Welcome to the Evington Echo

The following is a very selected collection of items from past issues of the Echo. It is the personal view of Mike Stevens, one of our editorial team.

Considerable space was given in many Echo issues around this time to the 'East Leicester Plan'. This was a complex series of proposals, which included additional housing, improve traffic flow and provide community facilities. Meetings were held at which strong objections were voiced.

Library news: Evington Library moved into the computer age with a computerized book issuing system.

LOOS news. It was suggested that a public toilet be provided in the village centre, but where? Near the library, behind the Main Street shops, or behind Evington Park. Was that the end of the matter?

Garden Gossip was a regular column and still is under Garden News. A plea to be adventurous was made in this issue by Priscilla Shears (an appropriate name for a gardener). She suggested growing such relative exotica as purple podded peas, vegetable spaghetti, okra, Florence fennel, celtuce, a substitute for lettuce, and Roma tomatoes.

Echo Dream Holiday Competition. The paper awarded a prize for a school pupil who submitted an idea for a dream holiday. Steven Boulter, aged 14, was the winner. His plan was to visit Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. He also would also have a servant with him “to unpack my cases” We hope Steven ultimately achieved his ambition, but fear that the £5 prize that he Echo awarded, would not go far. We wonder where Steven is now?

The Echo wine correspondent used the name “Pinot Noir” as a nom-de-plume. In this issue he recommended an appellation controlée Côtes de Ventoux, priced between £2.50 and £3.00

Stoughton Grange was the subject of a series of articles by Jean Farquhar.

The Echo reported that OAP (as it was known then) travel passes had been extended to include bus journeys at all times of the day. It advised that “Senior Citizens need no longer scramble to catch a bus before the witching hour of 4.30pm to qualify for the 5p fare. City Transport said that due to the recession, buses are under less pressure and it is hoped the new concession will ease overcrowding during the 3 – 4pm period when children are travelling home from school.” That was before the School Run, obviously. BUT the Echo made an error by announcing the change before it came into force and subsequently some people had tried to use their passes, only to be told they were not valid. The Echo printed a sincere apology in its next issue.

Mr Peter Cramp of Kingsway Road was the subject of an article in the ‘Friends and Neighbours’ column. Headed ‘Peter Crump – Suzuki Piano Teacher’. It outlined a method of teaching piano to 4 to 5 year-olds, with a parent as a secondary teacher to continue tuition in the home. He did admit that he had two children, neither of whom played the piano; they were considered to be too old when he discovered the Suzuki method.

A photograph clearly showed the construction of the filter right traffic lane for vehicles turning from Stoughton drive into Evington Lane.

A well-known local Estate Agent, Spencers advertised a detatched bungalow in Newhaven Road for £32,500.

The Echo began a series on financial affairs, beginning with ‘Income Tax Know-How’ penned by an adviser wanting to be known as ‘Abacus’. I hope he later used a more up-to-date method of calculating.

Cookery Nook was a popular column. In this issue, the anonymous author gave a recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream and Iced Peach Pie.

It was reported that the General Hospital has a new School. It caters for the needs of all children who are patients.

The War Memorial had a restoration, including the planting of rose trees and laying of turf. It was pointed out that the Memorial does not stand in its original position; it was first erected on the Village Green, where the swings now stand.

Readers were informed how to use the Pelican Crossing recently installed near the Cedars on Main Street. Area Traffic Control told the Echo that the average time for pedestrians to cross was 7 seconds, plus 9 seconds when the flashing green man was allowing crossing completion.

The City of Leicester School presented a play by Constance Cox, based on a short story by Oscar Wilde. It was reported that six months hard work under the guidance of Mr. D.J. Sarson, Miss I.J. Norledge and Mr. A.R. Baxter went into the performances. A picture in the Echo showed Vivienne Knopp, Arthur Fryatt, Gareth Davies and Kate Billingham in a scene from the play. Did any of these budding thespians go on to greater fame?

Rosemary Brooks, then aged 11, won 11 medals, 6 of them ‘firsts’ in the British Theatre Dance Association Competition, She was a pupil of Ann Oliver. The Echo reported ‘she looks set to win many more trophies throughout her dancing years. Are her competitive dancing days over?

A ‘Brides & Bells’ feature included the marriage of Ruth Hadfield to Ian Tomalin. She was the daughter of Margaret Tomalin, who was the Echo’s artwork manager. Ruth chose traditional white lace for her wedding gown in an attractive Edwardian style. Instead of a bouquet, she carried a white parasol tied with a small cascade of flowers, whilst her veil was a froth of white tulle around a straw boater hat.

More Environmental issues. A sign of the times; a short item announced that a ‘specialist in paper reclamation’ would pay £7 per ton for old newspapers. The papers could be collected and an appeal was made for ‘someone or several people in the Evington area who had an empty garage or shed which they could make available as a collection point’. Was this a precursor to the collection scheme now operated by Biffa on behalf of the Council?

Six senior pupils from City of Leicester School were awarded a VIP visit to the Rolls Royce aero engine site in Derby. The pupils were Catherine Gallagher, Sarah Harrison, Ben Grimley, John Holmes, Lee Thacker and Julian Webster, accompanied by their Careers Master, Mr.J.P.Russell. They came away with the idea that Rolls Royce was facing the future with confidence.

Eric Snow’s interests included the history of Leicestershire cricket. He lived on Spencefield Lane and was one of 3 famous brothers, Lord Charles, Philip and Eric himself. In the Echo he predicted that David Gower was the most talented Leicestershire player.

A house on Spencefield Lane was struck by lightning. A photograph showed the roof covered by tarpaulins.

The “East Leicester Plan” had been a major discussion topic for many months. The Echo took pleasure in announcing that it had helped in the successful efforts to delete a proposal to develop the “green” area of Goodwood Road.

There was debate about the siting of a much needed Sports and Leisure Centre. The sites mentioned included Evington Park and Judgemeadow Community College.

A new group, calling itself the Judgemeadow Thursday Group was announced. One of the organisers was named as Helen Pettman, at the time of writing, the Current Editor of the Echo. The other organiser was Edna Smith, a past Headteacher at Linden Primary School, who still lives in Evington and has written many articles for the Echo.

The announcement of the amalgamation of the City of Leicester School with Spencefield School was finally ratified by the Leicestershire Schools’ Committee towards the end of August.

It was announced that the Leicestershire Cooperative Society would shortly be filing an application for planning permission to build a new Superstore. The site was part of the Coles Nursery and would cover 60,000 square feet.

It was reported that the Recreation and Arts Committee of the City Council had taken a preliminary decision to provide an indoor sports centre on Downing Drive, despite residents’ objections.