Archive Material: Evington Echo (Issues 71 to 80)

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 Echo team.

•  Peter Kimberlin, an Evington resident was Leicester's Lord Mayor elect and a comprehensive biography was in this issue. (Sadly Peter Kimberlin died only 5 years later in 1995)

•  The planning application for development of land between Evington Lane, the public footpath and the golf course was published.

•  The BBC “Blue Peter” programme was filmed at Linden School. Six hours of filming ended up as four minutes of television, which was broadcast on March 22 nd 1990. “Everyone was filmed” and “we learned a lot about how a television programme was made” were two of the comments.

•  Where are they now? Sharon Eales, James Gorrod, Karen Bell, Andrew Moore, Adrian Sleath, Richard Berry, Azim Jasat, Simon Moore and Nikki Bridges featured in the City of Leicester School plays. They were “The Wall” written and performed by members of the third year and the Tom Stoppard play “The Real Inspector Howard”

•  Sarah Read and Kate Swift shared their thoughts and experiences of living and going to school in Rouen, France for ten weeks.

Issue 73: June 1990

•  The Echo front page had a photograph of the then current Lady Captain, Louise Bruning, driving off dressed in Centenary dress. Would ladies have been allowed to be members then?

Issue 74: September 1990

•  Neville Maggs of Evington was preparing to run in the New York Marathon. After taking up the marathon at the age of 46, he had already completed the Stratford-on-Avon and London races. He had a target of £20,000 to be raised for the NSPCC.

•  Shopping in Downing Drive and Welland Vale Road was the centre-page feature. The businesses included were : Just Jo, Glentons the Chemist, V & R Pinkney, Superbooze, May House and Hollywood Nites.

Issue 75: October 1990

•  Shopping was again a main feature of issue 75. This time premises in Evington Road were the focus. Heath & Mawby fishmongers were pictured and other businesses were: Evington's wines, Paul David hairdressing, Doreen Dalby florists, Pearl Chemists, Country Table, Shoe Tree Bar, Downey's, Johnson's, Nancy Clayton, John Smith chemists, Himan & Co locksmiths and Sound and Vision.

Issue 76: December 1990

•  This was the Christmas issue and included details of the many services in Evington, together with information how this festival is celebrated around the world.

Issue 77: January 1991

•  A photograph of the pupils of Evington School, circa 1920 graced the front page. The photo was supplied by Alma Goodman.

•  The debate about the proposed development “Stretton Magna” was discussed. It was reminiscent of the current (2008) proposal for the eco-town, Pennbury.

•  Two photographs of the Evington Cinema, before and after it's conversion to a residential building were published.

Issue 78: February 1991

•  It was announced that Betty Best, the founder editor of the Evington Echo had sadly died. This followed the death of another founder, Jack Vann. It is 10 years since the idea of the Echo was first mooted and as the secretary in1991, Angela Plowman wrote “the Echo still survives, a marvellous tribute to a spirited lady”.

•  The retirement of Bill Mann, a teacher at the City of Leicester School for 30 years was featured.

•  There was an article and photographs of the history of ‘Thatching at Evington”.

Issue 79: April 1991

•  Local artist Frank Cramphorn announced that he had “retired” after 30 years of teaching painting and drawing, mainly to adult students. He taught mostly at Crown Hills Community College and was the founder president of the Crown Hills Art Society.

Issue 80: May 1991

•  New owners of the ‘Lively Lady” soon to be known as “Lesters” had applied for an entertainment licence. It would allow the pub to be open until midnight. The Echo expressed the view that the change of name was a shame, as Lively Lady honoured Sir Alec Rose.

•  The first part of the history and development of Francis Street and Allandale Road was published in this issue. The Craddock family were the pioneers in the 1770s, initially purchasing land in Knighton, Their name lives on in with the popular public house in Knighton.