From Our Files: What’s the fuss... airport row... mighty mice... research stolen
75 YEARS AGO
MONA Walker, the 22-year-old domestic formerly employed at Hordle, who went missing for 17 days, is safe in Grimsby, and in an interview there, she is reported to have said: “I can’t see what all this fuss is about!”
Her unexpected and unexplained disappearance, however, caused terrible anxiety in two homes – her own mother’s, and that of Cllr and Mrs Ernest Pascoe, of Hordle, with whom she had made her home for the past eight years. It was feared that she had been murdered. In fact, the police had been searching for her body in the undergrowth of the New Forest.
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NFS men were on duty until well into Tuesday morning at Sandy Down, Boldre, to whence they were called three times on Monday, the first during the afternoon, to deal with fires which involved some 50 acres of heath, gorse and small trees.
Two properties were endangered when the blaze spread to private gardens. At Golden Bush, the residence of Mr John H. G. Tatton, a shed was damaged, and Mr Tatton lost three hives of bees that he had in the bracken.
Next door, Mrs Darney had the roof of her summerhouse catch alight.
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IT was officially stated at the Lymington Town Hall on Wednesday that there have been three cases of infantile paralysis in the Borough – once at Milford, one at Lymington, and one at Pennington.
The Medical Officer of Health (Dr E. Croft-Watts) states that the Sea Water Baths have been closed owing to the widespread cases of infantile paralysis in the country, and for the same reason he advises the public not to bathe in Lymington River, and to avoid crowded places.
50 YEARS AGO
THE possibility of the construction of a 2,000ft extension of the runway at Hurn airport has brought protests from the Wessex Residents’ Consultative Council. They have asked the Bournemouth and Dorset County Councils for copies of their plans for the future development of Hurn.
The airport management committee of the two councils has considered a total of six schemes and their final recommendation was for the runway which, it is estimated will cost £5m.
One of the great fears of the Wessex Residents is that with a larger runway the airport will be able to accommodate the jumbo jets.
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RESISTANCE which mice have been developing to the poison commonly used for their control, Warfarin, is causing a serious problem in the Borough of Lymington, says the Chief Public Health Officer, Mr J. G. Jenkins, in his annual report.
“This resistance at the moment is practically confined to the lower part of the Lymington Town and we have now resorted to one of the acute poisons, zinc phosphide, which needs very careful handling,” says Mr Jenkins.
Warfarin, an anti-coagulant, affects the blood and is still the most effective poison for rats, but mice can now take it without being killed.
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AN application has been submitted to Christchurch Planning Committee for permission for the residential development of over 100 acres of land at Highcliffe. The application, made by Hoburne Development Company Limited, is for the development of 101.64 acres of land bounded by Hoburne Lane, the A35 Christchurch-Lyndhurst road, and the A337 Highcliffe Road. The area is described on the application as being part derelict and part grazing.
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25 YEARS AGO
THOUSANDS of locals and visitors packed into Christchurch last weekend for the town’s annual Regatta and Carnival, proving once again that it is still the “Henley of the south”.
Saturday saw an action-packed day with events laid on for all the family on the Quay and in Saxon Square.
Hundreds of spectators marvelled at the Firebird Aerobatics, who flew in mirror formation, about 20ft apart from each other, and on the river nearly 100 teams of oarsmen and women from all over the country competed in the sweltering sun.
More than 11,000 people thronged the Quay on Saturday night for the Grand Fireworks. The boats on the river sounded their horns in unison and the crowds marvelled at a £4,000 display. Mayor Colin Bungey said it was the highlight of the town’s social calendar which had proved to be a great success again this year.
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THE last puppy show by the Buckhound Hunt was held at their kennels at Brockenhurst on Wednesday. The usual annual event of celebration, as young hounds competed in the ring and their walkers watched with pride, had now become meaningless. The young hounds will never hunt with the pack in the New Forest as they have done traditionally for centuries.
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A COMPUTER containing pioneering cancer research which could ultimately lead to new treatments for sufferers has been stolen from a scientist’s car while he popped into a Boldre nursery for just 15 minutes. The theft will set the project back at least six months as the researchers compile the information again – and cost them thousands of pounds in the process.
The laptop belonged to Professor David Newell, of the North of England Research Campaign, who is based at Newcastle University and was holidaying in Wimborne with his family.
“I was absolutely devastated and very upset to find my work had gone missing – and naturally very angry to think that it would not be safe in a locked car for 15 minutes,” he said.
