100 Years Ago:

Riotous leave-taking: Kate Chambers (20) and Polly Styles (21) of St Alban's Square, Copenhagen Street, and Bertha Williams (18) of 5 Court, Quay Street were summonsed at Worcester Police Court for disorderly behaviour in Battenhall Road. PC Gregory said the girls were singing at the top of their voices at 10.20pm. They had been to Norton Barracks to see some soldiers who were leaving for Ireland. Inspector Peacock said the police had been receiving several complaints of disorderly conduct in that neighbourhood. The three defendants were fined 2s 6d each.

* Closing of Worcester public houses: The Inland Revenue Commissioners have assessed the compensation payable in respect of the extinction of the licences of the Cathedral Vaults in College Street, the Malt Shovel in All Hallows and the Newmarket Inn at the Shambles as 554, 712 and 710 respectively. Last year the city magistrates decided to close 11 public houses in Worcester under the Licensing Act 1904 and agreed that the assessment of compensation should be fixed by the Inland Revenue Commissioners.

150 Years Ago:

THE New Water Works at Pope Iron, Worcester: Mr Hawksley, the chief engineer, has made a minute inspection of the construction works and has expressed his approval of the progress made and of the quality of the work in every respect. The laying of the main water pipe between Pope Iron and the reservoir at Rainbow Hill is now complete.

* An accident of a very serious nature befell Mr Edward Gardiner, a farmer of Martley, on Saturday evening last. As he was returning home from market, a favourite young horse for some cause shyed while passing along Hylton Road and, the stirrup leather being a very indifferent one, he was thrown to the ground and kicked so violently by the horse on the back of the head as to severely fracture his skull. The unfortunate man was immediately conveyed to the Mug House Inn, Hylton Road, where Mr Hilary Hill, surgeon, was promptly in attendance. We regret to say that Mr Gardiner remains in a dangerous state from the injuries he received.

200 Years Ago:

AN inquest was held on Saturday last before Richard Barneby, one of the coroners of this county, on the body of Maria Meredith, a young woman in the service of Mr Martin Luther Calvin, Gardener of Salt Lane (now Castle Street), adjoining this city of Worcester. It appeared in evidence that a gun had been left in the same room with the unfortunate girl, no other person being therein, when, by some means, the piece went off and the contents were lodged in her head, which caused instant death. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

This melancholy accident is another addition to the many fatal accounts of a similar nature which it has been our painful duty to record and which ought to operate as a caution to all persons not to leave firearms loaded in any situation where they may be liable to cause an accident.