UPTON-upon-Severn was searching in 1952 for its long-lost ducking stool - a primitive mode of punishment by which those guilty of petty crimes were dipped unceremoniously into the river during centuries past.
The Journal posed the question on behalf of local councillors: "Where has the stool gone? The commonly accepted local story is that it went into Herefordshire some years ago.
''Anyone who is able to help trace the present whereabouts of the ducking stool is asked to contact this newspaper.''
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