, which was about six feet deep.
The weight of the cow caused the boards to give way, and she fell in, her neck resting on one side and her hind parts on the other.
The man tried to extricate her by pecking away a part of the vault that remained, and let her fall on her side, but she died without a struggle, the weight of her body suffocating her.
The carcass was lying so tight in the hole that it was found necessary to dig away one side of the vault to get it out.
Mr Turner, the owner, gave £15 for the animal a short time since and the loss will be a serious injury to him.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 1901
OVER WALLOP BAPTIST SCHOOL TREAT
The annual reunion of the teachers, scholars and friends connected with the Baptist Sunday School took place on Tuesday, when in spite of the wintry weather, the gatherings were well-attended.
In the afternoon, the children received their usual free tea, in which delighted function they were joined by upwards of 50 adults.
In the evening, a public meeting and distribution of prizes was held, the building being well filled.
Mr Southwell, the superintendent, presided and the meeting was addressed by Messrs H Rumble, J Rumble, A Coster, C Amor and W Young, the speeches being interspersed with the singing of sacred songs.
The prizes consisted of a book to each scholar proportionate in value to the number of marks obtained for attendances, likewise the gift of two articles from a monster Christmas tree, these gifts comprising toys and useful articles of wearing apparel.
Mr Hinwood sent his customary contribution of an orange for each and Mrs Rounds also sent some sweets and dolls.
At the conclusion of the gathering, the youngsters each received a piece of cake as they left the building.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 8 JANUARY 1926
BURGLARY AT FULLERTON STATION
The booking office at Fullerton Junction Railway Station was broken into on Monday night, but the burglars had little recompense for their trouble.
It appears that the office was left securely fastened after the departure of the 9.42 train from Fullerton to Andover, and when Signalman S Keats went on duty at 6.30 on Tuesday morning, prior to the arrival of the first train from Horsebridge, he found the premises had been entered.
The stationmaster (Mr E Green) was informed and after going to the booking office, he discovered the interior in disorder.
An entrance had been effected by breaking the glass near the catch of the halt window from which the tickets are issued.
Here they succeeded in unfastening the bolt which locked the window and the brass wire netting that covered the aperture was also removed.
Books were scattered about the premises and the drawers had been ransacked.
Considerable force must have been used in entering the place, but the only reward the burglars got was for their trouble was 13s 11d, which had been left ready for change.
Mr Green notified the police, and as a result of the prompt action of Sgt Jones and his officers, an arrest was soon effected.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 12 JANUARY 1951
CORRESPONDENCE
Vegetarian a la Webb writes: While it is admitted that there is a shortage of paper in the country, surely it is not too much to ask the local fishmongers to wrap their customer’s fish up in clean white paper or greaseproof paper before applying the final newspaper wrapping.
To find the print of a week-old murder on one’s filleted plaice is not very appetising!
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY JANUARY 1979
CORRESPONDENCE: GREEDY AND GRASPING - GREAT BRITAIN TODAY
Mrs M Maskelyne of The Cottage, Goodworth Clatford, writes: I expect there are millions of housewives like myself, who are sick and tired of the word strike, with a strike-strike here and a strike-strike there, why don’t we all have a go?
Seriously, though, I wonder what would happen if all housewives downed tools and for a month or two went on strike, after all, we have to bear the brunt of all these strikes.
To shop these days one should be fit, and issued with a certificate stating you have the strength of an all-in wrestler, nerves of steel, the patience of a saint, plus a computer brain.
Right now, I am boiling over with disgust at the way our country is going to the dogs; what a greedy, grasping, horrible lot we are.
I am sure there are many people who feel like I do and they have had enough.
I wonder why we cannot find someone to lead us back to sanity.
If this is progress, then give me the bad old days, when we had fun, we were not bored because we did not have the time to be bored.
Granted, we hadn’t much, but we did have principles, pride, spirit and the guts to cope with life.
I do believe quite sincerely that these qualities are still around, if only we could push them up to the top, to swamp out these nasty mean little people, surely there has to be an end to all this madness?
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