April 28, 1954

First of the finalists in the Queen of the Dukeries contest run by Newark Division Conservative Association is raven-haired, hazel-eyed June Marshall, one of a family of 14.

Miss Marshall, who lives at Sutton Road, Beckingham, and works for Newark Egg Packers, was chosen at a dance in Coddington's Coronation Hall on Friday.

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More than two-thirds of the staff of Newark's cinemas were present at the public meeting at the Town Hall last Wednesday which voted by 133 to 40 in favour of Sunday cinemas.

The remaining third, who kept the three cinemas running, were mostly people who, either because they were under age or because they lived outside the borough, were not eligible to attend.

Strict arrangements were made to ensure that only registered electors were admitted to the meeting. Even the circuit manager of Star Cinemas, Mr A. J. Brown, who had travelled over from Sheffield, was unable to get in.

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Most Newark schoolchildren, who will be returning to school tomorrow after the Easter break, will have only one complete week at school before they break up for Whitsun.

They will have holiday days, for various reasons, in each of the next four weeks. On May 7 schools will be closed for Newark Agricultural show.

The following Thursday, schools which are used as polling stations in the municipal elections will be closed all day.

Newark Athletic Association's sports are on May 20, and Newark District education committee agreed six weeks ago that children should have a holiday then.

April 21, 1954

Started on the last day of 1953, the new Alexander School at Winthorpe Road, Newark, may be in use after the summer holidays.

Progress on the site vividly illustrates the post-war revolution in school building - the prefabricated method means that glass is in the windows before the roof is on.

It is already clear that the children who will go to this school will work in spacious wide-windowed classrooms, always bright and airy.

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More cars went through Newark during the week-end than in any Easter holiday since the war.

On Monday morning vehicles were passing a check point on the Fosse Way at the rate of 1,800 an hour - an average of one every other second.

And there were no serious accidents. Fine weather brought the cars out.

This Easter, later than any since 1946, was - for a change - completely rainless and generally sunny and warm.

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Although the meeting at Newark Town Hall to discuss the possible Sunday opening of cinemas in the town has been called a public meeting, not all members of the public will be admitted.

It is this meeting which, in theory, will decide whether or not Newark is to have Sunday cinemas - and such a decision can only be made by the Local Government electors of the borough.

Since voting will probably be by show of hands, admittance to the meeting has to be restricted to electors - not necessarily rate-payers.

April 14, 1954

During the next year it is hoped to start a number of Young Farmers' Clubs in schools.

The proposal for a district of school clubs and junior sections is contained in the annual report, to be presented at the annual meeting of the Nottinghamshire Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs.

In the report the county organiser, Mr C. David Edgar, stated that an application for a grant from the Kellog Fund has been submitted to the National Federation for the furthering of the school clubs scheme.

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Barrow-in-Furness will soon have a new £100,000 gas works of revolutionary design - thanks to Newark ingenuity.

It was revealed yesterday that the North Western Gas Board had awarded to the Newark firm, Tully Engineering Co, Ltd, the contract for a completely new gas works.

The works will be unlike that in Newark or most other towns, for it will incorporate the Tully Complete Gasification Plant, which is capable of turning even low-grade coal into gas with no residue of coke.

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Mrs. H. S. Richards, Superintendent of the Newark St John Ambulance Nursing Division is leaving for Malaya with her husband, and she is being transferred to the St John Ambulance Brigade out there.

April 7, 1954

When a public meeting discusses the Sunday opening of cinemas in Newark, no formal opposition will be lodged by the Ministers' Fraternal - the organisation of local Anglican and Free Church clergymen.

But they ask that there should be no performances during the afternoons and also that the shows should not start too early in the evening. They suggest that, if possible, films should be selected which are suitable for Sunday exhibition.

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Newark Road Safety Council was told that its resolution passed earlier this year asking the Minister of Transport to expedite the introduction of two red rear-lights on all vehicles, had resulted in the introduction date being brought forward one year. It would now become law on October 1, 1956. It was stated that the two lights must work independently so that if one fused, it would not affect the other.

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Twenty-years-old L/Cpl James Pearson of the Military Police is back in his Chapel Lane, Farndon, home, after the Empire Windrush tragedy.

After being ordered to abandon ship, Cpl Pearson was in the sea for three quarters of an hour.

He was later picked up by HMS Triumph. Cpl Pearson was among the last survivors to arrive in England by plane on Friday.