Friday October 26th, 1792
AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT has been kept of the number of French refugees admitted to take shelter in this kingdom, and it is proved that they do not amount to 4,000, which must show the folly of those who impute any advance in the price of provisions to this trifling addition to the inhabitants of this country, which are reckoned to exceed eight millions. These unfortunate men have fled from the dagger of the assassin or from transportation to Guinea, a wild uncultivated desert in South America. What nation could refuse its pity and assistance to such complicated distress? The cause of the advanced price of grain must be looked for in the unfavourable circumstances of the harvest, and the situation of the fallows to receive the seed of the succeeding crop.
Friday October 24th, 1817
LORD HILL, at the request of the committee appointed to superintend the erection of the column, has appointed a veteran to take care of it. Sergeant Davies is now resident in the lodge, which, by his Lordship’s orders, is fitted up in the most complete and comfortable manner. Sergeant Davies is a Shropshire man. He has been nearly 20 years in the army, the greater part of which on active service. He was a private three years, two years a corporal, and the remainder of the time a sergeant. When the appointment of Colour-Sergeants was established in 1813, Sergeant Davies was promoted to that rank.
Friday October 25th, 1867
EVERY DAY continues to bring some alarm or rumour of Fenian [Irish Republican] plots and outrages… The volunteer arms have been made safe by being restored to the volunteers, surplus arms being placed in other secure keeping; but some apprehensions are still felt about the militia arms and the guns of the volunteer artillery corps. Troops have been despatched from Aldershot to Manchester and Leeds, and from Plymouth to Liverpool, and the police of many towns are being armed with cutlasses and revolvers.
Friday October 26th, 1917
A GRAVE PICTURE OF THE CONDITION OF IRELAND was drawn by Mr Duke, the Chief Secretary, in the House of Commons on Tuesday night, says the Daily Express. An army of 200,000 young men is being organised with the avowed object of a new rebellion. They have command of great supplies of money. They say that they have arms and will have more when the day [of the rebellion] comes. Behind the whole conspiracy is the “helping hand” of Germany.
Friday October 28th, 1977
TWO HISTORIC SHROPSHIRE BUILDINGS – one a castle – have been put up for sale at a total asking price of around £300,000. The two properties, Albrighton Hall, Shrewsbury, and Rowton Castle, seven miles outside the town, are owned by the Royal National College for the Blind, and are at present used as colleges for blind and partially sighted students. The Royal National College is moving to Hereford, so that all the students can be under one roof. Offers in the region of £100,000 and £195,000 are being asked for Albrighton Hall and Rowton Castle respectively.
Thursday October 29th, 1992
REVIVAL PLAN FOR HISTORIC BUILDING – development bringing new life to one of Shrewsbury’s historic industrial buildings could start next year. Mr Bob Freeman, chairman and managing director of Shropshire Industrial Estates, which owns the Old Maltings in Ditherington, said this week that English Heritage had agreed to grant aid in principle. His company has owned the Grade 1 listed Old Maltings for five years. Differences of opinion with borough planners delayed refurbishment of the 1797 flax mill, which is the world’s first iron-framed fireproof multi-storey structure, and a forerunner of modern skyscrapers. Now Mr Freeman needs two more ingredients for a successful redevelopment: a joint developer to tackle building work, and one or more firms seeking office space of up to 50,000 square feet.
Thursday October 25th, 2007
A COUPLE WHO WERE CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS and got married with an hour’s notice have enjoyed a double celebration after reaching their 60th wedding anniversary – and a landmark birthday. Ron and Pat Tolhurst, from Shawbury, marked Ron’s 80th birthday the day after their diamond wedding anniversary with a meal at the Lord Hill Hotel in Shrewsbury. Mrs Tolhurst, 79, said the couple, who both worked in the armed forces, have been together since they were 14, and got married on October 11th 1947, when both were on leave from work. “We both came home on leave on the Friday night and Ron asked me to marry him. We booked the registry office at 9.30am the next day and were married by about 11am. We both married in uniform, but we haven’t got any pictures because most people didn’t have cameras in those days, but it hasn’t altered the way we feel about one another. I love him as much now as I ever did – he is one in a million. The secrets of a happy marriage are working together, a few arguments (because nobody has a perfect marriage), trust and love,” she said.