February 8 to February 15, 2010 (From Worcester News)

February 8 to February 15, 2010

12:36pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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100 YEARS AGO:

WORCESTER twins’ death – strange coincidence: An inquest was held at the Guildhall on Monday into the deaths of Ernest and Queenie Farmer, the three month-old twin children of Sidney Farmer, a GWR locomotive fireman of 17 Richmond Hill, Wyld’s Lane, who were found dead in bed on Sunday morning.

The city medical officer Dr Mabyn Read said it had been unwise of the parents to give biscuits to children of such a young age. The only explanation he had to offer to account for their deaths was that the weight of the bedclothes, coupled with the distension of their stomachs from the starchy meal, caused gradual cessation of breathing and so failure of the heart. The jury agreed that death was from deprivation of air, and the coroner expressed his sympathy with the parents.

150 YEARS AGO:

THE new waterman’s church is now completed and will be opened for divine service on Thursday next. It has been erected to the memory of the late Rector of St Clement’s, the Rev J Davies, who took more than an especial interest in the spiritual welfare of the watermen and others employed on the river Severn. The fund for erecting the building was raised by subscriptions among the reverend gentleman’s congregation and the citizens of Worcester generally. The new church stands on the burial ground of the old St Clement’s Church at the bottom of Dolday and is in close proximity to the river.

It is built of wood, covered externally with corrugated iron and internally with canvas and two layers of paper. In length it is 60 feet, in width 30ft and height to the eaves 16ft. At one end is a tower and belfry and nearby is a flag staff with the words “Waterman’s Church” inscribed upon the flag. The church is capable of seating 300 persons in its pews made of deal, stained with varnish. The church has cost between £600 and £700 to construct.

200 YEARS AGO:

THE nightly villains who have recently infested Worcester still continue their practices. A few nights since, some of the gang entered a person’s house through the drawing room window, by means of a ladder, but being disturbed by some persons in the house, they made a precipitate retreat through the window, which in their haste they left open. We wish to caution our readers likewise against leaving their street doors open at night.

On Saturday evening, some person entered a house in Foregate Street and stole a great coat out of the hall, leaving the house without being perceived by anyone.

The magistrates have offered a substantial reward for the apprehension of those who have been engaged in the various recent crimes.

● At the Methodist Chapel in Pump Street, Worcester, where the children are gratuitously instructed, two sermons were preached on the Lord’s Day, at 10 before noon and at six in the evening, by the Rev Buckley of Birmingham. A collection was made to defray the expenses of this institution.

250 YEARS AGO:

YESTERDAY, Ann Taylor, a servant girl, was whipped at the cart’s tail through some of the principal streets of Worcester for stealing some wearing apparel, the property of her mistress, the wife of Mr Kingsbury, staymaker of this city.

● On Tuesday evening, Mr Harris, glover of Worcester, was attacked within half-amile of Pershore by three footpads who knocked him off his horse and then robbed him of three guineas and some silver.