What made Hexham Courant headlines up to 150 years ago?

10 years ago

NO STOPPING NOW: A 10,000-name petition demanding that Hexham Bus Station was kept where it was fell on deaf ears. A detailed independent assessment confirmed it would be impossible to make the 80-year-old complex safe for use by the public. It was virtually certain that a new bus station would be created on the Loosing Hill car park.

BIRD FLU FREE: There were ominous echoes of the devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001 across Tynedale. Disinfectant sprays and wheel-washing units were put in place at poultry farms across the district after confirmation of an outbreak of bird flu at a duck breeding establishment in Yorkshire.

STORE CLOSURE: The Hexham branch of Poundstretcher was to close in the New Year, leading to the loss of 11 jobs in the town. 

NEW SCHOOL: A brand-new Prudhoe Community High School was unveiled as residents were shown what their new school could look like. Outline proposals were shown to residents to provide an idea of what could replace the existing buildings, which dated back to 1958.

25 years ago

TOWN BLUEPRINT: A £25,000 blueprint to ensure Hexham would thrive and expand into the new millennium was in development by councillors and community groups. Far-reaching proposals to combine existing long-term projects with ambitious new ones were put forward by the Hexham Community Partnership, in conjunction with Tynedale Council and ONE North East.

Herdley Bank First School pupils participated in a bird watch for the RSPCA in 1999 (Image: David Hewitson)

HOMELESS CHARITY HOUSED: Stopgap, a Hexham-based charity for the homeless, applied for planning permission to convert the former residential property at 4 Dean Street into temporary accommodation for up to four homeless people. 

HOTEL PLAN: Plans were submitted for a new hotel on the outskirts of Hexham. The application by Margaret Hall, who ran tearooms in Simonburn, would see the Oakwood home of the St Camillus order converted into a small hotel.

BANK CLOSURES: Hexham MP Peter Atkinson wrote to the Governor of the Bank of England, Eddie George, expressing concern about the closures of the Barclays branch at Wylam and Lloyds branch in Otterburn.  

50 years ago

BIGGER PAPER: Following the installation of new printing facilities at Beaumont Street, the Hexham Courant published its biggest-ever-paper - 18 broadsheet pages, which sold for 4p.

NEW SCHOOL: The new 60-pupil Whitley Chapel Church of England Primary School was officially opened by Northumberland director of education, Michael Trollope.

75 years ago

PLAYERS PLEASE: A lack of instrumentalists prompted fears that the Tynedale Orchestral Society might have to disband.

CHEEP TRILLS: Under the auspices of the Haydon Bridge Produce Society's sixth annual show, the village also experienced its first-ever budgerigar show.  

SWITCH ON: North-Eastern Electricity Board announced its main priority was bringing power to the 34 per cent of villages in its area without a supply. 

100 years ago

UNJUST: A Greenhead colliery company was fined £1 by Haltwhistle Magistrates for having an unjust weighbridge. An inspection showed that the bridge was weighed down by 84lb of dirt and other material against the buyer.

JOLLY GOOD SHOW: More than 1,200 exhibits were benched when the Carrshield Floral, Vegetable and Agricultural Society held its fourth annual show at Carrshield Council Schools.

125 years ago

ILLUMINATING: There was a vivid display of the Northern Lights over Mickley, causing great excitement.

RIGHT LINES: Winner of the £5 award for the best-kept station on the North British Railway line was Reedsmouth Station, near Bellingham. 

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS: There was concern at Corbridge over the shortage of bellringers at St Andrew's Church. It was agreed that the learners be brought on quicker and that all broken bell ropes should be repaired.

150 years ago

SEW FAR SO GOOD: To encourage daily diligence among its female pupils, Haltwhistle School Board decided to purchase a sewing machine for the girls to use. 

HARVEST SUPPER: Around 140 people sat down to the annual harvest supper provided by the West Woodburn Free Methodist Church.