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

1923

• The negotiations that have been in progress for some months toward the forming of a new canning merger, are stated to have finally resulted in an agreement providing for the formation of a new company to include the plants of Dominion Canners Limited and most of the independent factories in the Province.
• Another of the frequent changes in the Picton-Trenton Railway mail service that have taken place recently, is announced. The train leaving Picton at 10 a.m. will carry closed bags for Bloomfield, Wellington and Consecon. Mail for Hillier and Carrying Place will be carried through to Trenton and brought back to these points on the afternoon train.
• Over thirty members of the Board of Trade Club were in attendance at the meeting to hear Mr. J. O. Herity of Belleville who was the speaker on this occasion. Mr. Herity has been most successful in his work in Belleville as Industrial Commissioner and Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce.

1943

• In memory of their loved ones who have died in the past twelvemonths, and to help ease the sufferings of galant front-line Britons, people of Prince Edward County chose the impressive setting of the annual Mariners’ Service at Cherry Valley to give $920 more to The Evening Telegram British War Victims Fund.
• Honour to himself and No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School, R.A.F. Station, Picton, has been brought by Flying Officer Wilfred Sargent, R.A.F. V.R., who has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. This pleasing information was received by the local station from which F/O Sargent graduated in 1941.
• Apparently giving co-operation to the recent government appeal for an increase in the production of wool and lamb chops, a ewe in the sheep flock owned by Reeve W. J. Tanner of Radon township has responded by giving birth to four lambs. All the lambs are doing well.

1973

• The latest in the long string of successful ventures for Club Koinonia was held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church with the theme of the evening being “A Night in Yugoslavia.” Club Kiononia (Greek for fellowship) is a group which holds ethnic evenings once a month, generally with a supper unique to the country represented.
• Mild winter weather, contributing to a high level of construction activity, aggressive sales efforts and lower operating costs are attributed by Lake Ontario Cement Limited for considerably improved results in the first quarter of 1973. Sales of  $4,624,951 — a record — are up 59 per cent from sales of $2.9 million in the quarter ended March 31, 1972.
• Village of Wellington officials received word that the proposed sanitary sewage system has been tentatively approved by the Ontario Municipal Board. Word of the board’s decision followed a lengthy hearing conducted by board members S. S. Speigel before a large audience at the Wellington Town Hall.

1983

• Grape growing for Phillip and Catherine Mathewson of RR2, Milford, is not just a venture to produce a commercial agricultural product but an opportunity to put into practice a unique training system. Catherine purchased the 130 acre farm jointly with partners taking over as sole owner from Dave McKee in May, 1981.
• In two reports to town council, Police Chief Charles Fletcher noted his department made 30 arrests and charged 140 people in February and March, but only 44 of them were from Picton. A total of 43 charges were laid under the Criminal Code, 49 under the Highway Traffic Act, 27 under the Liquor Licence Act, 22 under the Trespass to Private Property Act, one under the Education Act and two each under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, Juvenile Delinquents Act and Parking violations.
• The Picton Rotary Club has surpassed its goal in the Easter Seals campaign conducted locally during the month of March and more money may yet be collected. “We did very well,” admitted Rev. Ken Murray, chairman of Rotary’s Easter Seals fund committee. “Our total goal was $7,200. As of Tuesday we reached $7,700.