100 YEARS AGO: WORCESTER mystery.

Woman drowned in Bubble Brook. Early yesterday morning, two drovers, Mark Hodges and Frederick Yeomans, were crossing the wooden trestle bridge over Bubble Brook off Bromyard Road when they noticed a cape hanging on the bridge and, looking around, saw the body of a woman lying in about 4ft of water.

They pulled it to the bank and communicated with the city police. PCs Tomlinson and Guise conveyed the body to the mortuary. The woman was aged about 50, fully and respectably dressed, and the body had to all appearances been in the brook but a short time.

There were no marks on the clothing which would lead to the identity of the deceased being discovered.

Today the body has been identified as that of Mrs Chance, believed to be a widow, of Happy Land, St John’s, Worcester.

150 YEARS AGO: MISCHIEVOUS boys. The Rev G Dineley of London Road complained at Worcester Police Court that a lad, who was brought into the dock, had wilfully run a truck against his carriage in High Street and done damage to the back panel.

This was the second wilful act committed recently, a lad having wantonly thrown a stone at his carriage in Broad Street. As Mr Dineley did not press the case, the lad was severely reprimanded and discharged.

200 YEARS AGO: AN inquest was held in Worcester on Friday by N Mence, coroner, on Walter Middleton, a waterman, who, having hold of a lee sheet rope of a barge under full sail on the Severn at Worcester, was blown overboard, and the barge went over him. He was found the day after by some fishermen who dragged for him very near the spot where he tumbled into the river. He has left five small children and a wife near her confinement, for whose benefit a subscription was made at the inquest, and above a guinea and a half was subscribed for her.

250 YEARS AGO: LAST Thursday morning, Anthony Clarke, surgeon of Cheltenham, was stopped on the road near that place by a single highwayman, wellmounted, who presented a pistol at his breast and robbed him of about 20 shillings in silver, his watch and a piece of blue stone. Mr Clarke immediately gave an alarm and, after a brisk pursuit, the highwayman was taken in bed at a public house at Stow-on-the-Wold and sent to Gloucester Gaol.

The watch and piece of blue stone were found in his pocket. He is committed to await trial in the name of John Harris and is a jolly, well-looking man. It is said he is a tidewaiter on the Thames.

Another person, who is supposed to be an accomplice, was taken in bed with him and is committed on suspicion in the name of William Bosely.

These fellows are supposed to be the highwaymen who robbed Mr Clarke of Dudley on the road between Worcester and Droitwich, as mentioned in our last paper.