100 YEARS AGO:

CHARLES Lewis, aged 13, who lives with his parents at Broadheath, was charged at the Worcester County Petty Sessions with stealing 15 shillings in money belonging to Edward Edwards, grocer of Broadheath. Mrs Edwards said the money was in a box in the shop at 5.45pm on January 22 but had gone a quarter-of-an-hour later. The boy pleaded guilty to stealing the money but not the amount. He was one of a troop of Boy Scouts but, his father being poor, he was unable to get the proper outfit and was jeered at by his comrades. He stole the money in order to buy an outfit. The boy was ordered to have six strokes with the birch rod, and his father was ordered to pay 10 shillings towards the costs.

150 YEARS AGO:

ANCIENT coin. A gold double crown of James I has been dug up by one of the porters at Shrub Hill station in the allotment gardens belonging to the West Midland Railway Company.

The obverse bears the bust of the monarch in armour, carrying the globe and sceptre, and an inscription recording his name and titles. On the reverse are quartered the royal arms of England, France, Ireland and Scotland, round which is the motto “Henricus, rosas regna Jacobus.” The piece was probably lost at the time of the siege of Worcester.

200 YEARS AGO:

ON Saturday, an inquest was taken at Pershore by Mr Fidkin, coroner, on the body of John Fletcher who was found dead in a stable in the yard of the Bell Inn there.

The deceased was employed as a horse cleaner and went at about 8pm into the hay loft for some straw and, being in liquor, fell headlong through a trap door down upon the stable floor and was killed upon the spot.

Verdict: accidental death.

􀁥 On Monday, a private in the 86th Regiment, stationed near here, being rather intoxicated, walked very deliberately into a meadow which was flooded not far from this city, supposing it was not very deep and not knowing that a brook ran through it. He unfortunately slipped in out of his depth and was drowned. His body was taken up about half-anhour afterwards and every means recommended by the Humane Society used, but without effect.

250 YEARS AGO:

BY several accounts received concerning Emanuel Miers, who was committed to Worcester goal last week, charged with stealing a gold ring out of the jeweller’s shop of Mr Lutwyche in Foregate Street, he appears to be a notorious impostor and sharper, who has defrauded several persons in these parts and occasionally disguised himself by such differences of dress, best suited to the fraudulent schemes he had projected.

􀁥 Picked up in the river Severn at a place called the East Bay, just above Worcester on Saturday, a bag of nails. Any person proving it to be his may have it again on paying the expense of advertising and picking up, by applying to John Savage at the Quay, Worcester.