Monday, May 16

1949: During the 60-minute freak electrical storm lighting struck a house in Blunsdon and ignited gas from a fractured pipe. High tension cables were also hit by lightning, one at Haydon Wick burst in to flames. Many houses were blacked out.

1959: The Freedom of the Borough is being conferred on the Wiltshire Regiment today. It grants the Regiment the right to march through the town with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating, and bayonets fixed. It is the last time Swindon will see the Wiltshires on parade, for next month they will be amalgamated with the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

1979: One petrol station was closed today and another expected to run out of fuel as a strike by Esso tanker drivers began to bite in Swindon. The drivers of Essos' Avonmouth depo - serving the Mid West - walked out yesterday. The dispute adds to the fall in supplies caused by the Iran crisis.

Tuesday May 17

1949: Trevor J L Moulding of Cricklade Road, Upper Stratton, a former pupil of Headlands Grammar School, now in his second year at University College London, coxed his Eight to victory in the University of London Allom Cup Regatta at Chiswick.

1959: A full church watched the dedication of a new organ at St Saviour's Church, Swindon, by the Bishop of Bristol the Rt Rev O S Tomkins. After the dedication service the guest organist, Mr W E Gulvin, director for a firm of organ builders, gave a recital. He was supported by St Saviour's Church Choir.

1979: Swindon's supergroup XTC hit the high spot tonight when they appear on television's Top of the Pops. The band will play their new single, Life Begins At The Hop, written and sung by the bass player Colin Moulding. It is the first time the new look XTC will have appeared on TV with guitarist Dave Gregory.

Wednesday, May 18

1949: An exhibition by members of the British Rail (Western Region) Staff Association (Swindon Division) Women's and Photographic Sections was opened at The Institute, Bridge Street, Swindon, by Mrs H W Gardner. The exhibition is of needlework and photography.

1949: Preliminary plans for the holding of a weekend dramatic school in Swindon, a theatre exhibition, theatre visits and a social and dance were approved at the annual meeting of the Swindon and District Theatre Guild at the Arts Centre.

1959: An object, like a flying saucer, appeared to be photographing South Marston airfield last night, at Lower Stratton, a man told the Evening Advertiser. Mr A H Whiting of Wanborough Road, saw the object just as he passed over the Stratton Park Railway Bridge. He said it was a silver object that looked like a helicopter without rotors.

1959: The foundation stone of the new chapel at the Convent of St Clotilde, Lechlade, was laid by Father Joseph O'Donnell of St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Cirencester, assisted by Father E McSweeney. The foundation stone, made of Clipsham stone, was marked with five crosses. In the afternoon a fete was held with a fancy dress parade to mark the occasion.

1979: Vickers Hydraulics Division will axe 250 jobs at their South Marston plant, they have revealed, in a desperate attempt to cut their losses. But the 800 strong workforce says they will fight the redundancy plans all the way. Vickers has been making a loss with their Fluid Power operations, formerly hydraulics, for five years.

1979: Top local government officers see Thamesdown as one of the great successes of the past few years. The borough council have achieved progress at the biggest level, said Sir Duncan Lock, Chairman of the Association of District Councils, at the Mayor's Dinner held in Burmah House.

Thursday, May 19

1949: The speed and efficiency of the workers in your country greatly impressed me, said a tribute from Mr Wibye, the director of Miss, Verft and Dokk, one of Norway's biggest ship building firms, when he visited the Marine Mountings factory at Wroughton with a party of 45 Norwegian engineers. The visitors are on a five-day tour of UK.

1949: Ray Barlowe, the Swindon-born West Brom Albion's professional footballer and Swindon and Wiltshire County cricketer, is to have a trial with Warwickshire. Arrangements for Barlowe to join the MCC ground staff at Lords fell through. Wiltshire County Cricket has been anxious to get Barlowe established at Lords so he could still play for his home county, but if he makes the grade with Warwickshire then Wiltshire will loose his services.

1959: A Swindon man who tried his hand at farming, foundry working, and clothing trade was today appointed Mayor of the Borough. He is Ald F D Jefford of Bath Road, Swindon, who first became member of the town council in 1941. The appointment was made at the annual mayor making ceremony held in the Civic Offices.

1959: More than 2,000 people flocked to Wroughton's Weir Field to support a fete, organised by the Ellendune Hall Committee to raise money towards the buying of the hall, for the use of village organisations. The committee needs £5,000 to buy and maintain the hall, and so far they have raised £120 in house to house collections.

1979: Two chief technicians from RAF Lyneham have set out on a deep water sailing expedition that will take them across the Atlantic to the USA. Graham Vaughan of Saffron Close, Wootton Bassett, and Mike West of Shalbourne Road, Calne, are part of the 10-man team of officers and airmen on the trip.

1979: Monty the python slithered into Park South Junior School to make friends with the pupils in Class Eight.

The Swindon youngsters are working on a wild life project and so young Dan Sawyer decided to bring it more to life. He brought along his boa constrictor, Noah, and two Indian pythons, Monty and Samantha much to the delight of the children.

Friday, May 20

1949: About 150 people attended a dance organised by the 651 LAA Regiment Royal Army and (Territorial Army) R Battery at the Prospect Drill Hall, Swindon. Music was played by the Empress Band and among those present was the Regiment's commanding officer, Col G C Bloxham and the R Battery commanding officer Major K Paton. The dance was to encourage recruitment.

1949: The The distinction held by Swindon of having provided the only two English singers to appear at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York was commented on by Arthur Carron when he spoke about the experience to members of the Rotary Club of Swindon in his talk Ten Years In The US.

1959: The caretaker of Marlborough Town Hall has been asked to report any damage which comes to his notice to the dance floor, caused by the steel heels of women's stiletto dance shoes.

1959: Two friends from Wiltshire are preparing a special load which is to be dropped by parachute in a training exercise over Cyprus. Corporal Carl Borresen, a regular soldier with the Royal Army Ordinance Corp, of Beech Avenue, Swindon, and Private Roy Sloan a regular soldier with the Second battalion, the Parachute Regiment, of Thames Close, Cricklade, are preparing the drop, which will take place over a dusty plain a few miles west of Nicosia. The special drop including a truck and fully loaded trailer, will fall under a cluster of eight 40ft parachutes.

1979: More than 8,000 people flocked to Wootton Bassett for the biggest and most colourful carnival they town has ever had. The procession included ponies, a shire horse, four bands, 42 vehicles, drum majorettes and 12 entries on foot. Radio One DJ Noel Edmonds was in the town on a visit and sent his special congratulations to Wootton Bassett on the show. £540 was collected from the procession.

1979: Andrew Day, 14, a pupil at Moredon School, and a member of the Swindon Young Band, won the gold medal in the solo brass instrumental class at Cheltenham Festival. Rodbourne Primary School Swindon, won a trophy in the Under-12 brass ensemble.

Saturday, May 21

1949: One thousand old age pensioners and disabled people will again be catered for by the Swindon Council for Social Services at its annual gathering in the band enclosure in the Town Gardens. Churches, sisterhoods and other organisations have been invited to send in the names of members wishing to attend. Pensioners will be conveyed by Corporation transport.

1949: Mrs O Nicholas, chairman of the Women's Section of the Upper Stratton Labour Party, who has been elected to the Parish Council, is the fifth woman to gain that distinction in Stratton St Margaret. In 1925 Mrs LK A Iles became the first woman to break down the strong hold of men.

1959: The last of the Gentleman Jockeys is ill in St Margaret's Hospital, Stratton. Herbert Randall, 82, from Croft Road, Swindon has a chest complaint. He rode his first race as an amateur in 1901. The following year he became a professional and rode the famous three-year-old mare Sceptre winning both the 2,000 and 1,000 guineas in one week. He was also keen to embrace horse power and was one of the first Swindon people to own a motor car.

1959: Songs and dances by the Swindon Juveniles entertained Morris Street, Swindon Silver Threads. They were led by Margaret Townsend and accompanied by Mrs M Bell. Maureen White was the guest artist.

1979: Patsy-Anne Owen, 15, of St Philip's Road, Upper Stratton, won cups for two vocal solos at Trowbridge Music Festival. Nicola Ball, 12, of Ridgeway Close, Moredon, took a cup for vocal soloists under 13 and came first in the folk singing under 15 class.

1979: The 23-year-old daughter of Wiltshire, MP Charles Morrison, Annabel, was married to a Honk Kong ship broker Michael Stapleton. The bride's parents live at Milton Lilbourne near Marlborough. The reception was held at Fonthill House, home of Annabel's grandfather, Lord Marsadale. She was given away by her father who is MP for Devizes. The couple will live in Hong Kong.