Grandstand View.
basil | 2/16/2005 | 1:27 pm
1953 WORCESTER REGATTA.
Laden with 300 tons of petrol the “Regent Swallow” passes the club house blocking the spectators view of the race finish.
My Uncle Bob was Club Captain and a few years earlier
persuaded me to participate, Max
Pitchcroft, 1911.
A ballon filled with explosive hydrogen gas takes off from Pitchcroft Common. In the basket with the passengers were several hessian sacks filled with sand. To bring the balloon down, gas was released from the filler pipe. If the descent was too rapid, sand was poured over the side to slow things down. A fine balance had to be maintained, otherwise things became uncontrollable. When the Zeppelin airship exploded, hydrogen was replaced with natural helium. Max.
Bathing barges at Pitchcroft.
In the 1930�s an annual one mile cross river swim for schoolboys, from Keepax to the Grandstand bathing barges at Pitchcroft took place.Bathing barges existed until the 1940’s. We used to go from school and return in a shivering crocodile. Max
.
Skaters on Pitchcroft, 1890’s.
Skaters make the most of the frozen river. The ice was so thick there was an ox roast on several occasions.
It is unlikely to happen nowadays as the power stations and sewage works warm the water. Max.
It is unlikely to happen nowadays as the power stations and sewage works warm the water. Max.
A Wright brothers biplane.
1911 Pitchcroft Worcester a Wright brothers biplane prepares to take off.
Grandstand Hotel.
The old Grandstand Hotel was built in 1823 and demolished in 1974.
The present Grandstand opened in 1976 is on the site of the old hotel. Worcester City Council planned to build the new one, twisted to line up with the racecourse but were stopped when it was pointed out that they didn’t own the Common. Arena Leisure, who run the horse racing facility is only supposed to run 12 winter race meetings annually. Twelve annual meetings is an ancient right, they have run 17 summer events for the past two years and 20 this year. The ratepayers are entitled to an annual haycrop of some value so all racing should stop by April 1st. Arena should be penalised. The Civic Society should stop this abuse. Max.
