ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 7 DECEMBER 1894

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GREAT ATTRACTIONS!!!

PARSONS & HART GRAND Xmas Bazaar

held this year in the NEW FURNISHING SHOP at

WATERLOO HOUSE commences

THIS DAY with a Grand Display of all the

Latest Novelties suitable for

XMAS PRESENTS and NEW YEAR GIFTS

A WONDERFUL ASSORTMENT

Of the Very Newest and Prettiest FANCY ARTICLES

Toys, Games, Dolls, Photo Frames, Albums, Scrap Books, Inkstands, Clocks, Watches, Colored [sic] Pampas Grasses, Japanese Goods, Tables, Fancy Chairs, Stools, Flower Stands, China and Glass, Breakfast Services, Biscuit Boxes, Cruets, Vases, &c. &c.

A Specially Cheap Line in

BRASS RAIL BEDSTEADS At 23/6 and 27/6.

Everything NEW.

Everything NOVEL.

Everything CHEAP.

Come and See this Charming Show.

It is Larger and more Attractive than ever.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 5 DECEMBER 1919

THE HOSPITAL BAZAAR

The fund for providing a new hospital for Andover and district received a fine addition by the effort that was opened yesterday at the Drill Hall, and is being continued to-day. Many hands make light work, is one of the wise saws that has come down to us from olden days, but in this case, although there were many hands it did mean something more than light work for several who put their strength and enthusiasm into the task. The enterprise was a bazaar initiated by the committee of the Cottage Hospital with Mr.E.Parsons acting as honorary secretary and general director, and they soon were joined by a number of ladies and gentlemen who, recognising the special need for action, came forward from the town, and nearly all the villages round, with offer of service. There were others who had been under the necessity, through accident or severe illness, of entering the present Cottage Hospital, and had therefore had personal experience of the difficulties under which the doctors and staff are working owing to the unceasing pressure upon the accommodation, and these were not the least anxious to help in any way they could the furtherance of the object, a larger hospital for Andover and district. Under such circumstances it was possible to arrange a bazaar upon a larger scale than had been practicable in any former enterprise, and results of combined action were seen on every hand by visitors to the Drill Hall yesterday.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 8 DECEMBER 1944

PROTEST LODGED — ANDOVER COMMUNISTS AND GREEK EVENTS

At a Communist meeting held in Andover on Wednesday night the following resolution which was carried unanimously, is to be sent to Mr.Churchill and Squadron-Leader Donner*:—

“This meeting of Andover citizens express grave concern about the events in Athens. Our armed forces, in whose achievements we express pride, are being used against the brave democratic Resistance Movement and are bolstering up a reactionary clique. We protest against this staining of their honour and urge the Prime Minister and the Government to stop this outrage and allow the Greek people to decide their own form of Government.”

*Compiler’s note: Patrick Donner was Conservative MP for the Basingstoke Constituency which then included Andover, from 1935 to 1955. It is suggested from the papers of Henry Drummond Wolf, Conservative MP for Basingstoke 1934 – 1935, that Sir Oswald Mosley (Leader of the British Union of Fascists from 1931) interviewed Donner to decide upon his suitability to serve as MP for the Basingstoke constituency, which had previously been held by Drummond Wolff and Viscount Lymington (1929-1934) — who both were on the right wing of the Conservative Party.

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 5 DECEMBER 1969

SERMONS TOO LONG?

A parishioner has suggested that the Rev.Peter Chandler, Vicar of Andover, takes an egg-timer with him into the pulpit because his Sunday morning sermons at St.Mary’s are getting too long.

Mr.David Payne, of Hanson Road, Andover, wrote to the parish magazine: “In recent months the sermons at St.Mary’s have gradually become longer, and in some cases very uninteresting. It may be one of the reasons why the congregation has become smaller.”

Mr.Payne suggested the Rev.Chandler follow the experiment of the Rev.Haslum, Vicar of Alton, who took an egg-timer into the pulpit. The Rev.Haslum wanted it to be known that he found long-winded sermons as boring as any one else.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 9 DECEMBER 1994

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR — MATTER OF CONFIDENCE

Cllr Robin Hughes writes from Launcelot Close, King Arthur’s Way, Andover:

Recent political events have shown just how divided the Tories are over Europe. The spectacle of this Government, that has so little control over its own backbenchers, making the recent vote on Europe a matter of confidence. This manoeuvre was clearly used to stifle debate and to bring their right wing into line.

It would appear the leadership of the party had no conviction with its own policies. Perhaps this is because with so many divisions within the party they do not know what their policy on Europe is. Right, Left of Centre party clearly cannot agree.

There is a matter of confidence. Little confidence of the Tory party in John Major’s leadership and no confidence in this Government by the vast majority of ordinary people. The sooner they both go the better.