THE children of tramps in the Malvern area was the subject of concern in the Malvern News 100 years ago.

The paper reported that, at a meeting of the Worcestershire Standing Joint Committee, chairman Mr J W Willis Bund read out a report from the Malvern superintendent of police.

"He said that in Malvern there were many wandering parents who took their children about with them, and did not send them to school.

"These parents could be summoned under the Education Act, and a court of summary jurisdiction could send the children to an Industrial School.

"No contribution towards the keep of the children were made by the parents and the cost fell upon the county.

"He thought that, on educational grounds, the Education Committee should be asked to consider the best method of dealing with the children, and he moved a resolution accordingly."

Moving away from the social problems of 1911, the News also reported that "the Committee of the Malvern Link Coronation Festivities decided to expend their small surplus on the planting of an oak tree, and fixing round it an iron seat, on the lower Link Common early in November.

"The bareness of the common is apparent to all, and the committee feel that great comfort would be afforded the large number of people who use the common if several trees were planted parallel with the railway line, and a number of seats provided."

"To enable them to carry out their ideas in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, and have a beautifying, worthy and useful memorial of the coronation of Their Majesties, they make this appeal for financial support."