The national news in April 1987 was centred around a vote by MPs on restoring the death penalty in the UK.
The new death penalty clause, proposed to the Criminal Justice Bill, for “a person convicted by the unanimous verdict of a jury of the premeditated killing of another person” was rejected by 342 votes to 230.
Also in the news 30 years ago was jewellery belonging to the late Duchess of Windsor selling at auction for £31million, six times the expected value, and former prime minister Jim Callaghan being appointed to the Order of the Garter.
Closer to home in Saffron Walden, the Reporter covered a royal visit to Great Chesterford, a World Cup winning manager in Sewards End, a record number of entrants in the Newport 10k and a Dutch concert for the Newport Grammar School choir.
The royal helicopter containing Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips landed at Great Chesterford Recreation Ground to hoards of flag-waving children from the village’s primary school.
The royals had flown in for a visit of the leather factory Swaine Adeney Brigg, and Princess Anne spent nearly two hours watching the intricate work that goes into the making of handmade umbrellas, attache cases and riding whips, said Myrtle Page of the Reporter.
At the Green Dragon pub in Sewards End, 1966 World Cup winning manager Sir Alf Ramsey was the guest of honour to knock down a pile of copper coins that had been collected over a year.
The money in the pile, £525, was donated to the Saffron Walden Casualty Unit Fund.
Newport Free Grammar School (now Joyce Frankland Academy) organised their annual 10k race, which saw a record number of entrants and 255 finishers.
PE teachers at the school demonstrated they were fighting fit, reported Pam Jenner, with the male open winner, David Palmer, and male veteran winner, John Archer, both working at the school.
Newport Grammar was also in the news when its school choir gave a concert in Holland during the Easter holidays.
Staff and 43 pupils spent four days as guests of the college near Schaesburg on a return visit following the Dutch school’s visit the previous year.
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