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50 years ago

1957 - August

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August 28, 1957

One of the closest contests for many years was seen at the annual swimming gala held by the Newark and district Boy Scouts' Association at Newark Pool on Thursday.

The Peter Blatherwick Cup for the troop gaining the most points in the gala went to the 8th Newark Scout team.

After the final event only four points separated the first three troops. Second to the 8th who had 24 points were the 5th Newark, with 22 followed by 6th Newark with 20 and Balderton with 15.

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So that two brothers who had not met for almost 20 years could spend a holiday together one of them, a Polish surgeon, flew to England. The other brother, who lives in Southwell, arranged to meet him at London Airport. But there they missed each other.

The Southwell man, Mr John Debiec, of Vicarage Road, checked the passenger list of his brother's flight and saw his name there - Tadeusz Debiec. He telephoned his wife's mother in Southwell and discovered that his brother had already arrived.

When they first met they hardly recognised each other. But one thing they did remember. When they were playing together as children Mr Tadeusz Debiec cut his leg on a pair of scissors. And he still has the scar.

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Ransome and Marles Fire Brigade won three challenge cups and six diplomas in firefighting competition at Gainsborough on Saturday. The competitions were open to the whole of England and 16 teams were competing.
 

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August 21, 1957

Mavis Doncaster (16) was in charge of a treasure hunt competition at South Clifton fete which was held on Saturday to raise money for the maintenance of the village hall. About £45 was raised.

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Ministerial approval announced for Nottinghamshire education committee's 1958-9 building plans means that £173,000 will be spent on Newark’s two grammar schools - probably without providing room for any more 11-plus pupils.

Both the Magnus Grammar School and the Lilley and Stone Girls' High School are to be substantially extended to bring them up to three-form-entry size.

But in numbers of pupils both the crowded schools are already more or less of that size. The big building plans will permit educational facilities to be brought up to the required standard for grammar schools.

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The surprise winners of Newark and District Lawn Tennis League's mixed doubles final on Saturday at Collingham were Maureen Creasey (17) and John Westbrook (16) both of the Bassingham Tennis Club. John was under-16 Lincolnshire champion in 1955.
 

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August 14, 1957

Nearly eight months after the escape of two dangerous criminal lunatics who terrorised the Newark district, Pc Bernard Briddon, of Newark, and Mrs Marjorie Emmeline Wagner, of Weston, on Friday received the Queen’s recognition of their bravery.

It was Mrs Wagner who after being threatened by two Rampton escapees with hatchets and a shotgun, gave them away to the police; and it was Pc Briddon who arrested the men in Newark. The story of their bravery was outlined by Mr J. E. S. Browne, Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire.

Mrs Wagner, he said, was subjected to "very serious and horrible threats of violence," and in spite of the men's threat to return in future and deal with her, she raised the alarm.

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Children in the playing field at Besthorpe dived flat on their faces yesterday evening when they saw a Vampire jet aircraft from Swinderby screaming straight towards them, but the plane crashed in a beet field just before reaching them. The pilot had already plunged to his death.

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Traders in King Street, Southwell, are up in arms over proposals to ban parking in their street. "It’s unfair," they say and "too drastic." King Street is the town's narrow main shopping street.

Nottinghamshire County Council have asked the Ministry of Transport for permission for a No Waiting area over a length of 170 yards in the street — the length where most of the shops are.

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August 7, 1957

A holiday crowd of more than 1,000 people saw the ceremony of Beating Retreat by the Pipes of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in Newark Market Place on Monday evening.

The visit was in consequence of the close association of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry and the Scots Guards formed during annual training on Salisbury Plain and in Tunisia during 1942.

The Guards were on their way to the Edinburgh Festival.

Eleven NCOs of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards paid their own fares to attend and visit Sherwood Ranger friends they made in camp.

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Smell of smoke enabled a Newark licensee's wife to give an early-morning alarm which saved one of the town's oldest hotels from possible destruction.

Fire which gutted a bedroom and put half the dining room out of action was prevented � just in time � from getting a firm hold on the hotel's timbers and wattle.

It was shortly after 6.30am on Saturday that Mrs. E. Edge, wife of the licensee of the Rutland Arms Hotel, Barnbygate, woke and smelled smoke.

Finding the upper floors of the hotel filled with smoke, she gave the alarm and telephoned Newark fire station.

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More than half the boys leaving school in the Newark district this year want to take up apprenticeships. But an increase in the number of school-leavers by 250 over the last two years means increased competition for jobs.

In 1955 there were 600 school leavers in the Newark district. This year it is estimated there will be 850.