ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 27 SEPTEMBER 1889

THE SALVATION ARMY

Last night the Foresters’ Hall was crowded at the invitation of members of the Army, who came to hold an indignation meeting, and protest against the continued prosecution of members of their body for obstructing the highways at Whitchurch by holding open-air services theron. “Major” Barritt conducted, and after prayer, called on those present who had been to gaol to stand up, when seven of eight, including a female, did so, and declared they were ready to go again if needs be. Mr.Barritt, speaking of the question in dispute, said it would be much easier for the members to give up the open-air work and remain at home then it would be to carry it on, and nothing but a firm conviction that it was part of their duty to God enabled them to continue. He held that England was a land of liberty and tolerance, and such it would remain while they had British blood in their veins; and he felt that public opinion would soon bring about an alteration in the law under which they had been prosecuted, as it did in connection with the local Act of Torquay. All they asked at Whitchurch was to be permitted to enjoy the privileges they had elsewhere including London, which was the one place of all others where, if open-air preaching was to be put down, it was requisite.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 25 SEPTEMBER 1914

OUR ROLL OF HONOUR — NAMES WANTED

We have been approached by several people on the subject of publishing the names of all ANDOVER MEN who are serving their King in this War, but we cannot do this without the co-operation of our readers. We therefore ask all interested people who have relatives under the colours should send us the names, with ranks, regiments or ships (whichever the case may be). Andover has many times inscribed the names of her sons on the laurel of fame, and we feel sure that this application will meet with a quick and ready response. Any letters from chums at the front will also be heartily welcomed for publications of important parts bearing on the War. Parents may rest assured that we will return the letters in a clean condition and as soon as ever they are dealt with.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 29 SEPTEMBER 1939

WARTIME HINTS AND WARNINGS

It is no use trying to send picture postcards or photographs abroad: the censor will not pass them.

You can legally use postal orders to pay for groceries, railway tickets—anything you buy. But you must take these in return as change, and you must not fill them in.

Cheap rates for long-distance telephone calls have been done away with. The lines have to be kept free for urgent calls dealing with national defence.

Walk on the right of the road facing oncoming traffic when there is no footpath.

Sew a name-and-address label on your children’s clothing so that they cannot pull it off.

Cyclists or pedestrians who stand chatting off the kerb after dark run the risk of being knocked down by an invisible car.

Write out a duplicate record of your Post Office Savings Bank account or holdings of National Savings Certificates, and put them away for safe keeping, apart from the originals.

Save your paper. It is likely to become scarce.

Arrangements for the evacuation of pet animals are being made by the National A.R.P.Animals Committee. Do not have them destroyed needlessly.

Goods sent by rail must now bear a white label clearly addressed in black ink.

FIFTY YEARS AGO —25 SEPTEMBER 1964

WORK BEGINS ON £254,000 SPINE ROAD

Powerful 235 h.p. tractors weighing over 30 tons each, with engines roaring at full throttle as they pull giant 15-ton earth scrapers behind them, are changing the shape of the landscape in the Vigo Road area of Andover. Such is progress.

All this activity marks the start of the first section of the northern spine road which begins at New Street and runs across the water meadows into and over Vigo Road and along Icknield Way. From there it crosses the main Andover-Whitchurch road and peters out half-way along the Picket Twenty Road.

Then scheme includes two roundabouts and four subways plus three miles of carriageway.

This £254,000 project started only a few days ago but with the fine spell of weather the giant machines have already been able to tear away hundreds of tons of chalk and earth in preparing the shape of the new road.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 29 SEPTEMBER 1989

MORE CALLS TO CURB STUBBLE BURNING

The growing importance of environmental issues is bringing straw and stubble burning under increasing attack, including a call for licensing by the farmers’ own body, the NFU.

The union’s cereals committee chairman, who wants this method of disposal to be ended eventually, will meet Ministry of Agriculture officials to discuss the issue of licences for burning, with conditions agreed by the ministry. Unauthorised burning would lead to a loss of licence.

The NFU also wants the existing code to be made tougher with areas being burnt reduced, quicker ploughing in of ash and no burning within a minimum distance of major roads and residential areas.

Two breaches of the code, one in the north of Test Valley, will be reported to the borough’s environmental health committee next Wednesday.

Despite stiffer measures against straw burning, an officer said the situation had worsened this year.

“A lot of burning goes on in this area and because of the weather everything has bunred very fiercely so we have had problems with smuts and problems of visibility on roads because of smoke.

“Certainly we would support any move to restrict burning further. Burning straw and stubble is an atmospheric pollutant and that is something we would seek to control and minimise. People expect and want clean air to breathe.”