WE look back at what happened on over the decades, as reported in the Advertiser

Tuesday, August 23

1950: The first case of polio myalitis, a six year old child from Dryden Street, has been confirmed in Swindon. Both this child and another one aged 11, who is under observation as a suspected case, have been removed to the Isolation Hospital.

1960: Dredging operations at Coate Water have been held up due to the absence of a bull dozer. Two traction engines have been waiting at Coate. As the lake is dredged, the mud is to be put on the banks of the lake. A trench needs to be dug by a bulldozer to receive it. The bulldozer was supposed to go straight to Coate following a previous job but had to go in for repairs.

1970: Among the guests at the wedding of actor Peter Sellers and Wiltshire's Miranda Quarry were Captain and Mrs Freddie Barker of Lushill House, Hannington. The architect of Lushill worked for Capt Barker’s parents’ stud farm at Wanborough. The bride was the step daughter of Lord Mancroft of Brook House, Great Somerford and Mrs Barker was his sister. Peter Sellers was godfather to their son George.

Wednesday, August 24

1950: If the St John spirit could pervade the world at the present time, its present trouble would be saved, said Mr A S Quartermaine, at the Swindon Arts Centre. The Chief Engineer of BRWR was presenting prizes, trophies and awards to more than 400 members of the St John Ambulance Association Swindon No 3 Division. The Mayor and Mayoress of Swindon, Alderman and Mrs Bond were among the guests.

1950: The recent completion of alterations to the Bath Road and Pewsey Road entrances to Marlborough High Street has set the town council officials an unusual problem. It concerns the future of a brown Sarsen stone which stood originally at the Pewsey Corner. Local lore says a stone, now dumped near the River Kennet, comes from Thomson's Stile on Granham Hill. In 1737 a poet called Thomson wrote a poem on the stile.

1960: Melanie Lock, of Woods End, Albourne, is well known to Swindon Musical Festival audiences. Now the 15-year-old is well known to music fans in Bognor Regis, as she won first prize, a free week's holiday and cash, for her singing in a talent contest at the holiday camp. She has qualified to compete in the finals next month.

1960: Plans for this year's Press Ball are underway following the success of last year's ball, which was the first held in Swindon for several years. Swindon and North Wiltshire journalists have decided to make Swindon Town Hall the venue again this year. They are hoping to top last year, when they raised £140 for newspaper charities.

1970: A special youth service held at St Augustine's Church, Rodbourne, was the first of its kind at the church. The service had uptempo hymns, a dramatised reading and Gospel/folk singing by Jill Coombes. A talk was given by the Rev Bill Douglas, chaplain of the Cotswold County Approved School at Ashton Keynes.

1970: A young, Swindon third year student, Robert Secret, 21, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music, has won the Ernest Read prize - the Academy's major conducting prize. Robert is a former Commonweal School pupil and the son of Kenneth Secret, headmaster of Pinehurst School. Robert was taught by international conductor Jean Fournet.

Thursday, August 25

1950: An informal party of 26 members and friends of the Swindon Business and Professional Women's Club was held in Marlborough to greet Miss Caroline McArthur and Miss Christiana Johnson, members of the Winnipeg Club in America. The visitors attended the dinner while they were spending a few days in Swindon.

1950: The British racing motor, known as the BRM, is making its first appearance racing at Silverstone. It is expected to strike the Continentals back on their heels but money is needed, so a British Racing Motor Association is being formed. In charge of the Swindon branch is Charles Austin Fletcher of Lloyds Garage, Shrivenham Road, Swindon.

1960: A falling chimney meant the end of an era in Swindon's history as the last six houses in John Street came tumbling down for a team of demolition workers. Two contractors have been demolishing about 60 terraced houses. The area is included in the Swindon central redevelopment plan. The terraced properties, built in 1871, will be replaced by a two-storey car park and form part of the Parade shopping centre.

1960: Members of North Wiltshire Division of the British Red Cross provided a warm reception for a party of British, American, Canadian and Belgian refugees fleeing from the Congo, when they arrived at RAF Station Lyneham. The society has played an important role in the evacuation of refugees from the Congo.

1970: Wanborough's annual show was hampered by heavy rain, delaying some of the horse show events and getting visitors racing for shelter. However there was a steady flow of visitors and attractions for everyone including miniature railway, baby show, display of vintage cars and a fun fair.

1970: Fireman Sidney Wiggins of High Street, Cricklade, received his Queen's Medal for 20 years exemplary service from Wiltshire Chief Fire Officer, Mr W J Chadwick, at a ceremony in Cricklade Fire Station Friday August 26 1950: Michael Hillier, son of the principal of the Hillier Funeral Service, Victoria Road, Swindon, has just been appointed an official examiner for the British Institute of Embalmers. He qualified by passing a four-part examination.

1950: Mr H Yeates of Linden Avenue, Swindon has 'a garden with a blaze of bright colour on a green background' which won him the first prize (West Ward) in the Wiltshire Herald Front Garden and Window Box Competition.

1960: Mr Jock Robinson has his work as his hobby. He is a founder member of the Swindon Model Railway Club and is now its president. He has been building locomotive models for more than 50 of his 62 years. His job is Model Engineer for British Rail Western Region. He spends his days hunting, valuing or servicing railway relics. He lives at Ponting Street, Swindon where he repairs or renovates model locos.

1960: Children who have been assigned to Swindon's new Park Grammar School will not be starting their school life in the new school premises. It will be a couple of weeks before the building is ready to receive them. Instead pupils will start at the Euclid Street School.

1970: Another industrial dispute hit Plessey and Company in Swindon when Garrards workers, estimated by union officials to number more than 1,000, walked out over the sacking of 10 men. The trouble spot was Garrards 103 factory at Cheney Manor where the men assemble line fenders.

1970: Mrs Iris Ritchings hobby was rewarded when her youngest whippet puppy, Willpat Cheri Bon, won several trials a Swindon Dog Show. The seven-month-old bitch collected trophies for best novice whippet, best of breed, best puppy in show, best puppy bitch. This was the puppy's first time at a show.

Saturday, August 27

1950: Entering the Royal Navy as an artificer apprentice in 1943 Alan John Stafford of Kingshill Road, Swindon, has just got his commission as a Sub Lieutenant. For two years he served in the Mediterranean on HMS Liverpool, flagship of Lord Louis Mountbatten.

1950: Experts expect great things from Roy Warren, the 15-year-old from Sandford Road. The school boy champion swimmer of Wiltshire gave an exhibition swim watched by hundreds of boy scouts and cubs at the North Wiltshire Boys Scouts Association Swimming Sports.

1960: Greetings from Brighton Silver Threads were delivered by Mr and Mrs Geal to members of the North Ward Club at their meeting in Swindon. Wootton Bassett Threads Choir, with Mrs I Vance the pianist, entertained.

1960: A Tornado 10ft wide and 100ft high knifed through Wanborough Show Ground leaving chaos in its wake. 300 people who were spending the day at the village's annual show scattered as the whirlwind descended and churned across the field. Competing riders were thrown from their horses and one corner of the refreshment tent which was 20ft high collapsed and two giant support poles fell.

1970: Wroughton Labour Party have been told by the organisers of the Brian Tilley Memorial Fund that the memorial will take the form of a rose garden to be laid out at the old people's houses in Church Walk, Devizes. The Wroughton meeting was presided over by Mr R Smith.

1970: Swindon school girl Hayley Davies, nine, has made better use of her long summer holiday than most of her contemporaries. Hayley, who lives in Thames Avenue, Greenmeadow, has been bitten by the crochet bug and spent much of her spare time making ponchos for her family. She has even made herself a crochet dress.