25 years ago

October 16, 1997

The people of Launceston and district will soon have a chance to air their views at a public meeting on the plan to halve the number of beds at Launceston Hospital and thus save £190,000 a year. The Launceston CARES action group — Community Action to Retain Essential Services — is to meet in private and fix the date for the public to have their say.

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40 years ago

October 16, 1982

Launceston Lions president Monty Lowther presents a plaque to Keith Littlejohns, of Holsworthy, winner of a sponsored pigeon race from Nantes to Launceston in the summer which raised £197 for adventure playground equipment at Hurdon Way and Lanstephan.

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50 years ago

October 14, 1972

Mark Quick, of St Leonards Road, Lanstephan, was elected by public ballot Fairy King of Launceston Carnival, Nicola Body, of Trelawney Terrace, was elected Fairy Queen.

Mr Evan Holman of Camelford won the Ranelagh Trophy and Ford Motor Company Cup at the Post Office telephone lorry drivers competition at Fowey.

Fireman B A Callow, of Launceston, was among those who received long service and good conduct medals at the fifth annual inspection of the Cornwall Fire Service.

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60 years ago

October 20, 1962

“Dr Beeching’s latest ideas on how to make the railways pay must be causing a good deal of heartsearching among people in some of our less-populated areas, like Cornwall,” declared Mr jim Hughes, labour candidate for North Cornwall, when, before his departure to the Brighton Labour conference, as an ex-officio member, he toured local villages.

A BBC Television unit visited Camelford’s new comprehensive school on Monday morning, and in the “South West at Six” programme that evening a film of the school was shown, with three other schools in the county.

There are a substantial number of unfit houses in the Holsworthy Rural area, but no records showing that routine inspections have ever been undertaken. This was revealed in the housing and public health committees report to Holsworthy Rural Council, on Wednesday.

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70 years ago

October 11, 1952

Two daughters of a well-known Camelford farming family, Misses Marjorie and Hilda Routly, were both married in the town on Saturday, but at different churches. The younger daughter, Hilda, was married first, and then, about an hour later, she was matron of honour at her sister’s wedding.

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80 years ago

October 17, 1942

Killed in action: Sgt Ernest Roy Harris, RAF, 28, son of Mr and Mrs A E Harris, 6, Priory Park Road, Launceston. Previously posted missing, now reported prisoner of war: Pte William Cobbledick, son of Mrs Cobbledick, Hele Cottage, Marhamchurch.

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90 years ago

October 22, 1932

To celebrate the opening of Holsworthy cinema last week free performance were given so the local school children (including the country children). One of the features of the new cinema is that patrons can buy a family book of tickets at reduced rates.

The ringing of the fire bell from the tower of St Mary’s Church, brought hundreds of Launceston people to the scene of a big blaze on Friday evening. A three-storey building, on the junction of Broad Street and Church Street, formerly used by Lloyds Bank, but laterly occupied on the ground floor as a cafe by Mrs Wilcocks, of Saltash, was gutted. The roof fell through and damage of £3,000-£4,000 was caused but firemen prevented the spread of the flames to adjoining buildings.

Callington Urban Council plans to buy two fields in South Hill Road as a site for 24 council houses.

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100 years ago

October 21, 1922

The Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd George, and his Government have resigned following the Conservative decision to scrap the Coalition with the Liberals.

The suggestion that the use of the present National School as the elementary school for girls and infants, while the boys were taught at the council school, was put to a conference of school managers and others at Launceston on Thursday. It was stated that this would mean a saving of £1,000 a year under the present system. The religious control of the schools presented a difficulty, however, the Rev Rivers-Tippett, Vicar of St Mary’s opposing on these grounds.