July 10, 1915.

AT Bromsgrove Petty Sessions, Meredith Eades, of High Street, was charged with selling milk which was not of the substance required by law.

Mr Hobson, the prosecutor, said they were living at a critical time, and so it was important people should obtain the food demanded.

The court heard the milk had been put into three bottles for analysis, with a certificate issued showing the milk was deficient in fatty solids to the extent of 20 per cent.

The court was told she had now given up selling milk all together.

The defendant was fined £1, 2s and 6d and £1,1s solicitors fee.

AT a Bromsgrove Rural District Council meeting Mr Crooke called attention to the bad condition of the road from Barnt Green to Alvechurch, towards Bittell Lane, suggesting a greater arch should be given to the road to keep the water off.

It was decided to put a drain in to deal with the matter effectively.

IN the Worcestershire and the War section it was reported that Sergeant Guy Haseler, of the 5th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, had been killed in action.

Mr Haseler was a former Lickey Hills schoolboy, but had gone travelling. When war broke out he was in New York, so returned to England to join the forces.

Also in the section an extract from a letter from Private W Penrice, of Bromsgrove, with contributions from H Mogg of Belbroughton, about life in the trenches was published.

The writers, both of the 1st Worcesters, said they had “stuck it through winter”. They wrote they had suffered frost bite in March, and they did not want it to go through the same again the following winter – but from what they could see they would still be there.

They added that in the week before the letter was written, the enemy had sent over trench mortars and rifle grenades, but fortunately no one was hurt.

July 9, 1965.

THE Minister of Housing and Local Government, Richard Crossman, had turned down the appeal of a Blackheath building firm that wanted to build an estate of 40 houses in Belbroughton.

The site discussed was six acres of farm land, between The Furlongs and Yew Tree Avenue council estate.

In issuing his decision the Minister said the site was one of three important gaps between development at the villages of Holy Cross and Belbroughton.

He said to allow the scheme would only result in extreme pressure to fill other gaps and the villages between them would then collapse into one unit.

THE future of the Church Institute at Stoke Works was discussed at a meeting of Wychbold Parochial Church Council.

The vicar, the Reverend R Hunter-Bailey, said: “It is evident the institute no longer serves the purpose for which it was built 60 years ago, as this function is now carried out by the Recreation Centre at Salt Works.

“At the same time though it is a very good building. But to what end should the parish spend several hundred pounds, which it cannot afford, on the building?”

DROITWICH Borough Council approved, in principle, proposals for a Boycott housing estate – the second housing estate of the town’s expansion programme.

BROMSGROVE Rotarians welcomed in their new president, Ernie Roberts, who said the first duty of the club would be to achieve its target of extending Amphlett Hall.

Mr Roberts gave details of various events that would be held to achieve the target.

AUSTRALIAN county cricketers, who had travelled 10,000 miles from their home for a four month tour, had made a stop in Bromsgrove.

The large group enjoyed lunch, then gathered for a picture that was published in the Messenger.

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.