100 Years Ago.

CALNE: The generosity of the people of Calne in response to an appeal for HRH Princess Mary’s fund, for supplying Christmas gifts to sailors and soldiers, may be judged from the fact that a cheque for £29 5s was forwarded to Buckingham Palace on Monday. The list of individual subscriptions contains 79 names, and the amounts vary from two guineas to one shilling. Besides these there was a large number of small sums collected by the ladies.

DEVIZES: Owing to the prevalence of diptheria in Devizes, it has been decided by the County Medical Officer of Health to close the public elementary schools in Devizes until the 30th. Southbroom schools had already been closed four weeks; on the 9th inst the town schools also were closed for a fortnight. Now the closure for the latter period becomes general.

50 Years Ago.

BROMHAM: By helping plant trees on a new council housing estate, the children of Bromham were encouraged to assist in their preservation for future generations. More than 100 children from the Bromham Church of England and County Primary schools gathered on an open space at the Highfield Estate, just off the main Devizes to Chippenham road, at a special ceremony.

MARLBOROUGH: Following months of delay due to interior fitting difficulties, Marlborough’s new public library – which has cost Wiltshire County Council more than £10,000 – will be opened next month. The new premises is in the 100-year-old St Peter’s School at the lower end of High Street and it is hoped the Marquess of Ailesbury will perform an official ceremony next spring.

25 Years Ago.

CASTLE COMBE: Landlords in Castle Combe are campaigning to have street lights installed on a dark hill leading to the village centre. But the call has caused friction at nearby Whitegates housing estate where the residents’ request for street lighting was refused by North Wilts District Council because there was no speed limit on the estate. Whitegates residents say if lights are to go on the hill, they should also be put on the estate, where many elderly people live.

POTTERNE: Wiltshire Scouts are halfway to completing their new £160,000 headquarters and training centre at Potterne. A major contribution to the £60,000 still needed to complete Project Potterne, as the scheme is being called, has been a raffle run by county scouts over a thee-month period with a first prize of a new Renault Campus car. In total it raised £32,000 and after all expenses and prize money was paid, £26,000 went to Scout funds.