Monday, August 1

1950: In the finals of the Wiltshire Allotments and Gardeners Competition first place in the allotments section was won by Mr E Poole of Hinton Street, Swindon and in the garden section third place was won by Capt F Holloway, the Knoll, Croft Road, Swindon.

1960: Neil Street and Mike Broadbank both reached double figures for Swindon Robins at Coventry but could not prevent the Midlands side from winning 52-38 to gain revenge for their defeat at Abbey Stadium. Street collected 12 points and Broadbank10 in a National League match in which Swindon made Coventry fight tooth and nail.

1970: A project, which will start in the next few months, is to turn a Swindon school's outdoor pool into an indoor swimming pool. It is the final stage of the pupils, teachers and parents campaign at the Richard Jefferies and Park North Junior Schools, to provide swimming facilities by their own efforts. A joint committee organised jumble sales, dances, flower shows and summer fetes to raise £300 and other funds in the form of grants and donations were also collected to make the project possible.

Tuesday, August 2

1950: Private Michael Yockney, 19, of Marlborough has just four and a half months service in the 1st Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment and he is now being shipped off to Singapore. Carrying his kit bag and pack he boarded the Empire Trooper along with one other National Service soldier. These two privates are serving among a regiment of regular soldiers.

1960: The first deposit was made at Barclays Bank new branch at Clive Parade in Swindon. The depositor was Richard Leighfield who will be two in November. The account was opened for Richard by his grandfather Arthur Leighfield, chairman of R J Leighfield and Sons Ltd, the Swindon builders. Mr Leighfield had just declared the branch open.

1970: A Swindon Amateur Film Unit, Hedric Films, has won two major awards in a week. The first came in the shape of a Welsh Oscar at the Welsh International Amateur Film Festival in Penarth. The Swindon entry was called Shoescapade, the adventures of a pair of discarded shoes. Miss Wales presented the award to Eric Arman from Springfield Road, Swindon. The second success was in the Teeside International Eisteddford with a film called The Unseen World, which won third prize.

Wednesday, August 3

1950: The Marlborough Carnival Queen with her attendants led the procession of horse drawn carriages conveying the judge, counsel, jury and contestants through the streets of the town ending at the High Street for the Flitch Trials in the town hall. The trial is to find the happiest married couple and the winners were Mr and Mrs George Sprules who have lived in Lockeridge since 1893.

1950: Kirk Douglas, Doris Day and Lauran Bacall star in Young Man of Music being shown at the Savoy Cinema in Swindon. Other choices of entertainment this week are Barbara Stanwick, the big name in No Man of Her Own, at the Palace in Gorse Hill, Linda Durrell in Forever Amber at The Palladium in Rodbourne, and Bunny Royale in Garden of Eden film at The Empire, Swindon.

1960: A farewell barbecue for a 15-strong party of European students who have spent the last 10 days in Swindon, was held by members of the Commonweal Grammar School International Club. The Mayor of Swindon Miss E C M Millin joined the 14 German students, one Swede, club members and friends for an international sing song around the camp fire.

1960: Terry Wollen who, on reaching the age of 17, has become a full time Swindon Town professional, is the product of the Swindon Schools football. Terry, a full back was a regular member of Swindon's reserve side last season.

1970: Swindon Town's comfortable victory, from the pre-season friendly match against the champion's of Iran, at the County Ground, was highlighted by the brilliant goal scoring from left winger Don Rogers. He collected three of the six goals scored.

1970: Wroughton Floral Art Society held their first show and more than 300 programmes were sold before the event, and even more attended on the day. Marjorie Moncrieffe, South West Area chairwoman of the National Association of Floral Art Society opened the show and later judged the entries. All 42 Swindon members too part.

Thursday, August 4

1950: For 10 days Swindon has a new station, devoted entirely to passengers bent on recreation, but the first train will not get underway until tomorrow, when a member of the Corporation is expected to give the all clear. A blue engine, weighing 12 cwt and pulling two open carriages capable of conveying 12 children and six adults, will steam round 250 yards of circular track part of the East Bank of Coate Water.

1950: The Mayor of Marlborough Mr F J Hannaway started a mile and a half boat race on the River Kennet at Marlborough as part of the British Legion Carnival and Gala. The race was for home constructed boats.

1960: Charlie Newman a compositor of Wiltshire Newspapers and the firm's oldest employee, completed a memorable week. Last Thursday he celebrated his 74th birthday, on Sunday he notched up his 60 years as a compositor and he is marking 40 years with Wiltshire Newspapers, who publish the Evening Advertiser. His grandson, Edward Harris, 15, has just started with the newspaper group, still keeping it in the family.

1960: An eight-year-old boy and his 10 year old sister carried an armful of death into the centre of Walcot estate. They found a 4.2 mortar bomb while out playing. For more than three hours the bomb, of a type used at the beginning of the 1939-45 war, lay on the grassland opposite the house in Drake's Way, guarded by police, before WO1WD Taylor of the Southern Command Ammunition Inspectorate arrived and declared it harmless.

1970: Demolition of Swindon's Railway Station to prepare the site for the new buildings is expected to start in December. A British Rail spokesman said it was hoped to put out contracts to tender. The remodelled station will cost £250,000.

1970: The Committee Chairman's vote brought a hair's breath reprieve for two houses in Highworth that are being built without first gaining official planning permission. At a meeting of the Rural Council Planning Committee in Highworth, on a split vote, Coun Arthur S Miles added his weight to the side which advocated that the planning permission should be passed.

Friday, August 5

1950: Plans for development of the hospital service in Swindon were disclosed in a new report. It was stated that out patients accommodation at The Victoria Hospital was extremely poor so a new out patients department would be provided in the near future. It was recorded that Swindon area has the greatest need for a new hospital and the Oxford Regional Hospital Board has debated over the site on which it will be erected.

1950: Two giant puff balls, the popular name for a group of fungi, have been found by workmen cutting grass at Moredon Power Station. One of the puff balls reached 30" in circumference and the other 26". These must be some of the largest found in Swindon, but records elsewhere show that Calvatia Maxima puff balls can weigh in at 15 pounds.

1960: Unknown to the dancers, organisers had a worrying evening at a Swindon Carnival Dance. They had received a riot threat. Stanley Collins, organiser, said they have had a threat from a local mob that a disturbance would be caused. The police were informed and co-operated so there was no trouble. Maureen Black was chosen as Miss Moredon a the dance. She will go on to compete for the Miss Swindon title. Judges of the competition included Guy Thomas TWW newscaster.

1960: A young farmer from New Zealand was guest of honour at the Wootton Bassett Young Farmers Club dinner. Their first ever overseas visitor, 22-year-old David Petersen, is ending his five months tour of Great Britain. He has been staying in Swindon with the club leader Bryan Collett.

1970: Maria Cardis is a sort of one-woman British Embassy in Swindon, even though she was born in India. She is the wife of a lecturer to The College and has a part-time job of welcoming and looking after overseas students at the College. Last year about 50 students mostly from Eastern countries towards the Mediterranean came to The College.

1970: The Bed pushers of Albourne are now two days ahead of their schedule. The team of 20 from the Methodist Youth Centre, eight pushers and 12 others in cars to provide food and first aid are on a sponsored 400-mile push to raise £1,000 for a heartbeat machine for the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Saturday, August 6

1950: Sweet pea expert Mrs R Spackman, wife of the Wootton Bassett garage proprietor, has a large display of blooms from just one packet of seeds. She discovered two fascinating stems, one had seven blooms and the other four.

1950: Swindon competitors gained three Wiltshire Championships organised by the Swindon Athletic Club's open meeting at the County Ground in Swindon. Mr M N Jolly won the 440 yards senior event, SA Jones beat M M Waite in the 100 yards girl 13-15 years title and S R Cousins had a walk over in the 120 yards junior hurdles 17-19 years.

1960: The crown jewels, Swindon version, appeared on TWW when Mark May a Railway Works fitter showed his home made collection of the regal regalia. Mr May, who lives in Cricklade Road, Swindon, took a dazzling selection of crowns, tiaras and coronation pieces to the Here Today studio including two which are of his own design.

1960: A total of 6,707 council houses and 1,913 houses built by private builders have been completed in Swindon since 1945, according to Ministry of Housing figures. In addition 339 council houses and 385 private homes are now under construction.

1970: When Gamini Gunasekeres, 29, leaves Wootton Bassett to return home to Ceylon he means to drive the whole way in his specially fitted out red Cortina, which he bought for the trip. The total mileage is 9,300 miles. Gamini has been in England for four years studying engineering. The most difficult bit of his trip will be driving through mountain passes of nearly 8,000ft above sea level.

1970: Arthur and Elizabeth Gardner of Roseberry Street, Swindon, were chosen by a Swindon firm from more than 60 pensioner couples to have their home modernised as an example of the types of grants available to householders. The alterations will coast £1,200 but not to Arthur and Elizabeth.

Monday August 8

1950: A flower show, archery, model aircraft, fencing display, fancy dress parade and children's sports were the highlights of Chiseldon British Legion's annual event attracting more than 2.000 people. There was also a fun fair and sideshows and an art exhibition inside the Memorial Hall.

1960: A reminder of ease and luxury of life at Court in the 18th century is to be found in an exhibition of Dresden china lent by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and now on view at Swindon Museum. Several of the porcelain pieces displayed were made originally so that masquerades then popular at court could be re-enacted in miniature on the banqueting table.

1970: Donna Lewis, is a two-year-old with an unusual claim to fame. She is one of the few children under five to have their own passport. Donna of Redruth Close, Park North, Swindon was allowed to take out her own passport for a trip to St Tropez with her Aunt, Gwenneth Lewis, who is nanny to a family over there. Donna's father still has to fly out and bring her home after her two week holiday.