1803: Mr Painter presents his compliments to his friends and the public and informs them that he has taken residence at No.2 Mealcheapen Street, Worcester, where he intends opening An Academy for the instruction of Young Ladies and Gentlemen in dancing. They will be taught the most graceful and fashionable manner of dancing. Terms - One Guinea entrance and a Guinea per quarter.

With the renewal of war between this country and France, His Majesty (George III) has declined his usual holiday excursion with his family to Weymouth and will forego the happiness of domestic ease by personally visiting, during the summer, some of our chief military posts and encampments.

Yesterday, a Common Hall of the inhabitants of this city was held at the Guildhall at which a loyal and patriotic address to the King was agreed to, promising His Majesty the most cordial support at the present crisis.

1903: Members of the Worcester City Police force will be taking their annual outing this year by train to Ledbury and then by char-a-banc to Ross-on-Wye and Symonds Yat. In order that the city is not left unprotected, the constabulary will be divided into two sections, each taking the outing on separate days.

Lieutenant William Allen Bowen of the 1st Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment, was fined 2/6d with 8s. costs at the City Police Court for riding a bicycle without lights in Sidbury.

At Malvern Police Court, Walter Bridges, a draper's porter, was summonsed for furiously riding a bicycle in Church Street, Malvern. Arthur Edward Erith, a footman, said defendant was riding at the rate of about 20 miles an hour and collided with the pole of a horse and carriage, snapping it in two. Defendant was fined 15 shillings and told by the Chairman of the Bench, Major Hill, that there was too much furious riding in the town.

1953: The 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment is soon to return from its long tour of active duty in Malaya and will be at home next year to help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Regiment.

The Roly Jenkins' benefit match between Worcestershire and Leicestershire will be played next Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at New Road, admission to the ground 2/-.

Under the direction of Maria Lloyd Foulkes, the Malvern Amateur Opera and Ballet Company will be presenting at the Festival Theatre all next week, the opera Cavalleria Rusticana and the ballet Il Carillon Magica. There will be a company of 100 performers, and the full orchestra will be under the direction of A.T. Shaw.

Stars of stage and screen were appearing in Shakespeare's King Lear at Stratford-upon-Avon during this week of 1953, including Michael Redgrave, Marius Goring, Yvonne Mitchell, Harry Adams, Donald Pleasence and Robert Shaw.