A DAY'S outing to the seaside by the employees of Malvern Urban District Council was reported in the Gazette a century ago.

Not only were the council staff allowed the day off work, but any who did not go on the outing would be docked a day's pay.

"This had the effect of swelling the number who proceeded to Southampton and Portsmouth, the places selected for the outing," reported the paper.

However, two senior council officers, the surveyor Mr Thorp and clerk H L Whatley were unavoidable absent. They were in London, appearing before a House of Commons committee which was looking at the Water Bill intended to provide Malvern with water from boreholes at Bromsberrow.

Because the excursionists wanted to spend as long as possible at the seaside, they started out at 3.30am.

The paper reported: "On reaching Southampton, a few proceeded to Portsmouth by steamer, but the majority went by the train. In the course of the day, many of the company visited different parts of the naval town, some loitered on the shores of the Solent and others joined the sea trips to the Isle of Wight.

"In the afternoon the excursion committee proceeded to Southsea and had tea at Browning's restaurant. The returning journey was as pleasant as the outward, Malvern being reached in the wee small hours of Tuesday morning."