Memory Lane

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, Fanny Warman of Church Street was charged with obstructing High Street by standing for an unreasonable time.

PC Marsh said he saw the defendant standing with four others near Mr Chappell’s office on a Sunday afternoon.

They were causing an obstruction, but when asked to move the defendant refused to go.

The witness observed the defendant for a further 10 minutes, while several people were forced to go into the road to get passed.

Defendant refused her address, and she hit the witness and also bit his thumb.

The defendant was fined 5s.

IN the Worcestershire and the War section, the Messenger reported on the deaths of several Bromsgrove soldiers.

Private John Thomas Morris of the Britannia Inn had been killed in action on September 24 – while serving with the 4th Worcesters at the Dardanelles.

Private Harry Sheppard, of Mere Green Cottages Hanbury, was wounded in fighting at the Dardanelles.

The 29-year-old, a member of the 12th Worcesters, later died of his wounds.

There were also reports on the deaths of Bromsgrove men Rifleman Frederick Hall, William Tipping of the Worcestershire Regiment, Private George Albutt of 12th Worcesters and Private Kilner of the 2nd Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.

October 22, 1965.

CAMPAIGNERS had been celebrating after the news they had managed to prevent the closure of Bromsgrove Railway Station.

But the joy of members of the Passenger Action Committee had been shortlived as they were engaged in another battle on behalf of rail users in the district.

Proposals had been revealed to cut the number of railway services during peak periods – a plan described as madness by committee organiser Ronald Swift.

The committee had been in negotiations for more services, but had been shocked to learn of British Railways intention to reduce services to one train to Birmingham in the morning peak period, and one from the city in the evening.

More than 200 ex-servicemen had been present at the latest annual meeting of the various branches of the Royal British Legion in Rubery, Wychbold and Bromsgrove.

The meeting was held in Tardebigge, and members were thanked for raising £500 for the Galonos Home appeal.

A PLANNING officer said it would be a disaster if more old buildings with character were demolished in Bromsgrove High Street.

“Any new buildings erected in their place, however well-designed, would be unlikely to contribute the same charm and character to the street,” BW Barden, the senior planning assistant to Worcestershire County Council, said.

October 18, 1990.

A BEMUSED Wychbold man thought he was in deep water when he received a final demand from East Worcestershire Water Company – until he saw the bill was for just 1p.

Roy Sealers, of Chequers Lane, said he had not received a sensible bill from the company, having previously had a bill of £3.

Pat Pyatt, of the water company, explained they were operating a new computer system that had not been set with a minimum amount of which a bill would not be sent out.

NATIONAL Trust chiefs launched a daring £500,000 bid to save Hanbury Hall for future generations.

The hall was closed to visitors as it was undergoing a major facelift in time for reopening, in January 1991.

There had been fears for the hall, as structural alterations through the centuries had placed the building in jeopardy.

But work was being carried out to reinforce walls with a metal frame, and restore a damaged ceiling.

A RARE 1920s motorbike that had been built in Bromsgrove had been restored to its former glory by Dennis Norton.

The Banshee bike had been bought by Mr Norton and was set to stand alongside another model at Bromsgrove Museum.

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.