Michaela Horsfield

A long-standing former Bournemouth councillor, Basil Thorpe Ratcliffe, has died at the age of 89.

Father Christmas visited children at Tucktonia in 1981 and George Armit was there to take a picture for the Christchurch Times. Contact Echoes if you recognise anyone.

Today we're taking a look back at Christchurch's Christmas events from years gone by.

Today most of us will buy our Christmas dinner meat from a supermarket or reputable supplier at a price most families can afford. About 150 years ago a lot of families were much poorer and would get theirs by other means, such as somebody poaching it for them. Poaching on estate land was common.

Kirsty McGeachie, five, was delighted to meet Father Christmas at the Sandford Parent-Teachers Association Christmas bazaar in 1974. Photographer Arthur Grant took her picture.

FORMER Mayor of Ferndown and estate agent, Peter Roberts, has died at the age of 84.

In 1979 pupils from Poole and Parkstone grammar schools joined forces for a production of The Lady's Not for Burning by Christopher Fry. In this scene are Susan Finney, Roy Willis, Aiden Emptage, Susan Wright, Alan Barney, Ian Marshall, Mark Hawker, Elise Page, Sean Sinclair and Andrew Buckley. The picture was taken by the Poole Herald.

MILFORD Motors owner and Jaguar car restorer, John Scardifield, has died at the age of 72.

DEDICATED Bournemouth nurse, Debbie Doughty, has died at the age of 60.