1801: Vast quantities of French loaves are almost daily brought to Dover from France and are sold for less than half the price of English bread. (This news item of 200 years ago is set into perspective when we take into account that England and France had only recently signed what turned out to be a short-lived peace treaty and that, for some years, Britain had been witnessing street riots over severe shortages of grain and bread).

A public notice: "A Common Hall of the Inhabitants of this city is appointed to be held at the Guildhall, Worcester on Friday morning next at 11 o'clock to take into consideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament to continue the Prohibition of distilling spirits from grain." (A subsequent news item stated that there had not been a dissenting voice at the meeting, and several hundred persons had signed the petition).

1901: The services of the Rev A. Telfer were required at the City Police Court to help the magistrates settle the differences between two Italian organ grinders. Maria Troia had charged Guiseppo Persequene of Newport Street with assault. After some discussion between the parties, the Bench allowed the summons to be withdrawn.

A John Goode, a market gardener of Worcester, was fined 10/6d for being asleep in charge of a horse and cart at Hawford. He was found guilty despite claiming he was not asleep but merely had his eyes closed and was whistling.

Advertisement: A Grand Stock of good useful blankets is now available at Russell and Dorrell's in High Street including Witney at 9/9d and all wool blankets at 11/9d.

1951: Boxing takes place at the Winter Gardens, Malvern next Wednesday evening, promoted by W. Andrews in conjunction with the Malvern Sporting Club. The main contest of eight three-minute rounds will be between Jackie Turpin of Leamington Spa and Tony Llanelly, Yorkshire's best featherweight.

There was a large number of entries for the 25 classes in the annual City Dog Show organised by the Worcester and District Canine Society and held in the Corn Exchange, Angel Street on Saturday. The best animal in show was an Afghan hound owned by Mrs M. F Masters of Barbourne while the best of the opposite sex was shown by Mr Vic Smith of Bath Road.

The first in a series of lectures on gardening and fruit and vegetable cultivation has been given to St Stephen's Workingmen's Club at Worcester by Mr J. Udale of Droitwich.