By Saul Cooke-Black

SNJ reporter Saul Cooke-Black delves into the archives.

1965

A NEW car park costing more than £5,000 was opened in Stonehouse.

The park, funded by Stroud Rural District Council, was situated off the High Street, near the Crown and Anchor Hotel, and had 71 spaces.

There would be no set charge, with the car park being run on a ‘Trust the Motorist’ basis.

Users would be expected to pay 6d.

A NEW look Marling School was opened, amalgamated with the former Stroud Boys’ Secondary Technical School.

The amalgamation meant the school would have 46 members of teaching staff and 750 pupils.

Former Technical school boys would play rugby for the first time, and football would be on the curriculum at Marling School for the first time in 30 years.

AN APPEAL was launched to raise £2,000 in a bid to save Trinity Rooms in Stroud.

Roof repairs and the need for a new oil-fired boiler had left a bill totalling £2,000.

The rooms, opened in 1884, were being used by churchgoers from the Methodist church in Castle Street while it was being refurbished.

1975

A PETITION was started to save The Willows care home in Eastington.

It came after Gloucestershire County Council said the home would have to be closed as it could not afford to pay for repairs and fire precautions.

Plans were for residents to transfer to a new home at Quietways in Stonehouse which was being built.

However, concerns were raised that there were not enough places available for The Willows’ 54 residents.

A DOG which found itself trapped in a gap between a garage and a house was rescued by the fire service and RSPCA.

The puppy had climbed onto a garage roof in Minchinhampton when he fell off and found himself trapped.

The dog was not hurt.

1985

A WOMAN who was blind from birth cycled by tandem with her husband from Stroud to Exeter to raise funds for more guide dogs to be provided.

Sandra and Roy Bannister cycled 120 miles from outside the Clothiers Arms in Stroud to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Training Centre in Exeter.

A NEWLY built garden shed was causing controversy.

Two neighbouring families had sent letters of objection to Stroud District Council, warning of a landslide and complaining that it was built too near to an MEB pole.

SDC ordered a sites inspection panel to visit the shed and write a report.

1995

A RABBIT which escaped from his owner stole the show by winning the shield for best pet at the Bussage Grand Family Pet show.

“Toffee’s was the only escape of the afternoon – we just managed to recapture him before the dogs got to him,” said organiser Rosemary Danby.

Neil Forbes, from the Clockhouse Vetinary Surgery in Wallbridge, judged the 15 classes before awarding the overall prize to Toffee.

A SOLDIER from Rodborough was making headlines in the national press after revealing his holiday to Jordan was being paid for by King Hussein.

Arthur Rudge was a former staff sergeant instructor at Sandhurst, the military academy attended by King Hussein.

Mr Rudge received a letter from the King entitling him to the cost of his air fare and free accommodation in a hotel.

2005

A ROYAL visitor was spotted at Woodchester Mansion.

Prince Charles visited for a seminar on the decline of traditional craft skills and came to look around the grounds.

YEAR 7 pupils showed off their new facilities to the Bishop of Gloucester.

The £600 development which included new classroom, offices and a state-of-the-art computer suite, was officially opened by Rev Michael Perham.

A BRAVE mum from Stroud and her four girl pals performed a ‘Full Monty’ strip to raise more than £2,000 for her autistic daughter.

A sell-out crowd at the Space in Stroud watched Kara Westermann-Childs and her friends bare all in front of scores of friends and family.