PREPARATIONS were well under way a century ago for the festivities to mark the Coronation of Edward VII.

The Malvern Gazette reported a meeting of the committee which had been appointed to arrange the celebrations.

The committee had received a letter from the manager of the hotel at Snowden - the highest mountain in Wales - saying he would be on top of the mountain on the night in question and would attempt to spot the searchlight which would be shining from the top of the Worcestershire Beacon.

"On the evening of Jubilee Day, he identified, with the aid of a powerful glass, 64 bonfires and he believed that the Beacon was one of them," said the paper.

Another letter which came before the meeting was from the Worcester district of Good Templars, to the effect that is was not advisable to give the poor people intoxicating liquor at the public dinner on Coronation Day.

The paper reported: "Mr Heathfield said he was informed that, at the dinner given in West Malvern at the Jubilee to the aged poor, some had half a pint of beer while others had a gallon. He thought this ought to be guarded against on the present occasion.

"Mr Vernall thought if persons did not drink their beer, they should not be allowed to pass it on to others who had already received the stated quantity."