100 Years Ago

Chippenham - At the Belgian Refugees Club, the refugees celebrated the birthday of their heroic King in a fitting manner, though not in the the demonstrative and enthusiastic way they have been accustomed to before the Huns devastated their beautiful country. At the club hostel there was great delight that on the morning of the anniversary a girl was born to Mr and Mew Leeuw, who had been resident there since November last. The members of the committee presented to the residents of the hostel various delicacies, which were much appreciated.

Devizes - In consequence of a complaint made of the coldness of the courtroom at the sittings of the Devizes County Court in February, and of the stuffy and poisonous atmosphere caused by lighting the gas as a means (ineffectual) of supplementing the heat from the coal stove, the County Surveyor suggested to the Standing Joint Committee at its meeting yesterday the fixing of four water radiators, heated by gas, at a a cost of £22.

50 Years ago

Devizes - Three weird-looking 10ft-high columns standing in splendid isolation in the forecourt of Southfields, the Wiltshire County Council's new welfare home for the elderly in Victoria Road, will be missing when the Minister of Health performs the opening ceremony next week. On Tuesday, members of the Council's Welfare Committee and officials held a hurried consultation at the home and ordered their removal because they were "not in keeping" with the general appearance. The structures, made from a composite stone mixture, are interlaced with irregular holes filled with milt-coloured stained glass. How the structures came to be included, apparently against the wishes of the committee, is still a closely guarded secret.

Calne - Staff coming on duty on Tuesday at a warehouse owned by the Calne grocers, Wiltshire and Sons, fond that the premises - the old Calne Boy Scout Hall in Mill Street - had been entered and that about 40 bottles of soft drinks were either missing or left empty. Entry was gained by moving a board in a window. Intruders also gained entry to the Calne Co-operative Society's London Road branch by breaking a side window and £10 had been taken from tins used to house money for a Christmas club.

25 Years Ago

Corsham - Applications are continuing to pour in for the concessionary fares scheme operating in Corsham, and there is now no chance of a second lot of tokens being issued in October. 730 applications had been received so far, exceeding the 600 maximum limit set within the council's £3,000 budget. Applications are still being taken until the end of the month, although there was no guarantee they would all be successful. The council had to authorise purchase of a further £380 worth of tokens to meet the demand. The 50p tokens offer travel to the value of £5 on omnibuses and Badgerline buses for elderly or disabled people.

Lacock - Action is to be taken to stop flocks of pigeons causing further damage to Lacock church and other village buildings. The vicar is so concerned about the damage the pigeons are causing to St Cyriac's Church that he is calling on the parish council to do something about the messy problem. He said pigeon droppings were rotting lead and stone on the church roof and there had been several instances where pigeons had got inside the church, leaving behind a trail of mess. Other buildings affected include the tithe barn and the school. The council is looking at the situation.