100 Years Ago June 18, 1904.

A garden fete and gymkhana in aid of the restoration of Hampton Church will be held at Eastwick, Hampton, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Charles Burlingham, on Wednesday next. Numerous attractions and sporting races form an interesting programme. A donkey polo match between Hampton and Evesham is also quite a novelty. There are also numerous other races of an amusing character in which both sexes can participate. Two high-class concerts will be given in the open air in the afternoon and evening.

75 Years Ago

June 15, 1929

There was a sequel to the notorious "man-woman" case at the Evesham Borough Sessions on Tuesday, when Mabel Beatrice Hinton, of Merstow Green, Evesham, was summoned for making a false statement relating to a birth at Evesham. Mr H J Parham prosecuted on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Mr A H Cross, of Evesham, defended. In opening the proceedings Mr Parham said the case was undertaken on advice from the Registrar General. It arose from the case of two women who lived together as man and wife. The accused's real name was Williams, and for some time she had been living with someone known as William Sidney Holtom. It now transpired that this person was a woman known as Sarah Holtom. While they were living together a child was born to the defendant. She registered that child, and it was out of that registration that the present proceedings were taken. The defendant had actually passed off an illegitimate child as a legitimate one and the false statements she made related to the parentage.

50 Years Ago

June 19, 1954

A time-honoured Evesham custom is the ceremonial procession to Bengeworth Church on Trinity Sunday by the Mayor and Corporation. It is one of those little things (like the rule that the Mayor must come from Bengeworth at least once every six years) that were conceded to the independently-minded people across the Avon as a sop to their outraged dignity when the village was incorporated within the Borough in the 17th Century. But it seems to count for very little nowadays. Not even all the aldermen and councillors were there last Sunday, and the procession gets smaller year by year. The tradition is on the way out, apparently.

25 Years Ago

June 14, 1979

Fears that Cleeve Prior could become another Bourton-on-the-Water packed with tourists during the summer, if a countryside park is established there, were voiced by residents this week. Despite oppo-sition from the residents, Wychavon, Birmingham Anglers' Association, the Upper Navigation Trust and others, the Hereford and Worcester countryside and conservation committee has approved in principle plans to provide a park at Cleeve Prior.