25 YEARS AGO

JULY 8, 1994

COMMEMORATION: The 400th anniversary of the death of the Chideock Martyrs was commemorated by pilgrims for across the West Country.

Coach loads of Roman Catholics from Dorset, Devona and Cornwall joined other Christians in Chideock to celebrate the martyrdom of three men and a priest killed in Dorchester on July 4, 1594 and made saints in 1929.

TRADING TROUBLE: A Beaminster landlord is fuming after being ordered to remove a table from outside his pub in the Square.

Simon Thorne, of Pickwicks Inn, was provisionally given the go-ahead by the town council, but the final decision was up to the county council.

He said: “We have not, and we will not remove our tables. The council is just being petty as the table is not obstructing anyone.”

BEST IN WEST: Figures reveal that the West Dorset Community Health NHS Trust and West Dorset Mental Health NHS Trust were among the top performers in the south and west region.

50 YEARS AGO

JULY 4, 1969

THEFT: Thieves who broke into the Victoria Hotel, Lyme Regis, used a ladder from a nearby goods yard.

About £50 was stolen when entry was gained through the public bar window.

ROYAL PARTY: Several Bridport people have been commanded to attend the Queen’s garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Among them are the mayor an mayoress of Bridport, the matron of Port Bredy Hospital and Dr and Mrs G. Wemyss Oliphant and the granddaughter, Miss S. Holligan.

SAFETY PETITION: Housewife and grandmother Mrs Betsy Crabbe, of Bridport, is heading a petition of worried Bridport housewives concerned over the safety of young children.

The petition will be accompanied by a request to the borough council that they should consider placing gates at the end of council houses.

Parents first asked for gates 20 years ago when their now married children were young.