Memory Lane

IN the Worcestershire and the War section, the Messenger reported there had been a recruiting military parade in Bromsgrove to encourage men of military age to join the colours.

Soldiers paraded in Recreation Ground and the principal streets of the town.

People lined the streets, which were decorated with flags and bunting.

The Messenger also reported on the deaths of Private WE Field of the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment - the son of Mr and Mrs Field of Bournheath – and Corporal George T Phillips, the grandson of Mrs F Rea of Stourbridge Street.

BROMSGROVE and Droitwich Farmers’ Club organised a sale of produce at the Old Corn Exchange in aid of the National Relief Fund and the Red Cross Fund.

Around 150 items were sold at the event including pigs, lambs, straw, bags of oats and wheat, rabbits and ferrets.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, Henry James Lunnony of Cooksey Corner, a wagoner employed by Richard Norton, was charged with riding on a wagon without reins in Priory Road, Dodford.

PC Hayes said when he spoke to the defendant; Lunnony said he was just going to get the reins from under a bag.

Lunnony was fined 2s 6d and 5s 6d costs.

March 19, 1965.

A MEETING was held at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham where campaigners against the closure of Bromsgrove, Blackwell and Barnt Green railway stations put forward their case.

The Transport Users Consultative Committee heard the arguments, with many rail users speaking of the hardships they would suffer if services were withdrawn.

The committee then met in private to discuss the report they would make to the Minister of Transport.

OVER 150 members and guests of Bromsgrove’s Queen Royal Lodge of Odd Fellows attended a dinner dance at Perry Hall.

Mr Cooper, a Worcester member, spoke and stressed the importance of the society and the attractive benefits available to members including grants and legal aid.

BELBROUGHTON residents decided at a parish meeting to urge the Parish Council to take up with the County Council, the need for Crossing Wardens to aid schoolchildren.

It was argued the wardens were particularly needed at the High Street, Church Road and Queen’s Hill junctions.

MEMBERSHIP of a new club was steadily increasing.

The Bromsgrove and district Amateur Radio Club had been formed before Christmas, and a rise in members was reported at a meeting of the club.

March 22, 1990.

MORE than double the usual number of police officers were on patrol in Bromsgrove High Street as part of a crackdown on drunken disorder.

Up to 23 officers were out on duty as part of a determined effort by police, licensees and owners of fast food shops, to Bromsgrove a safer place.

Superintendent David Webb said one issue had been the problem of groups congregating at the southern end of High Street and Worcester Road after closing time, drunk, and causing damage to shop windows.

JOHN Mills was to wed 89-year-old Mabel Williams on his 95th birthday.

The pair, originally from Northfield, lived at Hilltop Nursing Home in Barnt Green, where the wedding was set to take place.

POLICE had launched an investigation after a black Vauxhall car, stolen from Old Station Road, was rammed into the heavy oak framed glass doors of Spains electrical shop in New Road.

Thieves escaped with a £3,000 haul including six videos, three radio cassettes and a colour television.

A CAMERA crew from Pebble Mill spent the day at Webbs Garden Centre filming for an item to be included in a Gardener’s World programme.

The 60 pupils of Wychbold First School had been invited along for the filming of the item, and were also given expert advice from presenters Anne Swithinbank and Diane Kemp.

BROMSGROVE District councillors voted to spend £60,000 in an on-going programme to improve safety at the 25 playgrounds it was in charge of.

The playgrounds were being resurfaced, and councillors looked into the possibility of using other materials, apart form the usual rubber, including bark and sand.

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.