This week's nostalgia pictures

We don't want any trouble now... You wouldn't want to mix it with this lot, who were on the warpath in April 1974. They were residents in Brick Kiln Lane, Ketley. The residents living in the unmade lane were demanding action to improve the state of the road.

What is it? Shropshire's farming community may have no problem in identifying it. It's a gyrotiller and this photo was emailed in to us by Eric Jones, of Kingston Drive, Shrewsbury.

Mr Jones tells us: "It was purchased by Edward W James of Donnington Farm (now The White House Hotel) and Roland Ward, a farmer in Sambrook, near Newport, in 1936.

"The machine was contracted out to farmers and the like throughout Shropshire and adjoining counties. Mr James was heavily involved with sugar beet, being a founder of Allscott beet factory and its first general manager.

"The date 1936 saw the nationalisation of the entire British sugar crop and the purchase of the gyrotiller may have links with that decision.

"The machine could, and was, used for land reclamation and as an alternative to the plough, so enabling more sugar beet growth."

Mr Jones added: "I am pretty sure the driver in the picture is George Eaton. His sons are still around so maybe they can confirm.

"Sadly in 1939 Mr James died. He was taken ill with appendicitis in Ireland. He was brought home but did not survive. The gyrotiller was sold."

Anyone for a game of... netball? Mike Jordan of Shrewsbury emailed us this photo and he has a personal interest, as his wife was one of these young ladies.

Mike tells us: "I have recently been looking through some old photos that I found in a box in our loft. I thought that the one attached might be of some interest for your Pictures from the Past feature.

"The photograph was taken outside the entrance to the old Walker Technical College in Oakengates which now appears to be derelict and shows the netball team from the 1957/58 season which included my wife Janice.

"The team players are Janice Dyke, Cynthia Cruxton, Annabel Talbot, Leewin Deakin, Gillian Anslow, Lesley Howard, Jean Bates and Pat Corbett."

A 1950s photo of the old Shrewsbury council which we used recently created a lot of interest, and prompted Mr Selwyn Bennett, of Wenlock Road, Shrewsbury, to email us this earlier picture.

It shows his grandfather, the Mayor, Alderman Alfred Bennett, taking the salute after the Remembrance Parade Service at St Chad¹s Church, Shrewsbury, on November 11, 1945. This was the first Sunday after mayor-making, which had been at Shrewsbury Castle two days previously.

The occasion marked a 'debut' for the wearing of a new deputy mayor¹s badge of office, the creation of which is explained in council minutes dated November 9, 1945, which read: ³The mayor informed the council that Alderman Mrs Cock (retiring deputy mayor) had generously presented... a deputy mayor's badge in gold, to be worn... on ceremonial and other occasions when the mayor wears his chain of office.

"The badge, although ordered some months ago, was unfortunately not yet finished, but a suitable replica had been obtained in order that the deputy mayor could be invested with the badge that day."

Mr Bennett says deputy mayor Alderman Harry Steward, wearing the new badge, is standing fourth from the left, next to Alderman Mrs Marion Cock.

There is a sad story behind this photo, which has been loaned to us by Mr Ken Whittall, of White Gritt, Minsterley.

"I was on this white-lining machine, and they called us out ­ me, my brother-in-law and another lad ­ to the Stanmore straight, the other side of Bridgnorth. There had been someone killed there, and there were no double white lines there. We were the first to put them down," said Ken.

From left are his brother-in-law Graham Swain, Ken operating the barrow (white-lining machine), and Maurice Brown. Ken says they worked for Shropshire County Council and estimates the date as the early 1960s, although it must have been after 1964 as his photo bears a Shropshire Star & Journal stamp ­ and the Star didn't start publishing until October of that year.

Here we see harvesting or bringing in hay in Shelve, perhaps in the 1930s or during the war years, in a photo loaned by Mrs Freda Elkes, of Ketley. Her father Clive Oliver kept the More Arms, Shelve, but also had 43 acres around the pub. She thinks one of those on the picture, probably the person on the right, is a chap they used to call 'Corporal', which was a nickname. She does not know how he acquired it. The other person is unidentified.