10 years ago

famous face: North-East actress Denise Welch paid a visit to Hexham to officially open a new playroom at the Rainbow Trust’s Fernstone respite house. The facility at Lowgate offered a sanctuary for families who had a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness.

dying district: Councillors argued that democracy in Tynedale was being eroded by the new authority. Members of Hexham Town Council protested that they had no idea how Northumberland County Council was now operating in the district. The county council assumed additional responsibilities when the six district council’s were merged under one banner.

eco friendly: Environmental activists were developing plans to build a windfarm in Hexham. Members of Transition Tynedale were deciding whether to establish a small-scale windfarm themselves or negotiate with a commercial developer for a larger site.

25 years ago

road revamp: An urgent plea for work to begin as soon as possible on the Haltwhistle bypass came, after an eight-year-old girl was knocked down while crossing the A69 trunk road.

night crawlers: Villagers in Corbridge fed up with rising crime announced a plan to patrol the streets at night to tackle criminals. The organiser of the vigilante group – Citizen’s Patrol – said around 100 people had expressed an interest in signing up.

EU hopes: Newcastle city councillor Lembit Opik was bidding to become Northumbria’s Tynedale elected member in the European Parliament.

hot bother: Five hill walkers from Wylam stepped into a hot situation when they were caught in the middle of a raging forest fire in Scotland. The group had to be airlifted to safety in a Royal Navy helicopter.

50 years ago

murder mystery: A two-year-old boy’s body was found in the Allerwash Dene after he went missing from a Newcastle store. It was stated that a man had been charged with murder.

Sing out: The BBC’s Songs of Praise was recorded at Hexham Abbey for broadcast three weeks later. It was introduced by Geoffrey Wheeler.

Cut off: Ex-gratia payments to former employees of Hexham Urban Council were blocked – on the casting vote of the council chairman.

75 years ago

Clerical area: Within three months of his silver jubilee as Rector of Hexham, the Rev. J.V.C. Farquhar resigned to make way for a younger man.

Little vandals: The cobblestone surround of the historic market cross at Corbridge, scene of the old-time proclamation of Stagshawbank Fair, was partially removed by children.

Good fight: Bellingham’s Salute the Soldier campaign opened with a target aim of £45,000 to provide three Churchill tanks.

Air horror: A trial flight at Farnborough for the world’s largest aeroplane ended in disaster when it crashed, fatally injuring the pilot from Wylam, Capt. F.G. Dunn.

100 years ago

film fanatics: Showing silent movies at Haydon Bridge Town Hall led to a court appearance for two men. When police called on the town hall and found 70 people watching a film, the the owners failed to produce the required permission documents. However, magistrates at Hexham Petty Sessions dismissed the case on payment of costs.

Cutting remark: A labourer from Brunton was bound over for following his ex-fiancee around and threatening to cut her throat.

Put off: A member of Hexham Golf Club threatened to resign from its committee over the “appalling proposal” of balloting members about playing on Sundays.

125 years ago

No hiding place: Unable to pay a 5s fine, a Stockton man was given a week’s hard labour for fare-dodging on a train. A ticket collector at Hexham had found him hiding under a seat.

Chill wind: Visitors to Aston left for warmer climes when a three-hour snowstorm brought ankle-deep snowdrifts to parts of Alston Moor.

150 years ago

new life: At a meeting of the Church Building Committee, held in the town hall in Alston, a contractor was declared for the erection of the new church in the town.

site sale: Eight building sites in Beaumont Street, Hexham, were offered for public competition at the White Hart Hotel, but failed to obtain any bidders.

Force review: An annual inspection of the police force of the Hexham division took place. The inspection was made at the court room in which the force paraded, and were put through drill exercises.