By Saul Cooke-Black

SNJ REPORTER Saul Cooke-Black looks back at news from across the decades.

1965

A PONY, a donkey, and even a saddle to go with them – that was the deposit a Leonard Stanley farmer paid for a second-hand car.

The farmer did not have the £60 deposit for the Vauxhall Victor saloon car selling at £195, so offered the two-year-old chestnut pony and Jack donkey as a substitute.

When the car salesman, John Manley, saw the animals, he gladly accepted the offer.

AN 11-YEAR-OLD numismatist had another coin to add to his collection as the result of his father’s sharp eye.

Stanley Haines, of Belmont Road, Stroud, was working in an empty house at Bourne’s Green when he found an old coin which turned out to be a Charles II farthing.

He took the coin home and gave it to his son, Allen, a keen collector.

The farthing was then taken to Stroud Museum where it was identified.

NEARLY 100 representatives from every British Legion branch in the Stroud group took part in a parade through King’s Stanley.

The event marked the re-dedication of the 1914-18 Roll of Honour for the parish and the village war memorial.

The Roll of Honour, in the form of three bronze plaques, had been restored by the King’s Stanley branch of the British Legion, costing £350.

1975

CAMPAIGNERS opposing a new £900,000 ring road in Stroud opened up new headquarters as they stepped up their fight.

The new base in Swan Lane, less than 100 yards from the planned ring road, was set to host a changing exhibition of how Stroud looked in the past, present and how it could develop in the future with and without the ring road.

MORE than £400 was raised at the first ever Poppy Day Appeal organised by the Bisley branch of the Royal British Legion.

A Remembrance Day service was also held in Bisley Church which was decorated in poppies and yellow chrysanthemums, while wreaths were laid on the village memorial.

All funds went to the Poppy Dat Appeal for Earl Haig’s Fund.

1985

STROUD’S director of nursing services received a long service award from the Queen Mother.

Rosemary Radcliffe was presented with the Queen’s Nursing Institute Long Service Award for her career which spanned more than 30 years.

She began her training in 1951 and worked in London, Cardiff and Kentucky in the USA during her distinguished career.

A POPULAR former pupil who became a cleaner at King’s Stanley Infants School retired after more than 20 years’ service.

Mavis Bassett had been cleaner-in-charge at the school for 23 years – where she had also spent her years as a pupil.

At a leaving ceremony she was presented with a carriage clock, bouquet of flowers and cards from the children, parents and staff.

1995

A TEENAGER from Ruscombe survived a horrific bus crash in Chile which killed three passangers.

Alexander Skelton, 19, was travelling through the Aracama Desert when the bus he was in overturned.

Despite suffering injuries to his arm, he helped four of his friends out of the bus where they then waited for help to arrive.

VILLAGERS in Leonard Stanley turned out in numbers to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of a well-known couple.

More than 80 friends and family were set to join Margaret and Leon Green for celebrations marking 50 years of marriage.

They met at a church hall dance in their Welsh home village of Waunlwyd.

2005

PUPILS and staff were celebrating across Stroud after two schools made it into the top 10 of the Sunday Times Parent Power League.

Foxmoor Primary School was ranked eight and Stroud High tenth in the guide to the country’s best state and independent schools.

A HAIRDRESSER from Stroud with a body to 'dye' for blew caution to the wind and got his kit off for a nude calendar.

Russell Nurding posed naked in the salon for the calendar which was being sold in aid of Minchinhampton’s Cotswold Care Hospice.

The 35-year-old from Eastcombe even persuaded 11 of his customers to join him in the saucy stunt.