"THE apocryphal remark attributed to the Elder of a Scotch kirk, 'Friends, was have tried all honest means to raise the money and now we will have a bazaar' might, with a certain amount of aplification be applied to Malvern, for surely there is no other place in the kingdom where bazaars are sought after with such avidity by the public or obtain such phenomenal financial success," wrote Ariel in the Gazette 100 years ago.

"Within the past few days we have had no less than six under the titles of sales of work and rummage sale, and before Christmas a few more will probably be added to the list.

"If, in the English language, bazaar needed a gender, it would assuredly be marked down as feminine, for of all things that delight the ladies, it is a bazaar.

"The prerogative of organisation and carrying them out belongs to woman without dispute, and to the ladies must be accorded the credit for whatever success is gained."

Elsewhere, the Gazette reported the case of Ernest Frederick Taylor of Malvern Wells, who was suing Wilfred and Co of Birmingham for wrongful dismissal.

"One of the allegations against him was that he misused the company's telephone and that he had so tampered with the office telephone system so as to be able to speak to a lady named Miss Sturge elsewhere without the managing director being aware that the conversation was taking place.

"Taylor denied the suggestion, and evidence was called to show that the telephoning related to business matters. The jury found for the plaintiff for £250 damages, while on a counter-claim, the defendants were awarded £77."