100 years ago

A 17 year old Pill girl was reported as drinking a quantity of poisonous liniment. An emetic was administered along with a large amount of milk and she was admitted to Newport workhouse infirmary.

The inquest into the deaths at Senghenydd colliery resumed, and it was suggested that the fatal explosion was caused by having an open flame in the lamp station.

A proposal was put forward for a joint isolation hospital for patients in the Risca and Newport areas as the Risca provision was deemed to be seriously overcrowded.

A young girl from the Crindau area who had been run over by a motor sweet-van a few days earlier, died of her injuries at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

50 years ago

The future of South Wales ports was still in discussion and in spite of Newport Docks having made unprecedented profits, it was thought that they would still not be allowed to stand alone, and a merger with Bristol Docks now looked likely.

The first vehicle, owned by the contractors, was driven over George Street Bridge, after the final section of the road deck had been slung into position. It was still on schedule to be open to all traffic by February 26.

Work was due to start on the magistrates court building at Cwmbran and at the same time the construction of a new central police station, designed and planned to meet the needs of a modern town of 50,000 people, was due to begin.

Television was one of the factors being blamed in the decline in attendance at local agricultural and horse shows. It was claimed that the general public were only interested in big names taking part in horse-jumping events.

25 years ago

Gwent councillors banned a funfair run by Billy Danter at Caldicot fearing a repetition of the violent clashes of the previous year.

Police were hunting vandals who had tried to burn down the Threepenny Bit Social Centre in Fairwater, Cwmbran in the second attack in four days.

Newport County chairman Jerry Sherman promised in written evidence to the High Court to pay off all of the football club’s £122,000 debts by the end of January, he also stated that if not, the club must face a winding-up order.

A massive £70m, 700 home riverside village was planned for the 96 acre former Rogerstone Power Station site in a joint venture by the Central Electricity Generating Board and Harvington Properties.