Monday, November 28

1950: To mark Thanksgiving Sunday at St Mary's Church, Rodbourne Cheney, a quarter peal of Bob Minor, 1,260 changes, was rung before evensong by Miss B M Strange, IWB Kynaston, Miss M Harry, D Bounds, Miss B J Strange and T I Holborow.

1960: The River Thames, for the fourth time in a month, has overflowed and flooded the areas around Lechlade. Hundreds of acres of meadowland have been inundated by water 2ft 6 inches above the normal levels. The lawn at The Trout Inn was under water and the town path at Bound House was submerged.

1970: Swindon pop star Gilbert O'Sullivan made his first television appearance on BBC's Top of the Pops. He sang his own composition, Nothing Rhymes, and accompanied himself on the piano. It was not only Gilbert's voice that attracted attention, his stage dress was vastly different from other pop stars. He was wearing a pre-war school boy costume. Gilbert, 24, whose real name is Raymond O'Sullivan, is a former pupil of St Joseph's.

Tuesday, November 29

1950: A Festival of Britain order worth £27,000 bas been placed with a Swindon firm of architectural metal workers employing 20 men. The main order is for making a complete exhibition display featured in the Transport Pavillion, and most of the public seating. The firm is Wessex Guild Ltd of Morley Street, which started in 1945.

1960: Part-time models at the Swindon College of Art School are to receive a rise. Rates of pay are to be increased in the new year. The list of incentives for nude models will include not only good accommodation, a good changing room and two electric fires, but also pay of eight shillings an hour. Life models at present are paid six shillings and six pence an hour.

1970: The delicate beauty of fine flower pictures are on show at Swindon's Museum. The precision and fine colouring of the hand engraved and coloured plates from early books bring back echoes of a long gone era. The illustrations had a great influence on the design of wallpapers and fabrics. In this exhibition the earliest print on display dates from 1613 and is in a book called Hortus Eystettensis.

Wednesday, November 30

1950: Eric Arthur Blanchard of Kendal has been appointed Printing Manager of Swindon Press Ltd as successor to Mr J G Fennell. Mr Blanchard, 38, has served 23 years in the printing industry.

1950: When Princess Elizabeth recently visited Swindon, Frank Richman of Downs View Road, Swindon, wrote a poem of welcome, which he sent to the Princess. He has now received a letter from the princess' Lady In Waiting saying the Princess sent her sincere thanks and good wishes.

1960: Yehudi Menuhin, who was present at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, for their concert, said he had attended because the Commander of the Military College had written him such a charming letter he could not refuse. Major General J W Hackett has a reputation for charming the famous. He is rumoured to have gone up to the Duke of Edinburgh with a request for a lift in his aeroplane. "Hop in," was the reply.

1960: Chiropody treatment in Swindon can still be obtained free of charge, said the Ministry of Health in a letter to Mr F Noel-Baker, Swindon's Labour MP, but the service is now provided by Wiltshire County Council which can charge if people do not fall into the category to receive free treatment. Miss Edith Pitt, Parliamentary Secretary, in reply to a letter of complaint from one of the MPs constituents, said she could not intervene but if the constituent contacted the council she was sure they would be sympathetic.

1970: About 100 Muslims gathered at the town hall in Swindon, took off their shoes and knelt to celebrate their equivalent of Christmas. The festival of Id-ul-fitr, the high spot in the Islamic year, follows the 29 days of fasting during Ramadhan. Swindon's Muslims have celebrated Id-ul-fitr before, but this prayer meeting had the highest attendance because overseas students at Swindon College joined the congregation.

1970: The Mayor of Swindon said that a million square feet of extra industrial floor space was planned for the town. The Mayor Ald John P:ass said the present total was 331,000 sq ft. He was speaking at the annual dinner of the Swindon Business and Professional Women's Club at Blunsdon. He also said the Wyvern Theatre would be completed in a year.

Thursday, December 1

1950: Mr A Aubrey of Exmouth Street, Swindon is an artist who enjoys sketching outdoors, but this summer found his expeditions a wash-out due to bad weather. So, he took his copy of the Evening Advertiser and began sketching scenes from the photographs of local news stories. The pictures now form the basis of a series of water colours.

1950: Preliminary estimates of the Poppy Day collection in Swindon is £920. It was reported by Mr W Marshall, secretary of the Services Committee, at the annual meeting of the British Legion in Havelock Street. Mr Marshall gave his 20th report as secretary at the meeting and he was recommended for the British Legion Certificate of Merit in recognition of his service.

1960: Let The Children Sing, visited Swindon for the first time. Produced by Mr J Richard Traynor, the popular show for the young celebrated its 180th and 181st performance at Walcot Secondary School. The Swindon shows are in aid of the Swindon Council of Boys Club.

1960: The second book of John Comley, 31, The Border Men, has now gone into print. As with his first book A Light In The Sky, the story is set in Ireland. John is the son of Mr and Mrs C A Comley of Dudmore Road, Swindon. He was educated at Euclid Street Secondary School. He served in the Royal Artillery during the last war and had his own half hour show on Forces Network radio called Comley's Half Hour.

1970: Christmas will be extra special this year thanks to the men and women of RAF Lyneham who have been collecting and renovating several thousands of old toys for under privileged children in Swindon and district. Thirty servicemen and women have been involved for the past six weeks, and this has meant doing two full time jobs as all the renovations have been done in their spare time. The toys range from a large train, pedal cars to miniature doll.

1970: Jane Forde, 13, a young dancer from Wootton Bassett was in London entering and winning the Under 14 Junior Solo Section in the Cecchetti Choreographic Competition in which there were 27 entries. Jane's teacher is Maureen Cockram who said that Jane had first performed her dance, which was an interpretation of a prize fighter, at the prizegiving in Swindon and the adjudicators had advised her to enter for the competition as it was so good.

Friday, December 2

1950: Additional interest was added to the popular annual Amateur Film Competition of the Swindon Film Unit, held at the Arts Centre, Swindon by the presentation of a Silver Jubilee cup, given by the town council. It was awarded by the adjudicator, Ronald North, the vice chairman of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers, to Mr C F Simpson, whose film, Conversation Piece came first in Class B of the film in colour.

1950: Post war austerity was pushed in the background at Swindon's Locarno Ballroom when 300 people attended the Press Ball. It was the largest, brightest and best post war ball thanks to the generosity of Swindon traders who donated more than 60 prizes. The carnival style ball was organised by t he National Union of Journalists. Dancing was to the Johnnie Stiles Band and the Ralph Stacey Orchestra.

1960: Diana Dors, the Swindon born film star, will join Danny Kaye and Dana Wynter in the musical comedy film, On The Double, now being shot in Hollywood. She will replace Mara Lane who is ill. Miss Dors will play the femme fatal with Kaye as the driver of a British Army General in London during the war. After the filming Miss Dors will then be joining Jerry Lewis in the film Ladies Man.

1960: After 50 years Ernest Sheppard, 80, of Witts Lane, Purton, is selling or giving away to a museum his phonograph and collection of 40 record cylinders. The horn on the phonograph is 4ft long. Ernest and his wife, Amy, are members of the Purton Silver Threads choir and both play in the Threads' band on side drums and cymbals.

1970: The Swindon Arts Association has approved a £50 grant for the Swindon Library Film Club which will guarantee it against loss from activities during the present season. It will also give a grant of £50 to Marlborough College subscription concerts and Dauntsey School's subscription concerts.

1970: An action committee has been formed at Clyffe Pypard following the decision by Wiltshire County Council to recommend to the Department of Education the closure of the village school. An investigating committee has recently prepared a detailed report on the proposed closure, and its members along with Clyffe Pypard Parish Council chairman Mr V J Derrick have formed the action committee with the aim of fighting the closure.

Saturday, December 3

1950: Thanks to the efforts of Mr Cook and Mr Crabbe, of the Savoy Theatre, Swindon townsfolk will, after all, be able to see the full length version of the film made on the occasion of the visit of Princess Elizabeth. The commentary was specially recorded for Swindon people. After a week's showing it will be presented to the Mayor of Swindon as a memento.

1950: Cheered by crowds of Marlborough children, Father Christmas, in the person of Mr G Beasant, arrived at Marlborough station as part of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Christmas Festival arrangements. Mr Beasant went through the town on a decorated lorry preceded by the Marlborough Town Silver Band before giving away 700 balloons outside the Town Hall.

1960: The demand for 55 rural telephone kiosks for Wiltshire will not be made for another 14 years as only four of the kiosks requested for 1960 to 61 will be built, the Post Office Telephone Department told the Wiltshire Branch of the Rural District Council Association. The four will be at Highworth, Lydiard Millicent, Wootton Bassett and Sherrington.

1960: Swindon has conferred the Freedom of the Borough on Mr L J Newman, Coun C S Macpherson and Mr F W Hawksworth, who held fine records of service to the cause of education in the town. The three were made Freemen at a special meeting of the town council. The Mayor Miss E C M Millin presented them with a parchment scroll in an oak casket with a silver coat of arms. Then the three signed the roll of Freemen.

1970: The Evening Advertiser has put Jean Lockey's name forward for the Classified Telephone Girl of the Year Award. Jean, the Tele-Ad girl, who specialises in motoring advertisements, could win a holiday in Majorca. The competition is new and run by the Classified Advertising Sub Committee of the Newspaper Society.

1970: The supersonic boom from the Concorde airliner would not in itself do damage to buildings, British Aircraft Corporation's Chief Test Pilot, Brian Trubshaw, told the Swindon Royal Aeronautical Society. Concorde has recorded 325 hours and 168 flights including 70 hours at supersonic speeds of up to mach two. He said, however, that buildings damaged beforehand could be helped on their way by the boom.