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

1923

• A destructive fire occurred at Woodrows when the valuable saw and grist mill near Woodrows Corners, owned by Harry Cole and Albert Collier was totally destroyed. The fire occurred during the early evening and its source is a mystery.
• An egg circle has been organized at East Lake with the following officers: President, Mrs. M. B. Parks; Vice-President, Mrs. Frank Hyatt; Sec.-Treas., Mrs. Harvard VanCleaf; Directors, Mrs Frank Hawkins, Mrs. John Graham, Mrs. Herman McKibbon and Mrs. Norman McDonald; Collector and Manager, Mr. Henry D. Williams. Eggs will be called for every Thursday.
• While the work of the Canadian Postal Department is realized to a certain extent at Christmas time, the value of its never ceasing activities to the widely scattered Canadian communities, all the year round is perhaps scarcely realized by the general public. According to latest information from the head of the department at Ottawa this branch of government now uses 36,000 miles of railway for its distributions.

1943

• Picton Public School realized the grand sum of $70 in a draw held on a basket of groceries given by Philip Dodds. The money was for the B.W.V.F. Principal F. Vancott, teachers and pupils did a fine selling job in a short time. The draw was made at the theatre, the winner being Jack Dunlop, Picton.
• Harold Knapman, secretary Prince Edward Yacht Club, has received a letter from Capt. C. Bartlett, Napanee, in which he gives permission to use an interesting relic for decoration in the clubhouse here. It is the tiller and rudder head of the Temeraire, a 65-footer which gained fame in the Canada Cup races.
• The Mariners’ Service at Cherry Valley was undoubtably the most impressive and the most interesting yet held. The crowd, which overflowed the seats into chairs in the aisles and every corner, enjoyed every minute.

1973

• Prince Edward County’s Roads Department is facing a rougher spring than expected. As a result of high water levels, heavy rainfall in recent days, and the inordinately mild winter, County Engineer Donald F. Clark reports: “Roads we expected to hold up are falling apart.”
• A Prince Edward Collegiate Institute student, Ronald Cunningham, in one of 187 students from across Canada invited to participate in the fifth annual Canadian Mathematics Olympiad sponsored by the Canadian Mathematical Congress. Ronald, aged 18, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Cunningham, RR 8, Picton.
• A group of interested citizens met at Queen Elizabeth School to discuss the possibility of establishing nursery school facilities available to pre-school children from all parts of Prince Edward County.

1983

• It was a glum and serious council that listened to County Planner Malcolm Boyd describe the results of last summer’s population study of Picton and surrounding area. He said it was confirmed the well known fact that young people were leaving the county in search of jobs, resulting in an aging population.
• More and more details of the Wellington Legion’s ambitious senior citizens complex project emerged in an ad hoc speech by Branch 160 President Frank Gibbons at the Vimy banquet, including a change of location.
• Negotiations over teacher cuts have broken off between the Secondary School Committee and the Prince Edward County Board of Education. The announcement was made by teacher Mrs. Barbara Holt, chairman of the staffing committee, at a press conference.