HUNDREDS of people lined the route from Bromsgrove Parish Church to Kidderminster Road to catch a glimpse of newly-weds Bromsgrove GP Dr Francis Coaker and his bride, Diana Carey, whose father was also a town doctor.

100 years ago

June 22, 1901

HUNDREDS of people lined the route from Bromsgrove Parish Church to Kidderminster Road to catch a glimpse of newly-weds Bromsgrove GP Dr Francis Coaker and his bride, Diana Carey, whose father was also a town doctor. The bride had rose petals and roses strewn at her feet as the couple made their way to their carriage.

WILLIAM Wood, a dealer from Sidemoor, Bromsgrove, appeared at the Worcestershire Quarter Sessions charged with obtaining two mares worth £12 by false pretences from Hugh Thomas, of Kings Norton. The judge gave him four months' hard labour.

DODDERHILL Parish Council was negotiating with Droitwich town council to use its fire engine. Dodderhill councillor Mr Guise told a meeting he had never seen it used to put out fires but it had been useful pumping water during the recent floods. If the request was granted, the appliance would not be used to tackle fires in neighbouring Stoke Works.

CELEBRATIONS to welcome home Bromsgrove soldiers who had fought against the Boers in South Africa continued this week. A public dinner was held in their honour at the Golden Cross Hotel presided over by Bailiff Dr Ball.

A FIRE in a dressing room at Richmond House, in Ombersley Street, Droitwich Spa, caused £80 worth of damage. The promptness of the fire brigade with its hose cart had prevented the blaze from spreading though the boarding house.

50 years ago

June 23, 1951

NEWS that town GPs would be allowed to tend expectant mums in the new maternity unit at All Saints Hospital, in Bromsgrove, was welcomed. Many said they valued the presence of their own doctor during their confinement.

MESSENGER naturalist Fred Fincher reported seeing a buzzard at his home at Woodcote. He said the large hawk was making a comeback in the county. This was partly because of the decline in the number of gamekeepers who had persecuted them for many years.

A ROMAN coin, the size of a half crown, was found in Signet Fields, Woodcote. It had been minted 1,800 years ago. A brass rubbing of the coin was put in Bromsgrove library.

ROUSER, a corgi dog owned by Mrs A Macdonell, from Tardebigge, was to feature in a TV programme. He was the only corgi in Britain to compete in obedience classes and working trials.

A BLAZE at the Bromsgrove and District Grass Drying Association plant at Stoke Heath destroyed 25 tons of grass. It included five tons of powdered grass that had been made into animal meal. Bromsgrove fire brigade used a new appliance, the only one in the county, to fight the blaze. It had a long arm with a grabbing device to pull apart smouldering ricks.

25 years ago

June 18, 1976

BROMSGROVE District Council and the police came in for scathing criticism from town trades council member Trevor Porter. He was angry that Shenstone College had recently been banned from holding its charity rag day procession in the town but the Court Leet had been given the go-ahead to hold its annual fair day parade for "its own glorification."

DOROTHY Smout, from Beacon Hill, Rubery, had been awarded the MBE in the Queen's birthday honours. She was an active member of the WRVS and had been responsible for setting up the Friends of Rubery Hospital.

THE call for allotments in Bromsgrove was growing. To satisfy demand, the district council decided to sub-divide some large plots to make 38 new ones, each a sixteenth of an acre. But these would only contain the waiting list at the same level.

BROMSGROVE could soon be linked to a European town to foster recreational and cultural activities, if an idea put forward by the town's Sports Council was adopted. A twin town in Holland or Belgium seemed the most likely choice.