Memory Lane

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, Edward Betteridge, of Midland Road, Birmingham, was charged with riding a bicycle without a light in Birmingham Road.

PC Ryder said he saw the defendant riding in the direction of Birmingham, with no light and his lamp was cold.

The defendant said he was hurrying home that night.

He was ordered to pay 10s costs.

Henry Collins, of Finstall, was also charged with a similar offence in Alcester Road, Finstall.

PC Rolinson proved the case and the defendant was ordered to pay 10s costs.

IN the Worcestershire and the War section it was reported Walter Ford - the younger son of the Reverend James Ford of the Baptist Church – had died from disease.

The Minister of Defence stated he died in camp from cerebrospinal meningitis.

It was also reported Elizabeth Hancox, of Fairfield, had received information her son, Private J Hancox, of the 4th Worcesters, had been killed in action in Dardanelles.

He had been in India at the outbreak at war, but was brought over to England and stayed in Belbroughton, before his regiment went to Dardanelles.

July 23, 1965.

FINAL preparations were being made ahead of a visit by the Queen Mother to Bromsgrove School that week.

Two programmes for the day had been planned - one for a dry day, the other if it rained. If it was dry, she was expected to arrive by helicopter.

During the 45 minute visit her Majesty was to tour the main school, as well as the Junior School and Cobhams House.

The Messenger reported Watt Close Secondary Modern School had an impressive exhibition calling for greater care among road users, particularly aimed at young cyclists.

The exhibition included the Urban Road Safety Shield that had been won by the school.

More than 150 young cyclists at the school had passed their proficiency test, and as the theme was safe cycling, the school wanted all the students to take the test.

THE building of a new school in Rubery was nearly complete.

The new Coppice School was to take in 280 children from the village, as well as from the Lydiate Ash and Lickey area.

It was to feature 11 classrooms, a main hall, full kitchen facilities and a gym.

It was expected the school would be ready for opening that September.

July 26, 1990.

IT was revealed that almost one in five people in Bromsgrove, and one in seven in Wychavon, had not paid their community charge bill.

Officers at both authorities said they were prepared to take people to court if they refused to pay the poll tax that stood at £344 in Bromsgrove and £327 in Wychavon.

AN ambitious plan to extend Bromsgrove’s pedestrianisation into Worcester Road was one of the council’s ideas in its battle against the growing problem of pollution.

Council officers were investigating ways of stopping the flow of traffic at the bottom of High Street as part of a programme to make the town more environmentally friendly during the 1990s.

BROMSGROVE District Council sent out leaflets to 35,000 homes explaining why they had no choice in the sacking of 47 binmen.

The dispute was ongoing, and union chiefs representing the sacked men were now taking legal advice.

Jerry Bartlett, from the National Union of Public Employees, said checks were also being made into whether the council had the right to pay for the leaflets out of poll tax money.

HEREFORD and Worcester County Council highways chiefs were set to meet to discuss whether to ban parking in a Bromsgrove road.

Residents in Stourbridge Road could be banned from parking near the Community Hospital, after 13 accidents in which people had been injured.

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.