A royal wedding gift that’s fit for a princess

Newbury residents asked to contribute towards present, Sept 18, 1947 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the

150 years ago September 26, 1872

Literary list

THE detailed list of the lectures of the Newbury Literary and Scientific Institution, which usually makes its appearance at the end of September, is now being placed in the hands of the members.

The policy of the Committee is naturally somewhat conservative as regards the retention of old and favourite lecturers and artistes for the fortnightly entertainments; but it will be seen that a few entirely fresh names are this year to make their appearance, thus imparting a freshness to the programme. The list may be said to consult all tastes, and to provide intellectual relaxation for the scientific and literary as well as for the purely amusing.

It is of course only on the condition of its numerous members that the Institution can expect to flourish.

That it has succeeded in doing so in the past, its large constituency will testify; that it promises to do so in the future the foregoing bill of fare may be accepted as a pledge.

125 years ago September 23, 1897

Mayor’s medal

THE Mayor of Reading (Mr. W. Ferguson) has received a medal from the

Queen, as a souvenir of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee; accompanying the medal was the following communication: “Whitehall, 7th September 1897. Sir – I have received the Queen’s command to transmit to you the accompanying medal, which Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer upon you, on the completion of the 60th year of her reign. I have to request that you will be good enough to send me acknowledgement of the receipt of this decoration. I am, sir, your obedient servant, M. W. Ridley”

100 years ago September 21, 1922

Boxing night

GREAT interest is being aroused by the boxing tournament which has been arranged for tomorrow night at the Corn Exchange, and lovers of the noble art of self defence are promised firstrate sport.

The entry includes boxers from Reading, London, Newbury, Birmingham, Aldershot, Thatcham and Hungerford, and there is to be an exhibition by Frank Moran, the famous heavyweight champion, who is under agreement to fight

Joe Beckett next month; he will act as referee at the tournament.

It is probable that Tommy Burns will also be present. The contests include sixround events, four and three-round contests by seasoned boxers, and a novice competition under 9 stone 9lbs.

Competitors weigh in at

7pm and a start will be made promptly at 7:30pm.

The evening as arranged will be the best boxing event ever put before the Newbury public, and it will be sure to secure a large crowd, especially as it occurs on the evening of the first day of Newbury races.

The arrangements are in the hands of Mr. Syd Evans and Mr. Teddie Martin. 75 years ago September 18, 1947

Wedding gift

EVERYONE in Newbury and the district will have the opportunity of joining in giving a present to Princess Elizabeth on the occasion of her marriage to Lieut. Philip Mountbatten, R.N. At the invitation of Mr. J. H. Thomas, chairman of the Berks County Council, mayors and deputy-mayors of the boroughs and chairmen and vice-chairmen of the district councils in the county, met at Reading on Monday and unanimously decided to offer the Princess a wedding present from the people of Berkshire. A proposition that subscriptions should be unlimited in amount but of a shilling minimum, moved by Mr. A. S. B. Tull, seconded by Major A. V. Bradshaw, Mayor of Newbury, was approved.

50 years ago September 21, 1972

Parachute jump

PROVIDING a fitting climax to the Newbury Show’s main ring events was a free-fall parachute display by the Royal Corps of Transport. When many of the spectators had gone home, and with the rest looking up into the gloomy sky and wondering if the event could possibly take place, a plane circled the showground.

It took a full 10 minutes before the team made their calculations of the conditions and wind speed and decided to jump, but when they did they made no mistakes.

All eight team members, who descended in three sets of jumps from the plane, landed within feet of their marker in the show ring.

The conditions, apart from the cloud, were helpful to the jumpers.

There was only a slight breeze and this made it easier for the men to show just how manoeuvrable a parachute can be.

25 years ago September 18, 1997

Steamy night

A HOT and steamy night in the jungle was on the menu for people who went along to a special evening at Wyld Court Rainforest conservation centre, in Hampstead

Norreys, on Saturday.

Over 200 people were entertained by the music of the Andes, in the shape of the group Chan Chan, as they toured Wyld Court.

Among the rainforest attractions on show was an example of the world’s largest water lily, Victoria Amazonica, which is flowering until November. Visitors could also see tree frogs, snakes, a pair of tiny rainforest monkeys, and

Wyld Court’s new shoal of 15 piranha fish.

There was also a barbecue and profits from the evening went to the World Land

Trust, a charity that seeks to preserve the world’s tropical forests.

10 years ago September 20, 2012

400kg Quaver

A THEALE company has been fined £20,000 after a 400kg block of crisp waste fell on a worker, breaking his leg. Walkers Snack Foods

Limited, based at Arlington Business Park in Theale, was also ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

The employee, who has asked not to be named, was working as a forklift truck driver at the company’s site in Newark Road, Lincoln, when the incident happened, on December 17, 2010.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday that the member of staff was trying to put a compacted block of waste from Walkers’ popular crisp, Quavers, into a wheeled bin.

However, the block became stuck, so the employee and his colleague attempted to move the bin, which tipped over, causing the block of waste to fall on the member of staff.

The block of waste, which weighed 400kg, fractured the man’s lower left leg, the court heard.

The employee was off work for 15 weeks due to his injuries, but has since returned to work with Walkers.

The Health and Safety Executive, prosecuting, told magistrates that the work had not been properly planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.

Walkers pleaded guilty to breaching the Management of Health and Safety at

Work Regulations and the Lifting Operations and

Lifting Equipment Regulations.