Memory Lane

IN the Worcestershire and the War section Mrs Troth of Lickey End received a notification that her husband, Private Troth of the 2nd Worcesters, had died from enteric fever in France.

Private Troth had served in the Army and completed his time, but re-enlisted at the outbreak of the war.

He died on Christmas Eve, at Reitfontein.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions Henry Manning, of Golden Cross Lane, Catshill, appeared to answer a charge of being drunk and disorderly in charge of a horse and lorry in Alcester Road.

PC Marsh stated the defendant was drunk and using bad language.

The defendant expressed regret saying he had, had something to drink but he was more excited than anything else.

Superintendent Chare stated Manning had several previous convictions. He was fined 10s and 6s 6d costs.

THE directors of the Salt Union had decided to give an increase in wages to labourers, saltmakers and mechanics employed at Droitwich and Stoke.

The Messenger reported the increase applied to a considerable number of lower paid employees, and was said to be in some cases “substantial”.

THE County Surveyor had been given the go ahead by the Highways and Bridges Committee of Worcestershire County Council, to proceed with £12,000 of road improvements.

Among the roads that were to be improved were the Birmingham to Bromsgrove – the section from Rubery to Lydiate Ash - and sections of roads between Kidderminster and Hagley.

March 12, 1965.

BROMSGROVE’s planning officer Mr Dodd said a valuable industrial site would be wasted if permission was given for two shops and a flat to be built on the land in Worcester Road.

The applicants said permission should be granted as the area was a real eyesore.

The arguments were heard at a planning inquiry by Mr Holborn, a Ministry Inspector.

He visited the site and was preparing to submit his recommendations to the minister.

LONG running strike action appeared to have ended as the Messenger was reporting bus services were expected to return to normal that Saturday.

Local Midland Red crews had held Saturday strikes for seven weeks in a row over a wage dispute.

Graham Harris has operated an emergency free bus on behalf of the Chamber of Trade on some of the Saturdays.

A vote of workers had been held, and a majority had voted to resume work.

THE proposal to use the old railway repair works at Aston Fields as a site for gas works, had been given the green light by Bromsgrove Urban District Council.

Also at the planning meeting, plans were passed for 20 semi detached houses and garages in Millfield Road.

March 15, 1990.

MOTHERS and pensioners took to Bromsgrove streets to protest against the Poll Tax.

The march started at Bromsgrove Labour Club, and finished at the Council House where a petition - containing thousands of signatures opposed to the £337 charge - was handed to council leader Margaret Taylor.

The press was banned from the meeting and council office doors look, with only five demonstrators allowed in to hand over the petition.

The Charford anti-poll tax union was vowing to fight the tax "all the way", and support those who couldn’t pay it.

A PROPOSAL to introduce car parking charges of up to £1 in Bromsgrove town centre were given the go ahead by Bromsgrove’s planning committee.

The aim was to encourage short stay parking on the main car parks so the new charges saw a jump of 30p for three hours, to £1 for more than three.

PARISH councillors had thrown out plans for a travellers site in Stoke Prior – the first stage in what was expected to be a long battle.

Parishioners were urged to write to the district council to voice their objections to the plans for a six pitch site in the green belt, along Holmes Lane.

THE Advertiser/Messenger included a feature celebrating the 10th anniversary of the twinning of Gronau, in West Germany, with Bromsgrove.

Reporter Pete Lammas visited the German town and his feature looked at the history of the agreement and the plan to form a hands across the sea link.

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.