THIS WEEK IN 1961:

THE present practice of mothers going out to work may enhance the standard of living but it may also contribute to the increase in the emotional disturbance of children and, possibly, to the increasing problem of child delinquency, claims Worcestershire’s medical officer of health, Dr JW Pickup. In his annual report for 1959, he says: “I have some doubts on health grounds about the advisability of mothers going out to work. In certain circumstances this might be necessary, but the greatest benefit to the family as a unit, and to the children in particular, is most assured when the mother stays at home to look after the home and the children.”

● Worcester’s proposed new swimming baths is to be built at Perdiswell and not at Sansome Walk. This was decided by an overwhelming majority at Tuesday’s city council meeting. A minority was, however, still in favour of siting the new baths in Sansome Walk. Councillor HJ Evans said Perdiswell had the advantage of being “a clean open site” posing very few engineering difficulties.

THIS WEEK IN 1971:

MORE than 150,000 birds have become victims of the fowl pest outbreak which has hit Worcestershire farms since mid-December.

The disease struck two more farms in the county this week lifting the total number of cases to 17. Fortunately the epidemic did not bring any shortage of turkeys for the Christmas table but there was a sudden late drop in the supply of chickens.

● The priceless manuscripts and sketches of works housed at Elgar’s Birthplace, Lower Broadheath have been left by the composer’s only child to museum’s trustees for permanent display. Mrs Carice Irene Blake, Sir Edward Elgar’s daughter, died last July, aged 79. In her will, published this week, she leaves “all manuscripts, scores and other papers now kept at the birthplace, including the Second Symphony, to the trustees.” Other Elgar manuscripts have been left to Trinity College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, Birmingham University, the Royal College of Music, the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and to the British Museum.

THIS WEEK IN 1981:

WORCESTERSHIRE motorists have been praised for “acting responsibly”

following the massive police campaign against Christmas drinking. Of a total of 60 people breathalysed over the three-day holiday period, only seven are being considered for prosecution.

A West Mercias spokesman said: “There is no doubt that the don’t drink and drive campaign got home to motorists.” The Christmastime volume of traffic was also down and only a handful of injury accidents were reported in the entire West Mercia region covering Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

THIS WEEK IN 1991:

IMPERIAL Cancer Research Fund shops are appealing for unwanted Christmas presents to help stock their shelves. A spokesman said: “Presents you may have found unsuitable could be what someone else always wanted, so why not donate them to, for instance, our shop in Pump Street, Worcester, to raise money for vital cancer research.”

● Worcestershire’s highly successful cricket captain Phil Neale has been reappointed for a recordequalling 10th season. The 36 year-old skipper joins the county’s cricketing greats Henry Foster and Norman Gifford, who both served Worcestershire as captain for a decade – Foster from 1901 to 1910 and Gifford from 1971 to 1980. A recordbreaking season for Neale came in 1988 when he led his side to the County Championship and Refuge Assurance League titles as well as to the finals of the Nat West Trophy and the Refuge Assurance Cup.