"THE Malvern Horticultural Co, the trading name of Mr D C Stewart, has built two blocks of glass houses at Pickersleigh," reported the Gazette 100 years ago.

"The larger block consists of six houses, each 150 feet by 30 feet, and the smaller of four houses each 133 feet by 15 feet, the total area covered by glass being approximately 39,000 square feet.

"This year the whole of the houses will be devoted exclusively to tomatoes, which will be despatched principally to the large wholesale centres. Later on it is proposed to grow cucumbers and various fruits and flowers."

This undoubtedly refers to what became known as Tomatoland, an informal name still sometimes applied to the housing estate which now occupies that site.

On the same page, we're told that "a new drive from Madresfield Court to the Old Hills is in course of construction. It will enable the shooting parties to reach some of the covers expeditiously, and no doubt it will be traversed by the King, if the report that his Majesty sill be the guest of Earl and Countess Beauchamp in the autumn is well founded."