What was making the news in the Newark Advertiser in 1998, 1973 and 1923
25 years ago – June 12, 1998
ABOVE: Youngsters in Southwell are so fed-up at not having a safe skating facility that they have formed an action group to raise the £13,000 needed to provide a top-notch skateboard park as a way to celebrate the millennium.
The only place available to the skaters is the grounds of Minster School, premises that are unsafe for skating and other wheeled sports and inconvenient for other residents and users.
The skaters say if they had a palce to use, the problems would be solved and young people would have something to do in the evenings instead of milling around the town.
Pupils at a Newark school are to get £2,600 laptop computers.
Their parents will pay about £5 a week for three years to have a computer – a total of less than £800.
Bowbridge Junior School has been chosen to take part in a scheme using computers provided by the American software giant Microsoft and three hardware manufacturers.
Quick-thinking by an off-duty policeman may have saved the life of an Elston toddler who collapsed and stopped breathing at her home.
Pc Robert Newham, who lives across the road, rushed to the aid of two-year-old Alexandra Dyer, who had collapsed without warning.
A former filling station in Caunton is to be redeveloped for housing after councillors granted planning permission.
The former Jet garage on the A616 between Newark and Ollerton has been empty for some time and several attempts to run a business from the premises have failed.
Farmer Mr Graham Bett has won two tickets to England’s opening World Cup match against Tunisia in Marseilles after being on the ball in a quiz in Farmers’ Weekly.
50 years ago – June 16, 1973
ABOVE: A record number of visitors – between 500 and 600 – were entertained at Newark Parish Church’s Liuli Fair in the vicarage gardens for St Anne’s Hospital in Liuli, Tanzania.
Sending a ball through the air with apparently the greatest of ease, Michael Rawding is pictured at one of the sideshows.
Police are investigating one of the biggest crashes on the Fosse Way in which 84 Newark children were involved.
Two buses on an outing from Bowbridge Infants’ School to Twycross Zoo were caught in a seven-vehicle concertina pile-up near Car Colston.
Doctors and nurses at Newark General Hospital worked flat out to treat 29 of the slightly injured in what is thought to be one of the largest emergencies the hospital has ever had to deal with.
Staff dropped non-essential work to tend to the victims and two GPs arrived to help the two house doctors after hearing about the crash.
The Prime Minister, Mr Edward Heath, will visit Newark next month to meet 300 Conservative Party workers from the constituency.
The surprise visit was announced after Mr Heath had expressed a wish to visit Newark after opening the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont.
Train fares will rise by about 5%, but some Newark services escape the increase.
Fares to Nottingham stay unchanged at 24p for a second-class single. Travel between Collingham and Newark stays at 13p.
Newark to Lincoln is up 1p to 24p and Newark to London is up 15p to £2.90.
Staff at Noel West One, the Newark fashion and fabrics store that is closing down, are to get their jobs back when the shop re-opens under new owners.
It has been bought by the 150-shop Van Allan women’s clothing chain, who have offered to take on manager Mr Don Maddox and his 15 girl assistants.
100 years ago – June 13, 1923
An outbreak of fire in the Newark Corporation Yard, Appletongate, caused a few exciting moments.
Dense black clouds of smoke were seen issuing from the yard and the smoke prevented any of the crowd from ascertaining what was amiss.
By the time the cloud had cleared away it was seen that a large barrel of tar had caught fire.
A nine-year-old Sibthorpe child was knocked down by a motor car. The car, which was seen to contain four men, did not stop and no trace of its occupants has been seen.
It is hoped that the owner or driver of the car will be found and much indignation is felt in the district at the behaviour of the ungentlemanly motorists in failing to render any assistance.
The girl was found to be suffering concussion and shock and was taken to Newark Hospital by car.
Some 150 members and friends of the North Ward Women’s Conservative Association wended their way to the Friary where a delightful garden party was held.
The weather was somewhat depressing but the rain kept off and the visitors were able to enjoy the pretty walks and gardens.
Another illustration of the marvels of wireless was given when local ladies and gentlemen were privileged to listen to the Prince of Wales’ speech at Birmingham on the occasion of his official visit.
They had a most realistic impression of the event.
