ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 23 MARCH 1894

CORRESPONDENCE — AN APPEAL

Dear Sir,—Many of your readers have doubtless already received a circular from me asking for donations towards replacing the valuable tools which were unfortunately destroyed and uninsured by the disastrous fire which occurred on Monday evening at Mr.Beale’s workshops, &c. Surely I shall not appeal in vain to those working men and others who have not seen my circular to give their mite in order that these tools, which are the workmen’s capital, may be replaced. Donations, however small (which should be sent at once), will be thankfully received by myself, the Vicar, Rev.J.Hasler, Alderman Reynolds, or the ex-Mayor.—I am, yours faithfully, A.H.WHITE, Mayor, Council Chamber, Town Hall.

CORRESPONDENCE — FIRE INSURANCE

Dear Sir,—I would suggest that every employer should be bound to insure his workmen’s tools, and that the men should pay him the small amount of premium in proportion to the sum insured. This item in the policy would, I suppose, read “Workmen’s tools on trust.”

Every cottager, too, ought to insure. The premium is trifling, while the comfort derivable from the payment of the 3s. or 4s. a year would be very great.

Surely some of the insurance agents in the town might, in the interest of the masses, encourage this class of business.—Yours faithfully, L.W.HURFORD.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 21 MARCH 1919

LIQUOR CONTROL

The “Pall Mall Gazette” points out that the operations of the Liquor Control Board have been against the public. Whisky at 9s. is retailed at 21s. 4d. in public bars and 25s. in saloon bars, while brandy in many instances is charged a shilling per drop, a 9s. bottle yielding 32s. On the other hand the London paper should not forget that the licensed retailer has to meet all his liabilities and obtain a living for himself from less than half the supplies he formerly handled, and that with such supplies he could not possibly carry on business at the old percentage of profit.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 24 MARCH 1944

ADVERTISEMENT

SAVOY ANDOVER

MONDAY, March 27, for 6 Days.

BETTE DAVIS

PAUL HENRIED

in

NOW VOYAGER

with

CLAUDE RAINS

2.40 5.15 8.0 (A)

FULL SUPPORTING PROGRAMME.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 21 MARCH 1969

ARMY SAPPERS TO BLOW UP BRIDGES

Two of the three of the railway bridges in the village of Litchfield on the Newbury — Winchester Road are to be blown up by the Army on Saturday night and Sunday morning, 29-30 March.

The first bridge is to be demolished at 11.30 p.m., the second about two hours later.

The bridges, which carry the now defunct Newbury—Winchester railway line, are being pulled down to enable improvements to be carried out on this winding stretch of road.

There are sharp bends at each of the two bridges, and it is planned to straighten the road on which there have been a number of accidents.

Council workmen have been working on the embankments near the bridges for several weeks and all is now ready for the demolition of the bridges.

The Army will move into the area on Monday to start preparatory work, drilling about 50 holes in each of the bridges.

After the bridges have been demolished workmen will clear away the debris, and the road is expected to be closed for about six hours on the Sunday morning.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 25 MARCH 1994

SWT AMONG FIRST OF ‘SHADOW’ RAIL FRANCHISES

Rail passengers in the Andover area will be among the first in the country to experience the Government’s privatisation plans when a new franchise takes over running the district’s trains.

From 1 April the Network SouthEast SouthWest division will be shunted off into the sidings of history and services on the Waterloo-Salisbury line will be operated by a new company, South West Trains [SWT].

The new organization [sic] is one of seven ‘shadow franchises’ created by the Government on lines which are being prepared for privatisation in early 1995.

In keeping with government plans to separate out the various commercial opportunities at privatisation the new company will only sell tickets, run services and handle customer care.

Trains will be leased from rolling-stock leasing companies and the track, signals and station buildings will be owned by another government body Railtrack, which will lease use of these facilities to SWT.

Overseeing this maze of new bodies will be the Railway Regulator — a customer’s watchdog and co-ordinating figure — and a Franchise Director who will decide on which commercial bid gets what.