100 YEARS AGO:

AFTER considerable alterations, the Foregate Hall will be opened by Worcester impresario Arthur Carlton on Monday under the name of the Empire Cinema. (Arthur Carlton, later knighted, was proprietor for many years of the Theatre Royal, Worcester). For the cinema’s opening week, the Franco- British Empire Picture Company will give a brilliant display of animated pictures including Jane Shore, Adventures of a Female Politician; the Gipsy’s Revenge and Nick Carter Detective.

Evelyn Goodard will perform a series of illustrated songs and there will be a gramophone selection including Tickle Geordie by Harry Lauder. Prices will be: stalls ls; pit 6d and back seats 3d. (The Empire Cinema was demolished in the 1930s and the Odeon now stands on the site).

● Mary Shaw (28) a single woman living at the Lodging House for Women in Newport Street, Worcester, was charged at the city police court with soliciting in Sansome Street. The Chief Constable, Mr Byrne asked the magistrates to inflict a penalty which would help to suppress such conduct in the public streets. The defendant was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment.

150 YEARS AGO:

A FEW days ago between 50 and 60 of the juvenile inmates of the Worcester Workhouse were treated with a visit to Malvern where they were regaled with refreshments and amused themselves with a cheerful game on the hills.

The expense of the treat was met by public subscription amongst the citizens who were solicited by Mr and Mrs Bourne, the master and matron of the workhouse.

● Henry Collett, aged 17, was brought up before Worcester Police Court under a warrant for absenting himself from the service of Mr Winwood, brush-maker of Broad Street, to whom he was an apprentice. The defendant’s conduct at work had been very insubordinate. The bench committed the youth to six weeks’ hard labour in gaol.

● The annual excursion of the workmen employed by Messrs Gosnell’s gin distillery in Hylton Road, Worcester, took place on Saturday last. Holt Fleet was the rendezvous and the party was taken there by boat on the Severn. The company enjoyed themselves with great zest on their arrival at the destination.

Dancing was the order of the evening.

200 YEARS AGO:

LAST week, as a bull was being baited (tied to a stake and attacked by mastiff dogs) on Pitchcroft near this city, it broke loose and caused great alarm and consternation in the neighbourhood, besides doing considerable damage to some plantations which it entered.

However, it was eventually secured and brought back to the stake where the surrounding spectators were satiated with its suffering.

The poor beast, attended by a great concourse of disorderly persons, was then brought through the streets of the city. In Broad Street it fell, exhausted by fatigue and loss of blood. Its bellowing was tremendous and excited the fear and indignation of the peaceable inhabitants. We trust that this inhuman practice, so disgraceful to humanity, will ever meet with the reprobation it so justly merits. (The Bull Ring in St John’s derives its name from being the scene of bull baiting.) ● The Governors of Worcester Infirmary return thanks for the sum of £5 being half the fine paid by Francis Woodward of this city, vitualler, for killing a pointer dog belonging to A Edmunds.

250 YEARS AGO:

A COLLECTION having been made through some of the parishes of this City of Worcester for rebuilding St Martin’s Church in the Cornmarket and as the inhabitants in general have contributed very liberally on the occasion, we are desired in the name of the parishioners to return their most grateful thanks for the generous assistance they have met with, not doubting but that the same laudable disposition will appear among the inhabitants of the other parishes.

● On Friday last, the driver of Mr Moore’s stage wagon from Bromsgrove to Worcester, happening to slip down while descending a hill, the wheels ran over both his thighs and broke one of them in a most shocking manner and terribly bruised the other. Little hope is entertained for his recovery.

● They write from Gloucester that at this time the pin trade, which is the chief manufacture of that city, is in so declining a condition as not to afford half employment for its labourers.