What was making the news in the Newark Advertiser in 1923, 1973 and 1998
The Advertiser has opened its archives to see what was making the news this week 25, 50, and 100 years ago.
25 years ago – December 25, 1998
ABOVE: Collingham Scouts lent shoppers a hand and raised £400 towards a new tent.
Three teams, made up of 24 Scouts and Cubs, spent six hours in Somerfield Stores in St Mark’s Place, Newark, packing bags and helping to take shopping to their cars.
• Newark retailers have reported bumper Christmas trade, despite worries elsewhere in the country that an economic downturn was prompting shoppers to spend cautiously.
Traders in St Mark’s Place have recorded their best-ever results and the upturn in trade has been mirrored throughout the town centre at both multi-nationals and independent outlets.
• Plans have been drawn up that could lead to the conversion of Newark’s world famous School of Violin Making into a restaurant.
The Kirkgate building is run by Newark and Sherwood College, leased from Robinson Trust, but the application came as a complete surprise to college principal Mr John Gray, who had not been consulted.
He gave an immediate assurance there were no plans to close the school, regarded as one of the top four in the world.
• A study is to be carried out into the possibility of allowing watersports on Balderton Lake.
The activities would operate from an adventure base in a purpose-built pavilion fitted with lavatories and showers at the lakeside.
Activities would include sailing and canoeing.
50 years ago – December 29, 1973
ABOVE: Against the background of the fuel crisis, Southwell has gone festive with parties for schools and organisations.
Pupils at Southwell Holy Trinity School are pictured at their Christmas party. The school was short of solid fuel at the time, but supplies came through later in the week.
Each of the 168 children who attended Lowe’s Wong Infants’ School party received a bar of toffee and a present from Father Christmas, played games and had tea.
• An eleventh-hour reprieve has let Newark’s biggest firm off the half-time hook.
Ransome Hoffmann Pollard, employing more than 2,500, has been told that it will be exempt from the three-day working week imposed because of the power crisis.
The plant has been exempted because it is rated as a continuous process industry.
Newark’s Castle Brewery has been classified as a food manufacturing industry and is also exempt from three-day working.
• Newark postmen were able to keep their Christmas promise that all mail posted in reasonable time would be delivered.
Everything posted by noon on Christmas Eve was delivered for Christmas, except for a few items for rural areas served only by a morning delivery.
• Each of Caunton’s 52 old-age pensioners received a Christmas gift of £1 from money raised by various functions in the village.
The remainder of the money will be used to buy coal for the most needy in the village.
• Police are trying to trace a driver who chose Christmas Day – the only day of the year with no trains running – to abandon a stolen car on a railway line.
The car, which could well have caused a fatal accident on any other day of the year on the Nottingham to Lincoln line, was found about 30 yards from the Cottage Lane barrier crossing at Collingham.
100 years ago – December 26, 1923
Once again, the true Christmas spirit has been extended by generous people in Newark to the various institutions of the town.
The inmates of Phillypotts Bede houses have received gifts from the Mayor and Mayoress.
At the infirmary, Mr and Mrs Quibell have given gifts of cake.
• Owing to the moving of the Christmas market to Monday, 19 licensed victuallers applied to the Newark bench for an extension from 2.30pm till 4pm on Monday, this will take the place of the usual Wednesday extension.
Mr Knight said the bench were desirous of giving every facility to the public who would visit the town and the whole of the extensions would be granted.
This, however, must not be taken as precedent. It was only a special occasion at Christmas time.
• The visit of a team representative of either of the Nottingham clubs is always welcomed in Newark and one of the best gates of the season greeted Nottingham Forest on the Muskham Road Ground.
The encounter was with the Town in the first round of the Notts Senior Cup and since they won by the best of three goals, the Newarkers were well satisfied with their afternoon’s work.
• Actor Donald Woolfitt, home for the Christmas vacation, gave a dramatic recital to his Newark friends.
This took place at the Ossington and was much enjoyed by a large attendance.
• Southwell Nursing Association held its annual meeting in the Rumford Rooms. The report showed that at the present time there were 759 members, 624 of whom reside in Southwell.
