RUBERY Hill Asylum advertised in the Messenger for male attendants, preferably those skilled in bookbinding and gardening, at a salary of £28 per year including board and uniform. It would rise by £2 a year to a maximum of £34.

100 years ago

January 11, 1902

A LOOK back at the weather in 1901 revealed Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa had well below average rainfall although figures showed it fell on one day in three. August and December were the wettest months. In June, the mercury dipped below freezing and in July, the hottest month, the temperature hit the 80F mark five times.

A HORSE pulling a ginger beer wagon belonging to Corbett and Company was badly injured in a collision near Dyers' Bridge, in Worcester Road, Bromsgrove. The other horse and cart belonged to Mr G Allcott, a hay dealer, from Bradley Green, near Hanbury.

THOMAS Tipping and Frank Freeman, cycle makers from Redditch, were hauled before Droitwich Spa magistrates charged with stealing rabbits from Hanbury Park surrounding the home of the chairman of the bench, Sir Harry Vernon. Both were fined 2/6 (12.5p) plus a hefty 9/- ( 45p) costs.

THE guardians at Droitwich workhouse took steps to implement suggestions contained in an inspector's report. They noted the institution had severe damp in some wards, there were dangers posed by a stove a foot away from a bed and there was no fire hose.

50 years ago

January 12, 1952

ENTERPRISING Norman Cooke, a lifelong flying enthusiast and owner of the Octagon Library in Bromsgrove, hit on a plan to cut down on the time it took to send stock to Elmdon Airport. He built an airstrip on Mr Perkins's land at Crutch Farm, in Wychbold. The first aircraft took off from there this week. Mr Cooke had 49 other branches in Britain.

OFFICERS at the Council House in Bromsgrove were desperately trying to come up with ways of stopping motorists parking on their car park, despite the fact that they could do so legitimately across the road for 3d (1p) a day. Many thought that because they paid their rates they had a right to park there.

THE death of Mr F W Harvey, editor of the Bromsgrove Messenger from 1886 to 1940, was followed within 18 hours by the death of his wife, Laura. She was aged 84 and the couple had been married for nearly 60 years. A joint funeral service was held at St John's Parish Church, Bromsgrove.

DROITWICH Borough councillor Mrs J Addenbrooke had been elected an alderman, the first Spa woman to be given the honour. She said she hoped it would be an inspiration to other women.

THE future of Oakdene, the former home of the Sanders sisters, in Kidderminster Road, Bromsgrove, was being raised. The district council indicated it had no objection to the property becoming a private school, a nursing home or flats, but drew the line at office accommodation.

25 years ago

January 7, 1977

LAST year had been topsy-turvy as far as the weather was concerned. On January 2 a gale blew down hundreds of trees but the summer had been the hottest and driest since 1727. The drought ended on August 29 and was followed by one of the wettest Septembers on record. December had seen 18 days of frost, the lowest temperature being -6.5F.

AGNES Mulvey, the matron at Hill Top Hospital, in Bromsgrove, since 1958 died following a long illness. She had done much to put the hospital, which had been at the forefront of open heart surgery, on the map.

THE prompt action of a passing doctor saved the life of 13-year-old Timothy Thomas, from Lickey End, who damaged his spleen when he fell from his sledge on the Lickey Hills while having fun in the big freeze. He was rushed to Bromsgrove Cottage Hospital and later transferred to the General for an emergency operation.

BROMSGROVE District Council was set to construct a new works depot on a five-acre site in Stoke Road, Aston Fields, to accommodate its 60 vehicles. Its present Churchfields site, the housing department in Broad Street, Sidemoor, and its vehicle workshops, in Alvechurch, would close and be brought under one roof at Aston Fields.