A NEW petrol station opened on the A4 Bath Road in 1971, and to drum up trade a two-page ‘advertorial’ appeared in the Reading Chronicle, which today would certainly raise a few eyebrows.

The new Southcote Service Station promised to offer staff (freely available) to clean windscreens, check oil and water levels and tyre pressures, with some of the ‘marketing’ and publicity photos that would not pass any sort of present-day scrutiny.

The advent of self service at the petrol pumps replaced many staff, whose job it was to fill the tanks of customers, usually with only one or two pumps available at any given time.

Southern Television announced that a new transmitter had started improving reception to TV viewers in Berkshire, with all three (yes, three!) channels, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV getting a better picture.

One of the channel’s flagship shows included Out of Town, with its legendary host Jack Hargreaves, which was an immensely popular spin off from his Gone Fishing programme.

Some familiar programmes included the popular magazine show, Day By Day and Houseparty, designed specifically for women viewers.

An eight-foot high model of the Eiffel Tower, constructed of Meccano, was displayed at Bulmershe School’s autumn fair 48 years ago.

The four pupils who constructed the model posed in the home of one of the boys, Sheridan Hall, but it was so tall that his mother had to hold the room’s lampshade to one side, so the Chronicle photographer could take his picture.

The other pupils involved included, Andrew Martin, Stephen Rogers and Nicholas Teagle, who each put in 50 hours to complete its construction.

Milwards, the Reading shoe retailers, said goodbye to one of their longest serving employees in 1971, after his 52 years service.

Mr W J Bennett (no first names supplied) had started his career in 1919, when he was 13 years old and worked his way up into management via the Oxford branch.

At a presentation ceremony he was given a colour television, being joined in the photograph by many members of the Milward

family.

Members of the Nomads Netball squad posed happily with their league trophy 48 years ago after being presented with the rose bowl by Racal Communications director Mr J E Diggins.

The team members pictured were Sylvia Roberts, Daphne Johnson, Lesley Neale, Valerie Holt, Heather White and Lynda Skerritt.