NEARLY a third of the 74 prisoners at Worcester Assizes in the Guildhall this week 200 years ago were sentenced to death. However, of the 21 convicts found guilty of capital crimes, all but six were reprieved and transported instead to the colonies or given long jail terms.

The ill-fated six, condemned to the gallows, were John Price for stealing a mare, Benjamin Scrivens and Joseph Croft for sheep stealing, James Collins for highway robbery, and George Bosward and William Goodear for knocking down and robbing J. Daniel in a field at St John's.

A further 33 prisoners at the same Worcester Assizes of 1801 were sentenced to the transported, imprisoned or publicly whipped in the city's streets for a variety of thefts or for what we would consider today to be other petty offences. The remaining 20 prisoners were acquitted.

Before the City Assizes of two centuries ago had begun, Mr Justice Rooke and Mr Justice Lawrence had been entertained by Worcester's civic dignitaries to "an elegant dinner at the Crown Inn, Broad Street. Mr Justice Rooke told guests that society had "to guard against all attempts to disturb the public peace.

He was obviously referring to the local and national riots of the time over the excessive price of bread due to severe shortages of grain.

The Worcester Journal for this week of 250 years ago also reported the outcome of the City Assizes of 1751. Two men were sentenced to be executed William MacAuly for murdering Daniel Smith, a baker, in a city tavern, and Anthony Cradock for stealing a saddle and bridle.

''Nine other prisoners were ordered to be transported, one of them a pick-pocket at Worcester.

Also on the crime front 250 years ago, the Journal said the authorities were searching for some Rogues who last Thursday got into the house of Mr Cale, a farmer near Wadborough, and stole 16 shillings in money before helping themselves to bread and butter in the kitchen and going into the cellar to draw cyder.

A CENTURY ago this week, Lloyd Earle, an actor, whose address was given as the Theatre Royal, Cradley Heath, appeared in the dock at the Worcester Police Court.

He pleaded guilty to causing a public annoyance in Lowesmoor. His "acting" had apparently extended to larking about with companions and ringing bells in Lowesmoor."

There were two other eye-catching cases at the court the same day. "John Cullis (36), coal merchant of Diglis Road was fined £1 for being drunk in charge of a horse and trap in Broad Street. Witnesses stated that Cullis tried to drive past a horse-drawn tram-car but collided with a tricycle.

Mary Sankey (37) of Hylton Road, and Edward Ward (39), a hay trusser of Pheasant Street were charged with improper behaviour at South Parade and were each fined 10s.

TWO hundred years ago this week, a public notice in the Journal announced:

The Rev Allen Wheeler begs to inform the Public that he has taken a large and commodious house in College Yard, Worcester and intends to open a school for the Board and Education of Young Gentlemen. Board and tuition including English, Latin and Greek will be at 30 guineas per annum.

The same Berrow's Worcester Journal edition of 1801 also carried an interesting item in its Property Section:

To be Let a modern built and exceedingly good Dwelling House in the current occupation of John Walcot Esq.

'' It is situate in the most eligible part of the West Side of Foregate Street in this City and comprises a large and very commodious house fit for a Gentleman's family, with a laundry and brew-house attached and a four-stalled stable.''