THIS week 39 years ago saw Margaret Thatcher become Britain’s first woman Prime Minister.

To mark the momentous occasion, the Adver managed a remarkable scoop.

“Mrs Thatcher,” we said, “confessed to the Adver in an exclusive interview: ‘I voted Labour...I always do.’”

In case the Iron Lady’s lawyers happened to get wind of our tale, we quickly added: “Our Mrs T is Mrs Mary Thatcher, 29, a Swindon housewife and mum, who lives in Ashford Road.”

A rather more serious post-election story began: “The great Tory onslaught sank all the opposition in constituencies around Swindon.

“And, at the end of a dramatic night, Swindon was again the only red spot in a sea of blue.”

Labour’s sitting MP David Stoddart, would hold the seat until it was won by Conservative Simon Coombs in 1983.

He would hold it until 1997, when both of two new Swindon seats were won by Labour - and Labour would hold them until 2010 when they were won by the Conservatives.

No real political heavy hitters visited Swindon that week, but a beloved showbusiness figure revealed that he was heading for the town.

There was even a Number 10 connection of sorts.

Harry Worth was a comedian and comic actor whose eccentric, bumbling stage and television persona endeared him to millions.

His trademark gag involved standing at the edge of a shopfront, raising an arm and a leg - on the same side of his body - and having his reflection seem to float in mid air.

In 1979 his public profile was high thanks to his lead role in a fairly successful feel-good sitcom, How’s Your Father?, which was about a middle-aged widower dealing with the tribulations of raising two teenagers.

As the politicians and would-be politicians of Swindon did battle, Harry announced that he would be at the Wyvern Theatre later in the month.

He was to star in a play, Pardon Me, Prime Minister, later in the month.

When he arrived in Swindon, we searched for an appropriate photo shoot location. As Swindon doesn’t boast a Downing Street, we took Harry to Dowling Street instead.

Another light-hearted story was about a group of young people with an unusual plan to enter the record books.

The eight boys, all pupils of Churchfields School, decided to try for the world team baked bean-eating record. As that record stood at 41 pounds of beans, each boy faced the prospect of eating a catering-sized tin.

As things turned out, they managed only about 20 pounds between them, but everyone agreed it was a valiant effort.

Details of any after-effects went unrecorded by us, although they may well be the subject of family anecdotes to this day...

Mayor of Thamesdown Ashley Roberts was at the Oasis leisure centre to promote the Swindon Ideal Home Exhibition, which we described as smaller and homelier than the recent national one at Earls Court but still well worth a visit.

We said: “From Golding’s new magnetic window cleaner - it cleans both sides of the glass at once - to the Bradley’s Estates stand; from Thamesdown Council’s new homes spectacular to the chap demonstrating mincers, it’s all there.

“And for 30p a ticket - 10p for children and OAPs - it’s darned good value.”

Other stands included one run by John Holmes of John Holmes Music, who was demonstrating the latest electric organs, and Napoli Porcelain, who brought thousands of pounds’ worth of their wares down from Newcastle.

“Their prices,” we said, “range from £1 for a hand-finished porcelain rosebud to £1,800 for a sculptured Last Supper, with Christ and all the disciples on a gilted base.”

Microwave ovens, still somewhat newfangled, were also objects of fascination.

In sad news, fire destroyed an irreplaceable piece of Swindon’s history.

We said: “Swindon risked a massive town centre explosion last night as fire ravaged the historic Railway Mission in Wellington Street.

“For flames leapt from the roof only yards away from a filling station breather pipe.

“This connects directly with underground tanks which store 17,000 gallons of petrol. And a tanker had delivered most of the fuel only 30 minutes before the fire was spotted.”

Disaster was prevented by the bravery of three fire crews.

The 76-year-old mission, part of the Evangelical Council of Churches, had carried the Christian faith to generations of railway workers.

The shell of the building,which stood at the corner of Wellington Street and Milford Street, was later demolished, and an office building now stands on the site.