10 YEARS AGO: August 25, 2000

FATHERS joined their children for special boat-building workshops at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley. Emily Leach, the museum’s head of education, launched the week-long family activity. She said: “Children aged seven to 14 brought along their fathers to help them cut, saw and piece together the boats. The kids and adults really enjoyed themselves and it was great to see their enthusiasm.”

Four hi-tech centres to handle telephone calls and other enquiries are to be set up by the police. Members of the Thames Valley Police Authority agreed to the creation of two 24-hour customer service centres in Kidlington and Windsor. Authority chairman Glenn Maybury said: “Demand is increasing every year but we need the public to be absolutely confident that their calls will be answered.”

More than 1,500 people watched some sparkling racing in unusual craft at Hurley Regatta at the weekend. The 32 events included punting, dragon boat racing and a build-your-own raft race. Regatta chairman Martin Fry said: “The weather was particularly good to us and the sunshine helped the attendance figures. It was a good day and everyone had a great time, particularly the youngsters.”



25 YEARS AGO: August 30, 1985

ARTS and crafts look set to rival the royal regatta as a major tourist attraction in the Henley area. About 25,000 people went through the gates of Stonor Park in the three days of the second Chilterns Craft Show. Around 170 exhibitors from across the country took part in the show and demonstrated a wide range of skills, including pottery, spinning, weaving and wood-carving.

Repairs to Henley Bridge are to be carried out in the autumn. Last week, Oxfordshire County Council said that £10,000 would be spent on restoring and replacing damaged stonework supports as well as more obvious damage at road level. For a number of months, damaged sides of the bridge have been replaced by wood and ropes, giving the structure an unattractive appearance.

More than 1,000 people converged on Binfield Heath on Saturday for the village flower show, making it the most popular in the event’s 37-year history. Entries in a number of classes were well up on the previous two years. Besides the show, a tug o’ war contest, pony rides and a children’s corner kept the crowds entertained.



50 YEARS AGO: Auguust 26, 1960

MANY residents of Greys Road, Henley, saw hordes of crickets migrating from the refuse tip nearby. In the past few weeks, the insects have multiplied to such an extent that isolated reports by householders became a flood of complaints to the borough council. Public health inspector Mr MA Standish took a number of workmen to the site and sprayed the area with insecticide.

The newly formed Chiltern Edge Horticultural Society for Sonning Common and district held its first annual summer show on Friday. Entries numbered 283 and the judges, Mr H Prince, Mrs Hilton-Jones and Miss Proctor, commented on their good quality.

The Army Cadet Force Standard, recently presented to the movement by the Duke of Edinburgh to commemorate the centenary of the ACF this year, was brought to Henley on Tuesday in the course of a nationwide tour before it is placed in Westminster Abbey. The Mayor and a number of members of the town council were in Market Place to welcome the standard, which arrived by rmy transport and was flown side by side with the county standard.



100 YEARS AGO: Auguust 26, 1910

A CARTER called Wm. Lovegrove, in the employ of Messrs. Froud & Son, steam saw mills, Assendon, fell off the vehicle he was in charge of in King’s Road, Henley, on Monday and broke his leg. In the fall, the unfortunate man’s leg twisted under him. First aid was rendered him by Mr FC Cordery, head of the letter carriers at Henley post office, and a police constable. They placed the leg in temporary splints, using handkerchiefs for bandages, and then carefully removed Lovegrove to Dr. Smith’s surgery for medical attention.

The Registrar General’s report for the quarter ending June last has been issued and it shows that in the Henley district no deaths occurred from infectious disease, which speaks well for the health of the place. The enumerated population in 1901 was 10,893. The births registered in the quarter under review numbered 65 and deaths 31. In Caversham, there were 78 births and 20 deaths and in Watlington 23 births and 12 deaths.

On Monday, a large shipment of donkeys from Spain arrived in Henley for the purpose of resting before they leave tonight for South Africa where the Government intends putting them to practical use. The donkeys are said to be of the large Spanish breed and are well adapted for the work.