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Scroll down for 100, 50, and 25 years ago this week
The week in history
1906 100 years ago
THE GAZETTE offered an interesting set of advice under the title Words of Wisdom.
Some of the gems included: “A friendly thought is the purest gift that man can afford. The universe is a fresco that the ego makes beautiful or ugly. The only safe escape from an unpleasant duty is by going through with it. Opportunities are very sensitive things. If you slight them on their first visit they rarely visit again.”
Other bits of advice included a the importance of avoiding idleness.
It read: “Idleness is the bane of the body and mind, the nurse of naughtiness, the step-mother of discipline, the chief author of all mischief, one of the seven deadly sins, the cushion upon which the devil chiefly reposes, and a great cause not only of melancholy, but of many other diseases: for the mind is naturally active; and if it be not occupied about some honest business, it rushes into mischief, or sinks into melancholy.”
ASHRIDGE flower Show took place this week.
A report read: “One of the most popular functions of this district during the summer months is the flower show held each year at Ashridge. Through the kindness of Lord and Lady Brownlow the beautiful grounds of one of the finest homes in England is thrown open to the general public, which always ensures large attendances, for the attractions of the Monk's garden, the rose garden, the Queen's beech and the deer in the park on a beautiful day are great.
“This year the show was quite up to average, and, favoured with delightful weather, the committee themselves have every reason to congratulate themselves on a successful gathering.”
Prize winners included Marcus Bedford of Potten End for his White Kidney potatoes and C Cutler for his broad beans.
1956 50 years ago
A HEMEL HEMPSTEAD man was in court this week charged with GBH.
The court heard that the man had poured boiling water over his wife's face.
The report read: “Only the intervention of a 78-year-old neighbour saved the woman from her husband's rage at their home in Hemel Hempstead after he had poured a kettle of boiling water over her face and attempted to throttle her in the garden.”
The neighbour who helped the woeman was in the front garden when he heard screams and ran to the back to help.
He said: “She was holding her face as her husband ran after her. He got her by the throat and shook her. I shouted ‘I will stick a fork in you and knock your head off when I get there.'”
When interviewed by police the husband seemed confused by the events.
He said in court: “All I remember is that she said something about what I had done to the baby. But it was a nice baby to me. I think I had a bowl of water or something. My legs started trembling when she said she was going back to Harrow. I heard an old chap say ‘stick a fork in him.' I cleared off across the fields to get away from him.” A hearing was set for October.
THE Luxor cinema in Hemel Hempstead was showing Arizona with William Holden and Keep it Clean staring Ronald Shiner and James Hayter.
The Princess was playing Robin Hood and his Merrie Men with Richard Todd, while in Berkhamsted the main features were The Swan with Grace Kelly and Alec Guinness and Disney's The Littlest Outlaw.
1981 25 years ago
AN ANCIENT corn mill in Tring, which Dacorum District Council originally intended to convert into a show-piece development was sold this week.
A report read: “Severe criticism came from Tring residents when the council, faced with continuing cuts in government grants, called off the scheme in March.
By then the old buildings in Akeman Street had deteriorated badly, despite nearly £164,000 having been spent on the original purchase of the 15th century mill, and subsequent maintenance, trial holes, fees for the scheme, and a design competition.”
LEVERSTOCK Green residents witnessed a bizarre sight this week when a group of rabbits were seen being taken out for a walk.
A report read: “It must be the hot weather. Rabbits on leads?
“Yes they really are taking their rabbits out for walkies. So don't be caught on the hop, you are not seeing things - it's just Hunny, Tibber, Herbie and Digby taking a stroll down the road with their owners.”
The lead was the idea of 14-year old Debbie Geary and soon her neighbours Jane and Andrew Alexander and friend Sally caught on and they began regularly taking their pets to the shops to stock up on supplies of lettuce and carrots.
POTTEN End was awarded the best kept village in Hertfordshire this week by the Lord Lieutenant Major General Sir George Burns.
This was the third time the village had won the award since 1974.
Cllr Renee Daly was specially commended for her work as ‘commander in chief' of operations in the village. | 