ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 18 OCTOBER 1889

WHITCHURCH — ARMY MOVEMENTS

On Tuesday afternoon one of the Salvationists was liberated from Winchester gaol, having completed his 14 days for non-payment of fine. On his arrival at Whitchurch he was carried around the town on the shoulders of his comrades with the usual accompaniments. At night two others were arrested on a warrant and were conveyed to Winchester by the 7 a.m. train next morning. Notwithstanding the early hour the usual demonstrations were held, and the peaceful slumbers of many were disturbed by the now well-known (in Whitchurch) “battle song,” “ We never, never, will give in.”

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 16 OCTOBER 1914

VISIT OF THE YEOMANRY

Two hundred of the Dorset Yeomanry were in Andover for a part of Sunday, where they rested on their ride from Salisbury to Newbury. Their general bearing and excellent physique were the one topic of discussion, and they proved themselves a well behaved lot of young men. Over 100 of them went to church, where they expressed themselves as pleased with the musical portions of the service. In the late afternoon and early evening many of them visited the Soldiers Rest and partook of the hospitality. Every week the Rest becomes more appreciated, and the influx on Sunday was almost as many as the management could cope with. On Saturday and Sunday over 100 letters and postcards were written.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 20 OCTOBER 1939

ADVERTISEMENT

PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES

No country ever went to war more untried then we do to-day. Like Cromwell — “we know and love what we are fighting for.”

And if you want to see what this is, you only have to turn into any inn of an evening, and study the scene around the mugs of beer.

Good-feeling. Relaxation. Laughter. Leg-pulling. Yes, and the free Briton’s right to grumble.

These are precious things we are fighting for. And they centre around beer and the inn, as they always did — in peaceful or troubled times.

Use the inn, where all classes meet and are friendly. Drink beer there — and ease the load for a while from your shoulders.

Beer is Best. It makes for contented workers, friendliness and tolerance, as the Government found in the last war.

Above all — beer makes the British cheerfulness which is undefeatable.

FIFTY YEARS AGO —16 OCTOBER 1964

FIVE-DAY WEEK FOR LOCAL SHOPS?

A five-day week for Andover shops ... this possibility will be discussed by the Executive Council of the Andover and District Chamber of Trade at its meeting in Andover on Wednesday night.

There is not likely to be a great deal of opposition from traders in the town to a five-day week for their staffs, but there is sure to be disagreement on the best way to operate the scheme.

One thing is certain: the majority of traders will not close for half a day on two separate days, in addition to a Sunday.

One or two shops in the town at presently close all day on a Wednesday. But a Wednesday closure is not likely to meet with the approval of most shopkeepers.

In fact, some are strongly opposed to it, and favour closing all day Monday, which would give the staff , they point out, a long week-end.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 20 OCTOBER 1989

ATTRACTIVE NEW MALL PROPOSED

Andover planners are to be asked to approve a scheme to provide five small and medium shops in George Yard, one of the main pedestrian links from the car park to the High Street.

The application comes from Holmes and Sons (Printers) Ltd, proprietors of the ‘Andover Advertiser’, who have occupied the premises since 1858 and now have extensive ground floor space available following the recent introduction of high-tech printing methods.

It is intended that the proposal, if allowed, would turn George Yard into an attractive shopping mall and it is believed that its position, between the main ground level car park and High Street, would ensure sufficient passing trade to make the shops viable.

Already the plan has received the enthusiastic support of Andover and District Chamber of Commerce.

President of the Chamber, Ann Wilson, said this week: “This is just what Andover needs.

“We know we won’t get a department store in the foreseeable future and we must have these smaller shops to give the town some character.

10 YEARS AGO — 15 OCTOBER 2004

ON FLOOD ALERT

Large parts of Andover are at risk of flooding — and the threat is set to grow as the weather warms up.

Householders can now log on to the Environment Agency’s website to see whether their neighbourhood is at risk and whether the risk is considered to be low, medium or high.

Residents may remember the devastating downpour which saw a flash flood in the town centre in July 1999 and again, flooding around the college in January 2003 caused by rising ground water levels.

But in the latest maps issued by the agency Andover High Street is not an area of risk.

The main flood risk areas stretch from the Folly roundabout, snaking through the centre of the town.

Buildings at risk of disruption include the Baptist church, the college, courts, leisure centre, Safeway, Lidl and the bus station.

At its worst flooding could completely cut off people’s east/west travel in the town.

The Environment Agency puts the level of risk in Andover as ‘moderate’. It means the chances of flooding are 1 in 75 or less but greater than one in 200.