A CENTURY ago, in the days before air flight, package tours and large-scale car ownership, English people took their holiday pleasures by weekend trips into the countryside.

In Worcestershire, a very popular destination was the riverside at Holt Fleet, particularly as pleasure steamers used it as a terminal for day trips from the Faithful City.

However, it seems all was suddenly not well at Holt Fleet exactly 100 years ago. "Crowquill", in his Journal comment column, told of the disquiet:

"Holt Fleet is one of the most charming spots in Worcester, and it is sadly to be regretted that its reputation is being ruined by vulgar day trippers.

"Since the recent freeing of Holt Fleet Bridge from tolls, Black Country people have swarmed there in greater numbers than ever, and their ideal of a day's outing appears to be drunkenness and bad language.

"More than once, attention has been called to the disorderly conduct and rowdyism which have taken place. Extra police have been engaged, but the same order of things still unfortunately prevails.

"This summer, the place has been visited by thousands of Black Country people, and their carousals have pained, even disgusted those in search of fresh air and scenes of quietude.

"Last Saturday, there were disorderly scenes because the police rightly objected to the foul expressions of a drunken dray-man from the Black Country.

"His more or less drunken comrades took his part, and so excited and angry did they become that one landlord had to close his public house - the Wharf Inn.

"Eventually, six of them had to be arrested. The County Bench rightly convicted them on Tuesday but inflicted absurdly small fines. Severity is the only way of treating Hooligans," asserted "Crowquill".

The same Journal edition of 1901 also carried details of another court case involving discord in the Worcestershire countryside.

"Henry Ayes Bessington, roundabout proprietor, was charged at Pershore Petty Sessions with using a steam organ to the annoyance of residents at Fladbury.

Mr Edwin Milton, miller of Fladbury, was among the local residents who complained to the police.

He said that steam roundabouts had been set up close to his home and their music had blasted out for three hours. He and his family could not hear one another speak in the house.

"However, Mr Hardy of the Chequers Inn, Fladbury told the court that the protesting residents were very disagreeable persons who complained about all they could. He personally liked the steam organ music.

"The magistrates dismissed the case against Bessington."