June 7-14

10:59am Monday 9th June 2008

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100 Years Ago:

Sunday football. Seven city youths were trooped into the dock at Worcester police court this week, summonsed for playing football at Barns Hall, Bath Road. They were Herbert Brant and James Wells of Cavendish Street; Alfred Caisley and Albert Williams of Waverley Street; Albert Jones and Harold Short of Orchard Street and Ernest Brookes of Berwick Street.

PC James said the boys caused great annoyance in the area and used disgusting language. They were each fined two shillings with costs. The chairman of the bench, FJA Wood said many complaints had been received about the bad language used by the youths on Sunday afternoons and any further offenders would be more severely dealt with.

* Pleasure cruises by the Orient Company's SS Ophir of 6,814 tons from London to the Norway fjords for 13 days at 12 guineas and upwards, or to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Portugal for 21 days for 20 guineas and upwards. Apply to local agents, Messrs Griffiths and Millington, 50 Foregate Street, Worcester.

150 Years Ago:Mary Ann Griffiths, a common prostitute who has frequently figured before our magistrates, was charged at Worcester police court with being drunk and disorderly. PC Berridge said he was in Broad Street at midnight on Wednesday night when he found the defendant in the company of two girls, apparently of 13 or 14 years of age. He ascertained that both girls came from Dudley (then part of Worcestershire), had met Griffiths in Birmingham and been persuaded by her to come to Worcester where they had taken lodgings in Dolday.

PC Berridge believed the young girls had been brought to the city for the purpose of prostitution. He had earlier that night seen Griffiths and the girls dancing at Jones's Liquor Vaults. Griffiths was fined five shillings, and the two girls, by the generosity of a gentleman, were sent home to their friends.

* We have been shown an egg laid by a hen, belonging to Mrs Collins of the Raven public house in the Droitwich Road, which is of unusual size and weight. It is eight inches long, five inches round and weighs four ounces. The same hen laid a very large egg last year which was noticed at the time.

200 Years Ago:Cheltenham is now becoming the centre of gaiety. Company arrive almost hourly. Mr Thompson's new and elegant Pump Room is opened and his hot and cold saline baths are completed.

Malvern has likewise its attractions for the fashionable world and if it cannot rival Cheltenham in splendour and gaiety, it at least far surpasses it in the romantic beauties of nature.

* The mother of the child which was left abandoned at a person's door in the Tything, Worcester has been discovered. She washed at a person's house in Foregate Street during the whole of the day on which she was delivered. When first questioned upon the subject, she strictly denied that the child was hers and attempted to make her escape, but she was taken again soon after and has since confessed. When she is in a proper state, she will probably be committed to prison to take her trial for the offence.

250 Years Ago:College Church Yard, Worcester. It having been industriously reported, by some designing persons, that I am going to leave off the business of stay-maker, I think it my duty by this public method to inform my customers and friends that such reports are entirely false and without the least foundation.

I beg leave to return my most grateful thanks on the success I have experienced in that business and assure such ladies and others as shall favour me with their custom that they may depend on being served on the easiest terms and in the most genteel manner by their obedient humble servant, Osborn Maddison.

* Whereas Mary the wife of Thomas Munkland of the parish of Bransford hath eloped from her husband, this is to forewarn all persons from harbouring, entertaining or trusting her on her said husband's account, he being determined not to pay any debts she may contract after the publication of this notice.