A dream FA Cup tie for Marlow and complaints over rail fares

Welcome to Remember When, our weekly delve into the Advertiser archives to see what was making headlines 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 years ago this week. You can also take a look into the past by visiting our online archives at baylismediaarchive.co.uk

1971: Maidenhead Operatic Society was preparing to present performances of Burnand and Sullivan’s Cox and Box and Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore.

The two shows were set to take place at Maidenhead Town Hall.

1976: Complaints about rising rail fares, crowded trains and signal failures are nothing new.

Commuters vented their frustration to the Advertiser 45 years ago as British Rail fares increased – the price of a second class season ticket from Maidenhead to Paddington went up from £312 to £363 while an off-peak day return increased from £1.30 to £1.45.

One rail traveller grumbled about having ‘to pay more for the privilege of standing to Paddington’.

1976: An 800-year-old Cookham building, which was set to feature on Come to Britain posters, wasn’t looking its usual self as it underwent restoration work.

Churchgate House, alongside the entrance to Holy Trinity

Church, had to be re-built exactly as it was due to its listed building status.

Two period building specialists, Roger Harris and John Bowler, restored the 300-year-old porch, which had ‘rotted very badly’.

1991: Marlow were preparing to take on five-times FA Cup winners West Brom in the first round of the competition.

Marlow had reached the first round proper for the first time in the 20th century, with chairman Michael Eagleton describing it as ‘the biggest tie we could have got’.

The fairytale did not last much longer though, as the Baggies went on to win the match 6-0.

1996: Five local branches of the British Legion lowered their standards at Maidenhead’s war memorial as the town came to a halt to observe a two-minute silence on Armistice Day.

A crowd of nearly 700 people gathered to pay their respects.

1996: A pair of athletes who claimed silver medals at the Atlanta Olympic games were handed the keys to silver Rover 400 salloons.

Lex Rover Maidenhead sponsored Mark Richardson and Mark Hylton, who were members of Britain’s 4x400 metres relay team.

Both athletes were members of the Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club.

The Marlow squad. Back row (left to right): Dave Lay, Phil George, Bill Hubbick, Shaun Steele, Martin Stone, John Franks, Micky Poole, Laurie Craker (assistant manager). Middle row: Mark Watkins, AlJames Hannigan, Kevin Stone, Andy Harman, Paul West. Front row: Dean Hooper, John Caesar, Neil Catlin and John Richardson in 1991. Ref:134004-4

A dress rehearsal for Maidenhead Operatic Society’s HMS Pinafore. Ref:134004-1

Roger Harris restoring Churchgate House in 1976. Ref:134004-3

Respects were paid at a Remembrance service at Maidenhead Town Hall in 1996. Ref:134004-5

Mark Richardson and Mark Hylton with Lex Rover Maidenhead’s sales manager Jon Smith. Ref:134004-6

Commuters at Maidenhead Railway Station in 1976. Ref:134004-2