September 15, 1900

100 years ago

September 15, 1900

THE swarm of bees which had gathered inside the large lamp in front of the Bell Inn, in Bromsgrove, on Wednesday was still there on Friday.

A LARGE crowd turned out to watch a charity water polo match at the Heriotts' pool, in Droitwich Spa. The swimming club beat Worcester Polo Club one goal to nil.

PRIVATE W Bratt, of the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, had been invalided back to his home, in Bromsgrove, after suffering appalling injuries fighting the Boers, in Slingersfontein, in February. His leg had been amputated and he had had a bullet through his arm. Before arriving home he had been a prisoner of war, in Pretoria, for some months.

IN the first case of its kind to come before the Bromsgrove bench, magistrates orde-red that little May Ledbury, from Catshill, who was suffering from scarlet fever, should be admitted to the isolation hospital, at Hill Top.

Her parents had refused to give their consent. But the town council claimed it was necessary to prevent the spread of the disease. Magistrates heard she lived in a two-bedroomed house with nine other occupants. The council claimed isolation was necessary to prevent the child infecting them and indeed "nearly the whole parish."

DROITWICH'S dubious reputation for having the most foul-mouthed residents in the county was highlighted again this week when Spa magistrates dealt with two cases. Emma, wife of Alfred Barnet, a saltmaker from the Holloway, was fined 2s 6d (12.5p) with 8s 6d (42.5p) or, in default, 14 days' hard labour at Worcester Jail. She was allowed two weeks to pay.

BROMSGROVE Town Council was preparing to spend a huge sum of money on the purchase of a steam fire engine, steam roller, and a stonebreaker to repair its roads in the district. Plans for a new market hall and swimming baths were also in the pipeline. The cost of the purchases and schemes would amount to around £10,000. The rateable value of the district was only £22,407.

50 years ago

September 16, 1950

Harris's land, in Meadow Road, Catshill, since 1945, was a mere shadow of pre-war events. It was opened by Col Morcom and later there was a fancy dress parade and sports for the children, while adults enjoyed music provided by the village' band.

THE children's diphtheria immunisation programme being carried out in rural parts of Bromsgrove was suspended because of an outbreak of polio in some neighbouring areas.

MEMORIALS to two members of the congregation at All Saints' Church, in Bromsgrove, who died in early manhood, were dedicated on Sunday. Former deputy warden Frederick Guest's name was immortalised on an oak panel and that of young artist Robert Yates, in a window. Both memorials had been designed by Bromsgrove Guild craftsman Arthur Clarke, from Marlbrook.

THE future for Bromsgrove's civic cafe looked bleak as the number of diners continued to drop and ratepayers were being forced to pick up ever larger bills. It had originally opened at the Hundred House pub, in Stourbridge Road, during the Second World War providing workers with cheap hot meals. It moved to huts in quiet Market Street which had led to its demise.

AN agreement had been reached between Bromsgrove Rovers and Bromsgrove Urban Council which had offered to pay off a £3,465 loan to finance new dressing rooms now under construction at the Victoria Ground. The club would pay £130 a month for the next 60 years.

25 years ago

September 12, 1975

ATV star Derek Hobson and the Dulux paint dog were set to open Rubery Building Supplies' new premises, in New Road, on Saturday.

BROMSGROVE Rovers, which, this week, sacked manager Wilf Grant, offered a £10 prize to the winner of a competition to design a new club badge.

THERE was a heated argument in the council chamber this week over whether the authority should continue to supply free cookers in council houses. The Tories argued it was a luxury it could not afford in the present economic climate, a view opposed by Labour. Conservatives won the vote 11 to six.

VANDALS were causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage to 18 council houses being built in New Road, Sidemoor. Every morning the builders were met by a trail of broken pipes, smashed meter boxes, and doors and windows wrenched from walls.

A GIANT tomato weighing a hefty one-and-a-quarter pounds had been grown by William Lambe, of Buntsford Hill, Stoke Prior. His wife had brought the seeds back from a trip to Tunisia.

CAR enthusiast Norman Taylor was the proud owner of a vehicle said to be the only one of its kind in Britain. It was a Leyland Force Seven coupe, a prototype built to boost sales in Australia, but never put into production when Leyland ran into cash difficulties. Mr Taylor, an industrialist from Stoke Pound, near Bromsgrove, had recently turned down a £3,500 offer for the vehicle.