Gas is off

Watford industry this morning braced itself for a week of no gas. And scores of innocent workers could find themselves with no jobs. This warning came from many of Watford’s major industrial firms as the shut-down of the town’s gas works took effect. Factories, some offices and even schools face seven days without gas supplies, as Eastern Gas will try to maintain safe levels of supply to hospitals and other essential services. “In order to keep gas supply systems safe, Eastern Gas regret they are forced to cut off supplies in manufactured gas districts to most industrial and commercial customers,” said a spokesman.

[March 2, 1973]

‘Super’ market

Watford’s multi-million pound scheme for redeveloping the area between Beechen Grove and the High Street to provide a new market hall, a supermarket and a department store, a restaurant, a public house and youth and community facilities moves a step nearer on March 19, when detailed plans come before the county Planning Committee. The scheme, which also includes a multi-storey car park for 800 cars, together with underground parking, is expected to cost £5.5million. The whole area will be a traffic-free precinct landscaped round a Continental-type piazza complete with fountain. It will take three years to complete.

[March 2, 1973]

Demand the pill

Eight Hertfordshire councils or their health committees, including Watford Rural, Rickmansworth Urban and Elstree Rural, have informed the county council of their support for a free family planning service. The information comes from the Hertfordshire branch of the Conservative Society, which last August sent copies of a document on the subject to all local authority councillors, county councillors, aldermen, MPs and general practitioners in Hertfordshire. The county Conservation Society says that since publication of their document, Hertfordshire County Council had announced that between £70,000 and £85,000 was likely to be made available in the next financial year for the county’s family planning services. The Conservation Society, however, are pressing for a totally free service on the grounds that “any expenditure is justified”.

[March 9, 1973]

Water rationing

The serious water shortage in parts of south west Hertfordshire brought an appeal this week from a giant water company for economy. The Colne Valley Company, which supplies parts of Watford, Rickmansworth, Bushey and Elstree, has warned that rationing may have to be introduced this summer. A senior official asked consumers to take extra care with their use of water because of the crisis. The company, based at Aldenham Road, Watford, have been hit by four years of below-average rainfall. They are already buying a daily bulk supply from the neighbouring Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Company, and this week it was learned that they have applied to Watford Borough Council for more water.

[March 16, 1973]

Advice to forget sex

A request to employees in the food industry to look at people applying for jobs as applicants, not just as males or females, was made by Mr W.H. Potter, head of Cassiobury College Deparmtment of Food Industries, on Friday evening. Speaking at the presentation of awards ceremony, he said he wished the industry would recognise the qualities of female craftsmen. There were many fields which were male-dominated, and which could be operated and run by female staff just as well.

[March 23, 1973]

Is the theatre worth £50,000?

Who wants a theatre if it means £50,000 on the rates? Not the people of Watford, said Councillor Sam Deakin in his reply to the budget speech at Watford Council on Monday. He said it was time there was a check on the theatre’s expenses. Ratepayers had a right to know why the subsidy had increased and when it would be stopping. “The theatre is losing money hand over fist and always will. I don’t think people of Watford want the theatre,” he stressed.

[March 23, 1973]

Tenants living in fear

Nearly 20 council house tenants on the Meriden estate, Watford, petitioned the Watford Observer this week for publicity to get more security in their area. They allege that a number of roads are subject of vandalism by gangs of youths who congregate and menace passers-by. Stone-throwing and abusive language are the most common cause for complaints. The petitioners claim that gangs run riot through their gardens, spoiling plants, sometimes uprooting them, and hurl foul language at anyone who dares to remonstrate with them. They say when they report incidents to the police, the gangs disperse, wait until the police have gone, and reassemble.

[March 30, 1973]

What was happening in the world in March 1973?

• The 26-storey Skyline Plaza in Virginia, US, gives way. The cascading debris kills 14 people and injures 34 (March 2)

• Two IRA bombs explode in London, killing one person and injuring 250 others (March 3)

• In the ‘Border Poll’, voters in Northern Ireland vote to remain part of the United Kingdom (March 8)

• IRA bombs explore in Whitehall and the Old Bailey in London (March 8)

• Sir Richard Staples, Governor of Bermuda, is assassinated while walking his dog (March 10)

• Queen Elizabeth II opens the new London Bridge (March 17)

• St John’s High School in Northern Ireland is bombed by the Ulster Volunteer Force (March 18)

• The Lofthouse Colliery disaster occurs in Britain. Seven miners are trapped underground, none survive (March 21)

• Watergate burglar James W. McCord Jr admits to a judge that he and other defendants have been pressured to remain silent about the case (March 23)

• Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is released in the UK (March 24)

• The pilot episode of the sitcom Open All Hours is broadcast on BBC2 (March 25)

• Women are admitted into the London Stock Exchange for the first time (March 26)

• The last US soldier leaves Vietnam (March 29)