PUPILS playing whip and top at Stoke Prior School were annoying people living nearby. Mr Carter had made an unsuccessful attempt to claim 3/- (15p) from Bromsgrove School Board for broken windows at his home caused by tops spinning out of control.

100 years ago

April 6, 1901

PUPILS playing whip and top at Stoke Prior School were annoying people living nearby. Mr Carter had made an unsuccessful attempt to claim 3/- (15p) from Bromsgrove School Board for broken windows at his home caused by tops spinning out of control. He told the board he had recovered nine tops in three days from his garden. The board was to instruct the headmaster to ban tops from the playground.

FRED Crawford, from School Lane, Lickey End, Bromsgrove, paid dearly for using foul language within earshot of a constable. Town magistrates fined him 2/6 (12.5p) with 7/6 costs (38.5p). He was allowed two weeks to pay or, in default, seven days in jail.

THE Postmaster General had refused a request from Stoke Prior Parish Council for a telegraph office in the village. He said the number of people sending telegraphs did not justify it. He also pointed out there was one at Stoke Works less than a mile away. Villagers, however, said it was not convenient for folk living in Stoke Pound, Stoke Heath and other outlying areas.

GEORGE Chance, a youth from Barley Mow, Rubery, suffered a crushed foot while drawing stone from Mr Mitchell's quarry. His foot was trapped and a wagon wheel ran over it.

50 years ago

April 7, 1951

THERE was sharp criticism from the vicar of All Saints Church, Bromsgrove, of what he called "gossip mongers, tittle-tattlers, liars and evil troublemakers" in the parish. The Rev S Morris, whose four months in the parish had been dogged by bad feeling -- much of it directed at him -- was speaking at the annual church meeting. He urged parishioners hearing such stories to stamp them out.

THE first full-scale census for 20 years was being carried out. In Bromsgrove close on 60 enumerators had distributed 15,000 forms to be filled in by the head of households. A question about the number of rooms in a house was causing controversy. Many thought the information could be used to have lodgers forced on them.

THE BBC made recordings of hymn singing at Holy Trinity Church, Lickey, to be broadcast in the Midlands this month. They would also include addresses read by the vicar, the Rev Trimmingham.

BROMSGROVE police named the man whose skeleton had been found in Burcot Brook last week. He was Thomas Cummings, aged 74, a patient at Barnsley Hall Mental Hospital who had been missing since last July. He had been identified by items found at the scene by police who had sieved sand near the skeleton.

A GOVERNMENT inspector upheld a decision by Bromsgrove Rural District Council forbidding a funfair to be staged on land near Rednal traffic island. It was felt it would detract from the area which was considered to be the gateway to the Lickey Hills.

25 years ago

April 2, 1976

Harrison, from Shrubbery Road, Bromsgrove, this week celebrated 50 years' service with the brigade. Frank, aged 68, joined up at the old Town Hall and was now ambulance officer.

CONSUMERS in Bromsgrove were urged by East Worcestershire Waterworks Company to use less water to help parched Cotswold villages. The area south of Evesham relied heavily on springs but the company said those supplies now needed topping up from boreholes in the Bromsgrove area.

THE Norton Collection of antiquities at Upton Warren had been recognised by the British Tourist Board as one of the best new attractions of 1975. Dennis Norton's efforts to create a unique collection of bygones had been rewarded by a special commendation.

PLANS for Bromsgrove District Council's Sport for All the Family Day, in Sanders Park, in July were being made. It was hoped to have an aerial attraction after last year's helicopter rides had proved successful. The council was considering hiring a hot air balloon or an airship.