100 years ago

The residents of Bishop Stortford and many visitors gathered to mourn the loss of a popular Landlord of the Castle Inn.

Mr Salmon who died at the age of ninety four was believed to be the oldest, licensed victualler in England. This well respected and amiable man was hailed as ' a splendid example of the best type of Englishman'.

He was a life long moderate drinker who held the Castle licence for 58 years, although as a Landlord he set an extremely good example and never let heavily intoxicated persons onto the premises.

1908 saw the beginning of many drastic changes under the new Liberal Government.

If you were over seventy-years-old and earned less than 12 shillings, you were entitled to money from the Old Age Pension Act.

To discuss these strange, new policies a special, county meeting was held at Shire Hall in Hertford.

A meeting of the pension committee was held for the purpose of appointing sub- committees who would deal locally with claims for pensions that may be made from the townsfolk of Hertfordshire.

At the corner of Lower Kings Road in Berkhamsted an old man called Frederick Norwood was knocked down by a horse and cart belonging to 'Messrs Reynolds boot manufacturers' of Chesham.

After being medically treated by a prestigious, local doctor, Dr. Bontor for severe cuts and bruises, Mr Norwood was allowed to recover peacefully at home.


50 years ago

Due to a very wet summer, farmers were urged to vaccinate their livestock against ' black disease' an epidemic associated with ' fluke
disease'. Areas prone to ' fluke' disease were urged to be treated with bluestone to kill the snails which were harbouring the infestation.

A crazed, plane-obsessed, 26 year old man managed to hijack an RAF plane which he flew from Odiham to Bovingdon.

He planned his grandiose scheme down to the last detail; he managed to take a party of air training Corps with him to Bovingdon, after convincing the men that he was a Sub- Lieutenant of the Royal Navy.

He even painted a diamond onto his helmet to show that he was 'ace'.

He told the Magistrates court that he did it because as a civilian, he wouldn't ever get the chance to fly an RAF plane.

In July 1958 crash helmet purchase tax was finally removed; great news for motorcyclists everywhere except for Hemel Hempstead!

The Hemel Road Safety Committee were still under the impression that there was a percentage of tax to be taken from crash helmet buyers a whole month after the policy was revoked.

Purchase tax ranged from 2s to 2s and 6s.

25 years ago

Founder of the Chris Barber Jazz band and the man that introduced the world to 'skiffle' music in 1956, Lonnie Donegan, performed at the Hemel Hempstead Pavilion in October.

The famous singer shared the stage with Billie Jo Spears and performed one of his most well-known hits,' Rock Island Line', which sold two million copies in two weeks!

But perhaps even more exciting for Hemel's audience was the fact that Donegan's skiffle group had toured the USA years ago, sharing the stage with none other than former Hollywood actor and leader of the ' free world', Ronald Reagan.

During the recession of the early 1980's, almost 400 newspaper workers in Hemel Hempstead alone faced job loss!

The newspaper worst affected, ' The Evening Post Echo', faced closure after Thomson Regional Newspapers Ltd, tried to sell the publication.

The recession had significantly reduced advertising in the paper and by 1982, circulation had fallen by a third from 92,742 per day to only 61,876.

Editor, Trevor Wade, said it was 'a shattering blow to a terrific team'.

After numerous complaints from residents of behavioural problems, noise levels and litter, the Queens Head pub in Lawn Lane, Hemel Hempstead was called to have its licence revoked.

Reports of violence and people urinating outside local homes had got so bad that many residents had to close their windows in hot weather to avoid the awful smell!

Young and ambitious, seven year old Ben Manito from Hemel Hempstead had a dream to be a top policeman, catching thieves and fighting crimes.

One of Hemel Hempstead's senior Police constables of the time, Stephen Holland gave little Ben the chance to be an honorary officer for the day.

The constable put him through his paces and the day included meeting detectives, having finger prints taken, befriending a police dog and sitting in a police car!

They even had time to stop for ice cream. Ben turned up for work in his treasured ' Cops and Robbers' costume but who knows if he's wearing the real deal today?