CLEARLY, if you valued your health and well-being in Worcester, it was always advisable as pedestrians 100 years ago to be on your guard against bolting horses!

A Journal item of 1902 brought these details of "A smash in High Street":

"A horse attached to a trap belonging to Captain Heygate of Norton Hall was being driven along High Street by John Preece, coachman, and when near Mr F. Sallis's provisions shop, the animal became frightened. It swerved across the pavement into the window, smashing two large panes of glass and some woodwork. The animal started to kick and destroyed the splashboard of the trap. Fortunately neither the driver, the horse nor any passerby was injured."

But 250 years ago the outcome of a similar local incident was far more tragic. The Worcester Journal of 1752 reported: "Last Sunday evening a melancholy accident happened at Pershore. A young gentleman was riding through that town when his horse took fright and ran away with him.

"Before it could be stopped, it unfortunately ran over a child who was terribly bruised and, notwithstanding all possible care, died the following morning. By the horse's eventual falling, the young gentleman was thrown and likewise received much hurt."

Health improving

THE health of the city of Worcester was showing a significant improvement at this time a century ago, with a drop in deaths from such killer diseases as TB, scarlet fever, diphtheria and typhoid.

The Journal explained: "Dr Mabyn Read, the Medical Officer of Health for Worcester, in his annual report to the City Council, welcomes the lowest annual death rate in Worcester for 10 years, despite a substantial increase in the population.

"Over the past year, there have been 66 cases of scarlet fever and 58 of diphtheria in Worcester, but this was a significant decrease in the outbreak of both diseases."