100 YEARS AGO:
LARGE crowds again booed and hissed as the three prisoners were taken into the Guildhall for their trial on child cruelty charges at Worcester Quarter Sessions.

In the dock were Mary Dorcas Wilesmith of Waverley House, Comer Gardens, her son John Wilesmith, and her farm bailiff George Turner. The victims of their ill treatment were Florence Pastorfield, a girl of 13, and a boy named Henry Kilminster.

The court heard of “a history of slavery” suffered by the girl. She was compelled to work 18 hours a day as a domestic servant and was the victim of regular beatings from the three prisoners who at various times rubbed salt into her many wounds. From the witness box, the girl said Turner had beaten and kicked her almost daily and once, in front of Mrs Wilesmith, undressed her and whipped her 20 times with a carriage whip, causing her body to bleed. Mrs Wilesmith ordered Turner to rub salt into the wounds. Dr Bunting said great violence must have been used because there were 19 scars from deep wounds on her body.

At the end of the two-day hearing, the jury returned after just 35 minutes with their verdicts of guilty on all charges against Mrs Wilesmith and George Turner, but they found John Wilesmith only guilty of common assault and he was bound over for 12 months to be of good behaviour. The recorder imposed the maximum penalty on both Mrs Wilesmith and Turner – two years’ hard labour.

Crowds outside jeered and tried to attack the prison van as the guilty pair were driven from the Guildhall to prison. The NSPCC has received more than 100 offers to adopt Florence Pastorfield who is at present in its care.

150 YEARS AGO:
ROBBERY at the railway station. A youth of 18 years named Samuel Costons was charged at the city police court with stealing two mackerel, the property of the West Midland Railway Company. PC Harper said that six pads of mackerel were delivered to the platform at Shrub Hill from the Bristol train early on Saturday morning and he saw the prisoner stoop down and put his hand into one of the pads. He went towards the prisoner who immediately ran away. The fish were later recovered from Costons’ lodgings at the back of Tallow Hill. He was sentenced to two months’ hard labour.

200 YEARS AGO:
WE understand one of the superbly finished services ordered by His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent from the China and Porcelain Manufactory of Messrs Chamberlains of Worcester will be laid out for public inspection next week at their Ware-rooms in High Street, preparatory to their leaving the city for Carleton House.

250 YEARS AGO:
WE hear that great numbers of people resort daily to the King’s Head, Worcester, to see the 400 curious figures in sculpture (being a beautiful representation in marble of our Saviour’s life, from the institution of the Lord’s supper to his resurrection).

300 YEARS AGO:
A FASHIONABLE brick house to be let in Angel Lane, St Nicholas, Worcester, now in the possession of William Sambach and formerly of Walter Savage. Most of the rooms hung or wainscoted, a good brew-house and furnace ready-fixed, a stable and all other conveniences for a gentleman’s family.