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 – June 5th 1869

The foundation stone of the new almshouses in Lime Street, Stogursey, was laid by the vicar, the Rev C Wood. Underneath the stone was deposited a bottle containing some silver coins. Another recently laid foundation stone in Stogursey was that of the spacious vicarage house near the handsome new schoolrooms.

100 years ago – June 7th 1919

All owls were protected in Somerset, and a Bicknoller man was fined 2s 6d for shooting one of the brown variety. He said it had been a nuisance to the village because of the noise it made, whereupon Mr O T Sadler exclaimed from the Bench: “That owl never hooted in its life!”

50 years ago – June 7th 1969

Alterations had taken place near Shepherd’s Corner, Washford, and Old Cleeve Parish Council was informed that children were using the area as a playground. As it was dangerously close to the main road, it was decided to ask the RDC to make it into a proper roadway.

25 years ago – June 10th 1994

A £3 million project was underway to protect the quality of drinking water in Minehead and Porlock after supplies from the Porlock treatment works failed limits on aluminium and manganese content.