Monday November 7

1950: BBC West of England Light Orchestra will play at a concert of one of Reginald Redman's favourite types of programme planning, Music of The Sea with Frederick Harvey, and the Swindon GWR Male Voice Choir under the baton of conductor George Morse.

1960: Architectural Swindon may not be much, but I do think there is not any town which has quite so much life, said the poet John Betjeman. Mr Betjeman was responding to a toast for the visitors, at the 1960 celebration dinner held by Swindon Amateur Light Operatic Society at Swindon Town Hall. Deryck Johnstone a member of SALOS proposed the toast.

1970: Swindon couple Mr and Mrs Leslie Robinson are paying a special visit to Taunton in Somerset to see an exhibition of 40 paintings by their son Peter, who died of cancer. The exhibition has been sponsored by the Somerset Education Museum and Art Service. Peter was well known in Swindon for local dramatics, scouting and his work with St Saviour's Church.

Tuesday November 8

1950: Two years ago Audrey Lawrence of Milton Road, Swindon left the town to study at the London School of Dramatic Art, assisted by a grant from the Education Authority. Now she is back in Swindon and signed up for her first professional contract at the Playhouse Theatre with the Phoenix Repertory Company.

1960: The managing director of an Italian firm. Signor Luigi Tassara, saw the resistor he invented being manufactured at the Plessey Company's Kembrey Street factory in Swindon. Signor Tassara is among a group of directors and technical experts from France, Germany and Italy who are visiting the Plessey Company for a two-day conference.

1970: Entries for the Swindon Cage Bird Society Show was double those of last year, rising to over 1,000. The greatest increase was in the 16 years and under section. Budgerigars were the largest group followed by Canaries and then British and Foreign Birds. The show was held at the Mechanics Institute.

Wednesday November 9

1950: Among candidates for ordination at Salisbury Cathedral is Mr Charles Thomas Maslin, of St Philip's Road, Upper Stratton, Mr Maslin is a former chairman of Highworth Rural Council.

1950: McIlroys of Regent Street, Swindon have not acquired Gainsborough's famous painting Blue Boy. The remarkable copy now hanging in the store's restaurant was painted by local artist Herbert Hardy Middleton of Devizes Road, who lost an eye while serving in the forces in Gallipoli.

1960: 'Honest John' a three stage missile, 27ft long and weighing 5,000 lbs, was exploded over the Larkhill range, about five miles from its launching site at Alton Barnes. It is an American weapon with nuclear potential. This was the first time it had been exploded in this country although British troops fired it in Germany.

1960: Although the United States new president, John Kennedy, covered many miles in his pre-election campaign, there were 900 that he missed, tucked away in the Cotswolds. They, never-the-less, helped him reach the White House as the servicemen and their wives living at the Fairford USAF base took advantage of the voting facilities. Seven officers were on hand to supervise the polling.

1970: Marlborough Golf Course has been offered a provisional grant of £9,147 by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The grant is towards the estimated costs of extending the existing club house, a larger course from 9 to 18 holes, professionals fees, car park and maintenance equipment.

1970: An interpretor translated in sign language when the Mayor of Swindon Ald J W Pass opened a bazaar for the Deaf Association at Whitbourne House, Swindon. The mayoress was given a bouquet by Deborah Bayliss. The bazaar raised £97. The Mayor won a doll's cot, the second prize in a contest.

Thursday November 10

1950: In recognition of their long service to Swindon three men received the honourary Freedom of the Borough at a ceremony at the Civic Offices. The recipients were Mr S J Haskins a member of the town council for 35 years, Coun W R Robins, a council members for 31 years, and Mr J l Calderwood, a councillor for 27 years. The procession was led by the mayor of Swindon, Ald J Bond.

1950: Twelve-year-old Sheila Watkins of Limes Avenues, Swindon and Patricia Anderson of Cypress Grove, Swindon have been chosen to appear at the New Cross Empire in London, in the pantomime Red Riding Hood. Sheila also recently won a first in character dancing and national dancing at the Kingswood Eisteddfod in Bristol.

1960: Nicholas Stuart Gray, author of The Imperial Nightingale, the children's play which the Westcott Evening Institute Drama Group is presenting at the Arts Centre, has accepted an invitation from the group to come to Swindon and see them perform his play.

1960: Mr R E White, chairman of the social organising committee of the Swindon Music Festival, praised the adjudicator Daniel Roberts for ably presiding over children of all shapes and sizes who had competed in the recitation day. June Hogan was the best, he said.

1970: Johannesburg City Council has bought what is probably the oldest photographic negative in the world. The tiny blue paper negative, measuring three quarters of an inch by one inch was taken by British inventor W H Fox Talbot, acknowledged father of photography, about 135 years ago, of the West Window at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire.

1970: A gravel pit near the old cattle market at Lechlade is to be run by The Gloucestershire Trust for Nature Conservation who will pay Amey Gravel Ltd a nominal rent. It is part of the plan going ahead with the Cotswold Water Park and the organisation means to set aside adequate areas for nature reserves.

Friday November 11

1950: Baroness Nairne of Bowood Court, Calne, send a Sevres dessert service to Southerbys for auction. The Sevres porcelain was in turquoise blue painted with birds and bearing the cypher PLR, which is believed to be initials of Princess Louise de Rohan, for whom the service was made. It was sold for £1,050.

1950: Staff at Plessey Engineering Company, Swindon said farewell to popular personnel manager Mrs W L Kirk, who is leaving after 10 years at the factory to settle in Rhodesia. Mr J R Thomas, works manager and president of the social club, made the presentation to her of a cigarette case, silver powder compact, a cigarette lighter and cheque for £60.

1960: Nurse N L Sherrin has delivered 1,250 babies in the Wootton Bassett area. Wootton Bassett surgery was crowded when patients and friends gathered to express their appreciation for her long service to the community. Mrs Sherrin is retiring but remaining in Wootton Bassett. She became district nurse at Wootton Bassett 17 and a half years ago.

1960: David Layne's four goals interspersed by two from Ernie Hunt swept Swindon Town to their highest scoring FA Cup victory for 22 years, when they won 6-4 in an amazing first round replay at Bath.

1970: Pauline Chun, a friend of Lillian Board and a member of the Swindon Athletic Association, has become a local collector for the Lillian Board Fund. Lillian, Olympic silver medalist is undergoing cancer treatment at a German clinic. Pauline, 16, holds 22 athletic medals, herself and is a member of the London Olympiades where she received advice from Lillian. She will take the Swindon contributions to a meeting in London.

1970: John Kinson, 29, head of the lower school for Nythe and Covingham, Swindon's first all purpose-built comprehensive school, in his spare time, illustrates JRR Tolkien's famous book Lord of the Rings. He taught himself to draw at an early age. John usually only finds time to draw when he is watching TV. He drew murals on the walls of his old home and on the walls of his friend's flats but he hasn't had time yet to start on his Swindon home.

Saturday November 12

1950: After being greeted in true wolf cub fashion with a rousing pack howl, Sir Geoffrey and Lady Tritton opened the bazaar organised by the Swindon Scout Group in the Dowling Street Scout Hall. Proceeds will finance the scouts summer camp.

1950: Showers of poppy petals reminded congregations of the men and women who died for their country, and in Swindon the day was brought to a close at the Empire Theatre when a Festival of Remembrance was presented by No lll Group Wiltshire County British Legion. Veterans of both wars, the South African campaign, scouts and guides all took part.

1960: Sixty Walcot women decided to become the first members of the 2,248th branch of the Town's Women's Guild. Meeting in the estate's common room they agreed to form their own branch - the eighth in Swindon.

1960: The first headmistress of Drove Secondary School, Swindon, Miss M P McGrath, who is now a Government Schools' Inspector in Birmingham, returned to present prizes at the award prize giving in Central Hall. She recalled the pioneering days at Drove as a secondary modern school that had risen through the ranks of secondary schools, offering training for varied careers.

1970: Flt Sgt Philip Reynolds of Swindon ATC unit has won the Duke of Edinburgh Award. He was presented with the silver medal at the Upham Road ATC Centre by the OC 1244 (Swindon) Squadron Flt Lt Eric Hyde. Philip works as an apprentice at Pressed Steel and is the first cadet to win the medal.

1970: Composer David Gow is a teacher at The College, Swindon. He is to have three of his concert works performed in London. He moved to Aldbourne in April. He is now 46-years-old and has been composing for more than 25 years. His output includes chamber music, concertos and one symphony.