2011: A space odyssey
Hungerford firm arranges trips beyond our atmosphere, October 13, 2011 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the Newbury Weekly News
150 years ago October 19 1871
Disease spreads
FOOT and Mouth disease – There have been 21 fresh outbreaks of this disease in the county since last week. One of these occurred in the Winchester and Romsey divisions; two at Fareham, Kingsclere, and Isle of Wight; and three at Droxford, Ringwood; New Forest and Southampton.
Although the fresh localities infected are not so many by 15 as last week, the animals afflicted is larger by 118.
125 years ago October 15 1896
Circus in town
YESTERDAY was a busy day in the streets with the coming of the circus and the arrival of the fair caravans.
The interest for the youngsters was divided between the Marsh and the Marketplace, although the former had the greater attraction.
There is a good deal of interest, even for those of larger growth, to see the huge establishment of a circus assume order of chaos.
And for the youngsters there are generally ponies to play with, or elephants to gaze at or lions and tigers to watch. So the fair could wait until today, for until the shows display their outside finery, it is rather a tame affair. 100 years ago October 13 1921
Time to fight
THE farmers have a doughty champion in any opposition they may put up to the renewal of Summer-time. Mr Frank Moore, of Kintbury, has never disguised his antagonism to the practice,
and is always ready to rush in with denunciation. On Thursday afternoon he intervened in a serious discussion on wages with a spirited call for action.
As it happened, the Chamber of Trade had invited the Farmers’ Union to send a representative to discuss the subject, and by unanimous choice they selected Mr
Frank Moore to act as their champion.
Without hesitation, he expressed his willingness to go anywhere and meet anybody in an attempt to prevent a repetition of the practice.
He admitted that the Press – with one exception – were against him, the first farmer in England to voice any opposition.
It is to be hoped the farmers will back up their spokesman, or it may be the traders will have most of the argument and be in the majority on a division.
75 years ago October 10 1946
Sweet and sour
AFTER a hearing which lasted over five hours, a 46-year-old Newbury lorry driver was found guilty at Berkshire Quarter Sessions at Reading on Monday and sentenced to six months imprisonment for receiving a total of 34 cases of confectionery, valued at £124, which had been stolen from the Ministry of Supply Depot in Thatcham.
The jury, who were absent 20 minutes considering their verdict, made a recommendation for leniency, and sentencing the defendant, the Deputy Chairman (Mr LR Dunne) said that the court took this into account, but it was a type of offence which was rife throughout the country.
“If we were to take a lenient view,” he added, “it would be an added incentive to those who might be similarly tempted.”
50 years ago October 7 1971
Twin towns trip
THE Mayor (Coun Percy Burgess) recorded messages to the people of Braunfels and Bagnols before a Newbury party left for the twin towns in Germany and France on Thursday.
The party of eight will deliver the messages during two days they will spend in each town during a nine-day trip to the Continent.
Four members of the Newbury-Braunfels-Bagnols Association are in the party. They are on a trip being sponsored by Gowrings of Newbury to boost Ford Cortinas and the firm’s managing director, Mr.Tony Edwards, will be leading the party.
In his message to the twin towns, the Mayor said a “major object of the journey was to draw closer together the people of our three communities and to broaden, even further, the wonderful spirit of friendship that exists between us.”
25 years ago October 3 1996
Risque business
IT was a case of ice cream, cola, popcorn and ‘Striptease’ when Vodapage staff went to the cinema on Monday evening.
Around 150 members of staff took over Newbury’s Robins cinema for the evening to watch the hot new film Striptease, and, of course, to see the company’s own cinema advert for VodaZap! – the new digital messaging service.
The product was also launched at a big all-night music dance festival at Otmoor Park, Oxford, on Saturday, which Vodapage sponsored.
VodaZap! has been launched in adverts on 240 cinema screens nationally with the UK release of Striptease, starring Demi Moore.
The commercial is suitably risqué as the product has been targeted at youth audiences and the firm says it represents a revolutionary style of advertising for the Vodafone Group.
10 years ago October 13 2011
Race to space
FANCY a quick trip into space and back?
A Hungerford firm can arrange for you to be blasted beyond the atmosphere, 68 miles up, at four times the speed of sound.
Bailey Robinson in The Courtyard is one of just five accredited space agents for Virgin Galactic, which aims to launch the world’s first regular space tourism flights next year.
For around £130,000, customers will be flown to the Astronaut Hotel at Spaceport America in New Mexico. From there, they will board the spaceship White Knight Two, which flies the shuttle craft to 50,000ft before releasing it.
Upon release, the rocket motors ignite when, according to Bailey Robinson’s brochure, “a wave of unimaginable but controlled power surges through the craft”.
It adds: “You are instantly pinned back into your seat by G forces, overwhelmed but enthralled by the howl of the rocket motor and the eye-watering acceleration which has you travelling, in a matter of seconds, at almost 3,000mph.”
As the sky turns to the black of space, the now weightless astronauts can float to the windows and gaze back at the earth below.
The brochure goes on: “What you are looking at is the source of everything it means to be human.”
The deceleration produces strong G forces before the pilot announces the start of the 45-minute glide back to earth.
Bailey Robinson space agent Roxy Voorspoy said: “There are two packages, Pioneer and Voyager.
“The first costs 200,000 dollars (around £130,000) and guarantees you will be among the first 500 customers.
“The second costs less but the numbers start from 501. There are six minutes in the flight when you will be completely weightless.
“We’ve not had any bookings yet but there’s been a lot of interest.
“We expect the first bookings when the date of the first flights are confirmed.
“They could be as early as next year.”