Archive

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25/10/02 - Town crash out in poor display

MALVERN Town crashed out of the FA Carlsberg Vase following a desperately disappointing home defeat against North West Counties Division Two outfit Norton United. MALVERN TOWN 0, NORTON UNITED 2 With Town bidding for a second round proper place for only

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18/10/02 - Stalemate for Town

MALVERN Town FC and Ettingshall HT fought out a fairly lacklustre Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division no score draw at the Langland Stadium on Saturday. MALVERN TOWN 0, ETTINGSHALL HT 0 In a game which struggled to flow throughout,

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4/10/02 - Penalty miss proves costly for Malvern

MALVERN Town slumped to a disappointing Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division defeat at Gornal on Saturday. GORNAL ATHLETIC 1, MALVERN TOWN 0 Malvern were left kicking themselves for losing a game they had dominated for long periods,

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13/9/02 - Hat-trick Hooper sets Town on Vase trail

MALVERN Town registered their first win of the season with a convincing display against their Nottinghamshire Alliance opponents in this FA Carlsberg Vase first qualifying round tie. MALVERN TOWN 5, RAINWORTH MW 0 Town's success means that they now visit

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30/8/02 - Town punished again

DESPITE fighting back from a 2-0 deficit on bank Holiday Monday Malvern Town again slipped to defeat at Kington Town in this Premier Division game. KINGTON TOWN 4, MALVERN TOWN 2 The home side opened up a two-goal lead inside the opening 12 minutes but

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23/8/02 - Cox header saves the day

DES Cox's 90th minute header salvaged a point for Malvern in their opening Express & Star West Midlands League Premier Division fixture at Bustlehome on Saturday. BUSTLEHOLME 2, MALVERN TOWN 2 But up until the 82nd minute Town were leading 1-0 and

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8/11/02 - Upton battle to the local derby honours

THE rain could not dampen Upton's spirits on Saturday as they took control over a youthful but promising Bromyard side in this North Midlands One derby. UPTON 21pts, BROMYARD 12pts From the kick-off Upton adopted their now customary tactic of putting

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Aussies give public a show for their money

THE visit of the Australian touring team to play Worcestershire at the New Road Ground 100 years ago brought an off-beat description of the game from "Crowquill" in his Journal comment column. "The opening day of the match proved very bright and gratifying

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Workmen make a macabre find in city Cathedral

A MACABRE but fascinating find was made in Worcester Cathedral at this time 250 years ago. The Worcester Journal of 1752 reported: "Workmen employed in repairing our Cathedral, upon taking off the top of an ancient tomb in the North Aisle, found the bones

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News items down the years

1801: Mr J. Griffiths, Original Umbrella and Parasol Maker of Worcester, gratefully acknowledges the very distinguished patronage he has received from his numerous Friends and the Public and most respectfully informs them that he has removed from Goose

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Constable to rescue when a horse bolts

A CENTURY ago this week, Berrow's Worcester Journal reported on "a sensational incident which occurred in Broad Street on Wednesday''. "A horse attached to a cart loaded with coke and belonging to Mr F. Harber, of Broadheath, bolted in Broad Street near

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Worcester man the star of a top circus

THE Big Top was coming to Worcester at this time 50 years ago, creating much excitement among local youngsters. The Journal announced in 1951 that "the world famous Bertram Mills' Circus" would be in town the following week with its giant tented arena

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News items down the years

1801: To be let - an elegant Country Residence called "Barbourne Place," just 10 minutes walk from the City of Worcester. A truly desirable house and premises with about five acres of excellent land, together with stabling, coach houses, gardens, wash-house

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Bitter controversy over plans for a public house

THE centenary of the city's Diglis House Hotel as licensed premises is reached this autumn, judging from a report in Berrow's Worcester Journal for this week of 1901. For a long time now, the Diglis has been a prestigious and popular hotel and drinking

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8/11/01 - Three new signings for Town

MALVERN Town have been busy in the transfer market this week making three new signings. Joining the Langland Stadium club are left side utility player Chris Palmer, aged 27, who this season has been playing for Cinderford in the Doc Martens Western Division

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25/10/02 - Roberts back to face Wood

MALVERN Town entertain Walsall Wood tomorrow (Saturday) in the Express and Star League Premier Division (2.45pm) and will be looking for all three points in order to eliminate last Saturday's bitterly disappointing home Vase defeat. Town should have a

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18/10/02 - Vase tie for Town

MALVERN Town take their place in the First Round Proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase tomorrow (Saturday) when they host Norton United of the North West Counties League Division Two (3pm). Town will be bidding for a place in the second round proper, a stage

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27/9/02 - Town looking to move on up

MALVERN Town, fresh from their FA Carlsberg Vase success at Brierley Hill on Saturday, visit Gornal Athletic tomorrow (Saturday) in the Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division (2.45pm). Town have now gone five games without defeat, after

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4/10/02 - Town U18s in seventh heaven

MALVERN Town U18's continued their impressive form, with a 7-2 hammering of Evesham United in the Midland Youth League at the Langland Stadium last Thursday night. Town's excellent FA Youth Cup success at Quorn last week is now sandwiched between two

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20/9/02 - Town U18s

MALVERN Town U18s secured an emphatic 12- 0 Midland Floodlit Youth League victory over Bromyard Town at the Langland Stadium on Monday, the Town scorers were Dean Matthew's (5), Dale Humphries (4), Mikey Cole (2) and Michael Dapolito. On Thursday (September

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5/9/02 - Town at home in FA Vase

MALVERN Town hope to put their indifferent league form behind them on Saturday (Sept 7) when they entertain Notts Alliance Senior Division One outfit Rainworth Miners Welfare in the first round of the FA Carlsberg Vase at the Langland Stadium (3pm). Little

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23/8/02 Another test for Town

Malvern Town entertain Little Drayton Rangers this Saturday at the Langland Stadium (2.45pm). The visitors are likely to provide another test of Town's promotion aspirations, as they finished strongly last season and are another side tipped as potential

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16/8/02 - Town ready for title challenge

MALVERN Town open their Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division campaign with a trip to Bustleholme tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 2.45pm. The game will be played at Bilston Town FC following the home side's switch of tenancy from the Tipton

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9/8/02 - Town's Hooper fires hat-trick

MALVERN Town secured their fourth successive pre-season victory, following a 4-2 success at Hellenic League Premier Division Shortwood United last Thursday night. SHORTWOOD UNITED 2, MALVERN TOWN 4 After a scrappy first period during which Town struggled

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2/8/02 - Pre-season friendlies going well

FOLLOWING three successive pre-seasons wins against higher graded opposition, Malvern Town visit Midland Combin-ation Premier Division outfit Alveston tomorrow (Saturday), kick off 3pm, for what will be their fifth friendly so far. Town will still be

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2/8/02 - Jones sets up victory

DESPITE being without several key players, Malvern Town chalked up their second successive pre season success against Midland Alliance opposition, with this deserved victory at home to Oldbury United on Saturday. MALVERN TOWN 3, OLDBURY UNITED 1 Town

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19/7/02 - Town games

MALVERN Town have issued a revised list of their pre-season friendlies including new fixtures and changed dates. The Town now start with two home games. Next Saturday (July 27) Oldbury United (3pm) are the visitors followed on Tuesday (July 30) by Pegasus

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12/7/02 -New signings in Town squad

MALVERN Town have been back in pre-season training now for two weeks and a new -look squad is beginning to be put in place. A number of players who have featured for Town during the past few seasons will not be returning. General Manager Richard Anson

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5/7/02 - FA Vase draw

MALVERN Town and Ledbury Town will be at home in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase. Malvern entertain Rainworth MW, Ledbury host Coventry Sphinx while Bromyard Town are away at Bourne Town. Matches are due to be played on Saturday, September 7

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Mark's mission

ANDY Keast is refusing to wrap Mark Gabey up in cotton wool ahead of Worcester Rugby Club's showdown at Rotherham. The second row man mountain, who has been one of the outstanding performers so far this season, collected a second yellow card of the campaign

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Drewe targets more goals

DREWE Broughton was more dis-appointed than most when Kidder-minster Harriers Nationwide League Division Three clash at Torquay United was washed out last Saturday. In the previous match at Swansea the hard-working striker had ended his goal famine by

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SUMMARY: Kidderminster 1-2 Carlisle

A controversial game saw Kidderminster Harriers slip to a bad home defeat against bogey side and relegation threatened Carlisle United. Three players were shown red cards by referee Mark Cowburn with Harriers' Scott Stamps and skipper Shaun Flynn sent

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Grant setting sights on Hereford return

HEREFORD United's John Grant aims to be back in action inside two weeks after recovering from a broken leg. The ex-Crewe Alexandra striker suffered a cracked fibula inside the first five minutes of the Bulls clash with Kettering on September 24 during

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Shail aiming to make headlines

AS a journalist in his own right Mark Shail is in a position to write his own headlines both on and off the pitch. But today it is on-field activities that dominate the ex-Bristol City captain's thoughts as he nears a return to the Worcester City line-up

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9/11/02 - Tough task for the Wolves

WORCESTER Wolves will have to be at their best if they are to reach the semi-finals of the National Basketball Trophy tonight. Wolves face a tough quarter-final tie away to National Conference side Worthing Thunder (8pm). But Wolves have already beaten

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Williams through with Little Comanchi

BEWDLEY teenager Rachel Williams is through to the second round of the Dengie Pony Club Winter League show jumping series after winning a locally staged qualifier. The Dengie series attracts thousands of young Pony Club riders country-wide, chasing a

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Short history of a Wesleyian chapel

HAD it survived, the fourth Methodist church to be built in Pump Street, Worcester, would be celebrating its centenary this week. Exactly 100 years ago, Berrow's Worcester Journal reported on the completion and official opening of a "new" Wesleyan chapel

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A strange way to celebrate the Peace

A SERIES of fascinating photographs I have discovered in the pictorial archives of Berrow's Journal - the world's oldest surviving newspaper - reveal that Worcester people chose unusual, if not rather strange ways to mount Peace Celebrations in the summer

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Museum staff still wondering just what brought Bert to Worcester

ALBERT the Albatross is celebrating his 100th birthday as a conspicuous feature of the Worcester Museum display in Foregate Street. This magnificent stuffed specimen of the Wandering Albatross, a giant bird of the Southern oceans, was given to Worcester

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Help to solve mystery of Hall organ

SOMEBODY recently asked me a very pertinent question about Worcester's past but, alas, I didn't know the answer. So I'm turning again to Memory Lane readers to see if anyone can resolve the puzzle. The important inquiry is this: Whatever happened to the

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In memory of Bill and Mrs Satan

SEVERAL times on our many meetings, I asked Bill Gwilliam which of all the tales he had researched in his lifetime was his favourite, and his answer was always the same. "The remarkable life story of the woman who stood for the Presidency of the United

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MBE made city's friend proud

IT was with deep personal sadness I learnt on return from holiday of the death of my friend Bill Gwilliam, at the age of 90. No one did more in a lifetime than Bill to chronicle the history of the city of Worcester and county of Worcestershire. Importantly

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Churches guide will in-spire you

A CONCISE and extremely useful booklet guide to the churches and chapels of Worcester is now available at only around 50p. This thumbnail account of the histories and attractions of all the city's Anglican, Roman Catholic, Non-Conformist and other churches

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Eye in the sky shows lost city

A BIRD'S eye view of the heart of Worcester exactly half a century ago - recently spotted by me in our archives - offers a telling insight into the dramatic and sweeping changes seen in the cityscape over the past 50 years. The photograph of 1952 shows

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One family's acheivements through the Sandys of time

AN EMINENT yet controversial Archbishop of York in the turbulent 16th Century stands out prominently in the long and complex lineage of the present Lord Sandys of Ombersley Court. The Sandys family tree has branched widely down the centuries and thrown

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The sporting purveyors of city's West side stories

FOR more that a century, a local family firm has been delivering the news every day to the people of Worcester's Westside. I refer to Richardsons, the newsagents of St John's who, through four generations, have been running a successful business which

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Cycle dealer cleared after 12mph speed case

A WELL-known Worcester cycle dealer was in court this week a century ago for speeding in his automobile. He was alleged to have been travelling at more than 12 miles an hour! The Journal carried a report of the court case under the heading "A Bad Judge

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Smoke adds to atmospheric scene of the city

THE year this atmospheric view of Tallow Hill, Worcester, was captured on camera is, I'm afraid, not recorded, though the photograph appears to me to have been taken sometime between the First and Second World Wars. The smoking chimneys of factories and

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From disaster to delight... Elgar's Dream masterpiece

ANOTHER significant milestone in the history of the Three Choirs, the world's oldest choral music festival, is reached this evening with the special Centenary performance at Worcester of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. It was around this time, exactly

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9/11/02 - Drewe targets more goals

DREWE Broughton was more dis-appointed than most when Kidder-minster Harriers Nationwide League Division Three clash at Torquay United was washed out last Saturday. In the previous match at Swansea the hard-working striker had ended his goal famine by

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Elgar's steamy night in Paris immortalised in memoirs

STEAMY nights in Paris were experienced in the summer of 1880 by Worcester's most famous son, Edward Elgar, and his future brother-in-law, Charles Pipe. Elgar was 23 and Pipe 27 when they went to a risqu Parisian show and also, due to a language mix-up

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Worcester's college with a worldwide reputation

WORCESTER'S nationally-renowned College for the Blind is celebrating its centenary on its present site. It was 100 years ago, in 1902, that the college set up in new buildings at Whittington Road, though the institution had by then already been in existence

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Mum's memoirs in hidden notebooks

FOND recollections of Lowesmoor in the 1920s and 30s and of her courtship and marriage are highlighted in the hand-written memoirs of Kathleen Worthington, who died two years ago at the age of 86. Daughter Betty (Mrs Brown) says Kathleen often used to

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Freemasonry's 270 years of lodges in Worcestershire

It's believed Freemasonry had its roots even earlier, in local associations formed by master craftsmen in the art of stone masonry, together with other local "worthies." By the year 1717, London had such a sufficient number of Masonic lodges that it was

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Bishop's horrific death at the stake

A PAST Bishop of Worcester suffered one of the most horrific of deaths in being burnt at the stake. Hugh Latimer was publicly executed in the centre of Oxford, in 1555, and became a martyr for his religious beliefs. I've been learning all about him from

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Bert's lifetime spent in slippery sales

FONDLY remembered is a well-known Worcester High Street shop which was frequently an eye-catching feature of the city centre scene through the first half of the 20th Century. I refer to Hunt's fish and game shop which occupied part of the site of today's

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Thanks are due for the city's women volunteers

MEMORY Lane pays homage this week to the teams of volunteer women who, down the past 62 years, have run an invaluable service for the needy in Worcester. It was the Women's Royal Voluntary Service clothing store, set up in 1938 and only recently relinquished

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Annie saved by corrugated iron

ANOTHER tale of a miraculous escape from death in the Meco bombing has been told me in the wake of my recent feature on that fateful day - October 3, 1940. My last piece threw the spotlight on the only still living victim of the bombing - Margaret Wainwright

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Pulling of the pints through two centuries

REMARKABLY, a country pub near the village of Ombersley, has now been owned and run by the same family for more than 150 years. The Mays of The Fruiterers Arms, Uphampton, are clearly an unsung legend in UK pub history. There can be very few other families

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Richard Cadbury... man with a mission

WORCESTER High Street was closed to traffic and lined by silent crowds on the day of the funeral of Richard Cadbury in 1935. It was a show of deep respect and public gratitude to a leading local figure who had been such a generous benefactor and so caring

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Praise be for the welcome given to a community

THIS summer marks the 70th anniversary of the opening of the Bromwich Road Mission - the lasting legacy of a member of the famous Cadbury chocolate-making family who lived in Worcester and was a significant local benefactor. Richard Cadbury was living

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Royal link with lonely tomb

OCCASIONALLY, I have glanced at an impressive tomb in a fairly isolated position within Worcester Cathedral, but only recently have I been aware of the noble personage whose remains lie below it. The tomb is that of Sir Griffyth Ryce, making it a last

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Printer turns limelight on mini Theatre Royal

TUCKED away behind the scenes off Worcester's Angel Street is a small-scale mock version of the auditorium of the city's former historic Theatre Royal. It used to form a Gaiety Bar - a lounge bar at the rear of the Ewe and Lamb pub - and was created,

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Happy days are here again...

FORTY people gathering for a cheery re-union to-night will readily testify that Worcester's Happy Land very much lived up to its name in their "wonderful" childhood days of the 1930s and early 1940s. Their closely-knit suburb of St John's, taking in Happy

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Collective views look back to hospital of a century ago

WITH Worcester Royal Infirmary in its final days, I reproduce three photographs here of the historic hospital exactly a century ago. The old postcard views of 1902 come courtesy of my good friend Ron Shuard of Bilford Road, Worcester, a leading collector

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Constructed to make an impression

TO me, and I am sure others, one of the most impressive buildings in the Worcester suburbs is the large scale, Georgian-style block occupied by Kays in Northwick Avenue, Barbourne. And, thanks to reader Mrs Mary Crawford of Bilford Avenue, Worcester,

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Family fortunes in seed and hop sales

FLEETINGLY back in the spotlight is a Worcester family firm which ran a thriving hop and seed merchants business from three landmark city buildings through much of the 20th Century. Gascoyne's had large warehouses on the riverside at South Quay, in Sansome

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Cheerful Harold was always ready to party

FONDLY remembered this week are a popular Shambles character of yesteryear and a once-familiar landmark building in the heart of Worcester. In my recent feature on the Elt dynasty, the members of which have been in the footwear business locally for about

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Happy days treading the boards at the Theatre Royal

MY recent feature on Christmases past in Worcester during the Second World War evoked much nostalgia for Beryl Gough, who for many years, has been well-known locally as a dancer and choreographer. Her eye was particularly caught by references to the Babes

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Joe's painful role as the Coroner's Officer

A POLICEMAN'S lot is clearly not a happy one when he is assigned to the role of Coroner's Officer and has to deal solely with death, as in the case of the late Joe Freeman at Worcester. On average, one in every five deaths is sudden, either as a result

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Bungalow Ben's life spent helping others

Memory Lane this week looks at the life of Benjamin Bray, a Worcester builder who was one time licensee of the Crown & Anchor pub in Hylton Road and long-term steward of the city's Conservative Club. Ben, who was born in 1882, died in 1950 and, during

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Mary stands her ground over St George's Lane

APPARENT euphoria among the Worcester sporting public for the City FC's proposed move from St George's Lane to a new purpose-built football stadium is not shared, at least for one, by Mrs Mary Saunders. The trouble is that the St George's Lane ground

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Christmas past - 1941

POSTAL RUSH - "With many postmen away at the war, a lot of temporary delivery personnel have had to be hurriedly recruited, including 26 women and 59 schoolboys, primarily from the King's School, Royal Grammar School and the Technical School. About 48

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Christmas past - 1943

HOME MADE CHRISTMAS - "The festive season in 1943 is going to be a home made Christmas for most British people. There are few things suitable for gifts on the market, and most of them are subject to 100 per cent purchase tax. "Christmas cards in 1943

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Atten'shun as museum's war project takes aim

YOUR military musuem needs you ...that's the clarion call to ex-servicemen of the Worcester area! In about a year's time, the Regimental Museum at the City Museum and Art Gallery in Foregate Street is to undergo a £500,000 uplift and expansion. It's to

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China crisis with its list of archives

ROYAL Worcester, a major employer in the Faithful City for 250 years, is looking for the help of past and present employees and their families and descendants. As part of this year's celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the internationally-renowned

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Full steam ahead for the war effort

Sixty years ago, the people of Pershore and surrounding villages raised a staggering £200,000 to fund a new Royal Navy Corvette. The money came from donations, bowling for a pig and the auction of an outsize marrow in the shape of a duck... called Cuthbert

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Richard's handouts down the centuries

WORCESTER people are still benefiting from the generosity of a wealthy city clothier and merchant who lived four centuries ago. Richard Inglethorpe built up a considerable fortune during his life, which spanned the 58 years from 1560 until 1618. At the

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Families were at home in the hall

The fascinating and painstakingly researched new book Perdiswell Past and Present by Joan Hinks tells us much about the well-to-do families who lived in the country mansion which stood at the heart of the area. Perdiswell Hall, an 18th Century property

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Right royal conspiracy?

A CONSPIRACY theory is emerging, five centuries on, surrounding the death of Arthur Tudor, the 15 year-old Prince of Wales, at Ludlow Castle in 1502. It was an event that changed the course of English history, and there are now those questioning whether

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The Moore the merrier

A RECENT chance meeting in Worcester Cathedral with a young woman from Canada has prompted me to give this week's insight into a family who had a significant impact on the community life of the Faithful City through most of the 20th Century. I refer to

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Henry tells it how it was...

BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Henry Sandon of Worcester has told me of a highly amusing incident witnessed on Pitchcroft about a century ago. "Henry Charles Bright, an accomplished Royal Worcester gilder, was nicknamed The Colonel, by colleagues and friends

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Mystery box of photos spark a search for Doc

DETECTIVE work is again asked of Memory Lane readers as I try, to identify the doctor who compiled 13 photo albums, now in the possession of the Worcester City Museum. The albums were bought in a large cardboard box at a car boot sale some months ago,

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Three generations of serving the essentials

A RARE selection of old photographs of Worcester scenes and personalities graces Memory Lane as the lives of three generations of the Bryan family are traced. They were butchers and fishmongers in the Faithful City for the best part of a century and were

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Brothers born with entertainment in their blood

THE three Bowley brothers - Jim, Mike and Wal - have given much enjoyment on the Worcester music and entertainment scene during the past half-a-century or so. Jim and Mike initially followed in their father's footsteps as cinema projectionists in the

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Pulling the pints down the generations

MILLIONS of pints must have been pulled for Worcester people by the Roberts family of publicans during much of the 20th Century. I've been learning about them from Maurice Roberts of Bramley Avenue, Worcester, who has fond memories of the city pubs kept

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Back on track, the first female guard

MY article a few weeks ago about the women who served as railway guards on the steam trains of wartime Worcester overlooked at least one of those worthy young ladies. I wrote of the "wonderful times" spent by Mrs Peggy Edwards of Ronkswood, Worcester,

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Putting smiles back on faces

YANKS at the dentists in Worcester a century ago certainly didn't mean the painful pulling out of teeth! On the contrary, our cousins from across the Atlantic - the "Yanks" - were making all the running in this country with new measures to take the horrors

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Cromwell causes city unrest with plaque hopes

A SECOND BATTLE OF WORCESTER - this time in words, not slaughter and bloodshed - was breaking out between Royalists and Cromwell supporters at this time 50 years ago. The war of words in 1951 was mainly in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall and came

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Re-union bash for former residents of a Worcester street

CALLING all people who lived in the Foxwell Street area of Worcester between 1930 and 1945, or who went to Red Hill School during the same 15-year period. You're invited to a re-union in the autumn to chat over childhood days in this southern corner of

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Re-union brings trio together for first time in 50 years

SOMEWHAT self-indulgent, maybe, but I hope I can be forgiven for regaling readers with my own pleasure and surprise at a recent re-union. For the first time in half-a-century, I met up again with two chums from happy boyhood days. It happened when I gate-crashed

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Talking Newspaper has 90 year-old remembering

MEMORY Lane continues to receive reader responses to earlier pieces about the former St Nicholas Girls' School at Worcester. The latest comes from 90-years-old Mrs Amy Heath (maiden name, Harbron) of Ombersley Road, Worcester, who caught up with my features

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Champagne reward for hero of Ankerdine Hill

SCALING Ankerdine Hill on a bicycle a century back appears to have been seen then as almost akin to climbing Everest on foot -- at least, that's the impression given by an item in the Journal 100 years ago this week "The bottle of Champagne offered as

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A family's tales of going to blazes

IT was the Sayce family that Worcester people urged to go to blazes in late Victorian and Edwardian times! No, it was not a request made in frustration, but in pleading and anxiety because the Sayces then ran one of Worcester's two main fire brigades

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City company almost landed in the pea soup

THIS week 100 years ago, panic was caused at a Worcester sauce and canning factory when a gigantic food order arrived from Whitehall. The Journal explained: "A telegram received last week at the offices of Courtenay's Worcester Sauce Syndicate at South

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Faithful City marks the Restoration of Charles II

ON a celebratory note, the Journal of 250 years ago reported a day of special events in 1751 to mark the anniversary of the Restoration to the Throne of Charles II. "The day was observed in a very suitable manner. The morning was ushered in with the ringing

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City spire when it had a church

ON an inspiring religious note, the Journal of 200 years ago this week sought public subscriptions towards the urgent restoration of one of Worcester's most prominent and familiar landmarks. "St Andrew's Spire: It being the general wish of the Inhabitants

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Scandal and exile ends the glittering career of an earl

MEMBERS of the Worcestershire nobility were very much in the news in Berrow's Journal this week exactly a century ago. Over at Malvern, plans were being made for special celebrations to mark the homecoming of the 7th Earl Beauchamp of Madresfield Court

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9/11/02 - City make FA Trophy decisions

WORCESTER City have decided not to make their FA Trophy tie with Aldershot Town on November 30 an all-ticket game. City fans will be able to pay at the gate, but the St George's Lane ground will be segregated. The match will only be all-ticket for Aldershot

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Rescue hero is honoured by award

AN heroic policeman was honoured at a bravery awards ceremony for saving a canoeist from drowning in a flooded river. PC Andy Bennett was one of the 10 people honoured in the Vodafone Life Savers Award. Yesterday, the 39-year-old was presented with his

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Richard and Judy crew here

DRINKERS at a Worcester pub are set to be catapulted to fame today when a TV crew from Channel 4's Richard and Judy show films in the Cornmarket. For weeks, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan have been trying to trace their family trees and have discovered

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City plans on show

RESIDENTS can give their views on ambitious plans for the transformation of Worcester city centre this weekend. The plans, which focus on making the High Street, College Street and Deansway, safer and more attractive, are on show in the Guildhall, in

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Couple told to end abusive behaviour

A WORCESTER couple have had an anti-social behaviour order slapped on them for their noisy, foul and abusive actions towards neighbours. West Mercia police collected written evidence from 15 residents in Victoria Street, Northwick, detailing a six-month

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8/11/02 - Revenge sweet in six-goal blast

MALVERN Town's last Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division defeat was at Gornal during the last week of September. MALVERN TOWN 6, GORNAL ATHLETIC 0 Since then Town have remained undefeated in the league and they exacted maximum revenge

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01/11/02 - Back in top form

MALVERN Town bounced back to top form with a 4-1 West Midlands League Premier Division win over bottom club Walsall Wood. MALVERN TOWN 4, WALSALL WOOD 1 A powerful first half performance left Walsall four goals and a man down by half time. Dean Roberts

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11/10 02 - Dean shows quality

TOWN turned in an excellent display at Bromyard on Tuesday night to return with all three Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division points in a local derby the home side were desperately keen to succeed in. BROMYARD TOWN 2, MALVERN TOWN 3

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11/10/02 - Cox twice on target as Town move up

MALVERN Town picked up their second Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division win of the season, when a good all round performance saw them overcome Tividale 3-1 at Langland Stadium on Saturday. MALVERN TOWN 3, TIVIDALE 1 It was Malvern who

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4/10/02 - Town through on penalties

MALVERN Town progressed to the second round of the WFA Senior Urn, following a nailbiting finish at the Hereford Leisure Centre on Monday night. PEGASUS 2, MALVERN TOWN 2 (aet) Malvern won 5-4 on penalties With Lee Hooper having missed the first of Town's

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Pensioners camp out for tickets to see O'Donnell

PENSIONERS desperate for tickets to see clean-cut Irish crooner Daniel O'Donnell in concert are camping outside Hereford Leisure Centre. Fans from Worcestershire and Herefordshire, as well as further afield, have been bedding down in sleeping bags since

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27/9/02 - Dene's header is FA Vase ticket

MALVERN Town progressed to the first round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase courtesy of Dene Whittal-Williams' 119th minute header in a game that they should have had wrapped up by half time. BRIERLEY HILL & HAGLEY ALLIANCE 1, MALVERN TOWN 2 Despite

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20/9/02 - Halion strike is Town saviour

MALVERN Town and Wellington shared the spoils in this Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division game at Wellington on Wednesday night. WELLINGTON 1, MALVERN TOWN 1 A point was the least Town deserved having dominated the game for long periods

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20/9/02 - Cox grabs three as Town hit six

TOWN followed up last weekend's 5-0 drubbing of Rainworth in the FA Carlsberg Vase with a 6-0 thrashing of Lye Town in this Express and Star Premier Division fixture at Langland Stadium on Saturday. MALVERN TOWN 6, LYE TOWN 0 After a fairly inconsequential

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6/9/02 - Town still in search of win

SATURDAY'S West Midlands League Premier Division game at the Langland Stadium left Malvern still searching for their first win as they recorded their third draw in five outings, despite generally holding the upper hand against a physical Tipton side.

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30/8/02 - Poor defending is the problem

MALVERN Town crashed to a disastrous West Midlands League Premier Division home defeat against Little Drayton Rangers at Langland Stadium on Saturday. MALVERN TOWN 3, LITTLE DRAYTON RANGERS 4 Appalling defending during a bizarre opening 20 minutes saw

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23/8/02 - Town miss an opportunity

MALVERN Town and Westfields fought out a tense goalless draw at the Langland Stadium on Tuesday night. MALVERN TOWN 0, WESTFIELDS 0 With both sides harbouring Express & Star West Midlands League Premier Division title ambitions, it was no surprise

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Constable to the rescue as dogs lock jaws in city

A DETAILED account of a furious dog fight in The Tything, Worcester, a century ago this week was recounted in highly amusing terms by Crowquill in his Journal comment column of 1901. "There was a sporting dog fight in The Tything on Friday last - and

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Swimming tragedy in the Severn

DEEP concern was expressed by Berrow's Journal this week 100 years ago over the drowning of a young man in Worcester's only public swimming facility of the time - the "Corporation Barge," a floating wooden contraption moored alongside Pitchcroft. "The

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Notorious drunk 'Nobby' sends the city his thanks

MADEIRA enjoyed glowing reports in Berrow's Journal this week two centuries ago though, of course, only a few mariners from Britain would then have been able to contemplate it as a holiday destination! "The island of Madeira is esteemed a most delightful

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Record entry of sheep in city fair

WORCESTER'S historic Hop, Cheese and Sheep Fair was still a firm feature of the local calendar in 1951 and the Journal was able to report a record entry of sheep for sale at the city's cattle market. "The largest number of sheep for 20 years was sold

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Anger as hop growers besiege city seedsmen

THE 1901 Worcester Hop, Sheep and Cheese Fair was marred by what the Journal headlined as "Disturbance at the Hop Market," though it sounds to have been more like a riot! "The tranquil course of business in the Worcester Hop Market on Friday was rudely

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8/11/02 - County squad

THREE Malvern Town players are in the 17-strong squad for the Worcestershire FA Youth's second round FA County Youth Challenge Cup tie versus Middlesex. Mike Cole, Steve Thomas and James Thomas will be heading for Worcester City FC's St Georges Lane ground

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01/11/02 Skipper in transfer approach

Malvern Town are at home this Saturday, when they entertain Gornal Athletic in the Express & Star West Midlands League Premier Division (2.45pm). Town might be without skipper Craig Williams, who has been the subject of a seven day transfer approach

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11/10/02 - Town lose once in nine games

MALVERN Town entertain Ettingshall HT in the West Midlands League Premier Division tomorrow (Saturday) at 2.45pm and will be looking to extend a run that has seen them lose just one of their previous nine games. A run which has helped Town pull themselves

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4/10/02 - Town host Tividale

MALVERN Town entertain Tividale at the Langland Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) at 2.45pm, and will be looking for three points to help them pull away from the lower reaches of the Express and Star West Midlands League Premier Division. But Town general manager

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27/9/02 - Town U18s are impressive

MALVERN Town U18s produced a superb performance in last Thursday night's FA Youth Cup second qualifying round tie when they defeated Leicestershire-based, Midland Youth League Premier Division outfit Quorn. Town's 2-1 success was achieved via first half

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20/9/02 - Town travel in FA Vase bid

MALVERN Town bid for a place in the First Round Proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase, when they visit Express and Star Premier Division counterparts Brierley Hill in the Second Qualifying Round tomorrow (Saturday), 3pm kick off. Town have one or two selection

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13/9/02 - Town sign City's Lee Goodman

MALVERN Town have signed 19-year-old Worcester City midfielder Lee Goodman. Goodman, who was on the verge of City's first team squad for most of last season, has joined Town in his search for regular first team football. Ironically Goodman was originally

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30/8/02 - Tipton Town are the visitors

Tomorrow (Saturday) Malvern Town entertain Tipton Town at Langland Stadium, kick off 2.45pm, and Town Reserves are away to Bustleholme Reserves (2.45) in their Division One South fixture. Town Youth play their FA Youth Cup first qualifying round at home

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9/8/02 - Lee fires Town

MALVERN Town registered their fifth consecutive pre-season victory with a 2-1 success at Midland Combination Premier Division Alveston on Saturday. ALVESTON 1, MALVERN TOWN 2 After a sluggish opening, which the home side just about shaded, Malvern eventually

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2/8/02 - Third win for Town

MALVERN Town secured their third successive pre-season victory, when they defeated Hellenic League Premier Division outfit Pegasus 3-0 at the Langland Stadium on Tuesday night. Lee Hooper put Town ahead after 35 minutes when he converted a cross from

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Tough task for the Wolves

WORCESTER Wolves will have to be at their best if they are to reach the semi-finals of the National Basketball Trophy tonight. Wolves face a tough quarter-final tie away to National Conference side Worthing Thunder (8pm). But Wolves have already beaten

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City make FA Trophy decisions

WORCESTER City have decided not to make their FA Trophy tie with Aldershot Town on November 30 an all-ticket game. City fans will be able to pay at the gate, but the St George's Lane ground will be segregated. The match will only be all-ticket for Aldershot

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Wyvern hit back but slip to defeat

WORCESTER-based Wyvern suffered a 3-1 defeat when they took on Telford in the Hereford and Worcester Volleyball League. The game started evenly but with Telford always maintaining the upper hand, they took the first set 25-20. Wyvern coach Colin Paterson

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Full-time: Kidderminster 1-2 Carlisle

Harriers' equaliser breathed new life into the team as they surged forward despite having only 10 men. Carlisle subsitute Foran picked up a booking on 71 minutes for a foul on Foster. The visitors then brought on McDonagh for Baldacchino a minute later

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Kidderminster 1-2 Carlisle

Carlisle regained the lead dramatically six minutes from time when the ball broke for Osman in the box and he flicked it over keeper Brock with substitute McDonagh getting the final touch before the ball crossed the line.

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Did the Grandstand ever collapse?

CAN Memory Lane readers answer a couple of posers I have been set but can't answer? Mrs Joan Smith of Tudor Way, Worcester, has written wondering if I can settle a friendly argument she is having with her brother. She is convinced from that the former

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Whatever happened to boy pulled from canal?

IT would be fascinating to discover if Kenneth Mears, who at the age of four was rescued from drowning in the canal at Worcester in 1938, is still alive, and where he can be found. I make the inquiry as a result of responses I had to the publication in

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Hall marks its 80th year

TODAY marks the 80th anniversary of the official opening of the War Memorial Hall at Fernhill Heath. It was completed and opened on September 28, 1922, after three years of fund-raising by local people who had it built as the village's war memorial to

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News Items Down The Years

1802: On Tuesday, a violent storm of rain fell on the Parish of Abberley, attended by thunder and lightning. A beautiful old oak, containing three tons of timber and gracing the ground of Mrs Blayny, was shattered by a lightning strike in a most dramatic

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The idea that never really did hold water

THANK goodness, many will say, that a ludicrous and much-published idea of the redevelopment-crazed 1960s never came to fruition at Worcester! An influential group of local people, including a handful of city councillors, launched a campaign early in

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Global warming? No, just August weather

THE glaringly obvious can often be missed as, in my case, with the late realisation that Worcestershire villages with "castle" in their names, once actually had ... castles! My latest discovery - though clearly long-known to keen historians - is the south

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Global warming? No, just August weather

WE tend to blame global warming for the extremes of weather Britain and Europe has seen this August, yet a quick trip through the bound archives of Berrow's Journal suggests that these spectacular climatic conditions are nothing new for the eighth month

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The beastly truth behind the Bull Ring

I AM often asked how Worcester's Bull Ring got its name but the answer is, alas, very unsavoury. The stark truth is that from mediaeval times until the early 1840s, this centrepiece of St John's was the regular scene of appalling barbarism. The area between

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The fishy business that led to salmon wars on stretches of the Severn

THERE was certainly something fishy going on at Upton-upon-Severn in the 1600s and 1700s as far as Worcester people were concerned. The fisherfolk of the Faithful City were up in arms at being robbed of a significant slice of their livelihoods by the

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A cheery smile, a jaunty hat... the pose that growers trusted

GEOFF Budd is something of a legend with the farming community of Worcestershire. At the age of 80, he's still in business as an agricultural seed specialist from his home in Claines. He's the oldest licensed seedsman in Britain and, with such an appropriate

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Eighty years on and Ernest is still a server at his church

A WIDE circle of friends and neighbours have, this weekend, been helping Worcester "born and bred" Ernest Smith celebrate his 90th birthday. Ever amiable, he is perhaps best known for his life-long and active association with Old St Martin's Church in

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Work colleague Doc was a true county legend

WHEN I joined the staff of the Evening News as a boy, 48 years ago, the group advertising manager of Berrow's Newspapers was a charming chap named Harold Gibbons. His popular nickname was Doc, and I didn't realise then that he had been one of the most

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Quay memories of an old Worcester quarter

COLOURFUL times half-a-century ago amid the former closely-knit riverside community of houses, shops, pubs, lodging houses, scrapyards and warehouses of Worcester's Quay Street area are fondly remembered by Robert Wardell. His stepfather, Bill Redman,

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A short history of Mr and Mrs Day's Dairies...

I've been learning all about the hard-working dynasty from Mrs Betty Brown (maiden name, Worthington) who, with husband Derek, was the last in the family line to trade in Lowesmoor. Our story begins with her maternal grandparents, Kate and James Day,

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Family wealth built on seeds

GASCOYNE House, the historic riverside warehouse apartments block at South Quay, is now Worcester's only prominent reminder of a once flourishing city family business. Hop and seed merchants, G. Gascoyne & Co. occupied an important place on the city's

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It's last orders one more time

THE weekend "party nights" atmosphere and sing-alongs at the Cock Inn, Tybridge Street, during the 1950s are fondly remembered by Muriel and Arthur Cotterill of Kingsbury Road, Worcester. During that post-war decade they played supporting roles to Muriel's

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Trio chalk up two centuries of heavenly music

Jim has memories of Elgar: SOON to celebrate his 99th birthday is James (Jim) Andrews, who achieved the remarkable record of being a church organist in Worcester for three-quarters-of-a-century. It was on their 22nd wedding anniversary that I went along

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Nomads bat on to field events and celebrations

SEVENTY-five not out and progressing confidently towards a century - that's the Worcester Nomads Cricket Club. Founded in 1927, it celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and is just embarking on what it hopes will be a successful 2002 season. The

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Kidderminster 1-1

A stunning goal from Flynn gave Harriers an unlikely equaliser on 65 minutes with the skipper thrashing home a left-footed half-volley from 25 yards.

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Anniversary is right on track

THIS summer marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway line between Stourbridge and Evesham, which extended the train network to Droitwich, Pershore and Fladbury. It was 1850 that first saw the railways come right into the Worcester with

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A sad day for the Nurses' League

NOSTALGIA and sadness are naturally felt by the 337 members of the Worcester Royal Infirmary Nurses' League at the closure of the historic hospital at Castle Street. The League, which celebrated its Golden Jubilee last year, is composed of serving and

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Treasure trove of a shy, talented artist

MEMORY Lane pays belated homage to quite an accomplished Worcester amateur artist of yesteryear. Jack Bedford, who died in 1989, left a legacy of painstakingly-drawn etchings of local and Midland scenes, plus some equally arresting watercolour paintings

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Family's joint history was a cut above rest

A RECENT Memory Lane photograph of Worcester from the 1920s brought a very interesting call from a local man whose forebears, it turns out, were butchers in The Shambles for at least a century. I followed it up with a visit to the home of 77 years-old

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A hundred years of history and service

... and it cost just £1,575 to build ST MARK'S in the Cherry Orchard, the delightfully named church in a southern suburb of Worcester, celebrates the centenary of its birth this summer. Its foundation stone was officially laid on June 21, 1902, by Lady

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Time is called at the tea bar

FINALLY, and sadly, to be disbanded next month are a group of volunteers who, for the past 67 years, have brought refreshment to hundreds of thousands of patients, out-patients and visitors to the historic Worcester Royal Infirmary at Castle Street. The

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Betty's stories bring a lost age sharply into focus

THE title of one of the arresting pen pictures of Worcester past - so eloquently painted in words by the late Betty Fulcher - is Jemima and Charlie It portrays two colourful characters of the city's streets in the 1920s and earlier - Jemima Beck, popularly

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Brothers with a meating of minds

A FAMILY firm of butchers, one of the best-known in Worcestershire, is celebrating its centenary this year. Checketts of Ombersley, now into its fourth generation in the business, started from humble beginnings in 1902 and has now been widely-known for

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The good old, bad old days of Lowesmoor

LIFE at Lowesmoor, Worcester, of the 1920s and 30s is vividly remembered by the surviving members of the Tunstall family. There were originally 11 of them - mother, father and nine children - all living in one of the 12 tightly-knit houses lining a narrow

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Christmas past

TELLING and often poignant insights into the happinesses, heartaches and hardships of Christmases in wartime Worcester are drawn here from the Evening News bound archives for the early 1940s. I've been delving into these editions to compile this fascinating

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Christmas past - 1940

PEACE AND GOODWILL - "To think of Peace and Goodwill at this present moment in history may seem to some ironical. Millions of men, armed with the most ingenious weapons of destruction the world has ever seen, are engaged in an orgy of killing, maiming

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Christmas past - 1942

CHOCOLATE QUEUES AGAIN - "When we were issued with personal ration books, we thought we had done with queuing for chocolate and sweets. But here we are in Christmas week with half the confectioners' shops in Worcester closed to all comers, and the other

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Christmas past - 1944

SIXTH CHRISTMAS OF WAR - "Modified cheerfulness might best describe the atmosphere of any assembly of people in Britain this Christmas. "The feelings of everybody would have been lighter and gayer but for the shadowed war news." THEATRE ROYAL "Frank Fortescue

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Christmas past - 1945

OLD-TIME XMAS ATMOSPHERE - "Christmas this year should be an extremely happy one. It is the first peaceful festival since 1938. For weeks the stores have been crowded and, although there was not a great choice of presents, shoppers managed to find something

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Couple made re-union a possibility

IN today's insular stay-at-home, armchair TV society, it was a delight the other evening to attend a large-scale re-union in Worcester with all its human hubbub. St Martin's Parish Hall was abuzz with the vibrant noise of chatter and animated conversation

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Happy ending to lost albums saga

MANY readers have telephoned or written in since I recently published a portrait photograph taken more than half-a-century ago. It was of the man who had clearly compiled the bumper bundle of large photo albums handed in some weeks ago to Nicole Burnett

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A testament of time for 300 year-old Friends

THE Religious Society of Friends - The Quakers - have now been influential figures on the Worcester scene for almost 350 years. They had their first gathering in the city in 1655 and, this year, have been celebrating the 300th anniversary of the building

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The cataloguing of a company history

CALLING all past and present employees, agents and customers of Kay's who may have memories or memorabilia to impart about this 207 year-old Worcester company. Your help and interest is earnestly sought by Bernard Mills, who has recently been appointed

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Rival camps honoured King and Parliament

WE'RE aproaching the 50th anniversary of the Second Battle of Worcester which, unlike the awful carnage of the first, was simply a war of words between Royalist and Cromwellian factions. Monday, September 3, will, of course, mark the 350th anniversary

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NEWS ITEMS DOWN THE YEARS

1801: William Shaw, fisherman of Upper Arley, was convicted before one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, in the penalty of Five Pounds, for fishing in the River Severn with unlawful nets. J. Tymbs, Printer of the Worcester Journal, requires a Compositor

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The comedy artiste, band leader and mayor

SOMBRE may have been his surname but Jack Blackman brought light, colour and cheer to the Worcester scene for more than a-quarter-of-a-century as a dance band leader, compere and comedian. Then came Jack's lengthy public service to the Faithful City as

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9/11/02 - Mark's mission

ANDY Keast is refusing to wrap Mark Gabey up in cotton wool ahead of Worcester Rugby Club's showdown at Rotherham. The second row man mountain, who has been one of the outstanding performers so far this season, collected a second yellow card of the campaign

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Tales of Willie still surfacing

ALMOST unbelievably, 72 years after his death, fresh stories still comes to my ears of the remarkable generosity and loving care shown to Worcester people by the legendary Woodbine Willie. From 1914 to 1922, the Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy was vicar

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Death masks survive at city medical centre

READERS have rapidly solved the "Where are they now?" mystery I recently posed over the whereabouts of death masks of convicts, who went to the gallows at the former Worcester County Jail in Castle Street. It was on behalf of Mrs Maisie Thackeray, of

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Couple have helped bring out the best in youngsters

GENERATIONS of amateur soccer players in and around Worcester owe much to the likes of 78 years-old Bert Powell, who selflessly devoted half-a-century of voluntary service to local football. In 1996, he was presented with a special medal to mark his 50

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Generation game goes back 150 years

THE Bennett family of Callow End, near Worcester, have been familiar figures in the life of the village for six generations and for well over a century, from at least mid-Victorian times. I've been learning all about them from a member of their fifth

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The city man who wouldn't be beaten

ONE of Worcester's familiar and popular personalities is the ever courageous Don Baker. Crippled by a bone disease since boyhood and only able to walk with extreme difficulty and discomfort, Don, now aged 71, has never let his severe disability cramp

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When the force was with us...

THIS nostalgic montage of pictures of Boys - and Girls - in Blue comes from the heyday and, alas, final years of the Worcester City Police Force. The photographs belong to Walter Lawrence of Prestwich Avenue, Worcester, who spent 28 years in the police

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When girl power came to the railways

WONDERFUL years working on steam trains at Worcester during the last war are fondly remembered by Mrs Peggy Edwards, of Ronkswood. She was among the young women who, in 1940, were eagerly recruited to key roles on the railways, taking over from men-folk

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Methodists come in for strong criticism

RELIGIOUS intolerance and prejudice was clearly rife in and around the Faithful City 250 years ago, judging by a remarkable report in the Worcester Journal for this week of 1751. "Every evening of late, this City has been greatly disturbed by a meeting

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Fined for falling asleep in charge of a horse and trap

BEFORE the City Magistrates Court in 1901 was William Hughes, a butcher of The Shambles, Worcester who, reported the Journal, had pleaded guilty to being asleep in charge of a horse and trap at Spetchley, and was fined 7/6d plus costs. 6 Half-a-century

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Teenager faces prison for handling drugs cash

A Worcester youth who stashed cash for a drug dealer is in danger of going to jail. John Curtis confessed in a police interview that he would get phone calls before people arrived with amounts ranging from £65 to £400. He knew a drug dealer called Imi

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Have your say on river

WORCESTER people are being asked to have their say by the Environment Agency on a proposed strategy for managing the River Severn. The Severn Corridor Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy consultation document has just been issued. It is part of