While most parents seem satisfied with baptising their children with one or two Christian names, the Field family of Wickhamford appeared to have gone overboard in this area.  The usual entries in the Baptism Register are of one or two children’s names, with very rarely more.

For just over 30 years, Edward Appelbee (or Applebee as the name sometimes appears) lived in Badsey and, over the years, acquired land in the village; his widow, Elizabeth, remained in Badsey until her death nearly 30 years later.  The Appelbees were a well-established Warwickshire family of yeoman farmers, farm bailiffs, wheelwrights, etc, but were never landed gentry.  

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The Evesham Standard of 21st June 1913 reported on a Petty Sessions case in Evesham concerning an assault, in Wickhamford, on Mrs Emily Hartwell by Mrs Edith Carr, aged 42.  This had taken place at the lower end of Manor Road, on afternoon of the 3rd of June.  Mr O.H. New appeared for the prosecution and Mr A.F. Alcock defended.  The case was also briefly reported in the Birmingham Gazette of 17th June with the by-line ‘Women at Variance’.   The case was held before Mr A.H. Martin and other magistrates.

The most elaborate tombstone in the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Wickhamford, is that of John and Ann Wilson.  It has elaborate decoration, a very long sentimental verse of eleven lines and details of the parents of those buried there. (‘Ann’ and ‘Anne’ are the two spellings of her name that occur in the records).

One of the first motorized ploughs in the country was invented by a Badsey man, Albert Wyles (son of Littleton & Badsey Growers’ one-time secretary), who lived in Badsey at the beginning of the 20th century. This is his story.

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