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Thursday, April 16, 2020 32

NEWBURY NEWS LOCAL HISTORY

Newbury Weekly News

Warning as super rats are found on Aldermaston farm Council reports of epidemic of rodents immune to poison, April 16, 1970 OLD MEMORIES REVIVED Extracts taken from past columns of the Newbury Weekly News

150 years ago April 21 1870

He said he did not know how he got away then, the young lady played and sang so nicely. I know if he had not ceased to love me altogether he would not say and do these things, which are nearly breaking my heart. I feel so unhappy, and I have no friend in London to confide in. So I have decided to write to you, feeling assured that you will not think me troublesome, and that you will throw out some hints to my husband, and perhaps, others, too, who thoughtlessly and unthinkingly condemn their wives to such a life that, were it not for the little ones trusting to their and care, the grave would be a welcome rest. Greenham Common fires SIR – Could any of your readers kindly inform me how it is that Greenham Common gets burnt every year “just as the breeding season of the game commences ”, so spoiling its beauty for the whole summer? It cannot be all accidents; when the heaths round London were burnt, every effort was made to find out the cause. Yet, here, no notice is taken, though for miles one of our most healthy and pleasant walks is left a barren waste. A LOVER OF NATURE Royal day at the races NEWBURY people would have been pleased to have given a loyal greeting to King George and Queen Mary on Friday, and indeed, it was quite within expectation that this would be possible. But there were traffic obstacles and those responsible for the royal route selected the more secluded approach by way of Ham Lane. A number wended their way thither and witnessed both the arrival and departure. Their Majesties graciously acknowledged the salutations of the spectators. It is understood they much enjoyed their visit to Newbury Races, and it was evident that Princess Mary and Prince Henry derived a great pleasure there- from. They were full of active interest from first to last, and the young Prince made himself very handy in removing the glass panels from the front of the royal-box, a job he carried out in workmanlike manner before the attendants were aware it was being done. n The increased cost of living, or rather drinking, was illustrated at Hungerford Hocktide. Punch is the special beverage at all functions in connection there- with, and tradition hath it that it is brewed from a secret recipe handed down from Lancastrian times. It is certain that present-day punch cannot be brewed at the price of pre-war days. 125 years ago April 18 1875 100 years ago April 15 1920

Then you could get a bowl, hot and fragrant, for five shillings. This year the Hungerford Hocktiders found it had risen to fifteen, and none too abundant a supply at that. In fact, the audit supper was not held, because the punch in stock was insufficient for two festive gatherings. The beverage maintained its reputation in the judgement of experienced samplers, but the high price limited consumption, and the number of bowls was smaller than in previous years. The Hocktide Jury appointed ale tasters, and will next have to select somebody to study the price of punch. Secretary’s fond farewell THE members of the Newbury Boys’ Club entertained the Club Secretary on Monday on his last evening in Newbury prior to leaving for Winkfield, where he has become incumbent. During the course of the evening, the Club Leader, Mr AC Comber, made reference to the close connection Mr Cook had had with the club during his stay in Newbury of nearly three-and-a- half years, and said that they were there to thank him for his past services to the club as well as to wish him all good wishes of r his work in the new sphere. But for Mr Cook’s influence, the club would not be in the flourishing state that it now was and they could not think of his departure as anything but “going into another room,” as he would be quite close to Newbury. C Goddard, the hon Secretary of the Members’ Committee, in presenting a clock, a cheque and a shaving stand made by members in the woodwork room, stated how much Mr Cook would be missed by them all and hoped that the book of names of subscribers, consisting of members of the Management Committee, and serving as well as active members would bring back memories of happy times spent in Newbury. 50 years ago April 16 1970 ‘Plague of rat’s warning SUPER rats, immune to conventional poisons, have been found on a farm at Aldermaston and there are fears that an epidemic of the sort which caused havoc in Shropshire could spread throughout Berkshire. At a meeting of the joint committee on rodent control, Mr Gordon Wickens, chief public health inspector, reported that as far as he knew there were no super rats in the Newbury area yet. Mr George Wallis, asked what could be done if the new breed of rats found its way into the area, said operators could use zinc phosphide, a poison dangerous not only to rats but also to pets, livestock and human beings. He said “I wouldn’t think there is any danger of the rats spreading to our area.” 75 years ago April 9 1945

As a result of other outbreaks in Shropshire and more recently at Maidstone in Kent, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food asked all local councils to keep close watch for signs of the new breed of rat in their areas.

Neglected wif’e s sad tale A “Neglected Wife,” in a letter to the Daily Telegraph , sums up her complaints against her husband: I am very fond of reading the articles in The Daily Telegraph and I want you to favour me by giving a word of advice to husbands. I have been married only a little time, at least long enough to have one darling child. I couldn’t tell you how much I loved my husband, and still love him, if he would only be a little more kind. He tells me wives ought to submit to their husbands in everything, and when he comes home at one or two o’clock in the morning and keeps me waiting for tea till eight or nine, he says it’s quite right, and that all married men do so. But I deny it, if they love each other. Yesterday he went out all day to some friend’s house, where resides a young lady to whom he was once engaged to be married, and did not come home till past midnight.

25 years ago April 13 1995 Don’t open at Easter

GARDEN centres will be among the West Berkshire businesses hardest hit by this weekend’s ban on Easter Sunday opening. Newbury District Council has written to all large traders, with a floorspace of more than 280 square metres, warning they face prose- cution if they open this Sunday. Small traders, however, can treat Easter Day like any other Sunday and open for business. The council acknowledged that the law would cause “inconvenience”, but said it could not allow exceptions. Ironically, many West Berkshire businesses, including garden centres, opened for business last Easter, before the 1994 Sunday Trading Act clarified the law. The Act relaxed trading restrictions for most Sundays, but tightened them for Easter Day. Despite the hardship for garden centres, for which the springtime weekends are the busiest time of year, an NWN survey found traders were planning to heed the restrictions, if somewhat reluctantly. 10 years ago April 15 2010 AP’s winning return GRAND National winner Tony McCoy had a brief stop-over at his home near Lambourn this week, in between celebrating his longed- for victory and racing. breaking 3,000 wins in his career, but until Saturday had never won racing’s most well-known steeplechase. He said the reaction he has received at race meetings since his win had been like nothing he has experienced before. “It’s been different from all the other wins,” he added. “Even people who don’t know much about racing know about the Grand National. ” His horse, Don’t Push It , which is trained by Jonjo O’Neil and owned by JP McManus, had odds of 20-1 on the morning of the race, but McCoy said that he could tell that it was running well. “I was very happy all the way through,” he added. “I was as confident as one can be in the National. The horse really enjoyed itself, which is what it’s about.” The head of The Lambourn Trainers’ Association, Peter Walwyn, said that McCoy was an inspiration to young people hoping to become jockeys in the Valley of the Racehorse. “He’s a wonderful jockey and a wonderful man,” he added. “It’s a great result for Lambourn. ” AP McCoy, The Lodge Down jockey, surpassed a record-

THERE were more than the normal farm animals on display at the Royal County of Berkshire Show in 1986. This woman attracted the crowds with her display of pythons – just one of the exotic exhibits that.year NewbuyrShow was first held in 1909 at Enborne Gate Farm, Newbur y. It was then held in different venues around Newbur y until 1984, when icthpausred its rcruent home at NewbyuSrhowground. n Anyone wishing to submit an image for this page should email editor@ newbuyrnews.co.uk, attaching a copy of the picture with details about it, or send it to: Local History, Newbury Weekly News, Newspaper House, Faraday Road, Newbuyr, Berkshire RG14 2AD.

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