WHILE the coronavirus crisis affects our working arrangements, and it that pressure on space in the paper, we will bring you our popular column looking back through the archives in full here.

150 years ago

April 2nd 1870

* St Decuman’s Vestry meeting (the annual general meeting of ratepayers) took place at the Egremont Hotel, Williton, under the chairmanship of Mr George Strong. The churchwardens’ and overseers’ accounts were examined. Messrs Jas. Thristle and G G Pole were pointed overseers.

* At Wiveliscombe Vestry meeting, Messrs R K Cross and W Balman were recommended to the magistrates as overseers.

* When a case was called at Somerset Assize it was stated that the witnesses had been paid their expenses and had gone home. The prisoner, who was charged with “an unspeakable offence”, pleaded not guilty and, as there was no evidence against him, he was discharged.

* Women’s straw bonnets 17s per dozen; men’s hats 12s doz; English bacon 8 ½d per lb; best coal 15s ton. These were some of the tenders accepted by the Board of Guardians for Williton Workhouse.

100 years ago

April 3rd 1920

n A hut which would serve as a recreation and meeting room in Stogumber had been bought for £135 and would be erected on a site provided by Mrs Cornish opposite the business premises of the Misses Sully.

n The first annual meeting of Alcombe Smallholding and Allotments Society was held under the chairmanship of Mr T Lovell. The secretary, Mr W H Quantick, reported that the society had got going despite opposition from people whom they would never have thought of as opponents.

n Minehead Burial Joint Committee agreed to raise the salary of the cemetery caretaker to £1 15s per week. There were now some 450 to look after. A payment of 12s for digging a grave (a task which took two days) was being made.

n At long last Roadwater won a match in the West Somerset Football League. After 13 defeats in 13 games, during which they conceded 108 goals, the team beat Watchet 3-1. But it was an “unrecognisable” Watchet made up of juniors.

50 years ago

April 4th 1970

* Carhampton was told it could develop in the future with a car park, toilets, flood relief scheme, tree planting and improved general economy in a plan drawn up by rural district councillors.

* A motion deploring the decision to close the Taunton to Minehead railway line was passed unanimously by Somerset County Council. It called on MPs to consider the harm to WestSomerset’s economy.

* A man was fined £15 for wasting police time after he reported his wife missing when she had gone to Leeds to stay with relatives.

25 years ago

April 7th 1995

* Watchet Baby Clinic saw the end of an era when it moved out of the Methodist Church Schoolroom, its base for 45 years. The new clinic would be at the doctors’ surgery on the corner of Swain Street and Harbour Road.

* MP Tom King picked up a double bass and joined Derek Quint’s Jazzmen at his 25th anniversary celebrations. He showed his musical talent after a marque reception and dinner for 360 – which was candlelit because of a power cut.

* Electricity giant SWEB closed its Minehead showroom, but West Somerset customers might be spared a cut in services. Businessman Graham Sizer was considering buying the Wellington Square premises to expand his Friday Street business, Minehead Radio.