Friday July 1

1950: Operation Holiday was the Army term for it but in Swindon it has always been the Trip - when a quarter of Swindon's population heads for the seaside for the annual break. The mass evacuation started today as the 9.55 steamed out of the station bound for St Ives. The Trip trains had a carnival atmosphere as 11,013 holiday makers set off to enjoy themselves.

1950: Leslie Warren of Kingsdown Road, Upper Stratton, is dancing in the All England Dancing Competition in London and he gained fifth place in the character dancing and a certificate of honour in solo ballet. Leslie is a runner-up in the finals to be held in London.

1960: Collins, the Swindon menswear shop, has been bought by the large clothing group, Wilson Stores (Holdings) Ltd. The character of the business will be unchanged. The wholesale clothing business announced that they have bought the whole issued share capital of Collins, but the present directors will remain on board.

1960: The shape of things to come was on show in a drawing of Swindon's proposed central shopping area, prepared by the Swindon Borough Council Engineer and surveyors Department. Mr L R Robertson, the borough engineer, said that the trend for the centre was to follow the pattern emerging in some of the new towns where shops are ranged wholly around pedestrianised precincts, free from restraint, danger, noise or smells of the passing traffic. Car parks will be within easy reach, he said.

1970: Back in Swindon after two years in Africa are Mr and Mrs Tony Whincup. With them is Austen, their son born in Kampala. Mr Whincup is a former Drove Secondary School art teacher. For the last two years he has been teaching in Kablale, near the Congo border. They are having three months holiday in Swindon before returning to Uganda.

1970: Swindon's captain Barry Briggs, four times winner of the World Speedway Championships, is travelling to Coventry to take part in the Nordic-British Final of this year's championships. He will be battling for a place in the competitions's European final, scheduled to be raced in Leningrad, Russia.

Saturday, July 2

1950: Fifty-five Swindon school girls from Commonweal Grammar School left Swindon by train for Wisbech, where they will spend a fortnight in an agricultural camp. The girls whose ages range from 13 to 17-years-old, will be working under the Norfolk Agricultural Executive Committee picking fruit. The girls are hoping for work in the strawberry beds as it is the most profitable of tasks.

1950: Swindon Town Council will be asked by the Finance Committee to agree to all swimming instructions for Swindon county and primary schools being undertaken by the Swindon Education Committee at the swimming baths. It is suggested that the committee should from Monday to Friday each week have the exclusive use of the small baths and 10 yards of the large baths shallow end where a curtain would be erected to mark the schools’ section.

1960: Swindon Town Football Club has turned down a £10,000 offer for one of its teenage players. Manager Bert Head said it was a definite offer from a fashionable Division One Club but he would not divulge the name of the lad concerned.

1960: One of many attractive features of Swindon's Queen's Park is the colourful floral 'picture'. This year, Jubilee Year, the sloped display represents a decorative diamond with words and dates scrolled about it. Bill Wicks, head gardener, is one of the few who are experts in carpet bedding and he arranged the many tiny plants. Bert learned his skill as an apprentice in the 1920s.

1970: Two B, a second year form at St Joseph's Comprehensive School, Swindon, was distressed after reading an article by Oxfam, during a Religious Knowledge lesson with their teacher Miss Ferrar. As a result the form organised a discotheque in the evening centre to raise money for Oxfam. The DJs were Roy George and Matin Goddard. They raised £23.

1970: Swindon's annual cycling proficiency competition attracted a record number of school children entrants this year. More than 110 children from Swindon schools entered. This was almost double last year's entry according to Ted Beauchamp, Swindon Borough Council's Safety Officer. The competition for awards decided by safe riding was held at the Lainesmead Junior School.

Monday July 3

1950: Champion jockey Gordan Richards who came straight from Alexandra Park where he had been racing, presented prizes at the Donkey Derby which formed part of the successful Horse Show and fete held at Mr T R Rimmell’s Windsor Paddock in Lambourn in aid of Lambourn Parish Church Renovation fund.

1960: When Shrivenham Fete was held at the Recreation Ground, Harry Smith crowned the fete queen, Pauline Paling. Before declaring the fete open Pauline said that proceeds would go towards the upkeep of the village hall. Posies were presented to the queen and her two attendants Barbara King and Cynthia Rickes.

1970: The new library in Wootton Bassett is opened. The library is temporarily housed in a prefabricated building near the High Street. It has shelf space for more than 7,000 books including 2,000 books for children. There was no formal opening of the library just tea and cakes. Wiltshire County Council plans to build a permanent library behind the temporary one.

Tuesday July 4

1950: Eric Corrie, writer and producer of Starlight Rhapsody that is playing at Swindon’s Empire Theatre this week, has been invited to go on tour with Moss Empire, run by Val Parnell. This tour visits the country’s most famous variety theatres. Eric is the youngest impresario in the touring revue business and he and his brother put all their savings and service gratuity into the forming of Starlight Rhapsody.

1960: For many years the Regent Street clock tower of McIlroys in Swindon had been a landmark, but with the store's modernisation both the clock and the tower disappeared. For their new clock the firm sought out the help of the Swindon clockmakers and jewellers who installed the first timepiece. Michael Deacon, the son of the present owner of Deacon and Son, Wood Street, undertook the design of the new clock face. It is now in place and is being illuminated.

1970: One of the most enthusiastic members of the audience at tonight's Son House concert in Swindon will be 18-year-old Henk Wolten, who has hitch-hiked from Holland to hear the American blues singer. Henk set out from his home in Roermond and crossed from Zeebrugge to Dover and then hitch-hiked to London, spent two nights on park benches before coming to Swindon for the concert.

Wednesday July 5

1950: An allegation that the perilous position of Swindon’s bus service was in part due to the ‘Rot in staff’ was made at a meeting of the Swindon Town Council, when a reduced running scheduled was approved. The effect of the reduced schedule and other economies is estimated to produce savings of £15,000 this financial year, equal to three pence rate to be borne by the rate fund.

1950: Swindon firms which have inquired whether Princess Elizabeth could visit their factories during her Royal visit have been told by Swindon Council that it is not possible because of the time occupied by functions already arranged.

1960: One of the largest single roofing operations ever to be carried out in Britain will begin on August 8, at Pressed Steel's Stratton plant. More than three quarters of a million square feet of aluminium sheeting will top the giant new C building. It will double the plant's existing floor space. The area of aluminium that will be used is roughly equal to 12 rugby football pitches.

1960: Highworth may have its own swimming pool if the Parish Council can find support for the scheme. Members unanimously backed the plan which Mr F Hares said came from a letter, received by the council, from Highworth's Warneford School. The governors had been considering a school pool and asked if the council had any plans. If the Parish Council could provide the pool costing £5,000 the education authority would pay for use of the facilities.

1970: The Swindon taxi driver, who is walking from Swindon to Southend and back to raise funds for research into muscular dystrophy, has reached Southend and is on his way back. Michael Green of Cranmore Avenue, Swindon will have completed 270 miles to collect £100 sponsorship for the charity.

1970: The RAF will be showing off their skills in Swindon in a big way. RAF units, bands and planes will be taking part in the Gala Day at Swindon's Expo, the Swindon In The 70s Trade Fair exhibition and show. The aim of the Expo is to promote the town's image and show other people what Swindon is all about.

Thursday July 6

1950: Wroughton Feast is a festival recognised by past and present inhabitants which falls on the first Sunday after July 6. The original date of this ancient feast was June 24 but the farming fraternity postponed it as they were busy in the hay fields. There used to be large sports meetings for the feast, Galloway races and flat races held near Wood Far, there was a fun fair in Three Tuns Field and residents sampled all garden produce for the first time on that day. Even today people refuse to dig potatoes before Wroughton Feast day.

1950: Swindon Central Townswomen’s Guild has decided to present a garden seat which will be placed in the Garden of Remembrance. Complimenting the Guild for making such a practical contribution Ald H W Gardner has expressed the Swindon Council’s appreciation of the gift.

1960: Last year a party of refugee children from Austria visited this country and stayed with families in Swindon. Two mothers were so delighted with the two boys who stayed with them, that each saved up the £15 train fare so the children could make a return visit to Swindon. The mums were Mrs EE Carswell, and Mrs J W Heath. Another party of refugees will arrive this summer from the refugee camp at Graz in Austria.

1960: A major portion of the £57,000 estate of an 85-year-old bachelor farmer, has been left for the preservation of Wootton Bassett's 17th century town hall. The legacy goes to the Wootton Bassett Trustees under the will of Richard Parsons of Hunts Mill Farm, Wootton Bassett who died in January.

1970: The mayor and mayoress of Swindon Ald and Mrs J Pass visited RAF Fairford for a close look at the Concorde. The mayoral pair were greeted by Mr A Pearson, deputy administration manager for BAC. John Cochran, the project's co-pilot explained to the mayor all about the giant undercarriage on Concorde.

1970; An American orchestra featuring three young American boys and 20 girls performed at the Walcot Secondary School in Swindon. The Royal Oak Baroque Strings are made up of pupils from Kimball High School in Michigan. The orchestra is on a swift summer tour of England.