1943 A Retrospect Tilley's Almanack

Chronological extracts completed from the "Ledbury Free Press"

January 4 One of Ledbury’s oldest inhabitants, Miss Mary Ann Elizabeth HILL, of 30 The Homend, died on her 91st birthday.

January 13 William James PREECE, of Brinsop, driver of a motor coach, was killed when the vehicle collided with a bus near Ledbury Railway Station. A verdict of ‘accidental death’ was recorded at the inquest.

January 25 A variety show given by the Supierrots’ Concert Party at the Drill Hall, raised £65 for British Red Cross Prisoners of War Food Parcels Fund.

February 1 At the monthly meeting of Ledbury Urban Council, Mr H W ORME was congratulated by the members for 25 years’ service as Clerk to the Council, having been appointed to the post on January 1st 1918.

February 9 Three hundred patrons attended the Ledbury Police ball, held at the Drill Hall in aid of the County Constabulary Benevolent Fund.

February 17 At the annual installation meeting of the Eastnor Lodge of Freemasons, held at the Masonic Temple, Brother Frank C. HOOPER was installed Worshipful Master for the year.

February 23 A gift auction sale at the Drill Hall, in aid of British Red Cross Prisoner of War Parcels Fund, realised £284 8s 0d.

March 5 At the annual meeting of Ledbury Cottage Hospital, held at the Town Hall, a very satisfactory year’s working was reported, the record number of 600 patients had been admitted during the year.

April 11 Annual confirmation service at the Ledbury Parish Church, when 86 candidates were confirmed by the Bishop of Hereford.

April 16 At the annual meeting of Ledbury Urban Council, Mr F F C BRADFORD was elected chairman for the ensuing year.

April 21 The Oxford Pilgrim Players gave a performance of a Passion Play ‘The Way of the Cross’ at Ledbury Parish Church in the presence of a large congregation.

April 30 The annual dancing display given at the Drill Hall by pupils of Miss Grace DOVEY raised £90 1s 3d for Mrs CHURCHILL’s Aid to Russia Fund.

May 4 Ledbury Cottage Hospital annual ‘Pound Day’.

May 8 The annual collection held in Ledbury on behalf of the British Sailors Society realised £41 14s 0d.

May 13 Exchange of plaques ceremony at the Town Hall, to commemorate the efforts during Ledbury ‘Worship Week’ in December 1941, when over £100,000 was invested in National Savings.

May 16 Upwards of a thousand spectators were on the Town Football Ground to witness a ceremonial parade and demonstration by ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies, 5th (Ledbury) Battalion, Herefordshire Home Guard, in connection with the third birthday of the force.

May 18 Death of Rev. J J AGAR-ELLIS, MA, which occurred at his residence, Southmead, The Southend, in his eightieth year.

May 29 Opening day of the Ledbury and District ‘Wings for Victory’ Week. The opening ceremony at the Town Hall was preceded by a parade and march-past in which upwards of 800 personnel took part. The week’s programme comprised a round of entertainments and social events every day in a great endeavour to attain the target of £100,000. As a result of the week’s activities the original target was more than doubled, the grand total of £203,670 having been invested.

June 17 Mr Thomas JOHNSON, of Bye Street, who for 60 years was a member of Ledbury Parish Church Choir, died at the age of 80.

June 27 The Archbishop of Cardiff (Dr. Michael McGRATH) paid his first visit to the Ledbury Catholic Church.

June 28 A variety show given at the Drill Hall by Supierrots Concert Party realised £51 18s 6d for the Merchant Navy Comforts Fund.

July 14 Court House School annual sports held at the Drill Hall.

July 31 ‘Daisy Day’ street collections in Ledbury raised £37 15s 0d for the National Children’s Home and Orphanage.

August 2 Organised by a band of local girls known as the ‘Busy Bees’, a bazaar and concert held at the Drill Hall in support of Mrs CHURCHILL’s Aid to Russia Fund, proved an outstanding success. Together with a competition for a bicycle, the event realised a grand total of £215 8s 4d.

August 12 Ledbury Ladies Working Party annual sale of work and fete, held in the Rectory garden, in aid of Parish Church funds resulted in the sum of £140 8s 4d.

August 12 RAF band concert held in Ledbury Park in aid of the Red Cross Prisoners of War Fund, when a silver collection realised £23 3s 6d.

August 14 Ledbury Garden Produce Club’s second annual show held at the Drill Hall.

September 19 At an ordination held by the Bishop of Hereford in the Cathedral, Mr R J BLAKEWAY-PHILLIPS was ordained deacon and licensed to the parish of Ledbury, where he succeeds the Rev. W N TAVERNER as Curate.

October 7 Miss Teresa BERKLEY, wife of Mr C BERKLEY, watchmaker and jeweller of the Homend, died with tragic suddenness. Leaving home in the morning for her usual daily walk, she was later discovered in Dog Hill wood in a collapsed condition and subsequently died at the Cottage Hospital.

October 14 A prominent local farmer and hop-grower, Mr Hubert William BRAY of Baynhams, Ledbury, died at the age of 68.

October 16 Street collections in Ledbury for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution realised £31 12s 3d.

October 26 Promoted by local farmers in aid of the Ledbury and District Agricultural Red Cross and Cottage Hospital Fund, the fourth annual ‘Gift Auction Sale’ was held in the Cattle Market and raised a grand total of £1497 3s 6d.

October 30 Ceremony at the Town Hall when plaques and certificates of honour were presented on behalf of the Air Ministry, in recognition of the great success of Ledbury and District ‘Wings of Victory’ week, when the target of £100,000 was more than doubled.

October 30 A grand total of 48,612 books resulted from a book and salvage drive in Ledbury and district.

November 4 Annual ‘Gift Day’ organised by the local branch C.E.M.S. in aid of Parish Church funds realised £52 13s 6d.

November 11 ‘Poppy Day’ collections in Ledbury Urban in aid of Earl Haig’s Fund amounted to £116 3s 7d.

November 11 The Red Cross Prisoners of War Fund was augmented by £100 8s 0d as a result of a flag whist drive and other competitions held at the Drill Hall.

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