50 Years Ago, February 8, 1958

3:56pm Monday 4th February 2008

FORMER postman Alfred Taylor, from Highfields, Bromsgrove, celebrated his 102nd birthday and revealed he had just received his first ever demand from the taxman. He wrote back saying he only has his pension and a small one at that. He recalled that as young postmen they could earn good conduct' stripes for their uniforms if they went five years without a complaint being made against them. This entitled them to an extra 1/- a week. When he retired his wage was 30/- a week.

A BIRMINGHAM couple, Ernest and Edith Spencer, were found dead on board their houseboat, Lady Luck, moored at New Wharf at Tardebigge. An inquest at Bromsgrove Magistrates' Court decided that Ernest had strangled his wife two days before taking an overdose of aspirin.

RUBERY chemist Albert Grosvenor was remembered in the will of his old friend Charles Barden, who kept the Star Hotel at Upon-on-Severn. In his £11,500 estate he had left him all his vintage port. The pair had become friends when Charles was landlord of the Bell Inn at Bell End.

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