For 150 years the Chronicle has told the stories of ordinary people, highlighting the plight of the vulnerable and digging out tales of the unusual and the bizarre that give local life its unique colour. Here we look back at the last five decades to see what people were celebrating, fighting for and reading about.

July 1958
BOMBED SHIPMATES COME TO HER WEDDING

The youngest survivor of a ship sunk by German bombs during World War Two married at St Leonard's Church in Heston in front of members of the Association of Lancastrian Survivors.

Jaqueline Janet Tillyer was two when she and her parents were among 6,800 people on board the Lancastrian after  being evacuated from France.

They beat a barrage of German machine gun fire and freezing waters, floating on a piece of wood thrown to them by a sailor, before being picked up by an English destroyer. 3,500 people died.


October 1968
MOTHERS' PROTEST STOPS TRAFFIC

Fifteen mums protesting about a dangerous crossing near Hounslow Town School in Pears Road came up with a novel way to make their point to the Greater London Council, repeatedly crossing the road at 8.40am and bringing traffic to a standstill.

They held placards bearing messages like 'You take our money - what more do you want, blood?' and took down number plates of any drivers who tried to force a way through.


October 1978
WORKERS DEFY HEALTH CHIEFS

When a fire at Hounslow Hospital prompted health chiefs to cut off electricity, gas and heating, nurses and doctors refused to comply and carried on putting patients first by 'occupying' the building.

The Trade Unions were locked in battle with the Area Health Authority, backing staff who kept on taking blood tests and performing physiotherapy and who refused to send outpatients to West Mid. They threatened to continue to occupation until service was resumed as a community hospital.

July 1988
DOG MESS MAKES LIFE IN FLATS HELL

People turn to their local paper when they feel let down by council officials, just as the people of the Feltham Lodge Estate in Field Road did in the 80s when a hideous swamp of dog excrement took over every corner of the buildings and play area.

Steve Burt, then 31, said he almost broke his neck when he slipped on mess on the stairs and mum Marion Wright was horrified to find her three-year-old son Roy covered in the stuff. She said: "The smell was so appalling I had to undress him there and then."

April 1998
MARDI GRA SHOCK
Shoppers in Whitton High Street were shocked to see police swoop on two brothers who turned out to be suspects in the Mardi Gra bomb plots that terrorised west London during the 90s with Barclays and Sainsbury's prime targets.

Ronald Russell Pearce, 66, and Edgar Eugene Pearce, 60, were seized as they withdrew money from a cash machine. Edgar was later jailed for 21 years for making the 36 home-made bombs.

Eyewitness Christopher Cox said: "From out of nowhere all these police officers suddenly raced across the road and grabbed them"

Do you remember these stories? Were you involved in them? Let us know at newshounslow@trinitysouth.co.uk or  Send us your story