1968 'A year of decisions' summed up 1968. In February the Borough Surveyor, Mr John Knowles, announced a new town road plan. This was followed by much controversy, but the revised plan was overwhelmingly approved in November. Hopes were high that a start would be made on the Ravenseft scheme, but it was announced that revised plans had put the start off until the Autumn of 1969. A cut of 20 beds at Newbury District Hospital was announced, but a decision was deferred following local opposition. Arguments brewed over the plan of the local Education Executive to have sixth for work dealy with at St Barthlomew's Grammar School under the new comprehensive policy programme. The matter was handed over the the Secretary of State for final decision. The A4 between Calcot and Froxfield claimed 30 lives during the year, and in one black patch in November nine people were killed in six different accidents. Questions were asked in the House of Commons as part of a demand for a better road. Mrs Doris Page, the Newbury polio victim, was awarded the MBE in the New Year's Honours list. A mock battle in Newbury centre at Easter was staged by anti-Vietnam war demonstrators. Two forged £5 notes were handed in at Thatcham. Enborne Church realised that a silver goblet that had sat in the church for 300 years was worth £2,000. Foundations of the new telephone exchange were laid in May. The Bear Hotel at Hungerford was bought for £23,000. Commuter travel was disrupted by a nation-wide work-to-rule. Kingsclere Vicar's wife, Mrs Jean Shurlock, saved two village children from drowning in the Thames during a Sunday School outing. Camp Close tenants pressed the Town Council to bring forward the date for carrying out improvements from 1970. John Hodges and Alison Potter of Newbury arrived back safely from a visit to trouble-torn Czechoslovakia. September will long be remembered for the floods, when over 2in of rain fell in 48 hours and a thunderbolt fell a few feet from spectators at Newbury Racecourse. Donnington Castle Caravans pulled off a £1 million export order. Four hundred workers at the Command Ordnance Depot at Thatcham were told they would lose their jobs. Plenty's of Newbury merged with SPP.
1969 The year started with Panda police cars being introduced. Coun Jimmy Crowe announced a plan for a 200-seat theater at West Mills. A row over dangers to children in Kiln Road, Shaw, started with dark January mornings. The Government told Newbury Town Council that Camp Close must stay. Hopes that the Kennet and Avon Canal could be opened up between Newbury and Reading were held up by work on the M4. Six Pakistanis in one car were killed in the worst ever A4 crash. Rumours were rife that London's third airport might be planted at Greenham. Chilton Electrics were taken over in a £1/2 million deal. Antiques worth £20,000 were lost when fire swept throught the home of author Osbert Wyndham Hewett at Lambourn in April. Concern was growing among Newbury town councillors that there was still no start on the Ravenseft scheme. A big row started with the publication of the Maud Report on local government reform. A Lambourn church flagon fetched £15,000 at Christie's. A big open-air pop festival was held at Northcroft in July. At the end of July came the 'scoop' of the year when NWN released details of a secret plan to expand Newbury and the surrounding district by about 18,000 in the next 10 years. Mr Edward Short, Secretary of State for Education, announced plans for reorganisation of education in the Newbury area along comprehensive lines. A village plan to preserve Kintbury was published. It was announced that a £2 million 328-house estate would be built near Newbury racecourse early in 1970. Mr and Mrs Albert Childs, both over 80, were given a reprieve after being told they would have to move out of their Inkpen cottage. September saw the re-enaction of the First Battle of Newbury, a popular pageant at Newbury Agricultural Show, and Newbury's best-ever carnival. Police looked for a fire-raiser after three buildings in Bartholomew Street, Newbury, were burnt out. The town was told it would lose its quarter sessions. Combe gibbet was cut down again. A NWN survey revealed that Newbury shops were flouting the law over the sale of fireworks. Many schools were affected by teachers' strikes. The Rector of Newbury retired in November after 15 years in the town.
One photograph on the page - the Queen Mother unveiling a plaque as she opened Fair Close day centre in 1967. The plaque that was stolen earlier this year.
Ah, 1969, I remember it well. My father owned a limousine car hire business in London for a while, and used to transport around some worldwide celebrities. One of his clients was Sheikh Khalid, the ruler of Sharjah. Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi was ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates from 1965 to 1972. He was installed by British Forces after the removal of the previous ruler Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan who was his cousin and brother-in-law. He was a participant of the first union talks of the United Arab Emirates Federation. In 1972, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi was assassinated by the previous ruler in a bloody palace coup.
Anyway, Sheikh Khalid came to our house in Newbury on the weekend of the re-enactment of the Battle of Newbury (21st September 1969), and attended the re-enactment, with his minders and security staff. They had to arrange a roped off area, with special seating arrangements, and there were armed guards with him. We went to the enactment in limousines from our house, and were treated like royalty - well he was! I found it very embarrassing at the time. I had no car, as I had recently written off a 6 week old Triumph Vitesse, so was at my parents home at the time, and was therefore in the middle of this, and travelled to the event with the Sheikh himself. A while afterwards he presented all the family with gifts. I remember my father had an Akai reel to reel tape deck (expensive in those days), my mother had a gold watch with changable cases, and I had a mint stamp collection and album of all the stamps produced in Sharjah, including some which were imbossed on gold foil. I still have them to this day. My only regret - I did not get Sheikh Khalid to sign the album.
I also remember the fire in Bartholomew Street 31st September 1969). It damaged the Bricklayers, now the Purple Lounge, and spread right through to Cheap Street, damaging the launderette and a vacated tobacconists, which was opposite the post office. Luckily many of the cottages inbetween had been vacated in readiness for the Kennet Centre development, which had not yet started. Appliances from six stations attended, and two firemen were injured.
1969 a good year Reggae nights down the football club on Fridays. Saturdayswas roller disco in the Corn Exchange I dont know what year that finished.Saturday afternoons there was the Waterside Youth Club and the Tea Bar.Saturday nights you had the choice see bands like Mud ,Soul Reason or a disco down the Waterside.See bands like Jimmy Hendrix ,Geno Washington,Simon Dupree And The Big Sound (kites),The crazy World Of Arthur Brown (fire) or even Leapy Lee (little arrows)down at the plaza with George Shears on the door.or the ultimate night club in Newbury Burnetts up the Oxford road dancing to motown ,northern soul and reggae played by Dave Woodley the resident D.J. Sundays were a bit quieter with the cinema in the afternoon and Burnetts again sunday night. There were lots of charescters about in those days Sandy the tramp lovely old boy used to earn his keep clearing glasses in the Castle or any work he could find.Don Day the photographer for the Newbury Weekly,The Verger from St Nicks Church always selling something I bought my first scooter from him a Zundap Bella I think I paid £2 for it I wonder what its worth today
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