WE looked back through our archives to find out what made Hexham Courant headlines 150 years ago.

10 years ago

BUS SAGA: Hexham Town Council saw the first of several new plans drawn up by Northumberland County Council for a roundabout at the junction of Battle Hill and Beaumont Street. 

Hexham Courant: Councillor Cath Homer was concerned about road safety issues if Benson's Monument, at the junction of Battle Hill and Beaumont Street, became the centre of a turning point for buses in 2013Councillor Cath Homer was concerned about road safety issues if Benson's Monument, at the junction of Battle Hill and Beaumont Street, became the centre of a turning point for buses in 2013 (Image: Newsquest)

SEARCH: Police were searching high and low for missing Catton woman Janis Hall, after it emerged she may have been in Simonburn following her disappearance three weeks prior.

DISPUTE: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was called in to resolve a footpath dispute in Otterburn.

25 years ago

TAX RISE: Council taxpayers in Tynedale and elsewhere in Northumberland were told they may see council tax rise by at least 10 per cent in the following year or suffer another sizeable cut in services.

PLAYBUS BIRTHDAY: Myrtle, a playbus which travelled around remote Tynedale villages to brighten children's lives, celebrated its 25th birthday.

SLOW DEMO: Angry taxi drivers held a go-slow demonstration through Hexham town centre to protest against the lack of taxi bays in town.  

50 years ago

NEW POOL: Work started on building Haltwhistle Parish Council's ambitious £92,000 open air swimming pool.

SCHOOL FIGHT: The National Farmers' Union gave its backing to the fight to prevent the closure of Elsdon village school.

SAW POINT: Forestry workers at Kielder were threatening to ban the use of chainsaws in support of their pay claim.

75 years ago

HOUSING BOOM: Prudhoe Urban Council reported it had provided houses for 219 families since the war and that the 100th permanent house would soon be completed and occupied on the Oaklands estate.

ON THE ROAD: The Hexham Town bus service resumed after a six-month break, with Priory Coaches providing a half-hourly service to the more remote parts of town. 

100 years ago

FLOOD HERO: After rescuing a young woman from the flooded River South Tyne at Haltwhistle, local man Edward John Batey was presented with a parchment by the Royal Humane Society.

EX-MP MOURNED: Viscount Allendale, who was Liberal MP for Hexham from 1895 to 1907, died at his London residence in Piccadilly aged 63. 

ON AIR: Best sellers for Christmas included crystal wireless sets, complete with aerial, insulators and headphones at a cost of £3-16s (£3-80) with a range of 30 miles.

125 years ago

DAIRY SALES: Haltwhistle's butter and egg market was formally opened by Dr WR Speirs in Hetherington's auction mart.

GAS BONANZA: At a public auction in Hexham Town Hall, 190 £10 ordinary shares in Hexham Gas Company were sold for £16 each.  

150 years ago

FANCY PIGEONS: At the annual show of the Northern Columbarian Society in Newcastle, which featured 300 pens of valuable pigeons, winners from Hexham included William Ridley, John Guthrie, Michael Green and James Dye.

CHRISTMAS CHEER: Among the Christmas special offers at the Turf Hotel in Hexham were Scotch whisky at 15s (75p) per gallon, gin at 12s (60p) per gallon, and pale ale and stout at 4s (20p) per dozen bottles.