1980s Cold War in The Arboretum

One lived in the UK and the other in the Soviet Union. It was not so much From Russia With Love, but from Russia With Litigation!

At the heart of it all was a house in Wood Terrace, which had been the home of carpenter Wicktor Harkawik.

WORK: In 1991 an imposing hop warehouse in Southfield Street in the Arboretum is converted into 13 one bedroom apartments by Worcestershire Housing Association. Seen here is WHA director Peter Brown (left) with Anthony Thomas, great grandson of the hop firm’s founder Joseph Whale Buckland. (Image: Newsquest)

He had fled to England from Poland during the Second World War and in 1955 married a Polish widow Lola, more than 20 years his junior.

The couple had a daughter Grace and the family lived in the Arboretum until Wicktor died in 1978 without leaving a will.

BATTLE: The house in Wood Terrace at the centre of the ownership battle. (Image: Newsquest) When solicitors came to sorting out his financial affairs Lola suddenly recalled Wicktor had talked of another woman in Poland.

Because Russia took over much of Poland at the end of WW2, her lawyers contacted the Soviet Embassy in London and amazingly/predictably, depending on your views of the Russian security system, managed to trace the “first wife”, who had a son.

On hearing Wicktor had died the woman promptly laid claim to his estate.

MAP: The Arboretum area, as defined by a proposed improvement plan. (Image: Newsquest)

Lola, who always believed her husband’s first marriage had been dissolved, had to go to court to fight her corner. The subsequent legal battle lasted for a decade.

Meanwhile, the empty house became an eyesore.

WORK: Geoff Yeomans in 1984 with some of the hop pockets (sacks) gathered from farms across Worcestershire and Herefordshire and stored in the hop warehouses in The Arboretum. (Image: Newsquest)

Lola had moved out to live nearer her daughter Alex and the property became rather tumbledown and the garden overgrown.

Neighbours began complaining. 

Into this Cold War conflict bravely stepped Worcester City Council’s housing policy committee.

ROAD: Northfield Street in September 1984 with the Arboretum pub on the left hand side (Image: Newsquest)

Members decided to compulsory purchase the property, which by then was worth around £18,000. The plan was to spend £8,000 on repair and modernisation and sell it off.

Solicitors declined to reveal how the financial side of the case ended up, but a neighbour said: “Wicktor and Lola always kept the house in a beautiful condition and it was terrible to see how it deteriorated.” 

Fortunately, in James Bond language, it was no time to die and the property Wood Terrace was saved from being a blot on the landscape.

The area in which it stood was once open fields on Worcester’s northern border, where the splendidly named Sir Charles Trubshaw Withers Kt owned an expansive estate.

Sir Charles was a man of “taste and liberality” and welcomed the hoi polloi of the city onto his land, laying out some splendid walks which became a favourite spot for promenading, attracting “inhabitants, visitors and especially the belles of Worcester” in the 18th century.

BOOKS: In 1991 Fred Covins published a book called The Arboretum Story, all about the area. By the look of the book launch he shifted a few copies too. (Image: Newsquest)

After Sir Charles’ death in 1804 the Worcester Public Pleasure Grounds Company took over part of the land to create magnificent pleasure grounds, which, as well as 25 acres of beautifully laid out gardens, included a large central fountain,  a crystal pavilion, cricket ground, bowling green and archery butts.

However, the company eventually failed and in 1866 the whole of the land was sold for building purposes.

Eventually up rose narrow streets of workers’ houses, plus hop warehouses and two churches and The Arboretum was born.