50 Year Ago: New Conway Co-op operating store

Fire did extensive damage to the Thread and Thimble shop on Water Street. Firemen were able to contain fire to the building, which was owned by Herbert Margolian.

A widespread power failure complicated the response by firefighters. With the town alarm knocked out and the radio out of service, the department had to alert firefighters by telephone.

W.H. (Pop) Hanson, a 90-year-old curler, was among guests at a close of season party for the Digby Ladies Curling Club.

Digby’s Bantam ‘C’ hockey team won the Western Nova Scotia title, defeating Western Shore in both games of a two-game total goal series. Robert Dugas scored twice in the first game, with singles from Jackie Robinson and Barry McEwan. Robinson turned it up for the second game, scoring three goals, and Dugas and Randy Oliver added singles.

Leigh Everett, station manager at CKDY radio in Digby, was given honorary membership in Branch 20, Royal Canadian Legion, the highest honor a branch could bestow on someone who hadn’t served in the armed forces.

Playing at the Little Cinema was ‘Doctor Zhivago’, starring Omar Sharif, Julie Christie and Geraldine Chaplin.

50 years ago

March 27, 1958 – The Conway Cooperative Society was formed as a buying and marketing agent for local agriculturalists, and it planned to establish a grading station for vegetables and other farm produce. In the meantime, the society was operating the former New-Way Supplies Store in Conway. Elected president of the new society was Chipman Chisholm of Bear River.

Digby Regional High School’s hockey team overwhelmed Annapolis 9-2 to win the Annapolis Valley West championship. Digby was led by a three-goal effort from Jim VanTassel. David Webber and Ron Stark each added a pair, and singles came from Fulton Logan and Clifford Melanson.

With a federal election in the offing, the Conservative candidate for Digby-Annapolis-Kings was able to tap Ottawa’s piggybank. George Nowlan, who was minister of national revenue, announced projects for the area valued at $500,000, including preparatory work for a new federal building in Digby.

Digby Fire Department held its fourth annual Ice Carnival and named Gail Hersey as Princess.

At the Capitol Theatre was the adventure drama ‘The Sharkfighters’, with Victor Mature.

60 years ago

March 25, 1948 – Digby branch, Canadian Legion, decided to secure a list of Second World War dead from this community and have a plaque with their names mounted on the town’s War Memorial. A fundraising campaign aimed at $250 to pay for the plaque.

‘The Commodores’, an eight-piece orchestra from Saint John, was being brought over to play at the Easter ball in Lour Lodge.

The western ‘Black Bart’ was at the Capitol, with stars Dan Duryea and Yvonne DeCarlo.