THE term of office for the Mayor of Reading, Cllr Bristow, had been reported and photographed every week in the local press in 1975, and to say thank you for this coverage, he invited local journalists to the Mayor’s Parlour.

Many of them accepted the open invitation to indulge themselves in their favourite off duty hobbies, talking and drinking, whilst presenting the Mayor with a giant Christmas card.

A publicity stunt to promote the Henley Players new play, “The Sword of Galants” nearly sank without a trace 44 years ago.

A sword was dropped into the River Thames near the town’s bridge and members of Caversham’s Park Aquanauts braved the icy water to bring it back.

But the recent rain had swollen the river, with strong currents and murky depths making it take several hours to find, but eventually the famous “King Arthur” pose of Excalibur rising out of the water was recreated for the waiting cameras.

The Acorn pub in Twyford opened for business in 1975 and the new landlords, Maggie and Mike Dey, posed for the Chronicle photographer with their first pint of Whitbread ale.

Managing Director John Hodgkinson and ‘barmaid’ Carole Cuthbert raised a glass to its success under the headline:” To a big oak tree grow.”

German Stationmaster, Herr Hubert Kolloch, visited Reading Station as part of his seven-day fact finding mission in Berkshire.

Herr Kolloch, the Stationmaster in Meppen, West Germany, tried on a typical bowler hat, beloved of English ‘fat controllers’, although Peter Goodsall, British Rail Area Manger did not fit this particular stereotype.

Previously, Aldermaston’s signalman, David Canning, had visited Meppen and stayed at Herr Kolloch’s home, whilst touring the railway network, which was famed for being the last steam train passenger line in the country.

Colin Robertson, founder-member of the Scottish National Dance Company, and Linda Watkins, a leading dancer with the company, announced they were set to appear in Bruce Forsyth’s “Generation Game”.

They were going to be accompanied by Pipe Major Jimmy McGinn, also from Reading during filming at the BB’s Television Centre in Shepherds Bush.

The Chronicle’s weekly column entitled “Pop In” didn’t hold back on its review of the music scene in 1975, the lead article announced that: “Record companies have managed to heap a lot of mediocrity on an unsuspecting public, with Slade, The Osmonds and Bay City Rollers only having to cough into the microphone to have a hit record.”

It continued:” No real stars have emerged this year, David Essex continued on a wave of ‘fanmania’ and David Bowie was lost in a sea of self-indulgence.”

The Chronicle’s motoring column went into top gear to review the Morris Marina 44 years ago, one of British Leyland’s most iconic

vehicles.

The four-door 1.3 economy version was on sale at £1,380, with manual and automatic versions available.