NOAH Perks and Alexander Bull appeared at Droitwich police court charged with being in possession on Droitwich station of two hampers containing 18 wild rabbits bound for the Black Country. The pair, who failed to give the court a satisfactory explanation of how they came to be in their possession, were each fined £5/11/6 with costs of £1/1/0. Instead of paying the fine the pair opted to do hard labour at Worcester Jail for two months.

BROMSGROVE'S new cricket ground opened at New Road, an occasion said to be a great day in the town's history.' The opening was performed by Lady Chavasse, from Barnt Green. The cost was £740 and there was still £400 outstanding on the mortgage. In his speech to the assembled dignitaries and club officials the vicar of Bromsgrove, the Rev Noel Patterson, publically paid tribute to the Perkins brothers whose efforts for the club both on and off the field behind the scenes had helped elevate Bromsgrove to a new height in local cricket.

THE cuckoo was heard again for the first time in Bromsgrove this week. And the first swallows of the summer were spotted in the locality on Wednesday.

THE fine weather helped swell the numbers of people who attended Mr Cotton's great annual spring horse show and sale in Droitwich. Buyers came from as far afield as London and Liverpool and some excellent prices were realised, especially in the heavy horse section.

A QUICK look at some of the advertisement columns in the Messenger a century ago revealed Powells Nursery in Church Fields, Bromsgrove, had a wide range of bedding plants for sale, including petunias at 3d per dozen and marrow plants at 1d each. Meanwhile Barnt Green poulterer, fruiterer and fishmonger Ben Walker was proud to proclaim he made twice daily deliveries of his produce to customers in neighbouring villages. And sporting shopkeepers and their staffs were invited to a meeting in The Bell pub in High Street with a view to reforming the Early Closers Cricket Club.