THIS WEEK IN 1958:

ON Saturday at 12.35pm a silver grey Tiger Moth singleseater bi-plane stalled and crashed into marshy ground by Laugherne Brook near the Dines Green estate at Worcester. As it plummeted into the ground, the plane narrowly missed power cables, telephone lines and trees.

The extremely lucky pilot who escaped death was 17- years-old Andrew Fraser Skea of 59 Henwick Road, Worcester.

He suffered concussion and cuts to the face and arms and was detained in the Royal Infirmary. A sixth form pupil of Worcester Royal Grammar School, he was on a solo training flight from Wolverhampton and had 10 hours’ flying time experience.

His ambition is to be an RAF pilot.

● The well-known glovers I and R. Morley are closing down their Sunnyside Road factory at Worcester next month and transferring operations to their other units around the country. Morleys have been part of the Worcester scene for decades.

It is expected that their operatives will be absorbed by other gloving firms in the city.

THIS WEEK IN 1968:

DROITWICH Brine Baths may yet be saved if investigations by the borough council into its acquisition are successful.

St Andrew’s Baths – considered unique in Britain – are due to close in 1970. But in a statement this week the town clerk, R Wakefield said: “The possibility of Droitwich Borough Council acquiring the baths is being investigated. The corporation is most anxious to complete the acquisition in order that the baths can continue to run, which is in the best interests of the town and of those from far and wide seeking medical bathing.”

● Britain should immediately withdraw its application to enter the European Common Market, asserts Sir Gerald Nabarro, Conservative MP for South Worcestershire.

He says: “My advice to Edward Heath is that he should swallow his pride and support the withdrawal of Britain’s application. Nothing would do more to improve his stature and popularity which has taken such a pasting recently in public opinion polls. It cannot be tolerated that France continues to veto Britain’s entry.”

THIS WEEK IN 1978:

Plans to make the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel at Deansway, Worcester, into a central concert hall for the city have been disclosed.

Nicholas Worsley, chairman of Worcester Civic Society, says his organisation hopes to restore the controversial chapel and establish it as a major concert hall for the city.

The scheme would involve covering over some of the pews with a platform or stage and arranging seating in the remaining pews and the galleries to accommodate 500 concertgoers.

● Problems arising from the ever increasing population of elderly people in the county of Hereford and Worcester are proving a matter of deep concern to county councillors.

At present there are 109,000 people aged 65 and over in the county and this total is expected to soar to 125,000 by 1986, then representing onesixth of the county’s total population. County councillors fear there simply will not be enough resources to go round and to look after all these ageing men and women.

THIS WEEK IN 1988:

RAF bosses say their lowflying jet fighters streaking over Worcestershire are here to stay. The top brass warn that no amount of complaints from the public can sway their pilots from “doing the job entrusted to them by the nation.”

● A Roman road constructed mainly of cobbles and stones has been unearthed by archaeologists working in the Blackfriars/Dolday area ahead of the CrownGate development. The road will be carefully recorded and then covered over again. It is thought that it led to salt producing Droitwich.

● West Mercia police are joining a nationwide firearms amnesty which is being launched on Thursday in a bid to cut crimes and accidents involving guns.

Throughout the next month, members of the public are being offered the chance to hand in illegally held or unwanted weapons at their local police stations throughout Worcestershire, without fear of prosecution.