50 years ago

Extracts from the Barry & District News of July 23, 1964:

• A Barry man who in March climbed a 90-foot mast in a 50-mile an hour wind to rescue a fellow airman who had collapsed when about eight feet from the top, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry (Military Division). Corporal Phillip Alan Webb, who made the rescue by climbing the mast, one of the group on Staddon Heights, Plymouth Transmitter Site, has since been promoted to the rank of sergeant.

• David Marquand, the prospective Labour candidate for Barry, in the general election, looks like losing his most enthusiastic supporter for the most crucial period of the election. For his wife, Judith Marquand, a lecturer at the London School of Economics and a keen political worker, is expecting a baby – slap in the middle of what is expected to be general election time.

• A 100 per cent response was reported by officials of the Barry Branch of the Union of Post Office workers on Thursday – the day on which the union’s leaders had called for a one day protest strike. The militant mood of the workers was also indicated on the previous Sunday when there was an equally united response to a call for unofficial stoppage.

• More encouraging news about prospects for Butlin’s Camp at Barry Island came from the annual meeting of the Butlin organisation held in London on Thursday. In his annual report to shareholders, Br Butlin said: “We have almost concluded our arrangements for new camps at Barry Island and Weymouth, and we hope to open one of them in 1965.” Later a spokesman for Butlin’s confirmed that the Barry Island site would probably be the first to receive attention.

• When a petition from traders in Holton Road was submitted to last week’s meeting of the Barry Public Works and Planning Sub-Committee protesting against the present traffic restrictions on waiting in Holton Road, it was suggested that a system of unilateral parking be instituted.

• After leaving this country less than a year ago to take up a 10-month assistant lectureship in geology at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA, 23-year-old David Davies, whose parents Mr and Mrs William Davies live a Quarella Street, Cadoxton, learned recently that he had gained his Master of Science degree in record time.