Memory Corner June 13th 2019

Friday June 13th, 1794

SOME WOMEN are like citadels, hard to be taken.  Last week was married at Leeds, after a toilsome and laborious courtship of thirty years, Mr S Denison to Miss E Banks.

THE DUKE OF BEDFORD lost upward of £25,000 at the last Epsom races.  The Earl of Derby was more fortunate; his lordship cleared at least £30,000.

ON THURSDAY NIGHT, as the turnkey [warder] of Bath prison was locking up two deserters, he was knocked down by them, thrust into a cell, the keys taken from him, and five prisoners escaped.

 

Friday June 11th, 1819

AT THE REQUEST of a medical gentleman we insert an article on typhus or contagious fever, a subject of vital importance to every member of society at this present moment. Those persons who, either as parish officers or while on errands of benevolence, have become acquainted with the obscure streets and filthy dwellings of the poor in Shrewsbury, can attest the truth of some of the writer’s statements, and appreciate some of the hints that are offered.

 

Friday June 11th, 1869

JAMES HANNY, CLOCK AND WATCHMAKER (opposite the Lion Hotel) – clockmaker to the Llangollen, Corwen, Bala, Dolgelley, and Central Wales railways – is prepared to supply church, turret and stable clocks from £10 to £500.  CAUTION – as there is no jeweller in Shrewsbury who has any practical knowledge of clock and watch work,personally, J Hanny would appeal to the intelligence and common sense of the community at large on the absurdity of encouraging such arrogant imposters as jewellers, barbers and brokers in the matter of CLOCKS AND WATCHES!!

RIDING HOGS through the street is recommended as a preparatory practice for managing a velocipede [bicycle].

A LONDON POLICE INSPECTOR has been committed for trial on a charge of attempting to bribe two other officers of the force to give false evidence to procure the discharge of two prisoners.

 

Friday June 13th, 1919

children playing on swings

THE HAPPY THOUGHT of Mr and Mrs Harold Cock to provide swings and see-saws in the Quarry for the use of the children of the town has proved a great boon to hundreds of the younger generation, and the huge delight evidenced every day by the crowds of juveniles must not only be gratifying to Mr Cock, but should also lead to the wider development of this form of entertainment.  Bands of expectant young children can be seen from early morning till late in the evening making pilgrimage to the now enhanced pleasure ground from all parts of the town.

 

Friday June 15th, 1979

PLANS to slice into Shrewsbury’s famous Quarry to build a new car park have been described as “pure sacrilege” by Britain’s top gardener, Percy Thrower.  The plans have been announced by the Borough Council’s recreation and leisure committee.  They want to extend the public baths park into the Quarry – taking part of the children’s play area.  At the moment there are spaces for only 15 cars to park just off Priory Road, next to the public baths.  For some time there have been complaints from people using the baths that there is not enough parking space.  The extension would provide an additional 28 parking spaces.  Mr Thrower said that he was against the baths being built on the present site from the start.  “I said at the time that it would be the thin end of the wedge, and this latest proposal seems to show that I was right,” he added.

 

Thursday June 16th, 1994

A SHREWSBURY wholefood shop has been the target of a malicious phone call from a right-wing extremist group, Combat 18.  A worker at Crabapple in Castle Gates received the abusive and threatening phone call last week.  Local Anti-Nazi League spokesman Mr Pat McCarthy explained that, “They are a small but very violent right-wing group who have been active in the big cities…” He said it was also possible that the caller was pretending to be a member of the group, someone perhaps on its periphery. Special Branch have been informed of the incident.  In response, members of the 100-strong Anti-Nazi League plan to distribute leaflets in Pride Hill on Saturday.

 

Thursday June 18th, 1994

St Chad’s

AMBITIOUS plans to repair and redevelop St Chad’s Church in Shrewsbury have been unanimously approved by the church council, signalling the launch of a £4 million fundraising drive. St Chad’s parochial church council (PCC) has agreed a three-stage development for the church, to carry out tower repairs, make internal improvements, work on the church organ, and explore ways of providing a toilet, kitchen and other ancillary accommodation to further the mission of the church and serve the needs of the wider community. “Standing still and staying as we are is not an option,” said vicar Mark Thomas.  “We want to become more of a seven-day-a-week church which is sustainable for the foreseeable future.”