What was making the news in the Newark Advertiser in 1924, 1974 and 1999
The Advertiser has opened its archives to look at what was making the news this week 25, 50 and 100 years ago.
February 19, 1999
ABOVE: The usual flips and flops of pancake day races were combined with cooking skills and party games in Southwell.
Members of Southwell Minster’s youth group, the Minsterels, threw dice to decide whose turn it was to make the pancakes during a party at Trebeck Hall.
It took an hour for the 16 children taking part to make and eat two pancakes.
Ian Baker, 11, and Philippa Gibb, 10, get set to toss their pancakes.
• A bungling thief caused a major gas leak in Newark town centre that could have triggered a huge fireball.
A crude attempt to steal a gas meter from the rear of the William Saunders Partnership offices on Castlegate only succeeded in fracturing the supply pipe.
The spark from a light switch could have been enough to trigger an explosion.
Disaster was only avoided by the prompt action of a passer-by who smelt it and called pipeline suppliers Transco.
• More than half a million pounds has been pledged by the Gateways to Newark Partnership to six projects aimed at helping to regenerate the town’s Northgate riverside area.
The biggest sum of £350,000 goes towards creating a £900,000 130-berth marina planned by British Waterways on a brownfield and washland site on the River Trent opposite the former Northgate brewery.
• Customers at Newark’s Carpet Mill on Northern Road listened to Aaron Foster, 6, sing Cher’s hit song I Believe.
Aaron had been the only boy to take part in a karaoke contest at the store the previous weekend. He was so disappointed when he heard that he had not won that staff decided to stage the event all over again especially for him.
Aaron was given games, sweets and a hi-fi to make up for his disappointment.
50 years ago – February 23, 1974
ABOVE: Marilyn Shereston, 18, of Russell Avenue, Balderton, turned film star when a BBC television crew visited the Little Chef restaurant at Cromwell.
The film sequence will be featuring Marilyn during a 20-minute broadcast as part of the schools programme Going To Work.
• Newark coal merchants were confident they could supply customers despite a rapidly deteriorating situation in other parts of Notts and Lincs as merchants’ stocks of domestic fuel run down.
“I think we have supplies for at least three weeks and I do not think the situation will become serious for us,” said Mr D. C. Howard, local secretary of the Coal Merchants’ Association.
Some merchants are rationing coal to about 5cvt a month for each customer, but they say this is more to stop people over-ordering rather than because they do not have coal.
• A Newark Market Place bakers’ shop with a 206-year history, whose confectionery was “By appointment” to King Alfonso XIII of Spain, is to close to make way for the town’s new shopping centre.
Oldhams (Caterers) are to operate only from their Middlegate shop and leave their historic roots behind.
The famous 8ft 6ins frontage in the corner of the Market Place will probably become an entrance to the new shopping centre.
The shop and Blue Room restaurant will close in March.
• National champion Bob Foulds, of Leeway Road, Southwell, gained his expected win in the Southwell heat of the annual pipe-smoking competition – but it was new member Mrs Margaret Broadberry, of Winkburn, who made the talking point.
She entered with her husband John and two sons and beat all the family, claiming second place among the 12 competitors.
She kept her pipe puffing away for 84 minutes in the competition run by the Southwell branch of the Pipe Club of Great Britain at Southwell Rugby Club.
She does not normally smoke a pipe and only has the occasional cigarette.
• New car parking space has been provided at the back of Newark’s Corporation-owned Northgate House at a cost of £10,000.
The premises are used by an old people’s club, the Air Training Corps and the Girls’ Venture Corps.
100 years ago – February 20, 1924
Several applications were heard by the Borough magistrates for alterations and additions to the hours of licensing in the borough.
The most important was one on behalf of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association for a universal alteration on market day – Wednesday.
Mr R. A. Young, on behalf of the association, applied for a special order exemption, enabling them to stay open from 10.30am to 4pm on Wednesdays only.
Last year the application was made and the Bench gave certain houses an extension until 3pm, being largely influenced in that by the existence or otherwise of stabling accommodation.
He submitted that now so many travellers came into the town by car that was not necessary.
Mr Harry Barratt, of the Saracen’s Head, corroborated this and added that stabling accommodation was not now necessary.
The Bench’s decision was that the existing hours should remain, but apply to all houses.
• The Committee of the Young Helpers League, in connection with Dr Barnardo’s Homes, organised a social for the very young at the Palace Cafe.
After a dainty tea, over 30 small children kept the grown-ups busy with games and singing until 7.30pm when all went home tired but happy.
• An address on Vegetarianism As A Common-sense Philosophy Of Life was given by Mr Frank Wyatt, of the London Society, to the newly-formed Newark Vegetarian Society.
• The interest evinced by ladies in the game of bowls is further shown by the formation of the Merelina Ladies’ Bowling Club.
The ground is situated in Lombard Street amid pretty surroundings and experts state that there is ample room for 40-45 players.