From our Files: ‘Come here to die’… Dr Who at the wheel… abandoned child
75 YEARS AGO
THERE has been an overwhelming response to the appeal by Alderman Mrs Iris Nedderman for funds to purchase Laerdal suction units to be installed in ambulances used throughout the borough.
These provide a means of clearing airways of a person who may have been involved in an accident.
A coffee morning at the town hall raised much of the money needed and there were also donations, which brought the total amount to £176.
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THE New Milton British Legion Social Club presented Bobby Fraser’s “Box o’ Vestas” concert party at the Legion Hall.
This professional concert party, which gave a first-rate show, played before a disappointingly small audience, there only being about 40 people present.
The poor attendance was a big disappointment to the organisers, with Mr J. Everitt remarking that the “people of Milton just don’t want entertaining”, and that it seems that most of them just come here to die.
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AT the Labour Party conference at Scarborough last week, Dr. H. M. King, of Southampton who was labour candidate at the last election for the New Forest and Christchurch Division, had some strong words to say of the conditions in some of Hampshire’s rural schools.
Two-hundred schools, for instance, had earth-bucket sanitation and there were schools in some of the villages that had been on the Ministry’s blacklist for 25 years. One of them had been condemned during the first world war.
Dr King added: “In some of our infant schools, it is impossible for the children to do anything but sit; and activity, which is part of the children’s education, just cannot exist.”
50 YEARS AGO
DESPITE representations from Lymington Council, the new district council, comprising Lymington Borough, the New Forest RDC and part of Ringwood and Fordingbridge RDC – District No 7 – was to be called New Forest, Lymington’s Policy Committee heard at their last meeting.
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JON PERTWEE, known to millions as television’s ‘Dr Who’, is to open the two-day steam festival at Beaulieu..
It is expected that about 50 steam exhibits will be on view, dating from 1895, ranging from fire engines and fairground organs to road rollers, tractors, and traction engines. They will take part in a variety of manoeuvres and races.
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AN objection by Naish Estate Ltd to the proposal by Christchurch Council to construct a bastion at Chewton Bunny to halt erosion which threatens protection work they have carried out means that it cannot be built.
Since the land on which the bastion was to be erected was in the Borough of Lymington, the two councils had intended to carry out the work jointly. The proposal was originally made in July 1971, but was dropped when a similar objection was made by Naish Estate Ltd, on whose land the bastion would be.
25 YEARS AGO
HUNDREDS of people swarmed onto Milford village green for the annual May Day celebrations. There was a record turnout of 35 children for the fancy dress competition.
First place was awarded to ‘On a Bicycle Made for Two’ featuring ‘groom’ Sophia Watts, 4, and her sister Georgia, 2, as the bride.
Village bobby PC Mitchell made sure the two made safe passage through the crowds on the green. There were several brave and pathetic entrants for the knobbly knees competition, which was won by Dennis Warne.
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THREE one day rail strikes for 22nd May, 26th May and 1st June have been called off. South West Trains and rail union RMT confirmed that the strikes had been called off after the company had withdrawn proposals to alter the duties of train guards.
Both the company and the union said they had agreed to work together to find alternative ways of improving customer services for their passengers.
Brian Cox, chairman and managing director of South West Trains, said: “I am pleased we have resolved this potential dispute. We now want to work together with the RMT to improve the service provided for our passengers”.
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THE mother of a baby boy found abandoned in a New Forest car park probably needed urgent medical attention and was urged to come forward.
On Wednesday there was a 999 call from a distraught young woman saying a baby had been left in a picnic area at Wootton.
Local officers tried to pinpoint the location in the wooded area inside Brownhills car park. The child was eventually found when its cries alerted officers. It was well, wrapped up in a Babygro and blankets.
Det. Chief Inspector Dave Kilbride said: “This distraught young lady was clearly concerned that the child was found and we would like to reassure her the child is safe and well.”
