THIS WEEK IN 1959:

EARLY on Tuesday morning, radar signals transmitted from the Royal Radar Establishment (RRE), Malvern, were successfully received in Texas after reflection from the moon.

This is the outcome of a joint experiment between members of the Radio Astronomy Group at RRE and the Electrical Engineering Research Department of the University of Texas. It is also an extension of the RRE’s study programme of the moon’s surface, using radar.

The Malvern radio telescope used has previously been operated for tracking Soviet satellites and for moon echo experiments. The latest success saw radar signals, scattered back from the moon after a round trip of half-amillion miles, being received both by the Malvern radio telescope and by the slightly smaller instrument at the University of Texas. It is hoped to use the technology to find out more about the surface conditions of the moon and how the moon might be used as a reflector for transmitting radio and television signals.

THIS WEEK IN 1969:

AFTER five years of campaigning, Peter Walker, MP for Worcester, has heard from the Ministry of Transport that it is giving the go-ahead for the construction of an Ombersley bypass in three years’ time. The Minister has sanctioned work to start in 1972.

● There has been “a most encouraging response” from county teachers eager to halt an alarming increase in drug and pep pill taking by Worcestershire teenagers.

The police recently appealed to head teachers seeking their co-operation in tracing drug pushers in and around schools. A police spokesman said: “Already we have had applications from more than 100 teachers wanting to attend the special lectures we are arranging on the whole question of drugs”

THIS WEEK IN 1979:

LOCAL historian Jack Collins has registered concern that the historic Jenny Lind chapel of Worcester Royal Infirmary has been largely concealed from public view by mid and late 20th century additions to the hospital. He points out that the chapel was built in 1850 at a cost of £1,338, much of it donated from the proceeds of a special concert given in College Hall, Worcester by the famous “Swedish Nightingale” in February 1849.

Jenny Lind was then 29 and at the height of her career as one of the world’s greatest coloratura sopranos. Henry Day of Worcester was the architect of the chapel which was designed to hold 120 persons. The building contractors were Messrs Joseph Wood of Worcester.

Mr Collins says that, alas, the condition of the chapel deteriorated after some 20 years because the records show that the infirmary secretary consulted Mr Elgar (Sir Edward’s father) about the harmonium which was choked up with grit and dust due to the poor state of the building. He said: “No doubt Messrs Elgar Brothers of High Street were able to mend the instrument or persuade the committee to buy a new one.”