Memory Lane

IN the Worcestershire and the War section it was reported that 182 old boys of Bromsgrove School were now known to be serving. It was also reported that Private George Harbridge, of 2nd Coldstream Guards, New Buildings, had been killed in action.

THE 1st Lickey scouts held a combined parade with troops from Northfield, headed by the bugle band of the 1st Lickey Troop.

A SHIP, “Jason”, had arrived in England from the United States laden with Christmas gifts for the children of sailors at sea, of soldiers serving at the front, and also for children of Belgium refugees.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, Francis Roe Stogden, of The Woodlands, Barnt Green, was charged with riding a bicycle without a light at Fiery Hill.

Police Sergeant Lyes said the defendant told him he did not think he could do much harm to anyone as he was riding uphill.

The defendant was fined 2s 6d costs.

50 years ago. December 4, 1964.

A SUSPECTED case of cattle rustling - the first to be reported in the district for many years – was being investigated by Bromsgrove police.

It related to the disappearance of two pedigree Friesian heifers with a combined worth of £350, from Install Fields Farm, Stoke Prior.

They were the property of Harry Crawford who had entered them for sale, and the disappearance had been discovered on the eve of the auction.

IT had been decided to switch on Bromsgrove’s St John’s Church floodlights, during the winter nights.

The church’s vicar, Reverend Pilkington, explained that priests were once tasked with causing the bell to toll during evening prayers but due to modern traffic, he felt this sound would be lost.

Instead the floodlights would be switched on, as "the spire was worth lighting".

BROMSGROVE MP was to raise the effect of the 6d increase in petrol tax in the House of Commons.

James Dance was to ask the question to the Minister of Heath on the cost of running ambulances, and to the Minister of Agriculture concerning the cost of high expenditure imposed on farmers in his constituency, and elsewhere.

25 years ago. December 7, 1989.

FEARS Belbroughton could become a “ghetto for the retired rich” had sparked a new housing plan for the young which was being aimed to be developed for the 21st century.

The scheme was aimed at addressing local need and it was proposed vetting of families be carried out before the right ones were picked to move into properties.

Ian Bloore, from the Housing Group, said it was a question of whether Belbroughton would become a retirement village, and added if the proposal did not got through there was a danger health facilities would be stretched and the future of the village school threatened.

BROMSGROVE doctor Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the Lockerbie bombing, travelled to London to hear a public inquiry would not be held.

Dr Swire, along with other relatives of the 270 killed, had a two hour meeting with Transport Secretary Cecil Parkinson, who gave them no hope that an inquiry would ever take place.

A PROPOSED housing development swallowing up a three acre site in Lickey Road, Rednal, had led to protests.

Lickey residents were petitioning Birmingham City Council against the plans to build a mini estate of 50 homes.

Residents complained that the development would mean a loss of parkland, hedgerow and wildlife.

BLIND children at Lickey Grange School were to benefit from a new reading machine made in the USA.

The machine, costing £13,000, worked in a similar way to a photocopier and had an automatic scanner tracing the text, while an electronically created voice would read out the words.

BROMSGROVE District Council had rejected a second plea to grant disabled pensioners free bus travel on retirement.

Labour councillor Andy Barnes had asked fellow councillors to reconsider an early decision that disabled people could have free travel until pensionable age, when they could only receive concessionary fares.

The majority of councillors voted against the matter being looked at again.

Memory Lane is compiled from the papers dating back to the Messenger's first edition in 1860. The papers are free to view at Bromsgrove Library, in Stratford Road.

For more information call the library on 01905 822722.