Each week, the Gazette looks back on stories from the past. Here is what happened this week, by year…

1923

• At the annual meeting of the Prince Edward Board of Trade held in the Public Library, a committee was appointed to arrange for a banquet for Sir Henry Thornton, who has arranged to visit Picton as the guest of the Board of Trade in the near future. Sir Henry has promised Mayor Newman that he will come to Picton during the next month.
• W. E. Brewster who has been promoted to the position of Bell Telephone manager at Barrie entered the service in 1899. In 1908 he was appointed manager at Picton, which position he held until April, 1911, when he was promoted to manager at Campbellford and Stirling.
• Members of St. George’s Preceptory Knights Templar were hosts to a number of their friends at the lodge rooms, St. John’s Hall from 8 to 12 o’clock. About ninety guests, including the members and their wives, were present and the occasion proved to be one of the most enjoyable events of the season.

1943

• Final games of a Bridge Marathon, under Red Cross auspices were played when Mr. And Mrs. R. E. Nourse made their attractive home available for the occasion. This event concluded a series of ten weekly games in which twenty couples were listed to meet each week for single table play at the homes of ten of the couples, on a rotating schedule basis.
• Jack (“Pops”) Cooper, who won the Prince Edward Yacht Club’s Gold Cup trophy at 1941 races here, writes Secretary Harold Knapman of the local club as follows, in a reply to a letter from the latter: “Dear friends—I have the trophy and I’ll keep same for the duration and be tickled to do so—and I’ll be there to defend same when the P.E.Y.C. puts on another race.”
• D. O. Reynolds, H. L. McFarland and Amos T. Hudgin, all of Picton, were among the successful bidders at the dispersal sale of the famous C.P.R. Holstein herd from Strathmore, Alta.. Mr. Reynolds secured  Strathmore Abbekerk Heilo, a four-year-old heifer, at $425.

1973

• Officially, spring has been with us with late snows and all. Unofficially, it is now and in the weeks ahead that the County formally acknowledges the arrival of mild weather and sets the wheels into motion for the new season. Although the ice still lines the inside of Picton and Wellington arenas, on the streets, nets and sticks are slowly giving way to the baseball glove and bat, a sure sign that the lush green  of summer is just around the bend.
• An unusual and interesting event was held in Bay of Quinte Lodge, No. 143, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On this occasion, two members, Milton W. Dulmage and Orville S. Handley, were presented with 50 year jewels to mark a half century of active membership in this lodge.
• “The sixth year of our work for this health unit passed away without any major difficulty being encountered,” says Dr. C. R. Lenk, Medical Officer of Health for the Hastings and Prince Edward Health Unit in the annual report for 1972. “The public health nursing work has been done in a very satisfactory manner,” he adds, “and the computerization is now showing considerable improvement of the results.”

1983

• Most people in their middle years remember St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as a place where they learned scouting, or as the church that burned down in 1947, Rev. Bob Jones told the Picton Rotary Club. But the organizers for the celebration of its 150th anniversary have been uncovering a great deal of the church’s early history.
• The Ameliasburgh Fire Department will unveil its new emergency van at the Number 2 fire station in Carrying Place. Deputy Chief Roger Flower says the public is invited to tour the station. In addition to the van, the pumper that was purchased two years ago and equipment bought recently by the firefighters will be on display.
• President Eric Beaton, of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 78, presented service pins at the Vimy Ridge Banquet. Those who received a 40-year pin were Art Miller, Herb Rolston, Bernard Hogan, and C. McCalpin.