Monday May 30

1949: Owing to the smallness of Rodbourne Cheney Methodist Church, Swindon, where the Mayoral Sunday service was held, a large part of the congregation had to use the Sunday School room, at the rear of the church, to which the service was relayed by amplification equipment.

1959: A grateful family are offering a £5 reward to an unknown motorist who saved their seven-year-old collie's life and then vanished. Jean Parker, 18, was taking the dog, Nipper, for a walk in Queen's Drive, Swindon when he ran in to the path of a motorcycle. Jean shouted at the rider but he rode on. Then as Nipper lay whining in the road way the Good Samaritan arrived. He took Jean and Nipper to the home of a nearby veterinary surgeon.

1979: The cash-starved Princes Margaret Hospital is rationing drugs to patients. The prestige hospital has hit such a cash crisis that some patients are being told there aren't enough drugs to go round. Overspent on the budget, hospital chiefs are sending some outpatients away with just half the drugs they need. In a desperate attempt to save money the patients are being told to get the rest of their prescribed drugs from their family doctor.

Tuesday May 31

1949: Sailing the Atlantic to adventure on the Aquitania are two young people from Faringdon. Both are going to Canada. Corresponding with a young farmer on Vancouver Island for the last two years, Phyllis Mercer, 19, of Marlborough Gardens, is travelling to the edge of the Pacific to marry him. She was employed at the NAAFI at Chiseldon. Also on the boat is Maurice W Panting, 18, from Wadley Cottages, who is travelling to Hampton to join the Canadian Army.

1959: Two Highworth housewives may soon be able to take out their children without risk of collision with the fast moving traffic. Violet Gee and Marion Moore were in continual fear because of the danger in the road outside their homes on Lechlade Hill, due to the lack of a path for pedestrians. Now, if a farmer's negotiations with the District Valuer are successful, the path will extend all the way down the hill.

1979: A new cordless switchboard opened formally today at Swindon telephone exchange. The system with operators sitting at flat desks with switches, gives the exchange a new dimension. The Mayor and Mayoress of Thamesdown, Coun and Mrs Gordon Law were shown the equipment at Watson House, along with representatives from local industry and commerce.

Wednesday June 1

1949: Miss D W A Saunders, headmistress of Clifton Street Infant School, Swindon leaves to take up a similar appointment at Westcott Infant School. To mark her 12 and a half years service as headmistress of Clifton Street School she is to be presented with a suitcase, umbrella and scarf from the children and a handbag from the staff.

1949: An open day was held at Even Swindon Primary School when the scholars work was available for inspection by the parents. In the evening the parents discussed problems and progress with individual teachers. Items were rendered by the school choir and one class gave a PT display.

1959: Mr Milk will be in Regent Street, Swindon tomorrow. The first child to recognise and challenge him will receive half a pint of milk, which must be drunk on the spot, and a cash prize of 10 shillings. The Mr Milk competition is part of Swindon's June Dairy Festival.

1959: A Lydiard Tregoze, Swindon man won his own cup at the West Wiltshire Agricultural Show in Melksham. Mr A G M Stevens of Brook House Farm, Lydiard Tregoze, had presented a challenge cup for Best Male Friesian animal bred by an exhibitor. Mr Stevens won the trophy with his Holbutts Neetje's Anjo.

1979: The police had a lot of trouble trying to pull in several groups of fellows last night. The local nick had a team competing in the Marlborough Carnival tug-of-war. Competition against 10 other teams the police side won their first two contests to gain a place in the semi finals. But the Faringdon Farmers were standing no nonsense and dug in for victory.

1979: Nicky James is hungry for a spot of talent. The man who has sold more than a million records and worked with such luminaries as The Moody Blues, Elton John, Graham Nash, Roy Wood and many more, has built a small recording studio at his Aldbourne cottage. He want to record local musician and introduce them to record companies in London.

Thursday June 2

1949: No stage, just a clearing in the audience. No programmes, just a notice saying the performers would be available after the show. That was what Swindonians, fortunate enough to visit the Family At Home, were shown at the Arts Centre. Presented by the Arts Council of Great Britain the family anthology performed with music, was first produced at the Bath Assembly and is now touring the provinces.

1949: To give them an impression of the British way of life, a party of seven Swedish students, which arrived at Burderop Training College, have visited Oxford, Bath and Swindon. Under the guidance of Mr N G Liddiard Public Relations Assistant, they toured Old Town, the public library and the Civic Centre.

1959: The once popular Ladder Lane in Swindon, now called Marlborough Lane, and Jacob's Ladder that ascends the glacial valley to the entrance of Burderop United States Airforce Hospital, is nowadays virtually deserted. It used to be the favourite haunt on a Sunday but because people have to walk instead of going in cars few are seen. But it now provides a convenient short cut between Swindon and the hospital for the USAF civilian employees and the servicemen.

1959: Humblebee of Arnogar, a boxer dog, owned by Mrs A M Garraway of Purton manor, Purton took third prize in the Open (Boxer) Class at the 80-class dog show held in conjunction with the West Wiltshire Agricultural Show in Melksham.

1979: Swindon pensioners have praised their 'wonderful' coach driver for saving their lives. Coach driver, Royston Fry, narrowly averted a serious crash when carrying the old people on a trip to Minehead. His brakes failed on a steep hill and he steered the coach into a bank. All 38 passengers escaped without injury, just a bit shaken.Today the hero coach driver from Cricklade was back behind the wheel.

1979: Bomb disposal experts will be searching the Brunel Plaza in Swindon but the citizens of the town need not be afraid. The Army men who are coming from Kent, will be on a mission to help publicise a play, starring Norma, the bomb girl from the ITV series Danger UXB. Her real name is Debby Watling and she is coming to Swindon's Wyvern Theatre.