A DRINK too many cost tramp Elizabeth Grimshaw a week in jail. She was brought before Bromsgrove Petty Sessions charged with being drunk and disorderly in The Strand where she swore at a police officer when he asked her to 'clear out of town.' She was sent down for seven days after failing to pay her fine.

100 years ago

June 24, 1899

A DRINK too many cost tramp Elizabeth Grimshaw a week in jail. She was brought before Bromsgrove Petty Sessions charged with being drunk and disorderly in The Strand where she swore at a police officer when he asked her to 'clear out of town.' She was sent down for seven days after failing to pay her fine.

AGENTS for Barnsley Hall were instructed to sell the property by auction. The date was set for July 7 at Field Gates.

THE inaugural dinner of the newly-formed ''Liberal Leet'' for Bromsgrove took place at the Golden Lion Inn. Chairman Mr Sayer said he had long thought the town was Liberal and that the forces only needed to be welded together.

50 years ago

June 25, 1949

THREE pioneering farmers from Bromsgrove who formed a Grass Driers Association received praise from fellow agriculturists at the official opening of their plant in Stoke Heath. It was the first group in the country to run a drying scheme on co-operative lines with Government assistance.

FOR the first time in its history, Bromsgrove Registry Office was to play a part in a wedding by proxy -- to unite two people who were 800 miles apart. Antonio Bottega, the 29-year-old son of a farmer in Collalato, Italy, gave notice that he intended to marry Fillipi Antonia, from the next village. Antonio had been living at Bittell Farm, Barnt Green, for most of the last six years after being sent there as a POW worker in 1943. He liked it so much that after being repatriated in 1946 he returned and wanted to marry so he could bring his sweetheart to England. The wedding was due to take place in a little village near Venice in September with Antonio's brother-in-law taking the vows on his behalf.

DODFORD'S church of Holy Trinity and St Mary was filled to capacity for the institution and induction of its new vicar, The Rev Frank Marks.

A REPORT opposing the reduction in status of Droitwich Spa was approved at a meeting of the town council. The report, to be handed to the assistant commissioner of the Boundary Commission when he visited the borough, said any proposal to reduce the ancient borough of Droitwich in status would be strenuously resisted.

A WELL-KNOWN Bromsgrove personality, William George Irish, died suddenly at his cottage in Amiss's Yard, off High Street. The 80-year-old belonged to an old town family and his father, George, was employed in the Messenger office for more than 60 years and also founded a furniture business in the High Street. Baptist minister The Rev Buckler interrupted his holiday to conduct the funeral.

FINSTALL residents voted unanimously to reject public street-lighting after MEB offered to provide and maintain five lamps.

25 years ago

MORE than 50 residents from Bromsgrove's Old Birmingham Road area were angry about an invasion of flies which had "made life unbearable."

CONSTRUCTION work on the new village hall at Dodford began following the announcement of a £10,770 grant from Hereford and Worcester County Council and the Department of Education and Science.

BROMSGROVE'S recently formed Gilbert and Sullivan singers met for their first musical rehearsal at St Godwald's Church Hall, Finstall.

A PUBLIC meeting designed to reassure residents worried about the Flixborough disaster, in which 28 people were killed when the Nypro Ltd plant blew up, was under consideration by Uniroyal chemical company based in Stoke Works.