Memory Lane

BROMSGROVE residents were being warned that due to a reduction in staff at the Post Office, as postmen continued to sign up to fight for their country, deliveries were now expected to be later in several parts of the district.

The Messenger commented: “This will doubtless be an inconvenience to the public, especially businessmen, but it is expected that they will suffer the conditions without complaint, in the circumstances.”

THE Worcestershire and the War section reported that former Bromsgrove School pupil Captain Norman Kingsley Street had been killed in action in Dardanelles.

Another former pupil of the school, Lieutenant S Travers of the 7th Royal Munster Fusilliers was reported to have been killed in the Mediterranean.

The Messenger also confirmed the deaths of Barnt Green man Second-Lieutenant James Norman Lancaster of the 9th Service Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, and Stoke Works man Private J Willis, who had died from the effects of a shrapnel wound received in Flanders.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, James Hodgkiss, 14, and his father Joseph, of Middle Lane, Wildmoor, were charged with riding bicycles without lights.

PC Stafford proved the case, with each of the defendants being charged 5s.

AN extract from a letter written by Bromsgrove member of the 8th Worcesters, Lance-Corporal WH Wheeler, was published.

In it he wrote: “It is roughly 12 months since this war started and five months since I landed in Sunny France.

“Although we have not finished with them yet, we shall come out on top when we do finish.”

August 22, 1990.

ONE of Bromsgrove’s largest employers threatened to quit the town centre after planners rejected new expansion proposals.

The shock announcement came from Roger Weaver, chairman of Worcester Road-based construction company William Weaver Ltd.

It was made after Bromsgrove District Council’s planning committee refused permission to build a three storey extension at the rear of their existing offices, and a further two-storey office block and car park overlooking the Spadesbourne Brook.

Permission was refused because Weavers declined to enter into a legal agreement with the authority to allow part of their car park to be used by the former Images gym, that was up for sale.

Mr Weaver said it was growing company, and although it was a shame they needed to look at the possibility of moving to expand the organisation.

DOZENS of people were due in court for the first hearings of the non payment of the poll tax.

Nearly 300 people were issued summonses and the Charford Anti-Poll Tax Union were to attend court.

Marion Owen, chairman of the union, stressed its main objective was to advise people turning up at court, adding it was hoped magistrates would listen to each case.

A MAJOR campaign to crackdown on under age drinking was set to get underway.

Licensees of 41 pubs throughout the district had joined forces and issued an ultimatum to young people to get themselves a proof of age card.

Licensee of the Golden Cross Hotel, Dave Edgar, the chairman of the Pub Watch group explained although they had previously accepted driving licenses, anyone who looked under 18 would now need pictorial proof under the new scheme.

BROMSGROVE and Droitwich councillors were attempting to introduce stricter anti-graffiti policies that would make prosecution easier.

The county council’s environmental review panel were looking into the issue and they hoped the use of anti-graffiti spray resistant paint on buildings would help stop daubers.

BOFFINS had been baffled by the appearance of a circle of flattened corn in a field near Barnt Green.

The circle appeared on farmer Alan McKinnon’s land near Blackwell Road.

Mr McKinnon were convinced it was a hoax, expecially as circles had hit the national news after scientists began examining them, with some claiming they had been caused by UFOs.

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.