Memory Lane

IN the Worcestershire and the War section there was a recruiting notice from the Worcestershire Regiment.

It said the old and gallant corps was open to recruits aged 19 up to 38-years-old, height five feet and one inch and upwards, chest measurement 34 inches and upwards.

It added three battalions were fighting for the honour of their country.

BROMSGROVE soldiers were listed in the section.

Among them was Private Clive Forrest, son of the late Robert Forrest, who had been wounded in the leg and was now a prisoner in Germany.

Private Kelley, the son of W Kelley of the Coldstream Guards - who had enlisted soon after the outbreak of the war - was reported missing.

He had played for Bromsgrove Cricket Club in the season before the war.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions William Parkes, of Catshill, was charged with stealing a bagging hook and a trimming hook.

The hooks were taken from Hill Farm in Bournheath.

PC Hayes said he searched the Parkes’ premises and found the hooks, but when arrested Parkes said he knew nothing about them and if they were in his premises they must be his property.

The prisoner was remanded for a week.

March 5, 1965.

A STRIKE at the Austin Motor Works factory in Longbridge had paralysed production at the factory.

Car makers had been laid off, with the total number of men thrown out of work numbering 25,000.

The firm was losing production of 2,000 vehicles a day.

Workers were striking after discovering their pay was £7 below that of skilled workers, and they wanted to see an increase in their wages.

A BROMSGROVE high school pupil was to make an appearance in the television soap Crossroads.

John Bourne was aiming for a stage career, but this was to be his first professional role.

A RANGE of poultry sheds in Lickey End were gutted by a fierce fire.

The scene of the fire was Orchards Smallholding, and the wooden sheds were reduced to charred wreckage.

Firemen had been able to save a smaller shed that contained 120 chickens in it.

ADVENTUROUS plans for the redevelopment of Droitwich Park and the Lido had been produced by Borough Surveyor.

The plans included provisions for a new indoor swimming pool, a hall that could be used for various sports, and facilities for five-a-side football and roller skating.

OLYMPIC silver medallist Tony Morgan, who had achieved the medal at the Olympic Games in Toyko 1964, visited a Bromsgrove scout group.

Visiting the Evergreen Scouts at their new home in Kidderminster Road, an enthusiastic audience got Mr Morgans autograph and got to hold the medal.

March 8, 1990.

RESIDENTS in the Bromsgrove District were being asked to pay a community charge of a least £337 - a "miscalculation by the Government" according to local councillors.

Council treasurer Gordon Cooper explained the original Government estimate of £232 for the district, did not take certain factors into account.

An attempt by the Labour Party to get an all party revolt of the Poll Tax failed at the meeting of Bromsgrove District Council.

Police were drafted in to meeting, after disruption and violence at other council meetings around the country.

BROMSGROVE Rovers practise pitch was under threat, a county councillor had warned.

Russ Clayton said the pitch could be turned into a car park for staff at Bromsgrove’s North East Worcestershire College.

Rovers trainer Bill Kings said he was worried about the proposal which could mean they lose the very important pitch, leaving the team with nowhere to train.

PEOPLE wanting to park in Bromsgrove town centre could soon be paying three times the amount for a long stay, in a bid to solve a space shortage problem.

The fee was currently 30p, but it was proposed people wanting to park more than three hours would instead pay £1.

The plan was to move people using short stay car parks onto long stay ones in School Drive, Recreation Road and Stourbridge Road.

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.