This week in 1990 : Worcester City Council has given the go-ahead for the building of another 300 homes in the St Peter-the-Great housing expansion zone.

Westbury Homes have won approval for plans to construct further two, three and four-bedroom houses between Alton Road and the railway.

A Worcestershire canal trust has been presented with a national Civic Trust Award for 17 years' hard work in trying to bring back into navigation 10 miles of a derelict canal. Members of the Droitwich Canal Trust have already renovated several miles of the canal as well as operating a trip boat called Sabrina.

This week in 1985

The Severn-Trent Water Authority is warning consumers to be on their guard against bogus officials.

"We are extremely concerned about reports that criminals are getting into people's homes by simply turning up on the doorstep and claiming to be from the water board," said a Severn-Trent spokesman. "Every Severn-Trent employee is issued with an identity pass carrying a photograph of the bearer. No-one should be allowed into a house unless first showing their identity pass."

St Richard's Hospice has switched from its cramped Droitwich base to new headquarters at 9 Castle Street, Worcester.

This week in 1975

Worcester's city centre will "die off" in a few years unless urgent action is taken to provide it was the best shopping facilities, stresses the City Architect and Planning Officer George Arnold.

His warning comes in the wake of Whitehall's decision to allow a huge out-of-town superstore to be built by Sainsburys at Warndon. City councillors are not happy about the decision having fought the scheme vigorously at a public inquiry. Mr Arnold says that without the best shopping amenities and more central car parking, second and third out-of-town superstores might well come to Worcester, killing off the city centre.

St Clement's Church Hall in Church Walk, Worcester is a charred shell after fire swept through the building. Windows are shattered and brown, there are holes in the roof, and the stage and much of the furniture has been destroyed. Damage is estimated to be at least £5,000 but the cause of the night-time blaze is not known.

This week in 1965

Worcester's fist City Architect and Planning Officer is to be 49 years-old Mr J Roy McKee who is at present deputy architect and planning officer and Director of Housing for Ayr County Council in Scotland.

His salary will be £3,000 a year, rising to £3,360 in four annual increments. He was previously a principal assistant architect at Stormont, involved in the drawing up of planning briefs for Belfast and Northern Ireland.

The Queen Mother paid a four hour visit to Malvern College on Saturday as part of its centenary celebrations, arriving by helicopter.

More than 1,000 people watched the colourful ceremony of the unveiling and dedication of the monument to Simon de Montfort in the Abbey Park, Evesham by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Michael Ramsey. This year marks the 700th anniversary of the death of Simon de Montfort during the Battle of Evesham in 1265.

This week in 1955

Four soldiers who served with the Grenadier Guards during the South African Boer War were reunited at a garden party on Saturday at Kenswick Manor near Worcester - an event organised by the Worcestershire Branch of the Grenadier Guards Comrades Association. The veterans were Mr H. Stevens of Rose Cottage, Wichenford, Captain H. Wood DCM of Eckington near Pershore, Mr F.J Bates of Evesham and Captain E.G Spencer Churchill MC of Northwick Park, Moreton-in-Marsh.

On Monday evening, fire broke out in a room at Elgar's Birthplace cottage at Lower Broadheath. Damage was caused to objects in the room and the door was blown outwards off its hinges. It is stated that the explosion occurred in a bureau where some celluloid folders were kept.

BEFORE THE 1900s: TEENAGER HANGED FOR HORSE THEFT

250 Years Ago

On Friday last, James Berry, condemned at our last Worcester Assizes for stealing a horse belonging to Mr James George junior of St John's, was executed amidst a vast concourse of people in this city. He was under 20 years of age and his behaviour while under sentence of death and at the place of execution was agreeable to his unhappy situation. He exhorted the people present to take warning from his ignominious death.

We have had the greatest rejoicings here that ever were known on any occasion on account of the birth of Lord Ludlow, son and heir to the Earl of Powis. Yesterday, Richard Baldwyn Esq., High Bailiff of the town, gave a grand entertainment at the Angel Inn to all the Corporation, clergy, Gentlemen and principal inhabitants of the town and country. There were colourful processions through the town with drums beating and colours flying and a large ox was roasted whole and given to the populace, together with 700 gallons of strong beer from a huge cask. Principal buildings were illuminated with many hundreds of candles.

200 Years Ago

Porto-Bello, Henwick Hill, Worcester - William Walker, highly sensible of the liberal support he has received from his friends, returns his best wishes for the same and begs leave to inform them that his Garden commands a beautiful view of the race course, has a large room to accommodate company and offers good liquors of all sorts.

Admission to the Garden is one shilling but after the races are over sixpence. A Good Band of Music for dancing each evening will commence at 5 o'clock. The garden will be lighted with variegated lamps during the three race nights.

150 Years Ago

"Dreadful Death from Rabies" -- William Holloway, a private in the Worcester Militia, billeted at the Market Tavern in the Shambles, was seized with strong symptoms of rabies on Thursday last. He was at once removed to the regimental hospital and, notwithstanding the unremitting attention of medical men, died on Saturday night in great agony.

It appears he was bitten by a pedlar's dog about two years ago whilst engaged in a dispute with the owner of the animal. He complained to a mate but no harm ensued and the wound healed up. However, the latent poison in his system must have developed suddenly last week.

In consequence of the prevalence of rabies in the city and neighbourhood, the Mayor, Alderman John Goodwin has issued public notices ordering all dogs to be confined and warning of prosecutions with severe penalties for those persons allowing their dogs at large.

"Pic Nic at the Holt Fleet Inn" - This pleasing public event took place on Tuesday. The weather was rather unfavourable and consequently the company was not so numerous as was anticipated. Mrs Smith, the hostess, was indefatigable in her exertions to give satisfaction to her guests and fully succeeded in doing so.

100 Years Ago

Heenan and Froude's Works Trip - On Saturday upwards of 400 workpeople, together with wives and friends and a goodly number of the staff, enjoyed their first annual excursion.

The train started from Henwick Station at 4 a.m. and called at Foregate Street Station before making the main part of the journey to the destination of Portsmouth, arriving at this seaside location at 9.10 a.m. Many visited the dockyards to see the battleships old and new while others visited Southsea or went by ferry to the Isle of Wight, where various sources of pleasure awaited them at both locations. Portsmouth was left behind at 7.45 pm, and Worcester was reached exactly on the scheduled time - 12 midnight. Everybody expressed their satisfaction with a thoroughly enjoyable outing.