10 years ago

No justice: Hundreds of years of justice being seen to be done in Hexham came to an end, when Tynedale Magistrates' Court heard its final cases. A campaign to save the court was unsuccessful, with cases from the district being transferred to Newcastle.

Last frame? The owner of Prudhoe Snooker Club said he would have to close his business if the Duke of Northumberland's plans for a redevelopment of the town were to go ahead. Tony Finnigan had opened the establishment 26 years previously, with his late wife Pat.

25 years ago

Castle reunion: A man who lived at Aydon Castle near Corbridge as a child met a maidservant he had not seen for over 60 years. Henry Oliver (80), of Stocksfield returned to the castle to attend a launch ceremony for a book he had written about its history. There, he met Mary Eldridge (84), of Scarborough, who had made a detour to visit the castle while on her way to visit her great-granddaughter in Scotland.

Time preservation: Pupils at Lowgate First School near Hexham buried a time capsule full of 1996 facts and figures, and examples of music and games. There was even a copy of the Courant. The pupils were pictured with teacher Diane Murphy digging a hole for the time capsule in the grounds of the school.

Historic future: The development of the Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre as a major tourist attraction scooped £156,000 of Lottery and EU money. Managed by the North Pennines' Heritage Trust, the site was being transformed into a business and visitor centre.

50 years ago

Rugby bid: Northumberland County Council turned down Tynedale Rugby Club’s application to use the former Corbridge showfield, which the club had arranged to buy from Tyneside Agricultural Society, for £12,000, as a sporting venue.

Name debate: Five Corbridge residents called for their street, Cow Lane, to be renamed Leazes Lane, claiming the latter was the name they had always known it as. Their request was turned down by Hexham Rural Council, on grounds that the lane’s bovine name dated back many years and was featured on Ordnance Survey maps.

Getting Together: Tynedale’s five local councils held talks about the forthcoming amalgamation of Hexham urban and rural, Bellingham rural, Haltwhistle rural, and Prudhoe urban councils.

Rangers rampant: Corbridge Rangers’ football team beat Heatonians 7-1 to remain top of their league.

75 years ago

Newspaper history: The Courant took over two of its local rivals, the Hexham Weekly News and the Haltwhistle Echo. While the Weekly News was closed, the Echo was kept as a going concern.

Lucky 13: The incredible Hexham Hearts football team went 13 points clear at the top of their league after defeating bottom-placed Mary and Bessie Youth Club 13-2. This took the Hexham club's goal tally to 125 in just 22 games.

Veteran clubbers: At the annual meeting of Corbridge's Loyal Earl of Derwentwater Lodge of Oddfellows, it was reported that five club members had notched up 293 years' membership between them.

Dumping issue: The Tyne Fishery Board complained that West Woodburn residents were using a stretch of the river there as a dump for household refuse.

100 years ago

Rats' rampage: Rats were reported to be causing problems in Hexham's urban council-owned slaughterhouses. One beef carcass hung there had about seven pounds of meat on it eaten by the rapacious rodents, a council meeting heard.

Street footballers: Two miners from West Wylam in Prudhoe were fined 10 shillings each for playing football in the street.

125 years ago

Band boost: A bazaar, held at the village school, raised £73 for Mickley Temperance Brass Band's new instruments fund.

Book borrowing: More than 2,200 books - all but 230 of which were novels - were lent out by the library at Haltwhistle Mechanics' Institute during the preceding year, it was reported at the institution's annual meeting.

150 years ago

Good feeding: A blackfaced tip, aged two years old, bred and fed by Mr Anthony Charlton, of Lodge, Sinderhope, was slaughtered by Mr George Lee, of West End near Allenheads. It weighed the remarkably heavy weight of 11 stones.

Bank Holiday: It was reported that the banks of Hexham would close their doors at 12 noon on Easter Monday.