Take a trip into the past and find out what was happening in the news 100 years ago.

October 22, 1998

Two sites have been named at Kilkhampton and Ashwater among 25 regional projects to boost “green energy”. The projects are at Eastcott Moor, Kilkhampton where National Wind Power has plans for a large Wind Farm to be called Crimp Wind Farm, producing 4,214 megawatts, although the company emphasises that its proposal is at a very early stage.

Methodist deacon Anita Hart from Shebbear has just taken up her new role as rural support worker Mrs Hart has been appointed by the Methodist district to listen to the worries and problems of those in the farming industry. 

November 5, 1998

Recently Ashwater School hosted a shoppers haven - a book fair with a difference. You name it they tried to sell it cakes, bans, biscuits, toys, stationery and, last of all, books loads of books there were books, books and more books. By the end of the day they had sold enough books to buy some new ones for the school. 

Delays and deferrals have been so common throughout the fight for improvements at the Kennards House junction campaigners will be surprised and delighted to hear that the official opening tomorrow (Fridav) takes place two month ahead of schedule.

October 22, 1983

Launceston Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” by Kelth Waterhouse and Willis Hall, presented at Launceston Town Hall from was Wednesday to Saturday this weeks. Cast included Mike Taylor, Eileen Gallop and Martin Townsend.

Mr Walter ‘Wally’ Williams was presented with the Imperial Service Medal, by Mr John Kaye, a senior official of the Department of the Environment, in a ceremony at Launceston. He was joined by his wife Marion.

October 29, 1983

Acquiring land for another industrial estate at Launceston was the immediate intention of North Cornwall Council. Mr Tony Philp, the council’s deputy planning officer, was sure money would be made available next year to but such land.

Nigel Worth, of Oaklands, Portgate, was presented with a commemorative plaque for his solo fundraising for the Leukemia Research Fund, in a ceremony at the Harris Arms, Portgate.

Launceston Liberals played host to the recently-elected chairman of the party’s Devon and Cornwall region at the constituency’s executive meeting last Friday. He is Mr David St John Thomas, who was seen with regional secretary Mrs Barbara Spring, North Cornwall Liberals chairman, Dr Edgar Anstey, and joint acting agents Mrs Connie Geach and Mrs Chris Abbott.

October 22, 1973

A councillor threatened to walk out during a statement being made at Launceston Town Council meeting on Monday by Mr George Thomas. 

Before he had completed his comments, Mr Thomas was shouted down by other councillors and the Mayor, Mr C J Moore, told him: “We want no personal accusations here.” 

Mr J A Mann, of Cullacott, Werrington, is making good progress after his recent accident when a sick cow fell on him and fractured his leg. 

The 130th harvest festival was held at Morwenstow the first of these services being in the autumn of 1843 conduced by the inaugurator, Rev Robert Stephen Hawker. 

A cheque for £1,106.42 was presented by the Mayor of Launceston (Coun C J Moore to Miss Marilyn Nye, of Tamar Terrace, Tavistock Road Launceston. Who won her prize in the weekly Pool.

Miss Kelly, from SWEB at Holsworthv gave a demonstration on savoury dishes at North Tamerton Women’s Institute She judged the competition cheese straws and the winners were Mrs D Heard, Mrs A Axford, Mrs B Burden and Miss C Denford.

November 3, 1973

The six contestants for the Holsworthy Carnival Queen title sold a total of 108,971 tickets, - raising £2,762.50 for local charities. Jacqueline Chidley, sponsored by the Holsworthy Amateur Theatrical Society, took the title by selling 32,889 tickets and raising £825.

Miss Mabel Maddever came third at the regional rounds of the Miss Spar Personality Contest held at the Holiday Inn. Plymouth She employed part time by Mr John Clarke at the Spar Shop South gate Launceston 

Mrs Dawe, aged 83, of Marshgate was the oldest member present at the annual meeting of Came lot Group of Women’s Institutes held in Camelford Hall. She received a bunch of flowers from Miss J Mitchell, group convenor.

A move by councillors at Bude to stop their officers talking to the press in their official capacity has failed. Councillor Victor Elsworth said that he was in no way trying to gag the press but he felt that only  the clerk to the council should be permitted to issue press statements on behalf of the authority. 

Mr E G Pearce was re elected chairman of the Launceston Area Association of Parish Councils at a meeting at Boyton. The new secretary is Mrs Mudge (Stoke Climsland),

October 26, 1963

The Legal and General Purposes Committee of Devon county the council are in  favour of the amalgamation of Holsworthy Urban and Rural councils into one body. To the full county council meeting at Exeter they made the recommendation that the two the councils should be amalgamated, at the same time submitting the report of Col H C L Kingsford-Lethbridge, who last July held an inquiry into the proposal.

Mr John Fairbank, the engineer of Bast Cornwall Water Board told a told a meeting of the Board at Liskeard on Wednesday that a request had been received from the North Devon Water Board to lay a six-inch main in the area of Canworthy Water,

November 2, 1963

When the British Matchbox Label and Booklet Society held its 19th annual exhibition in London, exhibiting for the 19th time and the only Westcountry collector to stage a display was Miss Joan Rendell, of Yeolmbridge, founder member, honorary editor and past president of the Society. 

The suggestion that just as Horwell Grammar School and the former Launceston College has now been joined into one new college, Pennygillam Secondary School might be brought into a similar joint organisation was forthcoming from Ald W E Miller, speaking at Launceston College speech day.

Hatherleigh’s 15-year-old outside right Norman Piper has signed for Plymouth Argyle as an apprentice professional. Norman had also attracted the attention of other clubs, including Exeter City and Birmingham

October 24, 1953

At a public poll at Bude-Stratton on Monday, a majority of 454 voted in favour of Sunday film shows at Bude. The result was greeted with cheers by the many people who had assembled outside the polling booth to await the result.

In order to help the fight against beach oil pollution, ten thousand plastic envelopes each worth half a crown to the finder are to be dropped into the North Atlantic by aircraft of Coastal Command, in an effort to indicate the speed and direction of surface currents.

Mr R H Keast, headmaster of the Launceston Voluntary Primary (aided) School Launceston, better known at the National School, intimated at the annual prize-giving yesterday that he would be retiring at the end of the year.

Hundreds of members from all parts of county visited Launceston on Thursday and Friday of last week for the Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes Cup Day exhibition.

October 31, 1953

Statistics given in the annual report for Launceston Rural District by area medical officer Dr W H P Minto, show the district has an acreage of 73,061 and a population of 6,470. 

South Petherwin WI opened its recent concert and sales stall with the planting of a cherry tree to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Music lover formed a neat capacity audience for the celebrity concert at the Town Hall in which Bernard Snore, the world famous viola virtuoso, was paying a return visit to the town.

Speaking at Whitstone at a quiz competition between North Tamerton and the local team, organised by the Divisional Conservative Association, Sir Harold Roper, Conservative MP for North Cornwall, said that so long as Britain and America worked together there would not be another world war.

October 23, 1943

The Food Executive Officer at Wadebridge has warned that shopkeepers who have oranges to sell must put them on view and not ‘under the counter’.

Following the shooting affair which, as we have reported took place in the square of a Cornish town last month (1983 note: Wartime security forbade reference to the fact that it was at Launceston) 14 coloured American soldiers appeared before a US court martial at Paignton on Friday. They faced several charges, including mutiny, rioting and shooting with intent to murder. It was stated that two military policemen had been wounded and that the trouble arose because they had orders to chase all coloured men back to camp because they had no passes. Some had been ordered out from a dance at the Town Hall the previous night by military police, and British soldiers were alleged to have said that the MPs were picking on coloured troops. After a nine-hour retirement, the officers of the court returned to state that they had decided not to announce their findings.

October 30, 1943

Killed in action: Arthur George Hatch, 21, of Delabole, J H Thomas, of Port Isaac Killed whilst on active service Gordon Priest, of Thornbary, Missing: Sgt D W Stribley, of Ashwater; CPO J C Wivell, ol Boscanie; Cpl T G Burfoot, of Callington, Among the prisoners of war just repatriated from Germany is Pte R. J Cunland, of Camelford.

Planning ahead for post-war education, Cornwall Education Committee is considering the provision of nursery classes to the existing infant school; the provision of more places to meet the raising of the leaving age to 16; and compulsory part-time education from 15 10 18. The abolition of fee-paying for scholars will mean a great cost to the rates, probably £10,000 a year. 

Farm labourers’ wages have just been raised by 5s to 653 week: the workers had asked for £4.

In a letter 10 the Editor, local serviceman says that while Bude has done well in providing comforts for the sailors of its adopted ship, HMS Bude, for the Merchant Navy and for US troops stationed in the district, no one has yet organised a fund for the local men and women serving in the forces. Calling for the establishment of a central fund for the town, he says; “I cannot believe that the people of Bude have forgotten their own but prefer to think it as an oversight.”

October 28, 1933

Distinctive tailorings: Gents suits to measure from 45s, overcoats to measure from 45s, ready-made overcoats, 25s, raincoats 8s 11d — Lloyd Tailor, etc, Church Street, Launceston —(advt).

Bude has a pet seal —a baby animal which allows children and adults to touch and stroke it. Fishermen put it back into the sea, but it refused to go.

Instead of building a new bridge costing £17,000, it has been decided to rebuild the present Polson Bridge, near Launceston, al cost of £6,500.

Mr Lee, of Mineshop, St Gennys, has dug up a sovereign over 200 years old, Another rare occurrence at Mineshop is the arrival of a steam-roller to work on the road. It had never been there, because of the steepness of the hills on either side of the valley.

November 4, 1933

A suggested new bus service to Launceston is proposed by Messrs Truscotts Bros, of Rilla Mill, from Rilla Mill to Launceston at 3d single and 4d return.

Mr Edward Whitehouse, member of the Inner Temple and until recently in the Nigerian Administrative Service, is to be the new Conservative and Unionist Parliamentary candidate for North Cornwall, succeeding Mr A M Williams. Mr Whitehouse, married with one son, is 28.

Mr Thomas John Brown, of Millfloor, Trebarwith, who has just died aged 69 was interested in the site quarrying industry and it was through his initiative that the Trevillett and other quarries in the district were opened up, giving employment to a large number of local men in the years since the war.

October 27, 1923

After parents of children attending Boasley Cross School had staged strikes by refusing to send their children to the present building because of continued outbreaks of diphtheria, the Boasley UM chapel trustees have agreed to their day school and vestry being used as a temporary day school.

Mr C Sprague, the acting secretary, reported to the committee of the Okehampton Cottage Hospital Scheme, on Thursday, that the question of a site would soon be settled. Estimated cost of the hospital was £3,000, towards which they already have £1,100.

The Conservative Association, on Monday, held their first meeting in the Town Hall, Launceston, since 1911, when Mayor Treffry was the speaker and their candidate Mrs Thynne (Kilkhampton) presided.

November 3, 1923

After more than 40 years a headmaster at Stoke Climsland Council School, Mr T Mutton retired last Michaelmas. On Wednesday he was the recipient of a presentation from old scholars, staff, manager and others. 

St Breward United Methodists have built two vestries and installed a new pipe organ at the chapel. These additions were opened on Saturday, the organ being declared open by Mr F Glassock, of Tintagel.