Memory Lane

A RECRUITING rally was held in Bromsgrove, organised by the representatives of the Trades Union and local recruiting committee.

Proceedings began with a procession featuring representatives from Bromsgrove School, Cadet Corps, Bromsgrove Voluntary Aid Detachment, Bromsgrove Women’s Volunteer Reserve and Stoke Farms Bands.

The procession began in Market Street, travelling through High Street, Worcester Street, before finishing at St John Street.

The streets were lined with thousands of people, and the event concluded with a public meeting near the Town Hall.

BROMSGROVE fire brigade were called to Finstall Village Hall, where the roof was on fire.

It was thought the fire, which caused £150 damage, had been started by overheating of pipes from the stove, used for warming the hall.

IN one of the worst weeks since the war had begun, the Messenger reported on the deaths of six soldiers in the Worcestershire and the War section.

Among them was Sapper Francis L Sheasby, of the Royal Engineers, who was known in Bromsgrove as a prominent member of Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club.

Sapper Sheasby had been killed in action in Ypres, and was the second member of Bromsgrove Rugby Club to fall in the war.

November 12, 1965.

A PLAN had been unveiled to close the Plaza cinema, in Church Street, and demolish it to build a petrol station.

The cinema was the only such theatre within 20 miles, and if demolished and it would leave only one in Longbridge between Worcester and Selly Oak.

The site was near one of the inner ring roads of the future that would carry traffic northwards, round the pedestrianised shopping precinct that it was proposed to convert Bromsgrove High Street into.

AT a meeting in Cofton Park, Rednal, 300 key day Austin workers who had gone on strike over a management decision to transfer them to the night shift, agreed to return to work.

Night shift working had been stopped in 1962 but management planned to re-introduce it that November. The men had returned to work as it was expected an investigation could be launched.

RESIDENTS on Fordhouse estate had secured premises in which they hoped to be able to open a pre-school play group for the benefit of families with young children.

Arrangements were being made with Bromsgrove Baptist Church to use its schoolroom in Ednall Lane.

The group was expected to launch in January 1966.

November 8, 1990.

GENEROUS readers had help raise the money to buy a minibus for the Primrose Hospice.

The Advertiser’s appeal with the hospice had been launched in March and had raised a staggering £18,295.

Pat Thursfield, from the hospice, said everyone was thrilled and they couldn’t thank Advertiser/Messenger readers enough.

LABOUR councillor Councillor Peter McDonald said a company director who built a three storey bungalow, had made a monkey out of the planning committee.

Mick Parry had built the bungalow twice the size it should have been on the wrong spot at his dream home in Belbroughton.

Planners had given permission for a two bedroom bungalow but after being built it was inspected, and found to not be the size or in the spot agreed.

Mr Parry feared it would have been demolished, but it had been announced he would be allowed to keep it as it was.

But Cllr McDonald said he could not understand how someone could be allowed to get away with it.

BROMSGROVE Rovers had kept up their promotion challenge with a comfortable victory.

Rovers had beaten Dorchester 4-0 at the Victoria Ground, a result that lifted them into second in the Beazer Homes League Premier Division.

On the scoresheet were Shaun O’Meara and Martin O’Connor.

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.