A Retrospect

1896

April 30 A special sessions was held at the Police Court before his honour Judge INGHAM, and Messrs. S. H. BICKHAM and F. RICARDO, when Messrs. RALPH, PREECE, DAVIES, &Co., of Hereford, were summoned by the Ledbury Rural Council, under the Highway and Locomotive Amendment Act, 1878, to show cause why they should not pay to the Rural Council the sum of ₤144 13s. 1d., the proportion of the alleged damage done on the main road (No. 1) in the parishes of Tarrington and Pixley. After several hours' hearing the bench found that there had been extraordinary traffic, and assessed the damages at ₤75, and ordered defendants to pay the costs.

May 1 A similar charge was preferred against Mr. Thomas PARRY, of Hereford. The circumstances of the alleged damage and the amount of claim were similar to the previous case. The bench considered the case made out and ordered the defendant to pay ₤25 damages and costs; notice of appeal was given.

May 20 The following tradesmen were summoned for alleged obstruction in consequence of their blinds being less than 8 feet from the pavement: Messrs. H. & T. BRAY, SMITH Bros. & G. C. SPENCER.

1897

August 11 the magistrates signed a rate for Ledbury Urban at 7d. in the ₤ on agricultural land, and 1/2 on houses and buildings.

September 19 Mr. Chas. E. LILLEY, Solicitor, Ledbury, was appointed Registrar of the Ledbury County Court, in the place of the late Mr. George H.PIPER.

October 22 Sir Richard HARINGTON, at the County Court, feelingly referred to the loss sustained by the death of Mr. G. H. PIPER. Mr. Frederick RUSSELL, on behalf of the solicitors, also suitably spoke.

1898

January 4 At the Herefordshire Quarter Sessions, Messrs. J. G. BENNETT & Co. appealed against the decision of the Ledbury Magistrates in refusing to renew the license of "The Chequers" Inn, High Street, Ledbury, but the appeal was dismissed.

May 23 The newly-erected County Court Of?ces in Bank Crescent were opened for the ?rst time.

July 4 It was announced that Mrs. William CALE, of New Town, and Thomas PLAYER, of Homend, Ledbury, had each been left legacies of ₤2,000.

August 10 At Ledbury Petty Sessions, application was made for the transference of the licence of The Chequers Inn, High Street, from J. G. BENNETT to H. BRIERLEY, of Kidderminster, but the application was refused, and the house has not been opened as licensed premises since.

August 28 With the advent of the hop-picking season there was again an in?ux of tramps, and many disorderly scenes were witnessed in the streets. Some of the offenders were severely dealt with by the magistrates.

September 7 The Annual Licensing Session was held, when Superintendent PHILLIPS' report was favourable

1900

September 5 Ledbury Brewster Sessions. The Bench refused Mr. CAVE's application for license for proposed large Hotel at Colwall.

1901

September 4 Annual Licensing Sessions; decrease of drunkenness; old licenses renewed.

1902

February 1 At this date the local litigation case, in which Miss Bishop, of Ledbury, sued the Ledbury Urban Council for alleged pollution of a well in Bye Street, was settled by the Council paying ₤100 damages and the costs on both sides.

October 23 At Ledbury County Court the action A. J GRIFFIN v. the Ledbury Urban Council, in which the Plaintiff claimed damages for alleged wrongful dismissal as pumping engineer, failed.