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

1966

A DOG owner from Nailsworth was celebrating after two of her Shetland sheepdogs won national trophies for their obedience.

Blackbird of Exford, owned by Ms D Homfray, was awarded the Moonen Shield Trophy for gaining the most points in obedience and Gleam of Exford was runner-up.

Ms Homfray was the senior trainer of the Stroud Dog Training Club.

FORMER Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home visited Bisley to attend the wedding of his nephew in the village church.

The ex-Conservative minister attended the wedding of Charles Douglas-Home and Jessica Gwynne with Lady Douglas-Home.

PUPILS at King’s Stanley Primary School had an unexpected extra day off after a fault with the boiler.

The stock of anthracite which fed the boiler had run out and because of a rail hold-up, the County Education Department was unable to get a new supply to the village.

The eighty-five pupils and teachers were forced to take the day off as it was decided it was too cold.

1976

A MUCH-LOVED mum from Chalford passed away – 12 days after she had celebrated her 100th birthday on Christmas Day.

Annie Pearce, a strong supporter of the Labour Party, grew up in Chalford where she met and married John Pearce.

The couple had one child together, Gwen, who Annie lived with along with her son-in-law before her passing.

A FARMER from Painswick appeared on HTV West television programme West Country Farming to discuss a controversial new dairy unit at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.

The show, presented, by Richard Hughes, a former student at the college, discussed the merits of the unit which was controversial due to its cost.

THE introduction of music cassettes at Stroud Library was proving popular.

An array of cassette cases could be seen in the main hall of the library, mainly consisting of classical and light classical music.

Stroud had joined other county libraries Cheltenham, Gloucester, Cirencester, Cinderford and Moreton-in-Marsh in introducing the new state-of-the-art technologies.

1986

THE FUTURE of St Matthew’s Church Hall in Cainscross hung in the balance after a decision by Stroud District Council not to develop the land for sheltered housing.

The hall was situated on a site which was soon to be put up for sale by the PCC.

Users of the hall feared that unless the land was bought by the council, it would be sold to a developer who would pull down the hall to build on the land.

THE new chairman of Stroud Show Peter Chapman was drawing up plans for a spectacular event.

It was announced that the Band of the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars would lead the carnival procession at the event in July.

Mr Chapman, from Minchinhampton, had been the society’s treasurer for several years and was this year taking over the mantle of being chairman of the show.

1996

GENEROUS readers helped raise more than £1,000 for a teenager who was left paralysed in an accident.

Rob Blanch, who was 14, needed the money so that he could get a £7,000 wheelchair which could climb stairs so that he could then attend Maidenhill School in Stonehouse.

Rob, from Cashes Green, Stroud, suffered a broken back, damaged spinal chord and fractured skull after he fell from a tree while on holiday at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire.

He spent three days in intensive care before being transferred to the specialist Duke of Conrwall spinal unit in Salisbury.

Discharged in time for Christmas, Rob was aiming to get back to school in April but needed the wheelchair as the school had three storeys.

THE Stroud Football Poets reached their cup final – an appearance at the launch celebrations of the European Championships.

The group of literary experts with a love of the beautiful game were to appear for 20 minutes at the Festival Hall in London in June in a spot called 90 Minutes of Football Poetry.

The group was set up by Stuart Butler and Dennis Gould. Mr Butler was also putting together a book of football poems written by staff and pupils at Brockworth School where he worked as a history teacher.

2006 

WITNESSES who saw a bizarre object hover over in the sky over Cainscross were so concerned they contacted a UFO investigation group.

Michael Soper, from the group Contact International UK, said “We were contacted by a man who reported seeing a very large pinkish object.

“It was 1,000 feet up and silent.

“It took about 30 seconds to pass over Stroud and it was travelling from north west to south east.”

He said it was unlikely to be a plane because of the colour.

PARENTS heaved a sigh of relief after new premises were found for a Stroud nursery.

Beanstalk Nursery had been running at Stroud College since 1992 but in June staff were shocked to discover plans to create a new state-of-the-art-college which did not include space for a childcare facility.

But Stroud District Council found the nursery new premises in the old tennis pavilion at Stratford Park Leisure Centre.

The rooms were being refurbished to make them suitable for a nursery.