The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress

Feckenham Forester, Issue 3

Following the success of the first two editions of this local history magazine, the 2016 issue is now available.

The 2016 issue contains new articles on the history of the Redditch, Inkberrow, Feckenham, Hanbury area and surrounding villages in east Worcestershire (the ancient Feckenham Forest area) from Tudor times to the 20th century.

It may be purchased (price £3.50) from Feckenham Forest History Society meetings or from several outlets in the Feckenham area. For more information contact the editor: Richard Churchley, tel: 01527 892361 or email: rachurchley [at] totalise.co.uk.

For details of the society see www.feckenham-forest-history-society.org.uk.

AGM 2015

The Bromsgrove Society held its Annual General Meeting on 2nd July 2015 at the Guesten Hall, Avoncroft Museum.

The chairman of the Society for the next year was elected, this being John Sketchley who is a retired local authority engineer - see photograph.

Also the officers and president were re-elected with two members standing down and two new members being elected, Jo Slade and Alistair Moseley.

There was a lively discussion about excessive traffic in the district of Bromsgrove to which the Society is seeking the right answer to alieviate the congestion which is currently prevalent.

After the meeting members were told about the proposals for the Tudor House in New Road, by the architect for the conservation of this building, Nick Joyce of Worcester. Members were shown pictures of the original house and survey details of the current building.The architect and builders are awaiting final confirmation for the reinstatement work to commence which it is hoped will be very shortly.

New Book on St John's Church

Fairly Mounted on a Hill is a new book by local historian and past church warden of St John's church, Simon Henderson. He  has researched the history of the building using the stories of the people who lived in Bromsgrove and whose lives have touched the church. A lively book about the people who bring a building to life.

Play your part in the Story of St John's:
Simon has given the book to the Friends of St John's to publish and sell as a fundraising initiative. To finance the publication we are inviting people to subscribe. Subscription is just £25. For this you will get: a signed copy of "Fairly Mounted on a Hill"; an invitation to the launch event; and your name printed in the first edition of the book.

By subscribing you will permit this wonderful book to be published. The fabulous stories within the book, which bring back to life the people of Bromsgrove, will be told to many, and forever live on. 

For details of how to subscribe see here.

Updates

The Bromsgrove Society is now on Twitter. You can follow us at @bromsgrovesoc.

An 1880s Ordinance Survey map of Bromsgrove is now available online, allowing you to view the history of each building in the High Street, along with its location in Bromsgrove today. [external link]

Our Bromsgrove Cemetery Walk pages have a new poster on the cemetery tree trail.

Bromsgrove Lecture Report 2015

Speaker, Ralph Richardson (centre), with Bromsgrove Society Chairman, Reg Longshaw; and President, John Weston

The Bromsgrove Lecture for 2015, a premier event in the Bromsgrove Society’s year, was held on the evening of 31st March and proved to be an outstanding success.

The lecture was a complete sellout, with a capacity audience in Routh Hall at Bromsgrove School and so a great success for The Bromsgrove Society.

This lecture, a unique event in the area with its topical subject and local knowledgeable speaker, attracted the attention of a considerable number.

The speaker, Ralph Richardson, gave a detailed, clear and humorous account of His Glorious Majesty – Richard III which received a rousing ovation from the audience.

The lecture proved so popular that enquirers for tickets were turned away and no tickets were available at the door. The moral is get your lecture tickets early!

Those who sold tickets are to be thanked, as are Bromsgrove School who have provided the venue for 29 successive years.

Feckenham Forester, 2015

Following the success of the first edition which required two reprints to meet demand, the 2015 issue of this local history magazine is now available.

Items include old railway photographs, the development of Redditch New Town, the spread of the local needle industry, lost local pubs in Hanbury and Cookhill and the World War I experiences of Headless Cross resident Lily Emms who lost two men to the war.