From our Files: Extending the boundaries...pony menace...death of beat bobbies
75 YEARS AGO
“IT appears that all and sundry think that they have only to make application and they can have a fish frying business where they like,” commented Alderman E. H. Baugh, Lymington Food Committee chairman, about the Ministry of Food’s extension of facilities for such businesses.
The Food Executive Officer said that people wanting to open new shops must prove that they had the proper premises, that the business would be approved under Town Planning; and that they could get the equipment and open up within 28 days.
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THE sale of Newlands Manor recalls that it was often visited by King Edward VII when it was occupied by Colonel Cornwallis West, whose charming wife and two lovely daughters became the rage of Society in Edwardian circles. One daughter married the Prince of Pless and the other the Duke of Westminster.
Trees were planted on the estate by King Edward VII and also by the ex-Kaiser of Germany, who visited Newlands on at least one occasion.
The Duke’s palatial yacht used to anchor off Hurst Castle and both the Royal visitor and the duke would make their way up Keyhaven River by launch. Then horse and carriages would convey them to Newlands.
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LYMINGTON Borough Council this week issued their submissions to the Local Government Boundary Commission regarding the proposed extension of the Borough boundaries, which provide for the inclusion in the Borough of the parishes of Boldre and Sway, together with a part of the parish of East Boldre, and parts of Denny Lodge, Brockenhurst and Rhinefield.
The area of the proposed extension is 18,370 acres, with a population of 6,800. The present area of the Borough is 13,730 acres with a population of 21,730 and rateable value of £173,100. Although the extension would more than double the area, the rateable value would be increased by only £43,000 so that figures for the whole area would be: acres, 32,100; rateable value, £216,200; population, 28,530.
50 YEARS AGO
PONIES may be a holiday attraction in the New Forest village of Burley, but to some residents they are a menace, villagers wanted the cattle grids moved nearer the centre to keep the ponies out. One villager said “I do not think the Forestry Commission would wear that”, and added that the ponies sometimes left an “awful mess”. “I had to send my own man to clear up the area in front of the village hall because a wedding breakfast was being held there.”
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A SURVEY carried out by the New Milton Chamber of Trade showed that only 25% of those who completed a questionnaire were in favour of a six day trading week, whilst 75% were not.
A previous survey carried out amongst members of Lymington Chamber of Trade had shown an almost unanimous vote in favour of six-day trading in all classes of shops in Lymington Town, Fox Pond, Pennington and Everton.
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BURLEY Manor Hotel, Burley, was evacuated by police on Sunday night after a woman telephoned to say there was a bomb planted in the building. A search revealed nothing and guests were allowed to return.
25 YEARS AGO
A 90-YEAR-OLD New Milton woman found herself in a stew last week. Jean Boyd had to be led to safety from her smoke-logged Compton Road bungalow home after leaving a stewpot for too long on the cooker.
Quick-thinking neighbour Chris Hobby, alerted by the smell of the burning stew pan, clambered in through a window after failing to attract the attention of dog-lover Mrs Boyd, engrossed in a television programme about a dog that had lost its master.
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THEY’RE keen on spotting any planning irregularities in Minstead. Three days after a 12 metre by nine metre marquee went up in the grounds of Acres Down Farm, a New Forest District Council enforcement officer was at the door suspecting a planning misdemeanour waiting to know what was going on. He had had a complaint, he told Bob Cooper, that not only was there a marquee but ongoing building works.
“I told him I was putting up a multi-storey car park and covering it with a marquee”, Mr Cooper said. The officer scratched his head and said: “I don’t believe you.”
Mr Cooper called his daughter, Wendy Elizabeth, and asked her: “What are you doing on Saturday?” She replied: “I’m getting married.”
“Oh”, said the enforcement officer. “I do hope you have a happy day”, and left.
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THE days of the ‘bobby on the beat’ are dead. It is official. The New Forest’s new chief police officer said that the concept was a thing of the past. “We live in a different type of community in a different age and as we move into the 21st century the police force will change even more.”
The message came as around sixty local residents gathered at Hythe parish hall to discuss policing issues that affect them.
One local resident expressed concern that the community had lost the country beat officers. “People say what’s the use in phoning the police – you never see them. I was a special constable for 18 years and we used to get a lot of information from people such as local shopkeepers.”
But Supt. David Ball said policing had changed and they were not in a position to provide the traditional service. “We must be very careful how we use our resources and that they are used cost-effectively.
