From the Advertiser archives - September 26, 2019 edition

September 26 , 1919

Rumours of insufficiency of food for patients at the Hospital of St Cross having been unfortunately spread in the town and district, Mr FE Hands, a member of the Board of Management made full and detailed enquiries into the allegation.

He has now made his report. He says he went up to the Hospital before 12 o’clock, first visiting the kitchen , where he found dinner being made ready for serving. The meat was nicely cooked, the potatoes were white in appearance and there was plenty of gravy. The whole looked very appetising.

Mr Hands visited all the wards and spoke to every single patient, asking if there was plenty of food and whether it was served up to their satisfaction. The unanimous reply was in the affirmative and there was not a single complaint.

September 26, 1969

Happiness is Rugby. And so say all of them - from the bracing air of Boston USA ‘back East’ to the arid prairies of the Wild West. Eight weeks ago we received a letter at the Advertiser office from Mrs LM Barry of Waverley Road, Hillmorton. Her 13-year-old granddaughter, while in California on the West Coast spotted a car bumper sticker which read: ‘Happiness is Rugby’.

Mrs Barry couldn’t explain it. Nor could we. But last week a similar report was picked up... this time from Rugby scout Jim Johnston, aged 21, of Boyce Way, Long Lawford. He had been in a National contingent of scouts to Boston on the East coast and guess what he saw? Several cars with stickers reading ‘Happiness is Rugby’.

We thought it was high time we found out what it was all about. This is what the Press relations department of the American Embassy said: “It is a reference to the game, Rugby Football. Contrary to the belief that this game is not played on the West Coast, it is in fact widespread - Berkeley University have a team, and there is a West Coast Rugby Football League.

“In the East it is even more popular. The game is played all over the States.”

September 22, 1994

The fate of first and middle schools in the area now looks sealed after a year-long campaign by parents. After three rounds of talks, which involved listening to the parents’ views, Warwickshire education authority announced its final recommendations yesterday.

County education officer Margaret Maden said: “As a result of the talks, a third of our original proposals have been changed in some way. I am sure some people may still say we have not listened, but I can assure them that we have.

Paddox schools look set to win the battle to keep both sites open, moving the teachers’ centre from Newbold to Paddox Middle to cut down surplus space. At the nearby Hillmorton schools, the county plans to base a new primary school at the Moat Farm Drive middle school site, saying it will be £90,000 cheaper than converting the first school site in Watts Lane.

The education authority has U-turned In the Revel villages - keeping Monks Kirby Brockhurst as the main school with an annexe at Brinklow. The county had offered to build a primary school at Brinklow in the second set of consultations, but now admit they cannot afford it.

There has been no reprieve for Church Lawford, Harborough Magna or Shilton and Ansty first schools.