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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 MARCH 1890

SALE AT CRUX EASTON FARM

On Tuesday last Messrs.Few and Dreweatt conducted the sale of stock, the property of the Earl of Carnarvon, who has let the farm. There was a numerous company present and everything being known to be for absolute sale, spirited biddings were the order, with the result that good prices characterised the sale throughout. The dead stock came first in the catalogue, and 100 lots were quickly disposed of, then followed a luncheon laid out in a large barn and well served by Mr.Bolton, of the “Carnarvon Arms,” to which upwards of 250 did ample justice. This over, the sale of sheep followed. Twenty barren ewes made 52s., 100 full-mouthed couples sold at from 67s.to 75s., the average being 70s.; 250 six-teeth couples made form 69s.to 90s., the average being 80s. Two lots of ewes in lamb made 56s.and 69s.per head. Two hundred ewe tegs, in scores, sold from 51s.to 61s.6d., or an average of 56s. The fourteen horses in work made the following figures:—49gs., 46gs., 44gs., 41gs., 33gs., 29gs., 28gs., two at 26gs., two at 22gs., and 20gs.; while two mares in foal realised 47gs.and 28gs. Fat steers brought £21 15s., £18 15s., £18 10s., and £16. A fresh cow made £14 15s. Sows in pig realised from 72s.to 82s.6d. Altogether the sale was considered to have been very satisfactory, and the general high prices of late were more than maintained.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 26 MARCH 1915

OPEN AIR CONCERTS

The Royal Fusiliers are further strengthening their claim to popularity by giving musical selections in the Market Place on Wednesday afternoons. Quite large crowds are attracted, and many people see and hear all that is going on from the Town Hall windows.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 29 MARCH 1940

WHITCHURCH PETTY SESSIONS Before Brig.-Gen.Sir Bertram Portal, Lady Rosemary Portal, Mr.J.W.Gilbert, Mr.G.Long, and Mr.A.Kercher

NO WHITE PAINT.—Two motorists were summoned for failing to whiten the bumpers and the edges of the running boards of their cars.—P.C.Old said that at 7.30 p.m. on February 8 he saw a car belonging to John Bulpit, Beeches Farm, Vernham Dean, stationary with the side lights full on and a rear light. These lights were not blacked out in such a way as to conform to the regulations. The running boards and bumpers of the car had not been painted white.—Bulpit was fined 5/- for each of the two offences.—The other man, Gerald Locke, High Street, Overton, said that he himself drew the constable’s attention to his car, and told him that he had once painted the necessary parts white, and intended to do them again, but that at the moment he had taken the paint off because it had begun to wear off.—The constable, in evidence, said that whilst the rear bumper of the car was white there was no sign of any paint having been applied to the front bumper or running boards.—Locke was fined 5/-.

ROMSEY COUNTY BENCH Before Brig.-General E.B.Cuthbertson (chairman), Mrs.Milburn, Major G.Harding, Mr.W.F.Sucking, Mr.W.H.Summers AND Mr.G.E.Penny

CASE DISMISSED.—A summons against Henry George Duke, 13, Bellevue Road, Andover, for not having a plate giving the price of coal affixed to his lorry at Houghton in February 9, was dismissed on payment of costs.—Duke, who pleaded guilty, said he was very ill that day, and ought really to have been in bed. Had he stayed home, however, his customers would have had to go coal during very cold weather. The price of coal was chalked up on the front of the lorry, but being so ill he had forgotten to affix the proper plates.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 26 MARCH 1965

STRONG SUPPORT FOR ANGEL PETITION

The campaign to save the Angel Inn is gathering momentum. Cllr.Martin Loveridge, who is leading the campaign to preserve Andover’s oldest inn and oldest building, said yesterday that he was “delighted and amazed” by the enormous and encouraging support he had received not only from thousands of local people, but from well-respected National organisations of high repute.

“This is not a matter of local emotions; these important national organisations know what they are talking about, and they think we are right in our fight to have the Angel left as it is,” he said.

Cllr.Loveridge said that since it was launched only a fortnight ago over 3,000 people had signed the petition and “my phone has never stopped ringing.”

The secretary of the influential Ancient Monuments Society, which has as its president the Earl of Rosse, wrote to Cllr.Loveridge: “I write to express gratitude for the efforts you are making to save it and to assure you that we shall do our utmost to second your efforts. I have written today to the Town clerk of Andover and to the clerk of the Hampshire County Council, and have sent copies to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.”

Mrs.Doris Bladon-Hawton, founder of the Bladon Society, wrote: “We all applaud your efforts.”

And Lord Moyne, who is president of the Bladon Society, asked that his name be added to the petition.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 30 MARCH 1990

SHOCK FARES RISE ANGERS PARENTS

Ludgershall parents are seething after a shock announcement this week that the children’s school bus fare to Castledown School had been doubled from 14p each way to 28p or 55p return.

School children using the bus on Tuesday had to borrow money from friends or walk — there was no prior warning say parents.

Mr Andrew Bryce, Operations Director of the Wilts and Dorset said that the flat fare is, among other things, to prevent children ‘overriding’.

“They have had an exceptionally low fare for a considerable time. This is not an unreasonable fare,” he said.

He accepted that for Ludgershall children who live nearest to the school the increase might seem unfair but he stressed: “14p is an extremely low fare and comes nowhere near meeting the cost of the actual journey.”

Children have been paying the lowest fare and then travelling further in the afternoons he added.

But parents are outraged and say that the majority of children who get off first or second stop in the village are being penalised.