THIS week in 1969, the biggest story in the Adver came from Castle Combe – the pretty village rather than the nearby motor racing circuit.

Regional television company ATV was making what is now a long-forgotten musical special called The Pea Picker in Piccadilly.

It starred Tennessee Ernie Ford, who would live until 1991 and is mostly remembered for his rendition of 16 Tons.

Also at Castle Combe for filming were Monkee Davy Jones, ex-Goon and future Songs of Praise presenter Harry Secombe, brilliant comic actor Terry-Thomas and the Irving Davies Dancers.

As if that were not enougn glamour, we added: “Peapicker in Piccadilly is being filmed in colour...”

Closer to Swindon, a nearby community was about to disappear beneath the M4. There were no objections from residents because the last ones had moved out well over a millennium earlier, but plenty of archaeologists thought it was a shame.

We wrote: “How many people live near Durocornovium without knowing it? And how many people know that Durocornovium will disappear forever when the M4 is finally completed.

“Durocornovium lies beneath half a dozen fields on either side of Ermin Street on the way to Wanborough, a Roman settlement that was founded some 19 centuries ago.

“But now, within months, what is left of the town will simply be buried when the 20th Century roadmakers move in.

“An archaeological excavation of the site ended this weekend after six weeks of working against the clock. Eighty university students, Swindon schoolchildren, overseas visitors and other helpers worked for eight hours a day to uncover as much Roman history as possible.

“They were led by their director, Mr John Wacher, a lecturer in archaeology at Leicester University.”

We pictured a pipe-smoking Mr Wacher as he sifted artefacts in an old fruit box, and another image clearly showed the foundations of buildings and the outlines of pathways and yards. Larger finds included the remains of what may have been a baker’s shop complete with millstone.

We added: “Roman pottery has been unearthed in large quantities from the site, and many bronze coins have turned up. All will eventually go to the Swindon Museum.”

Back in Swindon, a Butterworth Street senior citizen called Nellie Evans was photographed with what in 1969 was a rare and exotic plant. It bore a vegetable few Britons had heard of, let alone tasted.

“Ten years ago,” we said, “she spent two years in California, USA, staying with her cousin, who emigrated from Swindon as Miss Mary Hughes about 60 years ago and who is now Mrs Siderakis.

“While there, Mrs Evans developed a craving for a vegetable called summer squash.

“It is a member of the marrow family, green, about the size of a tomato, with a fluted edge, like a flower.

“Since her return she has been searching for squash in vain.

“In the end, her cousin in California sent her some seeds and suggested she tried growing summer squash herself.”

Over in Aldbourne, eight of the village’s young men brought Wiltshire a new world record to add to a collection already including – we said – see-sawing, marathon bingo and oil drum-squatting.

“The new record,” we added, “is for bathtub-paddling.”

The eight-strong team from the local Methodist Youth Club spent 48 hours sailing tin baths on the village pond in aid of youth club funds.

The paddlers were Brian Slade, Ron Morley, Sean Gilligan, Ken Read, Richard Williams, David Keen, Michael Fuller and Alan Turpie, and we’d be interested to hear from any of them.

We’d also be interested to hear from Joan Ray, Dianne Beard and Janet Wilkins, who were photographed after coming first, second and third respectively in the Plessey Personality Girl competition.

The beauty pageant was held at the Plessey Sports Ground during the electronics firm’s annual gala.

Attractions included music, a dog show, a photographic exhibition, sports competitions and a garden show with classes for dozens of blooms, vegetables and fruit species.

There was also a stuntman: “A bizarre event which attracted a large crowd of onlookers was the high diving act.

“A masked figure stood on a 60ft platform, set fire to himself with a flaming torch and dived through a sheet of flames into a pool 12ft in diameter and 5ft 8ins deep.

“According to the announcer, the temperature around the diver’s body was 250F and the force of impact was one ton.”

Sadly, we didn’t manage to get a shot of the fiery plunge.

In other news...

MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1969: “A PROTEST by a village shopkeeper has made Fairford Parish Council back down from their decision to leave Concorde 002 out of the local guidebook. They had decided that the RAF aircraft, which is based at Fairford during air trials, was not a local amenity – and wanted the guidebook to concentrate on village attractions like the 16th Century church. But now they have changed their minds thanks to Miss Heather Powell, who runs a confectionery shop and news agency in the High Street. Miss Powell, who is 39, said: “I immediately got in touch with the parish council chairman and told him what I thought about it.” 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1969: “ICE cream vendors who use chimes to attract customers are to be threatened with a 30-year-old by-law unearthed for the parish council by Highworth Rural Council. This came to light at last night’s meeting of the parish council at the Ellendune Hall. The by-law says that if anyone makes a noise loud enough, long enough or often enough in a public place, annoying residents, he can be prosecuted two weeks after being served with a notice asking for the noise to be stopped, signed by three householders.” 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1969: “AN RAF apprentice from Swindon left yesterday on a mountaineering expedition which may include an attempt to scale the highest mountain in Austria, the 12,500ft Gross Glockner. He is Craft Apprentice Allan Peacock, who is stationed at RAF Cosford and whose home address is in Mulberry Grove, Pinehurst. Like the other five members of his party he is an experienced mountaineer, and working for his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.” 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1969: “TWINS are said to be closer than most brothers and sisters, but when Swindon twin sisters spend their next birthday together, their 67th, on Wednesday, it will be the first time they have done so in 52 years. One, Mrs Lucy Pound, of Cheney Manor Road, has lived in Swindon most of her life. The other, Mrs Emily Hoddinot, met a man from Weston-super-Mare on holiday, married him and lived there until they moved to Portishead. As Emily and Lucy Horne of Gooch Street, they parted when they left school to go into service, one in London and the other in Birmingham. They have since met, but only briefly each time because of their family ties.” 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1969: “A SWINDON rabbit enthusiast, Mr Stanley Osborne of Cricklade Road, has reared a baby wild rabbit which his cat brought in. This was no mean feat, for he says that most wild rabbits are so terrified in captivity that they soon die. But Mr Osborne has a gentle touch with rabbits – four months ago he reared three premature babies on a doll’s bottle when their mother rejected them.”