Langley's history, as recorded in the files of the Langley Advance.

Eighty Years Ago

May 12, 1932

. A delegation of three ladies and four Normal School graduates appeared before Langley School Board to protest against having married women as teachers.

Seventy Years Ago

May 14, 1942

. May Day celebrations were cancelled because of wartime restrictions on gasoline and rubber, which prevented school buses from being made available to transport children to and from the event.

Sixty Years Ago

May 15, 1952

. A large majority petitioned to split Langley Prairie from the rest of Langley.

. A new house-numbering system was adopted for the entire Fraser Valley.

Fifty Years Ago

May 17, 1962

. An 824-pound sturgeon, with 200 pounds of caviar, was netted in the Fraser River near Derby Reach.

Forty Years Ago May 11, 1972 . Langley Township council voted to give itself a 6.5 per cent pay raise.

. The province gave Langley Memorial Hospital $2,688,500 to expand services and add 50 beds to its 107 acute care and 50 extended care spaces.

Thirty Years Ago

May 12, 1982

. A shift in the tax burden in Langley City meant a 10 per cent decrease for residential taxpayers, while businesses faced a 35 per cent increase.

. Assessment changes resulted in an increase in local school tax bills, despite a decrease in the mill rate.

. Township taxpayers faced a reduction in services, despite a tax increase of seven per cent.

. A $500,000 fire destroyed the Windsor Plywood building.

Twenty Years Ago

May 13, 1992

. A would-be thief left empty-handed after he was soundly beaten by one of two women working at a Langley pawn shop.

. Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation sold 18 acres adjacent to the hospital to Langley Township for $1.6 million, to retire the hospital's mortgage, obtain clear title of another 12 acres, and ensure the hospital had an "appropriate" neighbour.

. A 10-storey high-rise apartment building was proposed for Walnut Grove.

. One per cent of all cars registered at the Langley motor vehicle branch had been stolen in the past year. Ten Years Ago

May 14, 2002

. Solicitor General and Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman introduced new rules allowing police to impound vehicles involved in racing and other illegal high-speed activities on public roads.