100 YEARS AGO:

A DISTURBANCE on the steamer. Joseph Hale, boatman of Portland Street, Worcester, was summonsed at the City Police Court for threatening behaviour towards Henry Walters, a harpist of 10 Friar Street, who was engaged to play to passengers aboard Worcester’s river steamers.

On the day in question, Mr Walters was told to go to the Holt Castle steamer to play but the defendant, who was captain of that boat, threatened to put his foot through Mr Walters’ instrument and held a fist to his face. It appeared there was animosity between the two men following the son of one of them having got into trouble at the instigation of the other. The magistrates decided to dismiss the case but cautioned Hale that if he was again quarrelsome with Walters, he would be in severe trouble with the court.

150 YEARS AGO:

ROBBERY at the Rein Deer.

The cash box at the Rein Deer Hotel in Mealcheapen Street, Worcester, was stolen yesterday. It contained about £30 in gold and silver and a cheque on the Worcester Old Bank for £4. It seems that after a very busy day, Mrs Mason, the landlady, retired to bed at one o’clock in the morning, leaving Mr Mason with three other persons (two of whom were well-known) sitting in the bar. The third was a stranger who had slept in the hotel the previous night.

Mrs Mason had taken the cash box and placed it in a chest of drawers in her bedroom and when she got up at seven o’clock, leaving her husband asleep in bed, she incautiously left the room open. Later, Mrs Mason discovered that the cash box and contents were missing and an alarm was immediately issued to allow no person to leave the premises. However, it seems the stranger had already managed to pay his bill and take his departure. Up to the present no trace has been found of the money or cheque but the empty box has been discovered behind the lid of a water closet at the Rein Deer.

200 YEARS AGO:

VERDICTS of accidental death were returned at two inquests on Monday – one at Claines on John Allen, a boy of eight years, who fell out of a boat on the river Severn and was drowned, and the other at Eldersfield, near Upton-upon-Severn, on Louisa Watts, an infant of three years, who fell into a pool and was drowned.

250 YEARS AGO:

AUGUST 1769: Worcester Bridge – The Trustees appointed by Act of Parliament for building a new bridge over the river Severn in this city give notice to all such persons as are willing to undertake the masons,’ carpenters’ and ballast work of the said bridge to give their attendance at the Town Hall on Thursday next at 10 o’clock in the morning.

Signed: Michael Brown, clerk. A plan, elevation and drawings of the said bridge plus further particulars may now be seen at his office in Broad Street, Worcester.

● The Governors of our infirmary at Worcester return their thanks to Edward Garlick for his benefaction of £100 which sum is amply sufficient to furnish the ward opposite Rushout Ward.