A trip down Memory Lane

Remembering the past at the Millennium

The year 1999, which most of us regard as the last year of the 20^th century, now seems a long time ago. People now at school won’t remember the paranoia about the ‘millennium bug’ when we were warned that planes might fall out of the sky as computer systems failed. In the event, none of it happened. Life went on as normal.

But of course events took place to mark the passing of the millennium and one of them was organised by Trinity Church in Market Lavington. At least we think it was in 1999 but we are not 100% certain so maybe a past performer can put us right. What was recently given to the museum was a program for the event. As is often the case with programmes – it has a date but not a year. Here’s the front cover.

So we know this event took place on Saturday 26^th June. There were two Saturdays the 26^th June in the 1990s and one was indeed 1999. The programme will give a clue as to why we think this dates from 1999.

This is the first part of the programme with pieces from the 1920s through to the 1950s. The second part continues and takes us up to the 1990s.

For us, this is even more of a trip down memory lane as we see names of people no longer with us and others whose lives have moved them away from the Lavington area.

Now here’s a very early mention of a trip down memory lane next year. Our annual Museum Miscellany has been booked for Saturday 8^th October 2016 at 7.30pm in the Community Hall. You could jot it in your brand new diary now.

No Grove Farm! No Garage!

This photograph dates from 1999. What changes the new century brought!

Looking over the Grove Farm site in 1999

We are looking across the area where the buildings of Grove Farm had stood. The two houses we see are on the south side of the main road. Meadow Cottage, birthplace of museum founder Peggy Gye, is just off shot to the left. To the right of the houses the concrete area was where the Spring Filling Station (Lavington Garage) had stood. Sad to say, like so many village petrol stations, all over the country, that had been swept into complete oblivion.

It’s the concrete area in front of the houses, and on this side of Church Street, that used to be yard and buildings for Grove Farm.

The area has, of course, been transformed.

Similar view – 21st century

Now, we look over the approach road and car parks for our wonderful Community Hall. The two houses have been joined by Shires Close on the site of the garage.

Now that’s change for the better!

Market Lavington Flower Show of 1999

Yesterday we made use of a newspaper article from the 1973. Today we have another newspaper article and it provides an opportunity to see how newspaper printing technology improved in the last quarter of the twentieth century – particularly with regard to photographs.

This article, from the same paper, The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, is about Market Lavington’s 1999 flower and produce show.

News report on the 1999 Flower and Produce Show in Market Lavington

On the right we can see a clear and sharp photo of three prize winning ladies, but let’s concentrate on the written article on the left.

Paul Mehra won the photography class

Paul Mehra, who won the photographic section that year proudly displays his film camera and a photo – and even enlarged the press photo remains pretty sharp. The quality is hugely better than the photo we saw yesterday of Peggy Gye with her ‘Look Back’ exhibition.

We understand that plans are well in hand for the 2015 show which will be in the Community Hall on Saturday 5^th September.

Church Plate

Church Plate conjures up images of old silver ware, once used for communion and now stored safely away from light fingered visitors. Well, we have absolutely none of that at Market Lavington Museum. What we do have, just given to the museum, is a plate with an image of the church on it.

Commemorative Plate given to Market Lavington Museum shows the parish church

The wording reads, simply, ‘MARKET LAVINGTON  PARISH CHURCH’.

The plate was made by the Argyle company.

Plate manufacturer

The plate even has a price sticker on it.

The plate still has a price sticker on it

The plate was given in what we think was its original box and packaging. The packaging consists of pages from a ‘Drive’ supplement of the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, dated 1999. That probably gives us our best idea of the date of the plate.

Crockery like this was made and marketed locally several times so we cannot be certain as to age. What we can say is that this plate is in pristine condition.