FIGURES obtained from last year's census revealed that far from being dead the handmade nailing trade in Bromsgrove still employed 964, people split equally between men and women. However, these figures served to highlight the industry was in decline when compared to the 1851 census which showed that 3,119 were earned their living at the nail block.

AN INQUEST into the death of a child born to single mother Olive Davis from Fairfield held at the Woodman pub, Clent, failed to establish the cause of death. The child's body had been discovered in a mangold bury. Davis along with a married labourer James Baylis was in custody charged with concealing the body. Both were set to appear at the next assizes.

GEORGE Irish from Fairfield, Bromsgrove, was brought before the town's police court on the serious charge of stealing 2/6 (12.5p) worth of mistletoe from the late Thomas Rolinson's estate. As was usual in such cases the bench took a dim view of this and fined him 7/6 (37.5p) plus the same in costs and in addition made him pay the cost of the mistletoe or serve 14 days' hard labour.

THE landlord at the Horn and Trumpet pub in Kidderminster Road, Bromsgrove, was organising a live pigeon shoot on Boxing Day for which he had put up a purse of £5. The entrance fee was 5/- (25p) and 6d (2.5p) for spectators who could look forward to refreshments worth half that amount.