Stable lad tragedy
Tributes to East Ilsley horseman who died in riding accident, Dec 29, 1921 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the Newbury Weekly News
150 years ago January 4 1872
Boy ‘found dead’
ON Thursday evening an inquest was held in the Council Chamber, before
Jos Bunny Esq, MD borough coroner, and a jury. It appeared from the evidence of the father and grandmother, that the deceased had lately suffered from the thrush, but had quite recovered, and was a very healthy child.
Deceased was very lively the previous evening, and did not awake till four o’clock on Wednesday morning, when the mother gave him his natural nourishment.
She did so again at six o’clock, the grandmother, who lives next door, was called by Mrs Copas, when it was found that the child was dead.
Deceased had been fed on oatmeal gruel and sopped bread. The jury returned a verdict of “Found dead.”
125 years ago December 31 1896 Dinner delight
THERE are always plenty of robins about at Christmas, but their needs are increased by the weather, and whether it be the red-breasted birds that hop about the windows or the poor little urchins that run the streets, a good feed is the more welcome when the weather is cold.
The weather this year has not been severe, but it has been sufficiently damp and miserable to make a good hot dinner a comforting kind of thing.
And hence it was that when the Robin Dinner Committee issued invitations to the various schools for 300 needy children in want of a Christmas dinner.
There was no difficulty in securing the number, although it is comforting to hear that no great need exists in the town.
In fact 310 children presented themselves on Saturday at six o’clock at the Temperance Hall.
First there was a course of roast beef, in the carving of which strong men grew weary. Then the plum pudding came on and there was a shout of gladsome joy.
100 years ago December 29 1921
Tragic accident
A FATAL accident which befell a well-known stable lad employed in Mr Bletsoe’s racing establishment at East Ilsley, cast quite a gloom over Christmastide, and particularly amongst those with whom the deceased, George Smith, of Comptonroad, Ilsley, was acquainted. Smith was a capable horseman, for he had spent twenty years as a stable lad, and during that time had gained a wide experience in riding schooling.
It was only a small fence that he was jumping, when the accident occurred.
Just as his mount cleared the fence, the horse stumbled and Smith was pitched off, and he would in all probability have not been hurt, had not the horse put its foot on its rider. Smith was able to walk to his home a mile distant, but complained of much pain. Medical assistance was quickly obtained, and the injured man conveyed to Newbury Hospital in an ambulance.
With every care and speed an operation was performed, but death followed a few hours later.
At the inquest before deputy coroner, Mr Broome Pinniger, a verdict was returned that the accident was most unfortunate, and no blame could be attached to anyone.
75 years ago December 24 1946
Festive frolics
FOR sheer happiness the Christmas party of the Bentworth-road School at the Baptist School premises in Cheap-street on Wednesday last week took some beating. First came a programme of entertainment by the scholars. Class 3 gave action songs and “galloping horses,” Class 2 a playlet, “Christmas Toys,” Class 4 action songs; Class 1, country dances and Class 3 and 4 sang carols. Then came a bountiful tea. On long tables were rows of milk bottles filled with lemonade. It looked a cold drink for a day when one had a job to keep warm in the thickest of overcoats.
But it was obviously just what the children liked.
Cakes and tarts were handed round; all sorts of cakes, too, many containing cream. There was an iced Christmas cake big enough for a hundred scholars. Then mince tarts. It was a feast for a king – and there were 45 of them.
When the youngsters had had their fill of cakes, there was a loud rat-a-tat-tat at the door. In walked Santa Claus heavily burdened with a brand new sack, so full that he could only clutch at its corners.
Father Christmas gave a packet to every child – there will be a lot of crayoning done at home this Christmas.
50 years ago December 23 1971
Jolly busy
TO work in a village shop in December before the days of supermarkets was virtually to take part in the Christmas of most of the village. My husband and I shared the festivities of Boxford for 12 Christmases and voted each one busier and jollier than the last.
I suppose you could say that Christmas for us began the previous January when we declared the Christmas Club open.
The goodies and gifts for the occasion were offered to us by the various representatives in July and August.
Christmas cards and tins of biscuits were among the earliest items on sale. We were also invited to view Christmas goods in the autumn at our chief wholesaler’s depot and place our orders.
We would go into the warehouse on some mellow evening and find chocolates, biscuits, wrapping paper, cards and toys temptingly displayed.
25 years ago December 19 1996
Radiation relief
RADIATION doses received by people living near Greenham Common and Newbury are no higher than those elsewhere in the country, according to a Ministry of Defence report. A National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) report says a six-month study of soil samples from 47 sites in and around the former Greenham Common air base has revealed “no evidence of enriched uranium”.
The study was commissioned in the wake of allegations that Greenham was the scene of a nuclear accident in 1958, and radioactive fallout from the incident contaminated large areas of West Berkshire. Co-author Dr Bernard Wilkins attacked the authors of the 1961 report that identified the contamination, for linking the high levels of radioactivity they found near the base with an incident in 1958 when a B-47 bomber was destroyed by fire.
Dr Wilkins condemned the authors for making an “unwarranted” theoretical link between the bomber accident and the radioactivity they found.
10 years ago December 29 2011
Canal reopens
A TEN-mile stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal which has been closed since November is due to open shortly after the New Year. All of the locks between Crofton Lock 61 near Wilton, and Copse Lock 80 between Kintbury and Newbury, were padlocked on November 17 after a water shortage. British Waterways, which maintains the canal, has said it is allowing levels in individual canal pounds to recover but rainfall is needed for this to take place.
The long-term problem has occurred because the ground water level has been extremely low – hitting its lowest level in 90 years.
More than 90 boats have been stranded within the stretch since mid-November but British Waterways has announced that the section should reopen on January 4