100 YEARS AGO: RICHARD Edward Sayers (17), labourer of 1 Court Powick Lane, Birdport, Worcester, was charged at the city police court with being drunk in Sidbury. He was found lying in a public lavatory and could not be roused. Defendant explained to the court that he had been induced to go into the Mount Pleasant Inn, London Road and played games for drink.

The landlord, Mr Barlow said he saw the defendant playing “tip-it” and immediately ordered Sayers and his companion to leave.

He would not condone under age drinking nor the playing of gambling games. The barmaid told him six quarts of beer had been served among six men including Sayers. Magistrate Mr Simes told the defendant: “You played many games that day but the most foolish game you played was that of getting drunk.”

Sayers was fined five shillings including costs and, on asking that he might be sent on board a training ship, he was told that the police court missionary would speak to him.

150 YEARS AGO: AS a party of friends, six in number, were being driven by carriage on their way back from Malvern, they took a wrong turn on arriving at the Cross and proceeded along High Street as far as the Guildhall before they discovered their mistake. The driver then made a sudden turn and, when the vehicle was upset, the entire party was thrown out with considerable violence. A Mrs Martin, on being raised up by PC Drew, appeared to be considerably injured, and Mr Hartwright, a farmer of Claines, who was driving by in his trap at the time, kindly undertook to convey her to the infirmary where she was treated and later allowed home.

● Martha Hayes, lately an inmate of the Worcester Workhouse, was brought before the city police court on a charge of stealing two jackets, the property of Mr Williams, and was sentenced to three months’ hard labour.

200 YEARS AGO: ON Thursday, a servant of Messrs Danks and Co of Birmingham was committed to our house of correction for one month for leaving his wagon and horses at the door of a public house in Worcester, no person being with them while his was drinking therein, thereby endangering the lives of individuals and to the great injury of his master’s property.

● While James Kirby, a shopkeeper of Birtsmorton near Malvern, was with his wife away at a fair, his dwelling house was forcibly entered in the night and a large quantity of valuable wearing apparel was stolen.

The exertions of police officers for discovering the offenders have hitherto been fruitless.

250 YEARS AGO: YESTERDAY morning between two and three o’clock, a fire broke out in a stable at the Angel Inn without St Martin’s Gate, but it was happily extinguished before it did any considerable damage.

There is great reason, it seems, to imagine it was wilfully set on fire by some unknown, evil-minded person.

● Wanted to be borrowed towards the re-building of St Martin’s church ,Worcester.

To be raised by annuity.

Enquire of Mr Parker, attorney in Worcester.