1803: Cock Fighting - A Main of Cocks will be fought at Mr Thomas Partridge's in Frog Lane, Worcester next Tuesday between the Gentlemen of Worcestershire and the Gentlemen of Staffordshire for five guineas a battle.

The great plan for placing the country in a state of security against invasion from France was last night brought forward in the House of Commons. The outline of it is that all males, from 17 to 55, in every parish throughout the kingdom shall be regularly trained to the use of arms. Exempt from this legislation are the clergy and existing members of Militia and volunteer corps.

Mrs Manners respectfully informs her friends and the public that her school for young ladies at 48 Foregate Street, Worcester will re-open on Monday next.

1903: His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII expired on Monday afternoon after an illness of 17 days, borne with great fortitude. The late Pontiff was in his 94th year.

Kate Moseley (37), married woman of St Martin's Gate, Worcester, was charged at the City Police Court with being drunk in charge of a child, 13 months old, in Mealcheapen Street. She had seven previous convictions for drunkenness and was sent down for 14 days. She protested that she would never take another drop of drink.

A Violent thunderstorm passed over Worcester on Saturday and was followed by a deluge of rain. The lightning was very vivid, and at the height of the storm the premises of Cornforth and Cale on Lowesmoor Wharf were struck. Slates were torn off the roof and the rafters snapped in two. Mr Thomas Bennett of Earl's Court Farm, St John's had a valuable pedigree bull and a cow killed by lightning, and Mr Charles Lock of Comer Gardens also had a cow killed.

1953: The bill for Pershore's gas street lighting has doubled in the past year prompting Pershore Parish Council to look into the possibility of a complete switch to electric street lighting.

The Worcestershire National Farmers Union is expressing deep concern at the failure of Worcester City Council to relieve the serious traffic congestion in Sidbury. The constant hold-ups mean that lorries transporting livestock and produce are often severely delayed in reaching markets.

On Saturday last, Pershore was swept by torrential rain and hail stones causing minor flooding in most streets in the town. The house of Squadron Leader J.L Whitford in Bridge Street was struck by lightning, the thunderbolt splitting the chimney and knocking 50 tiles off the roof.