50 years ago

EXTRACTS from the Barry & District News of September 19, 1963:

* In a letter explaining why the Barry Wagon Works were to close down, making some 90 workers redundant, the general manager, Mr s e Raymond, told the Barry Town Development Committee on Monday that the shops at Barry do no lend themselves to remodelling on modern wagon repair flow lines, and it would not be reasonable to embark on any considerable expenditure there in the light of the anticipated wagon repair need and the availability elsewhere or more suitable shops.

* A record number of people crammed into RAF St Athan on Saturday afternoon for the Annual Battle of Britain Open Day. The blue cloudless skies drew no less than 50,576 people to the camp nearly 10,000 more than the entire population of Barry.

* Barry emerges as one of the bright spots in the set-up of the South Wales Electricity Board which on Monday published its report for 1962-63. The Board as a whole showed an increase of 11.3 per cent in consumption, but the Barry district, which includes the Penarth area, jumped by 20 per cent.

25 years ago

EXTRACTS from the Barry & District News of September 22, 1988:

* After spending nine years circumnavigating the world, covering between 45-500,000 miles, grandparents Charlie and Margaret Pickering recently sailed back into Barry Harbour. The Measham (Staffordshire) couple completed their incredible journey aboard their 32ft sloop, Keeganoo (My Home), at the end of August.

* A further 40 workers were made redundant at the weekend as efforts to find a buyer for the Norman Aeroplane Company, based at Cardiff-Wales Airport, failed. Receivers were called in two months ago when the firm crashed with liabilities of £2.5m.

* A 14.5 acres site is proposed or a holiday/leisure complex, including a 100-bedroom hotel and 50-bed motel on the edge of Barry, has been visited by Vale councillors. The move follows an outline application to the authoritys Planning Committee for approval of plans on woodland and agricultural land north of Port Road East, adjacent to the golf range.