100 years ago

The South Wales Argus set up a new scheme to help the troops at the front. They requested readers donate a sixpence to provide soldiers with a packet which would contain 35 cigarettes, 2oz of tobacco and matches.

There was a large attendance at a meeting held at the Theatre Royal, Pontypool to secure more recruits for the 2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment who were rendering a very successful account of themselves at the front.

A Newport fitter was discovered by his wife with a wound to his throat after he told his daughter not to be frightened but that he was in delicate health. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary and was said to be progressing s favourably as could be expected.

At Tredegar county court, and Abertillery timberman lodged a claim for compensation from the Powell Tillery Company in respect of the death of a 14 year old who had died as the result of an accident. A sum of £50 was awarded to the boy's mother.

50 years ago

The minister of housing and local government stated that home ownership should not be forced on young people and be called for a proper balance between houses for rent and those for sale.

It was announced that Caldicot was to become a smaller version of Cwmbran with a traffic free shopping precinct planned for completion within the next three years.

The Tredegar dry dock owned by the Mountstuart Dry Dock Company closed in Newport resulting in unemployment for 100 workmen.

A rise in house mortgage rates from six to six and three quarter pr cent was recommended by the Building Societies Association , which would be the highest rate since the war.

25 years ago

With the number of new house building projects falling Dramatically in Gwent, local company IG Lintels were forced to make 21 workers redundant after being hit by the dramatic drop.

Blood supplies to Welsh hospitals was being rationed due to an extremely serious shortage. Hospitals were warned that they only had two days supply of O group blood.

Workers at Llanwern steelworks were on the verge of their first serious dispute for eight years in a row over revised bonus payments .

Drastic change were called for in the proposed route linking the Second Severn crossing with the M4 with the preferred route passing further south of Caldicot and Rogiet