100 years ago.

On Friday, at the Worcestershire Bankruptcy Court, before Mr Registrar Allen, the public examination in bankruptcy was held of Matthew Jones of the Myrtles, West Malvern, and of 18 Cannon Street, Birmingham, insurance broker. Debtor’s statement of affairs showed gross liabilities amounting to £22,303 16s 1d, with £1,326 12s 4d expected to rank for division. He attributed his position to losses by insurance in consequence of the earthquake in San Francisco. Mr Beale, Birmingham, appeared for the debtor and Mr Perks for the King Insurance Company, London. Debtor said he was formerly an assessor and collector of income tax in Birmingham.

Malvern Gazette, December 26, 1913.

50 years ago.

THE Diplomats, at Malvern Festival Theatre, last week attracted playgoers from far afield - but undoubtedly the longest journey to the theatre was made by Mr and Mrs Francis Goulding, at present staying at Whitbourne Hall, Knightwick. They flew from Iran at 4am on the Wednesday, and arrived in Malvern in time to attend the performance that evening! Mr Goulding, whose association with Iran goes back many years, had spent the last 12 months there as guest of the Shah. Coach parties have attended the theatre from among other places Cardiff, Merseyside, Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry and Oxford.

Malvern Gazette, December 27, 1963.

25 years ago.

British Rail’s much-vaunted Sprinter trains, introduced on the Hereford-Worcester line in May, have been withdrawn from service. A BR spokesman said the decision to withdraw the 155 Sprinters followed an incident in which a door had remained open on an empty train. “We have had occasional problems, and thought it prudent that the whole fleet should come in,” he said. The 155s are likely to be out of commission until the new timetables come in next May. The withdrawal must come as a double embarrassment to BR who have featured the 155 Sprinter in their 1989 calendar, alongside a steam train at Great Malvern station.

Malvern Gazette, December 30, 1988.