SIDNEY Farr, assistant clerk to Droitwich Rural District Council, decided to retire after clocking up 52 years' service. During that time he had only been absent for two weeks due to illness.

SIXTY workers at the ICI Salt Works at Stoke were being made redundant. A new, highly mechanised vacuum process, which to a large extent did away with the old open pan system, meant fewer workers were needed.

AROUND 86 youngsters from Bromsgrove joined old Ben Jones for his annual May walk from the town to the countryside around Woodgate. The procession was led by Bromsgrove Town Band from the Hundred House pub as far as the Victor Works. Ben, who was well known for his zany escapades as Bromsgrove Rovers' mascot, took with him 1,000 biscuits, the same number of jam sandwiches and five pounds of sweets to enjoy once they had reached their destination.

A GROUP of around 80 guests were invited to Bromsgrove Urban District Council's annual dinner held at the Golden Cross Hotel in the town. In a speech briefly outlining the council's programme for the next 12 months they heard that so far 757 new homes had been built since the war and plans were in hand for 500 more at Rubery.

NEXT month's withdrawal of trams from the streets of Birmingham provided a golden opportunity for an underground rail system to be constructed on approaches to the city, Mr Kearney of Rednal, a keen supporter of that form of transport, told a meeting at Cofton Common Youth Club. A tube running beneath Bristol Road linking with bus services would help solve traffic problems he said.