10 years ago

WATER GATE: A £400,000 flood defence scheme introduced at Haydon Bridge saw giant ‘Lego’ bricks installed to keep floods at bay.

STOP! SHEEP: Drivers travelling along the A69 towards Hexham were brought to a standstill after around 20 sheep escaped on to the westbound carriageway.

ENERGY CAMPAIGN: Protesters gathered outside Prospect House, Hexham to support plans for a windfarm at Knowesgate as it promoted green energy. The Ministry of Defence opposed the plans.

SHATTERED SHELTERS: Prudhoe town councillors committed themselves to improving the town’s bus shelters after many were found to be in a dilapidated state.

25 years ago

NO SALES: Stall-holders at Hexham’s Tuesday market warned it was “dying a slow death” after a fall in visitors and trade.

HANGING ON: Fire crews rescued three people from a blazing flat in Hexham as they clung on to a windowsill by their fingertips. Nobody was injured after the incident.

FIRE STATION APPROVED: The controversial satellite fire station ‘garage’ at Hencotes, Hexham was given the green light. Local residents protested the plans based on fears of road safety.

RAUCOUS RAID: A masked gunman staged a raid at Branch End petrol station in Stocksfield. Nobody was injured as he got away with £60.

50 years ago

CHEAT CAUGHT: A Haydon Bridge housewife working in a Hexham betting office earned £60 in fake bets after learning how to ‘fiddle’ a camera which recorded bets.

SERVICEMAN REMEMBERED: A Hexham man who was a commander in chief with the air forces during the Second World War, died aged 74.

ROAD APPROVAL: The experimental one-way system in Corbridge was to be made permanent, it was decided by the Northumberland highways committee.

SNOWED IN: Two people were marooned overnight in their car after being caught in a snow drift between Allenheads and Nenthead.

75 years ago

MODEL VILLAGE: Blanchland was one of four country villages suggested by the Ministry of Town and Country planning as a ‘model’ for post-war village planning.

BUS SHELTER: Strong representations were made by Corbirdge Parish Council to Hexham Rural Council for a bus shelter at the south side of Corbridge Bridge.

GREEN LEARNING: A master at Hexham Modern School said ‘gardening science’ should be considered as a key subject for rural schools.

100 years ago

NEW TRANSPORT: A letter in the Hexham Courant said: “Why don’t the people of Hexham approach the council and get them to run electric trams from Hexham to Throckley and from Hexham to Chollerford.”

RUBBISH DUMP: A villager recommended Allendale Parish Council discuss the possibility of a refuse tip in its village.

DEDICATED VOTER: A 79-year-old man walked from Simonburn to his nearest polling station in Humshaugh and back to record his vote in the general election.

125 years ago

BIG BUCKS: At an auction sale at Hexham Mart, two dwelling houses together with a four stall stable granary and hay loft in Broadgates sold for £565.

GENEROUS DONATIONS: The annual dole of three pounds bequeathed to the poor of Warden, and Newbrough was distributed. Forty widows in Hexham received a shilling from another charity.

POPULAR POSTMEN: Residents were warned of the large amount of work on the hands of local postmen after Christmas day fell on a Monday.

Although a number of new houses were built in Hexham, it was said they were keeping with demand.

150 years ago

WHO DUNNIT?: A government inspector held an inquiry into a railway accident at Mickley which saw a North British passenger train collide with a mineral train. Railway officials were criticised for their carelessness in letting a mineral train run between two passenger trains.

CLEAN HEALTH: Hexham was claimed to be ranked amongst the “most healthy places in the Kingdom” after it avoided a serious bout of Typhus fever spreading through Tynedale.

POSTAL SERVICE: The people of Otterburn and Woodburn complained of the lack of postal arrangements in and around the villages. A comment published in the Hexham Courant said: “The sooner the inhabitants of those districts put themselves in communication with the post master general the better.”

FREE LAND: The Duke of Northumberland granted to the United Free Methodists of Kirkwhelpington a site on which to build a chapel and a house for their minister.