You can't trust March weather
AS I've always said, you can't trust the weather in March and this month in 1979 was no exception, with a return to winter snows which made motoring hazardous and blocked many roads in Gloucestershire.
But the West Country got off lightly with blizzards in the North leading to cars being abandoned and people being stranded far from home at nightfall.
Nationally many people were shocked to hear of the death, at only 31, of Richard Beckinsale (right), the star of TV's Rising Damp and Porridge.
The popular actor had died in his sleep, apparently of a massive heart attack.
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His daughter Kate, five at the time, is now a successful actress herself, as is her elder sister Samantha.
In Vienna Bristol's Robin Cousins won a silver medal in the world figure skating championships.
The self-effacing 21 year old told the Post: "I am absolutely thrilled with the silver medal, but I can do a lot better.
"I was surprised to be marked at such a high level (5.9) – for a brief time there was the suggestion that I had actually won the gold.
"But, quite genuinely, I am delighted to settle for the silver, but have now geared my entire career to winning gold at the Olympics next year."
His first tumble since 1974, Cousins had just missed getting the top award when he fell attempting a triple jump during the short free skating programme.
As we now know, the Bristol trained skater went on to fulfil his promise by getting that gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
In other news five of Bristol's independent schools were delighted to receive £500,000 from John James (right), the Bristol millionaire and philanthropist.
Under the agreement the schools would receive £100,000 in annual instalments of £10,000 over the next decade.
The money, he told the Post, was to be used to provide places for able children whose parents would not otherwise be able to afford the school fees.
James, who had been born in humble circumstances in Bedminster, had won a scholarship to the city's Merchant Venturers School before starting his own very successful Radio Rentals business.
Astute stock exchange dealings has boosted his fortune, enabling him to gave away vast amounts of money to good causes, including the Dawn James Trust, set up in memory of his daughter.
The philanthropist died in 1996, aged 89 and there is a plaque to his memory at Windmill City Farm, near where he was born.
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