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 next instalment of our 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

10 years ago - June 26, 2014

Freedom march! Soldiers based at Denison Barracks in Hermitage exercised their freedom of
Newbury in a historic farewell ceremony at the weekend.

The Corps of Royal Engineers was granted the Freedom of Newbury, which allows them
to march through the town for ceremonial duties, on September 15, 1997.

The practice of granting the honorary freedom of entry dates back to the Middle Ages,
with the freedom of the town being granted to troops after mutual confidence and friendship had been established between the citizens and the soldiers.

On Sunday, 73 soldiers from 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic), the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers and members of the Royal British Legion were met with cheers when they marched through the town into the Market Place to exercise this freedom.

In front of the crowd and dignitaries, including Newbury MP Richard Benyon, the High Sheriff of Berkshire Chris Khoo and town councillors, the commanding officer of 42 Engineer Regiment, Lt Col Richard Blunt, took command of the parade.

25 years ago - June 24, 1999

Fluffy’s home! When Fluffy the cat spent a penny in the wrong place, his angry owners told him to “get out and never come back”.

So he did. And seven years later, he walked back into their lives.

Mr Rob Dean and his wife Jan lost their cool with the cat in 1992, when he relieved himself on boxes of stock for their stall on Newbury market.

In a fit of pique, they put the two-year-old cat outside and told him to never come back.

He only turned up at his home again in Tudor Avenue, Chieveley, the other week.

Mrs Dean is positive that he is the same cat, although she has no idea where he has been for
the intervening years.

“He was our daughter Laura’s cat. She would never put him down,” said Mrs Dean.

Mrs Dean searched the village without success and her daughter Laura, now 21, thought the cat had come to a terrible end.

But yesterday, Mrs Dean said: “I’m convinced it’s our Fluffy.

“He’s got all the same notches out of his ears and marks on his nose...but I have no idea where he went. He’s a lot thinner and he might have been living wild.”

50 years ago - June 20, 1974

Tree-mendous job! A dozen young pupils of John o’ Gaunt School in Hungerford became ‘tree doctors’ on Tuesday and joined the war against Dutch elm disease, attacking elms throughout Britain.

The miniature ‘regiment’ of 13 year olds, armed with scientific weapons, were making an onslaught against the beetle which threatened the elm trees on the Littlecote Estate at West Soley.

They were joined by the chief elm disease officer for Berkshire county Mr Olney, and Mrs Jill Newcombe who is in charge of the remedial department of their school.

This had been the idea of Mrs Carolyne Silver, who is anxious to save the trees at West Soley.

The project will be continued over the few upcoming weeks, then attention will be turned to 14 trees at the children’s own school.