THE latest in Faith Renger's series of articles to mark the centenary of the Great War looks at the conflict's impact on Malvern's social and entertainment scene.

A TRAWL through the pages of the Malvern Gazette from 1914 to 1918 reveals that far from being a sombre and dull period, the social scene in Malvern was actually quite vibrant.

The Assembly Rooms in Grange Road offered a diverse programme of concerts, films, lectures and recitals. Clubs and societies continued to meet regularly and charabanc trips were organised weekly during the summer months.

Certain activities such as bonfires on November 5 were banned, but Christmas entertainments were common in the first two years of hostilities, often encouraged by the men fighting abroad. However, as the war dragged on and food supplies dwindled, a number of churches were forced to cancel their Christmas parties for children and elderly parishioners.

Travelling circuses offend many today but provided exciting entertainment 100 years ago.

Malvern residents went along in their hundreds in March 1915 to enjoy Bostock and Wombwell's Travelling Circus on Link Common.

The menagerie included baby lions, tigers, leopards, bears and wolves. There was a wagon full of monkeys and even a travelling hippopotamus. Lion tamers performed in a steel arena with electric lights and children could ride elephants and camels.

Later in the same year, Lord Sanger's Circus set up camp in Albert Road North and had capacity for 15,000 spectators. Aerial acrobatics, Russian Cossacks and trick-riding on horseback featured in the programme.

Sea lion and elephant displays were widely reported, to include details of how elephants were encouraged to perform in costumes; for example, it took 46 yards of silk or satin, trimmed with gold lace, to create a tutu for one elephant.

In 1918 Bronco Bill's Wild West Exhibition arrived at Link Top and for one day entertained the locals with aerial gymnastics, clowns and ponies, as well as scenes in which cowboys and Indians performed daring horseback fights.

Circus animals like elephants and camels were later withdrawn from some of the big circuses and used instead to plough fields and pull heavy loads in places like Norfolk and Sheffield because there was such a shortage of horses during the war.

Top entertainers such as the impersonator Albert Chevalier and concert hall artistes like Vesta Tilley from Worcester made several appearances at the Assembly Rooms.

Performances from nationally acclaimed singer Clara Butt and violinist Marie Hall were also popular, especially among the convalescing soldiers in Malvern's hospitals.

Lectures on the European war were advertised regularly and the cinema screened a number of silent films such as The Battle of the Somme.

Although several clubs and societies were forced to close, such as North Malvern Choral Society and Malvern Link Musical Society due to a lack of male voices, others fared better.

Malvern Camera Club had a large membership and while some of its outings were cancelled, the club became actively engaged in promoting Malvern's scenic views and healthy environment as part of a tourist drive.

New Scouts and Guides companies appeared, along with Girls' Clubs to nurture good housekeeping skills.

Two Women's Institutes at Madresfield and Great Malvern were formed, presided over by Lady Beauchamp.

While flower shows and fetes were held across the district throughout the summer, Madresfield Agricultural Club decided to cancel its annual show for most of the war due to a reduced staff and fewer animals to exhibit.

The annual Strickland fairs on the common below Link Top were also suspended. Other casualties were the annual baby shows held in Malvern but mothers were encouraged to enter their children into similar competitions in Worcester.

The Town Band performed throughout the summer months in the Promenade Gardens opposite the Abbey Hotel.

They played twice a day at 11am and 8pm and gave an extra performance every Saturday in the Station Gardens.

For several decades before the war, Malvern had a contract with a German Rhine Band so assurances had to be given that the bandsmen were all of British origin.

Colwall races took place several times during 1916, but was heavily criticised as they attracted race-goers who arrived in motor cars at a time when there was a petrol shortage.

The same problem affected Woodyatt's Garage which organised motor tours six days a week to places like Broadway, Witley Court, Tintern Abbey and Tewkesbury. Advertisements for GWR railway outings to seaside destinations appeared throughout the year.

Malvern Museum has produced a series of three booklets devoted to the Home Front in Malvern to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War. They are available at the museum.