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 31 JANUARY 1862
ROBBING AN EMPLOYER
A respectable looking young man named John Vass, a native of this neighbourhood, was apprehended by the police at the Andover Railway Station on Tuesday last.
Vass has been in the employ of barrister F G M Boilean, Esq, of 16 Chester Street, Pimlico, as footman, and was sent by his master to get change for cheques worth £22 12s.
Having obtained the money, he absconded therewith, and appears to have come directly to this town.
He changed one £5 note at the Angel Inn, Andover, and another at the White Hart Inn, Weyhill, both of which were traced and taken possession of by the police, who had obtained a clue to the movements of the prisoner, and apprehended him on the charge, at the railway station from where he was first taken to the police station and then escorted to a London magistrates’ court for trial.
In court, Mr Boilean said he put some drafts and cheques in an envelope and gave the parcel to the prisoner to take to his bankers, Sir Wm Call & Co, New Bond Street, telling him to bring back cash. The prisoner never returned, and he saw no more of him till yesterday, when he was in custody.
The prisoner said he was very sorry and had no intention of acting as he had done when he left his master’s house.
He had spent most of the money on clothes, a watch and other things.
After Mr Boilean asked that the case might be disposed of by the magistrate, the prisoner was sentenced to gaol for four months’ hard labour.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 1 FEBRUARY 1901
MOURNING
It was observed that owing to the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the Royal Arms on the wall of the Sessions Court was heavily draped in black, in keeping with the national mourning for our departed sovereign.
On the justices taking their seats, the mayor announced that as magistrates they were called upon to perform their duties in that court and that in accordance therewith he explained that he and the other justices present had just taken the oath of allegiance to His Majesty, King Edward VII, so as to entitle them henceforth to discharge those magisterial functions they had hitherto performed in the name of the Queen.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 29 JANUARY 1926
KILLING THE RATS
On Friday last, at Mr Dance’s farm, New Street, a rat killing demonstration, by means of cynogas was carried out under the supervision of Mr Ronald G Munro of Messrs George Munro Ltd of Waltham Cross, Herts.
Representatives of the firm are going around giving demonstrations at various centres.
On Friday, the weather conditions which prevailed were so bad, it was doubtful whether any demonstration would be made.
However, the experts decided to commence operations on a stack of oats and the gas, which is in the form of a powder, was emptied into the pump and operations commenced.
A long thin nozzle attached to the pump was placed into the stack and the operator of each pump manipulated the plunger which sent the gas through the stack to a distance of 15 or 20 feet.
The cylinders had been at work only a few minutes when the rats began to bolt in all directions.
Some shot out of the stack and rolled over dead, others ran in a stupefied condition for a few yards and were quickly despatched.
As many again perished in the stack before they had a chance to run.
The action of the gas is such that it destroys the rats’ lung tissues and suffocates them.
The new process will prove a boon to farmers as it is estimated that a single pair of rats multiplies to 300,000 in three years if none are killed off, and that £70 million worth of food is eaten by rats every year in this country while the damage they do to warehouses, barns and furniture amounted to a further colossal figure.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 2 FEBRUARY 1951
FIRE STATION MAY BE SMARTENED UP
A recommendation made by the Hampshire Fire Service Committee to the county council is that £300 should be spent on repairing and decorating the Andover Fire Station.
Mr A W Paramor, the chief fire officer, told members of the committee on Wednesday that in 1949, it was reported that the station needed tidying up but it was decided to defer structural alterations, including the building of another storey over the appliance room.
The station had again been inspected by the chairman of the Fire Services Committee who thought that because of the present economic position the existing premises would have to suffice for some time.
Consequently, the county architect had recommended the carrying out of some external decorations.
Mr Paramor added that he had not received the estimates from the county architect but he imagined the figure would be about £300.
The chairman, Lt-Col A Kingsmill, said, 'This station is a very nice station but it is cramped in many ways... if we put up another floor on top, it should prove adequate.
'It is an important one, has good men there and an excellent station officer, and with minor improvements, we can make a reasonable place of it – until we put up the top storey.'
Mrs Bennet Snow, of Aldershot, remarked, 'I think it is up to us to spend the money to make it easy to run and control.
'It is essential that the money be spent.'
FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 2 FEBRUARY 1979
PROBLEM ARISES OVER SAVOY CHAMBERS
Plans to retain the original architectural features of the front of Savoy Chambers in London Street, Andover, may have to be changed.
Rotten timbers, leaning walls and very little in the way of foundations, were revealed by a recent survey, members of Test Valley Borough Council’s Northern Area Planning Sub-committee were told on Thursday.
Planning officer Derek Fraser said Crest Estates Ltd had been given permission to pull down the rear of the building and rebuild the front elevation but a survey carried out since has brought the defects to light.
Subject to the views of the Secretary of State, permission would be required to demolish the whole building and rebuild a replica of the front and Test Valley Archaeological Society had asked for a watching brief on the matter.
The Ancient Monuments Society vigorously opposed demolition; so too, did the Georgian Group.
Andover Archaeological Society were not happy about a ‘sham’ replica.
Councillor Mrs Thorne said the structure of the building seemed sound when members inspected it.
Cllr Peter Sumner said that if the original building could not be retained, councillors should make sure an exact replica went up.
'It could be a blessing in disguise because it provided time for the archaeologists to investigate whether or not there was a Roman house underneath the building.'
It was agreed that the matter be referred to the main planning committee for listed building consent and permission to demolish.
The applicant was asked to keep the existing window frames, entrance door and porch to provide suitable templates for any future replica structure.
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