I decided to write this short article as a memorial to Brenda Carter, who I had known since I was a very young child, as her father had land next to my father’s land on Pitcher Hill. She was also well known by four generations of Wickhamford villagers.
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When the 1841 Census was carried out, on 6th June, one household in Wickhamford consisted of only four young girls – the Sharp family. These girls were listed as Ann, aged 18, Charlotte, aged 15, Eliza, aged 10 and Harriet, aged 8. The occupation of all of them was given as ‘silk throwster’. They would have worked at the Silk Mill in Badsey.
Market gardening produce grown in Badsey, Aldington and Wickhamford, was sent by freight train from either Littleton & Badsey Station or Aldington Station.
Every year, British Railways issued special traffic arrangements in connection with freight trains. The booklet pictured below was issued in July 1955 for the 1955 season, and gave the special arrangements in connection with the working of fruit and vegetable traffic at freight train rates, Worcester Operating District. A footnote at the bottom said:
THE GLADSTONIAN ROWDYISM AT BADSEY
At the Evesham County Petty Sessions on Monday before Alderman Averill (chairman) and Messrs F C Holland, R F Tomes, J Ashwin and T Adkins, Walter William Blake (24), gardener, Badsey, was summoned by Charles Jones, gardener, recently of Badsey, for assaulting and beating him on July 4th. A cross-summons charged Jones with assaulting Blake. Mr G L Eades appeared for Jones, and Mr W Tree (Worcester) for Blake.
ELECTION JOTTINGS – MR IMPEY AND THE VILLAGERS
LIBERAL MEETING AT BADSEY
MR IMPEY DRAWN THROUGH THE VILLAGE – DISTURBERS EJECTED
Mr F Impey, after addressing a meeting at Bretforton on Monday evening, drove to Badsey. On arriving at the top of the village, he was met by a number of persons, who then cheered him and took the horse from the conveyance and dragged the candidate in triumph to the bottom where the meeting was held.
POLITICS AND VIOLENCE AT BADSEY
William Walter Blake*, gardener, Badsey, was charged with assaulting Charles Jones, gardener, of the same place, on July 4. Mr G L Eades prosecuted and Mr Warren Tree defended. There was also a cross-summons.
Mr Eades, in his opening remarks, described the assault as murderous and asked for severe punishment.
BADSEY “WREN” MARRIED
St James’ Church, Badsey, was the scene of the wedding on Saturday between Wren Sylvia Grace Bird, youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs C J Bird, of The Stores, Bretforton Road, Badsey, and Petty Officer Peter William Craig, only son of Mr & Mrs W Craig of 56 Runnymede Avenue, Gillingham, Kent.
The bride, a native of Badsey, has served in the Wrens for past 18 months being a switchboard operator at the RN Air Station at Abbotsinch, Scotland. Before joining the Service she was a popular Evesham Post Office telephonist.
BADSEY WEDDING
The wedding took place at St James’ Church, Badsey, on Wednesday, of Miss Patricia Mustoe, fifth daughter of Mrs and the late Mr E Mustoe of The Orchards, Badsey, and Mr Leonard Charles Lord, third son of Mr & Mrs S Lord of Middle Littleton.
NORLEDGE – ROOKER
The wedding took place at St James’ Church, Badsey, on Saturday, of Miss Betty Rooker of Bretforton Road, Badsey, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs W Rooker of Alphamstone near Burns, and Mr Gerald Frank Norledge, youngest son of Mr & Mrs H Norledge, Badsey Lane, Evesham.
