100 years ago. August 1, 1914.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions William Griffiths, of Hewell Road, Barnt Green, was charged with indecent language in Withey Green Road. Police constable Griffiths proved the case, saying the defendant was drunk at the time. Defendant was fined 5s and 7s 6d costs or 14 days.

The Messenger reported there had been no change in the salt trade strike at Stoke Works and Droitwich.

Delegates from Droitwich and Stoke Works saw the managers of the Salt Union at Liverpool, but there had been no settlement reached.

The Salt Union offered a 2s rise to day labour. A mass meeting had been held in the football field in Droitwich which was largely attended. The men unanimously refused the rise offered by the Salt Union.

50 years ago. July 31, 1964.

MORE than 40 teachers from overseas countries had taken part in a summer school at Avoncroft College, Stoke Heath.

The teachers had been learning how to become better instructors in teaching English to foreign language students.

The visitors who had taken the longest time to get to Bromsgrove were from Finland. They drove through Helsinki, through Sweden, crossed by ferry to Denmark, then drove on to Holland before catching a plane. The journey lasted 14 days.

AUSTIN workers who travelled to the Longbridge factory on special service buses were being forced to pay higher fares.

On 10 of the 29 routes, return fares were increasing to amounts “not exceeding 6d”, while another 17 fares were to rise between 7d and 1s.

The decision to increase the fares had been announced after consideration of workers objections at a four-day hearing.

THE views of the management committee of The Poplars elderly people’s home, in Wychbold, was being sought after an offer of Dodderhill Parish Council to give the area to Droitwich Rural District Council.

The area adjourned the elderly people’s houses and, because of the untidiness, it was felt the district should take over.

ANN Dixon had written to the Advertiser to complain that her household was having to wait almost three weeks for a refuse collection.

The issue was that her bin had not been emptied during the usual fortnightly collection period, and workers were now on a week’s holiday.

The town resident added it was a public disgrace, with risks to the illness of children.

A council spokesman said all accessible bins had been emptied prior to the holiday, and where collections resumed overtime would be worked to get collections back to normal.

The spokesman added a weekly collection service was being considered.

25 years ago. August 3, 1989.

A BROMSGROVE bobby was dusting off his helmet and uniform before going back on the local beat he left more than 11 years ago.

PC John Bishop had spent 11-and-a-half years as Coroner's officer for the Bromsgrove and Droitwich area.

But his job was being undertaken by civilian staff, in an effort to put more police officers on the streets.

BROMSGROVE health club Images had been sold for more than £500,000.

Gerfin, a company set up by Bromsgrove businessmen Derek and Chris Clayton, had taken over the running of the club from Hobson – a Midlands manufacturing company.

PASSENGERS travelling on an Inter City high speed train had a narrow escape when it collided with a van stranded on the track near Barnt Green.

The incident happened when the Bradford to Paignton train sped towards Barnt Green station at more than 70 miles per hour.

The train hit the British Rail maintenance van, stranded on the line after a steering fault.

No one was injured, though two were treated for shock. The 400 passengers were able to continue their journey on other trains.

HARD-PRESSED firemen said thoughtless motorists were adding to their problems in the hot weather.

Soaring temperatures meant calls in Bromsgrove and Droitwich area had more than doubled that month.

In one incident, as firefighters thought a roadside fire, watching motorists were starting other fires by throwing cigarette ends out of their window.

Leading fireman Kevin Harris said: “We couldn’t believe our eyes.”

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.