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

1923

• There was a large congregation in attendance at the Picton Methodist church when the service was in charge of the junior congregation. The centre aisles were reserved for the children and there were over two hundred in attendance, including the children from the Orphanage.
• Last week closed one of the most enjoyable season ever experienced at Picton rink. The ice has been unusually good all season owing to the steady cold weather with the result that very few games had to be deferred.
• Following the efforts of the Prince Edward County Board of Trade that the evening mail go by the 7.45 gas car to Trenton instead of stage to Deseronto, the President is advised that the Mail Service will be as follows: As at present postal car to leave Trenton at 8:15 a.m., arrive Picton 9:35 a.m.

1943

• Tomato growers in Ontario are refusing to sign contracts tendered by canners and packers on a basis of $18.10 per ton, until the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Hon. J. G. Gardiner, has signed the order that fixes the price, it was learned in Toronto.
• Some kind of a record in neighborliness as well as in wood cutting efficiency was established on the Victoria district or Prince Edward County when at a wood-cutting bee at the home of Mr. William Pope, neighbors cut 20 loads of wood and hauled it to the yard ready to saw.
• Signs of spring are welcome after the week-end storm. One of them was a caterpillar which was deluded by the bright sun. It was found in a snowbank by four-year-old Beatrice Watkins of Cressy.

1973

• Municipal government and sometimes even farmers themselves are at least partly to blame for some of the problems arising from the current move of city people into the country. This was the contention expressed by William Stewart, Minister of Agriculture and Food, special speaker at the annual meeting of the Prince Edward-Lennox Progressive Conservative Association.
• The fifth and final meeting of the 71st year of the Tennyson Club was held at the home of Rev. And Mrs. R. F. Sherwin. The program for the evening featured four films which illustrated some of the influences on Canada’s development. These were “The Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes”, “City of Gold”, Twenty Million People”, Morning on the Lievre.
• Provincial Police pf the Picton detachment report a rash of vandalism and petty theft within recent days, especially in the West Lake area. Incidents reported to police include several mail boxes knocked over, road signs near the Sandbanks ripped out and left lying across the road and vandalism to the flagpoles and gatehouse at the main entrance to the Sandbanks Provincial Park.

1983

• Break and enters in Picton rose sharply over the last year’s 29 incidents, although the value of property reported as stolen remained constant. And in general sense, the 1982 statistics supplied to town council by the Police Commission reveal that the level of illegal activity in Picton increased only slightly over 1981. The most glaring statistic is the whopping 100 per cent increase in break and enters, a total of 66.
• Pre-performance jitters were just as common among the parents as the children while they waited for the farewell show of the Prince Edward Skating Club “Broadway Ballyhoo.” It marked the wrap-up of a season of accomplishments for the young skaters and was the culmination of just three weeks of practice and one final rehearsal the day before.
• Plan for an active year were completed at a meeting of South Marysburgh Marine Society and Museum Board held at South Bay Church hall. The report of the nominating committee presented by Howard Gyde was accepted with Al Ralley again as chairman; Mrs. Cecil Cobb and H. Gyde, vice-chairman; Mrs. Betty VanDusen, secretary-treasurer.