A SPECTACULAR fly-past was witnessed by large crowds in Pershore during this week half-a-century ago.

Berrow's Journal reported fully on the town's impressive and event-filled Battle of Britain Week.

Pershore was be-flagged with a-quarter-of-a-mile of bunting running from tree to tree in the long wide avenue of Broad Street.

The proceedings opened with a thrilling fly-past of jets, Mosquitoes, Oxfords, Lancasters and a Tiger Moth.

The chief guest was the MP, Mr Rupert De la Bere, who praised Pershore RAFA for staging the spectacular opening events. He pointed out that he was an old officer of the RAF and had been proud to serve in the First World War. Proceeds for all the events of the week will go to the Services Benevolent Society."

The Journal was less impressed a century ago this week with Worcester's historic and traditional Hop and Cheese Fair.

Crowquill had this to say in his comment column: "The bulk of the business at this year's fair was in the sale of sheep but, for the 6,000-odd sheep, there was no more business done than on an ordinary market day, perhaps not as much.

There were few transactions in hops, and the cheese element of the fair has disappeared. The pavements were not blocked by cheeses as in yesteryear, and the crowd was not so great as usual. Neither were the horrible noises from toys, which seem to be sold only at fair time, quite as insistent as heretofore.

"It was possible to move in the streets with a fair amount of comfort until the evening when the factory lads and lasses began to turn the fair night into a confetti fete."

THE same Journal edition of 1900 once again featured the exploits of Worcester's notorious and colourful inebriate, Samuel (Nobby) Guy who had that week made his 58th appearance at the City Magistrates Court for drunkenness.

On this occasion the 59 years-old had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the Star Hotel, in Foregate Street, and for refusing to leave the premises.

The Journal stated: "P.C Drinkwater arrived to find Guy using bad language and acting in a disorderly manner. The constable had a good deal of difficulty with Guy, whose record now fills two pages of the Police Book. Guy was sentenced to 28 days in prison."

Another case at the City Police Court on the same day was reported so briefly by the Journal that it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The report simply said: "Incorrigible Boy Henry Veale (12), of Moor Street, has an invalid mother, and a father who is away from home. He is incorrigible and has been sent by the Court to a reformatory for five years."

RETURNING to the Journal for this week of 1950, we learn of the tragic death of a former Malvern man, Edmund Colin Luscombe. He was serving as an Assistant Commissioner in command of the police in Kowloon and the New Territories, Hong Kong when he and two other police chiefs were ambushed at the roadside by "a Chinese bandit".

The Journal stated that he was a former head boy of Worcester King's School and was the son of Mr E. Luscumbe of Malvern Link. He had survived the capture of Hong Kong by the Japanese and internment during the war. He left a wife and two children.

Also 50 years ago this week, the Journal highlighted the fact that the population of rural areas surrounding Worcester had been bolstered by 10,000 hop-pickers, mainly from the Black Country and South Wales.