Back Through The Pages: Andover Advertisers from the past

Each week the Advertiser's history writer David Borrett brings readers interesting news stories and letters from editions of the paper from years gone by.

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 2 NOVEMBER 1860

THE HIGHWAYS

Mr John Stadden, one of the Surveyors of Highways for the borough of Andover, appeared before the Bench to ask the magistrates for assistance and advice. Complaints had been made to him over the state of the highway in Millway drove. He had consulted the solicitor Mr Footner, who advised him to give notice to the parties concerned and if the obstructions complained of were not removed, to summon them to appear before the magistrates. As the obstructions continued to blight the highway, he had again consulted Mr Footner who then told him he would advise the magistrates not to issue any summonses. Evidently, Mr Footner had altered his view so Mr Stadden had determined to apply to the Bench for advice. His first complaint was against Mr Henry Colebrook, for allowing heaps of chalk, sand and flints to stand on the road to the obstruction of the traffic. The second was against the commissioners of the Weyhill Turnpike road for encroaching on parish property by enclosing a plot of ground adjoining the turnpike gate. Third was against Miss Banks for allowing her garden fence to extend within 15 feet of the centre of the highway and so encroaching on parish property, and fourth was against one of his fellow surveyors, Mr Trinder, for allowing his garden fence to extend within 15 feet of the centre of the road and so encroaching on parish property, while also allowing rubbish to lie on the highway. Mr Footner said he had considered the matter at length and had at first thought that both Miss Banks and Mr Trinder were encroaching on parish property but he had since discovered that the law only allowed magistrates to have jurisdiction on the portion of the road that is kept in repair by the Surveyors and that unless the surveyors keep at least a 30-foot width of road in good repair, the 15-foot rule does not apply. As it stands at the present time, the width of the Millway drove kept in good repair by the Surveyors is less than 30 feet. Mr Stadden disagreed, saying that he thought illegal encroachments had been made and parish property should be protected, so he would be taking the case to quarter sessions.

Millway Road, c.1905, earlier called the Millway drove (Image: A Halstead) ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER 1899

GRATELEY: PUZZLE – FIND THE LUNATIC

A curious incident occurred in this neighbourhood last week, which we should imagine is unique. It appears that some young fellows were having a paper chase, and that the ‘hare’, passing near a field in which a shepherd was looking after some sheep, was assumed by the old son of the soil to be a lunatic escaped from Fisherton Asylum. He thereupon pounced on the young fellow, and held him under the threat of detaining him till the arrival of the keepers, who he felt sure would soon come in pursuit. The young fellow endeavoured to explain who he was and what he was doing, but the shepherd would have none of it and still retained his hold on the ‘escaped lunatic’. Eventually, the ‘hounds’ came in sight, and the shepherd seeing that they were not attired as keepers usually are, began to realise that there might be some truth in the explanation offered by the luckless hare, so he let him go, though even yet he doubts whether he was right in doing so or whether he had not seen a procession of lunatics escaped from Fisherton.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER 1924

PLASTIGRAMS

These things are causing a good deal of fun at the New Theatre this week. They are composed of a piece of red and blue transparent stuff fixed on a card so that one piece is in front of each eye, and by an arrangement of the film, whatever is shown on the screen seems to be coming right from it and straight at one. It is a most peculiar and funny affair altogether. The first three evenings this week were devoted to Buster Keaton, the well-known comedy player, in ‘Our Hospitality’. There were some rather hair-raising stunts, such as when the hero swung on a rope across a waterfall and caught a girl being swept over and the audiences enjoyed themselves immensely. Whether plastigrams catch on remains to be seen.

The New Theatre in West Street, later re-named the Rex cinema (Image: Supplied) SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER 1949

ANDOVER’S GREAT EFFORT

At the annual general meeting of the Forces Help Society and Lord Roberts Workshops (Hampshire) at the Castle, Winchester, on Friday, reference was made to Andover’s achievement in providing more than £1,100 of the £1,600 raised in Hampshire during the year. The Hon County Secretary, Mrs Wade of Basingstoke, stated in her report that she was worried about the amount of funds being raised and that two-thirds of it had been raised at the Red Rice fete in Andover. She went on to say that the Appeals Department had made every effort and were doing their best but the amount raised was not nearly enough to cover the applications. Mr F Bowyer who represented the Comptroller Miss E Acton said that although it was a splendid effort on the part of Andover, the raising of £1,100 had to be regarded as a non-recurring incident.

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO – FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER 1977

IT PAYS…

It pays to study our advertising columns carefully. Last week a Miss Corkran advertised in our wanted columns for a wheelchair. All that she gave was a telephone number as a contact. During Friday morning she was amazed to receive a call from a complete stranger saying that although she did not have a wheelchair for sale there was one advertised in the ‘for sale’ columns and had Miss Corkran seen it? ‘I must confess I had not checked the for sales column’, says Miss Corkran.’On doing so, I contacted the person advertising and found it was just the chair I was seeking. I am absolutely delighted and would like to thank the person who telephoned me most sincerely for her act of kindness.’ So, check out ‘for sales’ columns regularly, you may find something you are seeking.