Pupils march in protest at rising university fees
Anger as cost of a degree increases to nearly £30,000, December 2, 2010 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the
150 years ago
December 8 1870 Dangers of the streets
SIR – Allow me to call the attention of those in authority to the very dangerous practice that has now become commoner than ever, of driving horses that are under training continually up and down the streets, and also along the principal approaches to the town, especially the London Road. Every now and then serious accident is but narrowly escaped; notably but a few weeks since near Mr Hall’s Shop, Broadway, and that of all days was on a Thursday, when the town is fuller of traffic than any other day.
The fright and danger to all by this practice, but more especially to women and children, is very great.
Surely the public thoroughfares of a town are not the places to break in vicious and restive horses, and at no hour of the day scarcely can you go out without meeting them.
I do trust that those in authority may be now induced to look into the matter, and by so doing they may avert some terrible accident that would compel them to take action in it.
In this, as in all other cases, surely “prevention is better than cure”.
I am, Sir, yours faithfully.
POP.
125 years ago December 5 1895
Veteran’s back in town
MR Edwin Dove, an old Newburian, has made his mark in life.
Born in the old Berkshire borough in 1828, he early evinced a liking for the life of a soldier, and joined the service in 1846.
With his regiment, the 36th Herefordshire, he remained thirteen years, and was transferred to the 25th, in which he acted as band sergeant.
From 1847 to 1857 he had a large experience of service in the Mediterranean, serving in the Ionian Isles during our protectorate, and afterwards in the West Indies.
He was out there when the Crimean War broke out, but had to remain at his post, and although he did not take any active part in field work, he had to fight the cholera microbe. In 1863 he went to Ceylon and was appointed bugle-major in the Ceylon rifles, a post he held until his discharge in 1868.
Having married a Scotch lady, he settled in Dundee, where he received an appointment in the Post Office, and for the last fourteen years has acted as inspector of telegraph messengers over whom he exercises a strong but kindly control.
Mr Dove being a visitor to his native town, prompts this little biographical note.
100 years ago
December 2 1920
Caught in search of game
THOMAS Perris, and James Smith, both of Newbury, were summoned for trespassing in search of game on October 3rd, on land in the occupation of Henry Stanbrook Thatcher of Skinner’s Green Farm, Enborne. Both pleaded not guilty.
The two defendants, accompanied by two lurcher dogs, were seen entering a field in the occupation of Mr Thatcher.
One of them walked down the centre of the field, the other along the hedge, a distance of 40 yards between them. The dogs were hunting through the field.
When witness accosted the men, Perris said he was not in the field, and Smith said he was doing no harm, and that the dog had a muzzle on.
When the dogs came out of the field, neither of them were wearing muzzles.
Perris emphatically denied being in the field, and Smith said the dog did not belong to him, and he went after it so as to restore it to its owner.
Both defendants, against whom previous convictions were recorded, were fined 15s each. n William George Moss, of Aldermaston, was charged with stealing a bicycle, to the value of £10, and the property of Frank Gilmore Harvey.
Pc Simmonds said on November 27th, at 9.35pm, he made enquiries respecting a bicycle, and obtaining a motor car, went in the direction of Newbury. He overtook the prisoner, who was walking towards Newbury, and told him, he answered the description of a man who had just sold a bicycle, and that he should charge him on suspicion of stealing it.
On the way to the police station, he said he had sold one, which belonged to Mr Harvey, of Tadley, his boss.
Prisoner was remanded to Winchester until today.
75 years ago
December 6 1945 Chaplain’s Nazi trial
MANY local people were interested in a national news item entitled ‘Goering and Co go to church,’ published recently in the Daily Express.
The chaplain, Capt HF Gerecke, who is attached to the International Military Tribunal, was stationed for several months at the 98th General Hospital at Hermitage, and was well-known to the members of the Congregational Church, Thatcham.
Chaplain Gerecke occupied the pulpit on several occasions, and was held in esteem by a large circle of friends.
He took part in the VE United Thanksgiving Service.
Writing to the Rev OE Owen, Chaplain Gerecke says “My good wishes to them to remember me in their your congregation and please ask prayers.
“I need that help right now more than ever in my whole life. I shall have to go the last mile with any prisoner who must hang.”
He was formerly chaplain at St Louis Jail.
50 years ago
December 3 1970
Rage against the machine
AN outburst against the car as an inconvenience to residents came from the Mayor of Newbury, Coun Arthur Luff, when the borough highways committee were discussing restricting parking in King’s Road.
“I am sick and tired of giving way to the motor car all the time. “Our residents are being inconvenienced all the time because of the blasted motor car. Let’s inconvenience the car for a change,” he said.
The committee were looking at a plan drawn up to prohibit parking on both sides of King’s Road from the Ring Road to Newbury Diesel Co Ltd and on alternate sides from there on, with the exception of the Post Office Depot, from 8am to 6pm,
Monday to Saturday.
One of the reasons given for the restrictions was the danger caused by a number of accesses along the road.
But Coun Luff and Coun Christopher Hall both thought this would result in hardship to residents with cars, who had no garages or forecourts.
The motion was passed by five votes to two.
25 years ago November 30 1995
An act of faith
FIRST Thatcham Scout group found an eye-catching way of raising funds at the weekend – abseiling 60 feet down the tower of St. Mary’s Church.
Instructor Martin Papworth, aged 17, was the first to make the descent, affecting an air of chilling nonchalance with his “Look, no hands!” posture, the pose proving sufficiently reassuring for 40 scouts, mums and dads to follow him down. Vicar of St Mary’s, the Rev Peter Sear, gave permission for the stunt, which was part of the group’s ongoing 60th birthday celebrations.
10 years ago
December 2 2010
Pupils take to the streets
PROTESTERS railing against rising university fees braved freezing weather to march through the streets of Newbury, where they chanted slogans and waved placards to express their rage on a day of action.
The group descended on the constituency office of Newbury Conservative MP Richard Benyon to vent their ire at the Government’s proposals to treble the university fee threshold, which some pupils said could see the cost of their degrees rise to more than around £30,000.
“I don’t know how old I’ll be by the time I’ll be finished paying that back,” said 16-year-old St Bartholomew’s School pupil Adam Jackson, who added that he would consider studying abroad to escape the sums he had calculated for the cost of a degree at a top UK university. The Newbury campaign saw more than 300 people add their names to the list of attendees.