ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 3 JANUARY 1890

LOWER WALLOP — BRASS BAND

An instrumental band has been inaugurated here which promises to be successful, as about twenty men have purchased instruments, without help or funds, to begin with. Meetings for practice are held twice a week, and fairly good progress has been made with slow tunes, such as hymns and easy anthems, like Tarrant’s and Weldon’s. They hope eventually to give the parishioners some good al fresco music, which we trust will be duly appreciated and encouraged accordingly.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 1 JANUARY 1915

ST MARY BOURNE

The inhabitants of this quiet little village have been honoured this week by the fact that one of its neighbours, Flight Lieut.A.J.Miley, son of Dr.Miles Miley, of Havenhill, has been mentioned in a despatch from headquarters having been one of the seven brave airmen who as a little recreation on Christmas Day attacked German warships lying in Schillig Roads, off Cuxhaven, at the mouth of the Elbe, near the extreme point of land on the left bank, the opposite bank to that from which the Kiel Canal enters. The extent of the damage by British airmen’s bombs cannot be estimated, but all were discharged on points of military significance.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 5 JANUARY 1940

NOTICE — MINISTER OF FOOD REGISTER NOW FOR MEAT

You must register now to enable the Ministry of Food to distribute meat fairly to the shops throughout the country, and to assure YOU of your fair share when your rationing begins.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO NOW:— 1 Put your name and address on the counterfoil at the bottom of the Meat Page of your Ration Book NOW.

2 Write on the inside front cover of your Ration Book the name and address of your butcher.

3 Take your Ration Book to your butcher and let him write his name and address on the meat counterfoil and cut it out.

4 If you move to another district, take your Ration Book to the local Food Office in your new district.

5 The numbered coupons must not be cut out yet. This will be done by your butcher when you do your shopping after meat rationing begins.

6 If you have registered for meat before Christmas this registration was unauthorised. You may let it stand, and it will then be effective. Or, if you wish, you may register now with another butcher by recovering the counterfoil from the butcher who holds it and taking it to the butcher you now choose.

YOU ARE FREE TO CHOOSE ANY BUTCHER YOU LIKE YOU MUST REGISTER NOT LATER THAN MONDAY 8th JANUARY

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 1 JANUARY 1965

SAUCE FOR THE GANDER IS SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE!

Members of Andover Borough Council will be asked on Tuesday night to abolish the rule that women and girls must waer bathing caps at the borough swimming pool.

The reason?

The pool supervisor has been finding it difficult to enforce this rule whilst lads with long hair are allowed to swim without them!

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 5 JANUARY 1990

FAMILY-RUN DUNNING GROUP UP FOR SALE

The Dunning Group was put up for sale this week after receivers were called in when the long-established, family-run construction and property company collapsed with multi-million debts.

A spokesman for the receivers said a ‘tremendous amount’ of interest has already been apparent form interested buyers after a half-page sale advertisement appeared in the ‘Financial Times’.

It was anticipated that the group would probably be fragmented and the companies sold separately.

The shop-fitting outlet has already been disposed of in a management buyout.

The Dunning Group is up for sale under eight headings: Construction, where a contract value of £40million for 1989 is in place; Property development, including the Southampton Town Quay site where the group first experienced financial difficulties; Scaffolding, with depots in Andover and Fareham and a £1million yearly turnover; Specialist building, a small works and repair company with a turnover of £3.5million annually; Investment, with a ‘substantial’ property portfolio of residential, commercial and industrial sites; Plant hire, with a turnover of £1.8million annually and options on large tipping facilities; Undertaking, with a turnover of £200,000 yearly; And 2,000 acres of farm land with dairy, beef and sheep units.

10 YEARS AGO — 31 DECEMBER 2004

FESTIVE BOXED GOODIES FLOWN IN FOR SOLDIERS

Soldiers on active service around the world all received a delivery of goodies on Christmas Day.

The boxed goods were not part of a delivery by the man in the red suit but had been donated by industry. The 18,000 boxes contained cameras, electronic games and other treats designed to appeal to the serving soldier away from the delights of home.

The idea for Christmas boxes. Like the ones delivered this week, is not a new one but dates back to the First World War when Princess Mary thought that those away in 1914 should have a treat on 25 December.

In those less health conscious days the boxes would have contained pipes and lighters for the soldiers.

The distribution of the boxes, which were the same size as the ration pack for ease of transport, was organised by the Defence Logistic Organisation.