Monday December 7

1948: Workmen began work on demolishing the old Congregational Church and Sunday School at the junction of Victoria Road and Bath Road in Swindon. Owing to the war, the widening of the road had been held up, until now.

1958: At a meeting of the Swindon Debating Society, Harold Jolliffe, the Swindon Borough's Chief Librarian and general editor of the Swindon Review, was opposed by an unsuccessful contributor, Mr A S McRae, from the Swindon Writers' Circle, who put forward the motion that "This house regrets the Swindon Review.'' The motion was defeated by a narrow margin of eight votes to six.

1978: Florists George Davis and Son from Swindon have been running a shop aboard the cruise liner QE2 for the past 18 months. They have been doing brisk business ever since. Two lucky members of staff will be leaving for New York to join the ship and travel round the world, working on board the famous liner.

Tuesday December 8

1948: Swindon, where there are 2,000 people on the waiting list for houses, is to be allowed to build 70 new houses during 1949. None of the houses can be built by private enterprise. Up to now the Council have completed 100 aluminium and 100 Arcon temporary bungalows, 50 Howards, 410 BISF and 92 traditional houses. The number of men employed was 138.

1958: Twenty-four mothers, fathers, wives and sweethearts of servicemen from Swindon and district, who are serving in Cyprus, met at the Palace Cinema in Swindon, to record Christmas messages for their loved ones. They will be broadcast on Christmas Day over the British Forces Network from Nicosia, in a programme called Swindon Calling Cyprus.

1978: Sq Ld Mike Cole based at RAF Lyneham is leaving for Nepal. He is leading a tri-service hovercraft expedition to explore rivers and investigate faster, safer means of transporting patients to hospital.

Wednesday December 9

1948: A shilling stamp has proved somewhat of a poser for officials at the Civic Offices in Swindon. It arrived as payment for a copy of the Richard Jefferies renowned lecture, but the Treasurer's Department would not accept it as they send out very few letters which demand a shilling stamp. Then someone had the bright idea of taking it to the Post Office where it was cashed without demur.

1958: A mysterious Chamber of Horrors with a hanging body and spiders' webs were a feature of a bazaar at All Saints Church in Swindon. A long queue waited to see the grisly exhibit. In complete contrast there was also an exhibition by Sunday school children of models and paintings.

1978: The Yanks are coming to Toothill in the shape of American company R S McColl. They are almost certain to get the go ahead to trade in the village centre, in spite of strong criticism. The one-stop shops will be similar to the development in Liden. The £200,000 projects are the first purpose-built neighbourhood stores this side of the Atlantic.

Thursday December 10

1948: Starlings have been observed in their thousands near Shrivenham. In the early morning they can be seen rising from the woods in a dense mass and heading towards Lambourn Downs to return just before dusk. The flock extended nearly half a mile, said a resident, casting a shadow over the road.

1958: Francis Noel-Baker Swindon's MP flew to Moscow with his father Philip Noel-Baker as guests of the Inter Parliamentary Union Group of Supreme Soviets, to spend 10 days in Russia. Philip, Labour MP for Derby South, is expected to meet Mr Khrushchev and his son, the Swindon MP, is also hoping to meet the soviet leader.

1978: Stephen Southern of Blacklands, Pavenhill, Purton, has been awarded a 1978 Brick Development Association Award. Stephen was one of 113 chosen for the national award out of 1,855 candidates in the City and Guilds 1978 Advanced Craft in Brickwork examination.

Friday December 11

1948: More than 600 children representing North Wiltshire schools took part in a Carol Festival at the Swindon Baptist Tabernacle. Mr H S Fairclough, organiser of the music for the Swindon Education Department, was the conductor. Among the guests were Sir Geoffrey Tritton Bt (Swindon prospective Conservative candidate) and Sir Noel Arkell.

1958: Nearly 700 Christmas table birds were offered for sale at the first of three poultry sales at Swindon market. Among the 150 turkeys there were several of up to 32lb in weight. There were also 250 cockerels, 200 hens, and 100 ducks and geese.

1978: Security measures at Swindon's Museum have been stepped up following a theft. Several Roman antiquities were stolen, while staff were distracted by a barrage of noise and smells from mischief makers. The thief got away with five bronze rings, two bone hairpins and three glass beads from a necklace, all worth £40.

Saturday December 12

1948: Mr E A Blackman of Evelyn Street, Swindon will be one of the most interested patrons at the screening of the Buffalo Bill film, being shown in Swindon. He was the press officer for the Earl's Court exhibition in 1902 where he became acquainted with the Western hero, along with Annie Oakley.

1958: An ambulance driver in the 1914 to 1918 war, Robert Henning, has celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary. He met his wife when she was a nursemaid at Purton Stoke. She was driving the Governess cart bringing home her charges, three children, from school in Cricklade. Robert, who was driving a ginger beer wagon, banged one of the casks down hard and startled the donkey pulling the governess cart, setting him off at a gallop. Robert chased after them and very shame faced he apologised, before asking her to walk out with him. They were married on December 13 1897 in Swindon Register Office.

1978: Swindon has hit the jobs jackpot yet again - Crosby Doors, already settled in the town, are to build a huge £5m plus distribution centre on the 12-acre site at Thamesdown Council's industrial estate at Groundwell Farm.