AS usual at this time of year the number of pupils in classrooms in schools in Bromsgrove were greatly reduced due to the annual hop-picking season. Figures showed that 36 were absent from Stourbridge Road schools, 23 from Catshill, seven from Dodford and 60 from the National school in Crown Close. School managers had come up with the idea of staggering the long summer break to coincide with seasonal harvests. However, it was thought teachers might object to their holiday being fragmented.

THERE were celebrations in the Bromsgrove village of Tardebigge on Monday. The occasion was the 50th wedding anniversary of the vicar, canon and Mrs Dickens and the 50th year he had been vicar of the parish. The couple were presented with gifts by children from the village school and in the afternoon Lady Windsor, from Hewell Grange, was the VIP guest of honour at a garden party held in the vicarage grounds.

WYCHBOLD youths John Hazelhurst, William Insull, Herbert Stanley, F Kite and James Price appeared before Droitwich magistrates charged with assembling outside their parish to gamble for money on the Lord's day. The vicar appeared on their behalf and told magistrates he had spoken to the lads and exacted promises they would never again bet on cards. Taking this into consideration magistrates imposed fines of just 1/- (5p) each. The boys' friends had a whip round in court to enable them to pay their fines.