Highway robber foiled
Tradesman’s frightening encounter in Woolhampton, December 7, 1871 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the Newbury Weekly News
150 years ago December 7, 1871
Thief scared off
A NEWBURY tradesman informed us that on Friday last he left Mr Strange’s brewery to walk to Woolhampton to take the last train home.
On the way he was accosted by a man who ran off the path towards him.
Our correspondent, who was provided with a formidable club, raised the same, which brought his assailant to a standstill, and asked “What do you mean by this?”
The man, who also carried a stick, seeing that this wouldbe victim was likely to prove a doughty antagonist, muttered something and passed on.
Our correspondent came on to Woolhampton, and learnt that a man answering to the description of the one above, had obtained a halfpennyworth of bread and a half-a-pint of ale at The Angel. He has since heard that on the same night a man attempted to take a basket from a woman opposite Mr Strange’s but she raised an alarm, and the scamp took on his heels, leaving her in a state of fright.
125 years ago December 10, 1896
Festive fever
THE shop windows are getting more Christmassy each day as the festival approaches.
Some of the assistants were even sufficiently enthusiastic to devote the early-closing afternoon to window dressing. Fortunately for their peace of mind the weather was not very tempting outside.
One or two establishments are adopting my idea of leaving their lights burning after closing.
I noticed last evening that while Northbrook street was in a state of darkness, there was one shop, a scene of light and colour.
And it was astonishing what a number of people stopped to inspect the contents of those well-dressed windows.
100 years ago December 1, 1921
Mayor’s new title
THE Mayor was addressed the other day as OCD.
Neither his Worship nor anybody else could for a long time solve the meaning of the mysterious letters.
OBE they knew, FOM they had heard of, and all sorts of military distinctions were familiar, but the Mayor is a man of peace and not of war. Somebody, with a happy thought, offered the solution as “Old Clothes Dealer,” and it was accepted as the one and only explanation.
The Mayor is very proud of his success in this direction, and especially of those petticoats which have been converted out of dressing gowns.
If the demand was not so great for the female garments, he might have a waistcoat made for himself.
Bundles of clothes and boots are dumped on his doorstep, and the more the merrier. A frock-coat fit for a churchwarden was among the gifts, which will out up into quite a swagger suit for a boy. The parcels of boots are welcome, also the rabbits and bones from the butchers. The latter are helping to make the soup for meals for children.
75 years ago December 2, 1946
Raise for the roof
THE noble 12th century church at Kingsclere, the “Cathedral of the Downs” as it is sometimes called and recognised as being one of the finest churches of North Hampshire, is worthy of preservation.
But its roof is badly in need of the repairs which have recently been commenced upon it.
The cost of the work (about £300), it is hoped will be substantially met by a Christmas Fayre being organised by parishioners on Saturday, December 7th, at the Albert Hall, Kingsclere. Miss Holding will perform the opening ceremony at 3pm and Father Christmas is expected to pay a visit.
Christmas presents will be on sale and in addition the ladies of the parish are providing aprons, provisions, garden plants and produce, secondhand goods and jumble.
50 years ago November 30, 1971
Sneaky theft
A THIEF with no conscience will warm himself before a crackling log fire tonight... burning wood he stole from an elderly couple who saved for weeks to see them through the winter.
He crept into the old couple’s garden one night last week and took half a ton of wood from a stockpile near the back shed.
The couple, of Waldrons Cottages, Shefford
Woodlands, discovered the theft next morning.
To prevent more of the wood disappearing Mr Higgins, who is 83 and unable to walk without the aid of a stick, helped his 84-year-old wife Lillian carry the logs to the shed and lock them up.
He said “I don’t know who could have done such a thing. We saved our pension to buy a ton of wood to see us through the winter. “We can’t afford to replace the wood. I suppose we’ll just have to go without.”
His wife added “It was a really dirty trick. The wood cost us £6, which is a lot of money to pensioners.”
25 years ago November 21, 1996
Gun law anger
NEGATIVE reactions to the vote in parliament on Monday not to impose a total ban on handguns are being voiced in West Berkshire this week. Newbury MP David Rendel said: “By rejecting a complete ban on handguns, the government is producing an unworkable and possibly dangerous firearms law. “Thousands of small calibre handguns will not now come within the scheme.
“The temptation will be for some gun owners to sell these weapons onto the black market.
“The already shocking number of unlicensed weapons in circulation would be increased considerably. “I will therefore be asking the Home Secretary to extend the compensation scheme to any licensed handgun that owners wish to hand over to the police.”
NWN columnist Ron Tarry was mayor of Hungerford at the time of the tragedy. He said: “Ever since Dunblane, I have spoken out for a total ban on handguns. “An opportunity was missed after Hungerford, and after Dunblane I was convinved that a complete ban was needed.
“Monday’s vote was a bit of a fudge, but I suppose it was a step in the right direction.”
10 years ago December 1, 2011
NatWest closes
NATWEST has closed its branch in Pangbourne, ignoring the pleas of hundreds of residents and campaigning local politicians. A petition signed by hundreds of businesses and users of the High Street bank fell on deaf ears as NatWest, whose parent company the Royal Bank of Scotland is shedding jobs amid financial worries, closed the branch in High Street for the final time last Wednesday.
NatWest blamed “insufficient demand” for the closure, a view not shared by the many customers who must now travel to Tilehurst, Reading or Caversham branches, to do their banking, or switch to HSBC in The Square, or Barclays or Lloyds TSB in Reading Road.
A petition to keep the branch open gained more than 400 signatures.
The MP for Reading
West, Alok Sharma, and Pangbourne district councillor Pamela Bale (Con) both expressed their surprise and anger over what they felt was a lack of engagement with local customers. Mr Sharma said: “No one from NatWest or RBS has been able to answer the question as to whether the Pangbourne branch is profitable or not.”