100 YEARS AGO

● The National Eisteddfod opened in Abergavenny with the first great attraction being the pageant of Gwent.

● A labourer of Albion Street, Newport, met an untimely death by drowning after being tempted into the water at St Brides Lighthouse by the hot weather. A rescue attempt by another member of his party left the latter in difficulties also.

● Two retailers, an ironmonger and a china dealer, were summoned at Newport court for failing to close their shops at Market Arcade and Shaftesbury Street.

Both had been cautioned previously under the Shop Hours Act.

● A French schooner, "Alice" which had turned over on the River Usk grid-iron was righted under the guidance of the Newport Harbour Master. Water damage had appeared to cause minimal damage to the vessel.

50 YEARS AGO

● Ebbw Vale Primary School managers recommended the abolition of the 11-plus examination.

Monmouthshire Education Committee were looking into other methods of selection for secondary schools.

● A new model bakery factory looked likely to be built at Rogerstone under plans being prepared by the Cardiff-based firm Avana Associated Bakeries.

● Newport Ratepayers Association asked for a special meeting of the council in objection of a decision to build a clock tower on the Civic Centre. They had collected 8,520 signatures in a petition.

● A Newport man, Det Supt Gerald McArthur, led the hunt for thieves who scooped more than £2.5million in a train robbery near Leighton Buzzard that was being hailed as the biggest and most daring train robbery ever to be carried out in Britain.

25 YEARS AGO

● In spite of claims by a Newport County director that they were ready to build a new stadium, a player said that his last two pay cheques had bounced, and Gwent Police confirmed that they were still owed £22,500 for policing matches.

● Newport played host to the National Eisteddfod for the first time in over a century. The event at Tredegar Park was hailed a big success with more than 100,000 visitors.

● More than 300 staff at the Asda superstore, Rogerstone, were locked in bitter dispute with management over moves to slash their working hours.