EACH week in the Free Press we look back at what made the news 150, 100, 50 and 25 years ago. Here is a sample of the items featuring in the This Was The News column this week.

150 years ago – January 5th 1870

One of the most appalling catastrophes which it had been the Free Press’ duty to chronicle occurred in Bristol outside the pit and gallery entrances to the new Theatre Royal. A great crowd stampeded to gain entrance and 18 people were killed and many injured: “It was the customary frenzy of a crowd of English people whenever they assemble around a building and want to get in.”

100 years ago – January 3rd 1920

About 1000 football fans were in Williton to see a district match between East and West, which the West, composed entirely of Minehead players, won 2-1. The East team members were from Williton, Washford, Watchet and Stogumber

50 years ago – January 3rd 1970

For many in the Dulverton and Exmoor area, the festive season was shadowed by the death of Miss Bridget Katrine (Biddy) Abbott, stalwart of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds which she helped to keep going during the war years.

25 years ago – January 6th 1995

Shocked school staff and governors heard that Somerset County Council’s cash crisis could rob them of a new primary school just as building work was due to start. Two years’ hard work had already been put into a £700,000 replacement for St Peter’s First School.