150 years ago - August 6 1871

* A Watchet woman was summoned at Williton Petty Sessions for beating her little boy with a stick. She said he had used bad language to her. The Bench dismissed the case on the grounds that the mother was quite justified in beating the boy if he used bad language.

*John Trebble, 50, of Langley Marsh, Wiveliscombe, died after being gored by a bull. The coroner was told the bull had since been killed and sent to Bristol market.

* A pickpocket who had been busy at Minehead Races was committed by Dunster Bench to take his trial at Somerset Assizes.

* The sixth annual exhibition of Dulverton Cottage Gardens Association was held at Pixton Park. The prize for the neatest cottage garden in Dulverton was won by Jane Gardener.

100 years ago - August 6 1921

* Minehead’s new town band was being coached by Alfred Wedlake and £50 worth of new instruments had been purchased.

* The newly formed agricultural and horticultural society for the hill-coasting parishes of Brendon, Countisbury and Oare held its first show at Millslade, Brendon. Several ewe horn prizes were won by Mr T Barrow.

* A children’s ward was established at Minehead and West Somerset Hospital in memory of that much loved priest Preb Charles Sainsbury, who was assistant curate at Minehead for 35 years.

* Thousands of people poured into Watchet for the bank holiday sports. Among the prize winners: high jump, L F Perkins, Porlock; mile, W Calloway, Monksilver; half mile, W F Browning, Watchet; 440 yards, r C Hurford, Minehead.

50 years ago - August 7 1971

* The Rev Charles Neate was inducted as rector of Crowcombe. An accomplished writer, his book ‘A Priest in the Making’, published in 1943, was still selling well.

* Chairman of Devon and Somerset Staghounds, Sir Bernard Waley-Cohen, called for armed trespass in pursuit of deer to be stamped out, following Minehead magistrates’ conviction of two men for poaching.

* Minehead was awarded the Abiss certificate of exceptional merit in the Britain in Bloom contest. The prestigious Abbey Trophy went to Bath.