100 YEARS AGO:

AN accident occurred on Tuesday evening in the Severn at the top of Pitchcroft. A youth named H Franklin, son of C Franklin, head waiter at the Star Hotel, Worcester, was swimming across the river at about 7.30pm when he was run into by a motor boat containing several passengers, which was approaching the city.

No one else was then in the water but a companion of Franklin was on the bank and shouted to the people in charge of the boat, warning them of the swimmer’s presence, but it is asserted that the boat neither stopped nor swerved. The propeller struck Franklin on the left arm, causing a nasty wound, as it tore open the flesh and one of the arteries and one of his legs was also grazed. Franklin reached the shore, injured as he was, and he appears to have had a narrow escape from being killed because a blow on the head with the propeller would probably have had a fatal result.

Neither Franklin nor his companion know the name of the boat but it is hoped that publication of the circumstances and of the time when the accident occurred may lead to some information being gained as to the identity. Clearly, Franklin needed surgical attention at the infirmary.

150 YEARS AGO:

GARDEN robbing. A boy named Charles Chamberlain was charged at Worcester Police Court with stealing plums from the garden of Ferguson Joseph of The Tything. He had about 20 plums in his possession when arrested. It appeared that the boy had been induced to do wrong by evil companions.

He was severely cautioned and discharged on promising not to similarly offend again.

● William Watton, aged about 63, captain of the barge Sabrina, belonging to JP Maybury of Worcester, committed suicide yesterday by hanging himself in one of the large corn stores here.

The poor man lost his wife by death 12 months ago, since which time he has appeared melancholy and reserved, and to this cause is attributed his selfdestruction.

200 YEARS AGO:

TWO weeks ago, one of those singular animals called a merman was taken in the nets of some fishermen in the river near Monmouth. He is described as follows: The upper part bears an exact resemblance to a man, the middle to a beast, spotted like a leopard, a tail like a fish, the hair on the head green, red eyes, tusks five inches and a half in length, and measures from head to tail 13 feet and three quarters.

We were on the first relation of this story, induced to treat it as fabulous, but having made some inquiries on the subject, we are now enabled to state that such an animal has been taken and that an inspection of him will afford ample gratification to those whose curiosity may induce them to visit Monmouth, in the town hall of which place he is now deposited.

250 YEARS AGO:

LAST week, a running mad dog at Bewdley bit several people who are since gone to be dipped in the salt waters in the hope of preventing rabies.