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Back in the day….We delve into our archives to see what was going on 10 years ago, 25 years ago and 50 years ago this week




Back in the day….for the second instalment of our new online series, we delve into our archives to see what was going on 10 years ago, 25 years ago and 50 years ago this week.

If you have any photos or memories you would like to share with us, please email us at newsdesk@newburynews.co.uk

Dunstan Park School
Dunstan Park School

10 years ago – March 6, 2014

Police stand-off

A demonstration in Thatcham town centre by English Defence League members and supporters has been condemned as “vigilantism”.

Newbury MP Richard Benyon condemned the incident at the weekend, saying: “In this country we don’t operate by the rule of the mob”.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers and civic leaders told the far right organisation to “stay away from our town”.

For weeks, EDL members are said to have been leafleting and fly-posting in Thatcham.

Matters came to a head last Friday evening when a group of EDL members and supporters, some claiming to hail from Bournemouth and Southampton, descended on Thatcham town centre.

Their stated aim was to drive a particular trader, who they accused of serious offences, from the town.

There was a tense stand-off between chanting demonstrators – one wearing a pig mask – and police, who deployed two vans and several police cars at the scene.

25 years ago – March 4, 1999

Soul searching

A Newbury man is reaching for the stars after beating thousands of fellow hopefuls to a place in Britain’s latest boy band, Soul Intention.

Jamie Pearce, aged 20, from Pond’s Close, signed his much-covered contract with the band’s management firm on Saturday, at the venue where he started on the road to stardom – the White House pub on London Road.

Things started to happen for Jamie, who cites his influences as Gary Barlow and Boyz II Men, when he won £1,000 in a karaoke competition at the White House last April.

But he only got his real big break after seeing an article in the Newbury Weekly News’ Teen Spirit column last September, which directed him to an audition in Bristol attended by thousands of other young hopefuls.

A mammoth shortlist of 2,000 from the auditions was then whittled down to 15, whose star qualities were further tested during a weekend of dance routines and photographic tests.

Only then were Jamie and Plymouth pair Nick Easton, aged 18, and Steve Dott, aged 22, finally picked to form the band.

All three will be based in Bristol from now on, and are currently working hard on their dance routines.

50 years ago - March 7, 1974

Unhappy exit

A pensioner who acts as a part-time caretaker to Padworth Village Hall has been given a month’s notice because the management committee claim that “his attitude over the past two years has become officious and uncooperative.”

Mr Peter Fisher (68) claims he had a gentleman’s agreement with the village hall committee to park his caravan on parish council land next to the village hall and received free electricity and a telephone in exchange for his services.

He lives with his partially sighted and bedridden wife in the caravan and unless something turns up before the end of March the couple will be homeless.

“I am disgusted with the way I have been treated.

“No official reason for the notice to quit has been issued and as far as I know, it is through no misdemeanour or lack of carrying out of duties on my part,” said a shocked Mr Fisher.

“This sort of thing makes you feel you have reached a time of life when you are expendable and you might as well go out into the garden and bury yourself,” he added.

The village hall committee chairman claims that “Mr Fisher has completely disrupted the committee by his attitude and is discourteous to customers.”

Pictured above: Dunston Park Infant School pupils show off their Easter bonnets in 1996.

Dunston Park Infant School merged with St Mary’s Junior School in 2005 to form Thatcham Park School.



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