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
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10 years ago – April 30, 2015
Bert’s a high flier
Bert Gallagher celebrated his century milestone... by piloting a glider.
Mr Gallagher, who lives in Hungerford, joined Shalbourne Gliding Club aged 80 – and took his first solo flight two years later.
An instructor at Shalbourne Gliding, Stephen Ottner, said: “We believe that 82 years is the oldest that anyone in the UK has taken their first solo in a glider. ”
Mr Gallagher, a former chairman of Hungerford Camera Club, had not flown for a couple of years before his 100th birthday flight but said: “It’s a bit like riding a bike – you don’t forget.
“It’s a pity we didn’t catch a thermal to give us more height as I would have liked to have done a loop.”
On this latest occasion he was met by a film crew who have been following his exploits for a documentary entitled 100-year-old drivers ride again, to be screened on ITV.
25 years ago – April 27, 2000
Shop from home
Could the weekly visit to the supermarket soon be a thing of the past?
Perhaps, if an internet shopping service launched by Tesco in Newbury on Tuesday takes off.
Local customers can now join the 250,000 registered Tesco shoppers across the country who have swapped their shopping trolley for a computer screen, ordering their food via the internet, then having it delivered to their door.
The first customer in Newbury to receive an internet delivery van was Rebecca Jameson, of Craven Road.
“It is definitely the way forward,” she said.
“For me, with two very small children, to get them in the car and get round Tesco’s is a bit of a battle.
“The internet service means I can sit down on a Sunday evening and do my shopping.”
Mrs Jameson said that a shopping trip to Tesco used to take her 90 minutes, including the time spent getting her children into the car and travelling to the store.
By comparison, her internet shop takes her just 15 minutes.
50 years ago – April 30, 1975
Slippery slipway
Boating enthusiast Jonathon Thornton is never happier than when he is sailing his 11-foot, clinker built, dinghy along the Kennet river.
It is usually a peaceful, relaxing hobby, but recently Mr Thornton, his car, boat and trailer, all got stuck in the muddy Northcroft slipway access to the river.
Mr Thornton is not very pleased with the condition of the slipway, which is supposed to be a launching ramp for trailer-born boats.
But whenever it rains it is impossible to use it for that purpose, the last 100 yards of the slipway is a grass track, as opposed to the usual metal track used for launching boats.
Lock keeper Mr John Gould has received complaints about the slipway from several sources.
He told the NWN: “I think that the council could improve it.
“It is only really muddy in in the wet weather, and during winter, and very few people use it then anyway.”
