December 28

1952: The Christmas peal at Christ Church was this year rung on eight bells and consisted of a quarter peal of Stedman triples, 1,260 changes, pealed in the afternoon of Christmas Eve and conducted by W B Kynaston.

1952: The Mayor of Marlborough Coun E J A Free, accompanied by the Mayoress, visited both the Marlborough Hospitals on Christmas Day twice assisting with the carving. At the Marlborough Children's Convalescence Hospital, 86 young patients pretended to be asleep while Father Christmas toured the wards filling pillowcases by the side of each bed.

1962: The senior science master at Marlborough College, Dr F R McKim and the assistant physics master Mr H J P Keighley, had undertaken the task of writing a physics text book, quite new to Britain. The Council of Marlborough College, Shell International and The Pergamon Press had co-operated to produce the book for O Level physics students.

1962: Mr W J Wilford, stationmaster at Swindon Junction since 1955, had retired after serving on the railways for 47 years. He was born in Birmingham but lived for many years at Newport. Throughout his career he was a Great Western man. He and his wife planned to spent his retirement at their home in Harbour Close, Swindon.

1972: Marlborough Grammar School pupil, Shaun Taulbut, 14, won his opening match at the Hastings International Chess Congress. In the main tournament Shaun beat K Franke of West Germany in 43 moves. Shaun, who lives at Calf Lane, Marlborough, was the West of England Champion.

1972: Wiltshire servicemen celebrated Christmas in Berlin. Men of the 1st Battalion The Duke of Edinburgh Regiment have been spending their second Christmas on duty in Germany. The Regiment formed in 1959 when a merger of the Royal Berkshires and the Wiltshire Regiment took place. During their time in Berlin their duties had included guarding Hitler's deputy Rudolph Hess in Spandau prison.