What’s on in Worcestershire A month-by-month guide to member societies’ events 2019/2020
Please contact Ruth Casemore with your future calendar details or if any information given is incorrect 01905 757329 - [email protected] What’s on in Worcestershire is downloadable from the website – www.wlhf.org.uk If you are interested in any of the talks/speakers/societies, contact the Programme Secretary of the Society concerned, details are at the end of this guide. Please view Member Societies’ websites for full details of their activities.
------September 2019------
2nd AHS A History of Sugar and the Kidderminster Factory Robert Barber 3rd HH&FS The Great Fire of Warwick Gillian White 4th MFHS Travel before the Railways Celia Heritage 4th DHAS The Norton Collection Museum Denis Norton 7th AHS Open Days - 2.30-4.30 - St Laurence Church Stained Glass Windows 9th WCHS Metal detecting finds Mark Hannon (Fieldings Auctioneers) 9th RLHS A walk around Eastern Redditch using a 1903 OS Map Anthony Green 10th FFHS The Mayflower voyages and local connections - WEBHEATH Discover History 11th A&DLHS Embroidered with Woodbine & Eglantine" Elizabethan Textile Furnishings Gillian White 13th WIA&LHS Great Exhibitions: Commerce, the arts and the Empire from 1851-to the present-day Mike Jackson 13th MCS The Worcester Story Discover History 14th AHS Open Days - 2.30-4.30 - St Laurence Church Stained Glass Windows 15th RLHS Heritage Day at Forge Mill Museum 11.00 – 4.00 - Entrance is free 16th C&BHS North Worcestershire Water Mills Julian Hunt 16th BrHS On the Way to London: old routes across the North Cotswolds and Vale of Evesham David Ella 17th LHLHS AGM followed by Lord Austin of Longbridge Max Hunt 18th WLHG Crossings of the River Severn Heather Flack 19th MA/s Guided Tour of Wolverhampton Archives and a talk - £5 – 10.15am Penny Smith 19th CHS Clent Village – a brief look back (Part II) Paul Timmins 19th HHS A Gallery of Pub Signs Ian Bott 21st/22nd LHLHS Free Open Weekend at the Visitor Centre, Warren Lane, Lickey: 11am – 4pm – see what the Society is doing 24th WFHRG Wartime Worcestershire Discover History 24th TVHS Iron Maidens: female conscription in WW2 Ron Gallivan 24th RHHS Edmund Lay – wartime memories Family of Edmund Lay 26th VEHS Of sons and skies (WW2 aerial warfare) Robert Arley 27th WyHS Murder of Mary Ashfield followed by AGM Barrie Stokes
------October 2019------
1st HH&FS Short AGM followed by Prince Rupert of the Rhine: Charles 1’s prince pirate Max Keen 2nd MFHS King John Max Keen 2nd DHAS Early Industries of Kidderminster Robert Barber 3rd PHHS Victorian Worcestershire Discover History 7th AHS Austin Military Vehicles Neil Wedgbury 8th FFHS History of Croome Park - FECKENHAM Joe Turney 9th A&DLHS Horatio Nelson: Britain's Greatest Naval Hero Max Keen 11th WIA&LHS Made in Oldbury Terry Daniels 11th MCS Remembering Powick Hospital Ken Crump 14th WCHS Darling Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Mary Bodfish 14th RLHS Bordesley Abbey Don Vincent 15th MA/s Getting rid of the stink Mike Haynes 15th LHLHS Life and legacy of Eliza Tinsley, Black Country nail mistress: 1818-1882, industrial legend Rebecca Wilton 16th WLHG Light Fantastic – 1,000 years of stained-glass Keith Cattell 17th CHS William Shenstone at the Leasowes Julian Hunt 17th HHS King Charles I: my ancestors’ part in his restoration (the Pendrill Brothers of Boscobel House) Roger Pendrill 21st BrHS Sir Thomas Phillipps and Middle Hill Gerard Molyneux
21st C&BHS Memories of the Midland Red Martin Hobson 22nd WFHRG The National Memorial Arboretum – Landscape Speaker from NMA 22nd RHHS A History of Stourbridge Glass Kate Round 25th WyHS Great British Curiosities Colin Harris 29th TVHS Ley Lines in Worcestershire Andrew Poulton-Smith 31st VEHS From Edburga to Elvis: unusual saints and their churches Richard Churchley 31st Oct-24th Nov RLHS Exhibition: Redditch Memories – Forge Mill National Needle Museum. See RLHS/Forge Mill website for details
------November 2019------
4th AHS Redditch History Walk – East section Anthony Green 5th HH&FS The Earl of Dudley’s Railway Ned Williams 6th DHAS Remembering Nelly Paul Jones 6th MFHS Members Evening 7th PHHS Famous Masons and their footprints Bob James 8th WIA&LHS English Enclosures: 18thC and 19thC agricultural enclosure practices across the Midlands Richard Churchley 11th WCHS Edward I Max Keen 11th RLHS Paolozzi Mosaics Philip Roberts 12hth FFHS The rise and fall of Belbroughton scythe-making industry: WEBHEATH Sarah Bradley 13th A&DLHS To be arranged 18th BrHS 1941 HMS Broadway and the Capture of the German Naval Enigma Machine Doug Eyre 18th C&BHS History of Sugar and the Kidderminster Factory 19th MA/s How I record my family tree and Christmas refreshments Members 19th LHLHS Sentenced to beyond the seas, eight Worcester women deported for their crimes David Clarke 20th WLHG A Brief History of Hallow Park – its owners and occupiers Jacquie Hartwright 21st HHS The History of Defford Airfield Dennis Williams 26th WFHRG Hanbury Hall Derek Clarke 26th TVHS Market Towns Richard Churchley 26th RHHS An Amble around Gloucestershire John Billingham 28th VEHS A Land Army life: memories of service in the Women’s Land Army during WW2 Robin Hill 29th WyHS WW2 Wartime Christmas Ronald Gallivan
------December 2019------
2nd AHS Sir Francis Drake: England’s Greatest Naval Hero Max Keen 3rd HH&FS Christmas songs through the ages: from Boar’s head to Bing Richard Churchley 4th MFHS The Swingin’ 60s Mike Watkins 4th DHAS Magic Lantern Slides Justin Hughes 5th PHHS Christmases Past and Christmas Social 9th BrHS Hailes Abbey and Mystery of the Holy Blood David Haldred 10th WFHRG Christmas Social with the Grace Notes - King Charles Room, First Floor, Kidderminster Town Hall from 2pm - 4pm - Members only 10th TVHS Spinning Yarns Heather Wastie 10th FFHS A merrie yule: FECKENHAM A Merrie Noyse 11th A&DLHS More Constabulary Tales Alan Benjamin 12th VEHS A Victorian Christmas From Time to Time 13th WIA&LHS Ironbridge Gorge: then and now Richard Bifield 16th RLHS Christmas Social – Special Event 16th C&BHS Christmas Social 17th LHLHS Ooh! I remember that …. reminiscences of Redditch with mince pies and punch Geoff Hawkesworth 18th WLHG Ghosts – local legends and stories Heather Rendall 19th HHS The King of the Pirates: restoring Charles II to the throne Carole Clements
------January 2020------
8th MFHS Bletchley Park people Bob Skelt 8th DHAS Richard III – the legend, the history and the bones Carol Southworth 10th WIA&LHS Narrow Gauge Railways David Morgan 13th WCHS Hanbury Hall: garden restoration Neil Cook 14th FFHS Exploring the history of St Nicholas’ Church, Alcester: WEBHEATH Richard Osborne 15th WLHG Worcester in 50 Buildings James Dinn 16th HHS WWI in Pictures: a selection of digitised glass slides from HHS archive David Simons 20th BrHS Russell House – its people and history Malcolm Rogers 20th C&BHS Anglo-Zulu War 1879 Max Keen 21st LHLHS The Lightwoods: the park, house and the military hospital, Bearwood next to Smethwick Mary Bodfish 25th MA/s AGM followed by The life and times of Buffalo Bill Cody - 2.30pm Neil Brazier 28th WFHRG The Coming of the Railway to the Midlands Terry Daniels 30th VEHS King John: the worst king but the greatest legacy? Max Keen 31th WyHS Kinwarton: history of a pint pot parish Alan Godfrey
------February 2020------
5th MFHS Going up country: trade on the River Severn Tony Conder 5th DHAS Railways of Upton-on-Severn Philip Jarvis 6th PHHS Richard III, murderer, loyal brother or England’s greatest king? Max Keen 10th WCHS History of Genealogy Mike Sharpe 11th FFHS Hereward the Wake: the last true Englishman?: FECKENHAM Max Keen 14th WIA&LHS Tewkesbury Railway: conveying coal, ores, chemicals, armaments and workers Ian Boskett 17th BrHS A Builder in Broadway, Charles Edmund Steward Mary and Nigel Smith 17th C&BHS Back-to-Back Houses Derek Clarke 18th LHLHS Prince Rupert of the Rhine, King Charles I’s pirate prince Max Keen 19th WLHG Re-mapping Wichenford – the medieval planning that extended the village Heather Rendall 20th HHS Shelsley Walsh: the history of a village Max Hunt 25th WFHRG Alfred the Great – a king who rode good fortune? Max Keen 25th RHHS Tyntesfield Derek Clarke 27th VEHS Pershore Deborah Overton 28th WyHS Off to the workhouse Richard Churchley 29th MA/s Catching up with family search – 2.30pm Sharon Hintze
------March 2020------
4th MFHS Sentenced to beyond the seas David Clarke 4th DHAS Building Medieval Cathedrals Keith Cattell 5 PHHS AGM followed by The Real ‘Silent Witness’ Helen Whitwell 9th WCHS Managing parks for people and wildlife Edward Andrews 10th FFHS Staffordshire Churches: WEBHEATH Tim Bridges 13th WIA&LHS 50 Worcester Buildings James Dinn 16th BrHS Broadway’s National Schools: its day-to-day running, a first-hand account from Isaac Averill Elizabeth Eyre 16th C&BHS Worcestershire Worthies Anthony Collis 17th LHLHS How radar came to Malvern David Whitaker 18th WLHG The Baldwins of Worcestershire Geoff Shaw 19th HHS History of Dudley Castle 1071-1932 Max Keen 24th WFHRG History of the Acme Whistle Simon Topham 24th RHHS The English Civil War in the areas around Dudley and Halesowen Margaret Bradley 26th VEHS Canal history and heritage Roger Butler 27th WyHS Chadwick Manor George Gascoyne 28th MA/s A yeoman trooper with Laurence of Arabia – 2.30pm Janet Byard-Jones
------April 2020------
1st MFHS Phrenology Louise Robinson 1st DHAS 31 High Street, Droitwich – an architectural gem Lyn Blewitt 10th WIA&LHS Conservation: past, present and future Carl Jukes 14th FFHS AGM followed by Local pubs revisited: FECKENHAM Richard Churchley 15th WLHG Country Life of Yesteryear in Worcestershire David Phillips 16th HHS AGM followed by National Service Discover History 20th WCHS Editing the Kidderminster Shuttle Clive Joyce 20th BrHS History of Sudeley Castle Angel Panrucker 21st LHLHS The Earl of Dudley’s Railway: a private railway from 1829 to 1960s Ned Williams 21st MA/s Am I a Bronte? plus How to get the best from MidAnc website Jo Baker and Phil Lamb 24th WyHS Mad Dogs and Maria Marten Mary Bodfish 28th RHHS King John: the worst or most useful king? Max Keen 28th WFHRG The History of Glass Bottles Dave Butler-Hollington 30th VEHS AGM followed by Florence Nightingale and the Malvern water cure Cora Weaver
------May 2020------
May/Jun LHLHS Visit to a place of historical interest tba 6th MFHS Workhouses Richard Churchley 12th FFHS The story of Eleanor of Aquitaine: WEBHEATH Howard F Robinson 16th MA/s Herbert Austin and Longbridge Max Hunt 18th C&BHS AGM followed by Lichfield Town Crier Ken Knowles 18th BrHS AGM followed by History of Farnham House John Noott 26th RHHS AGM followed by The Blue Bird Toffee Factory Julian Hunt 26th WFHRG Old Occupations Richard Churchley 28th VEHS Death masks and phrenology: Louise Robinson (George Marshall Medical Museum) 29th WyHS The Smallbroke Family Marie Fogg
------June 2020------
3rd MFHS A grandmother’s legacy Jenny Mallin 9th FFHS The history of Evesham: FECKENHAM Carmel Langridge 16th MA/s ‘Bostin Tay Party’ – bring a plate entertainment Marlene Watson 23rd RHHS The Mayflower Discover History 23rd WFHRG Getting into the Swim Mike Loftus
------July 2020------
1st MFHS AGM 21st MA/s Visit to St Mary’s, Kingswinford – 7pm Margaret Penn 28th RHHS Beer, Bets and Bull-Baiting Mary Bodfish 28th WFHRG The Kidderminster Shuttle Clive Joyce
------August 2020------
------September 2020------
15th MA/s Louis Etienne Goule – Part 2 Wendy Larmour
------October 2020------
24th MA/s Open Day for research – 11am to 4pm
------November 2020------
17th MA/s Society researches plus Magic Lantern Show Caroline Mason and Phil Lamb
------December 2020------
WORCESTERSHIRE LOCAL HISTORY FORUM – MEMBER GROUPS AND SOCIETIES
A&DLHS Alcester & District Local History Society, The Sixth-Form Centre, St Benedict’s RC High School, Kinwarton Road, Alcester 2nd Wednesday of month at 8pm Contact: Alan Godfrey – Email: [email protected]
AHS Alvechurch Historical Society, The Museum, School Lane, Alvechurch 1st Monday of month at 7.45pm Contact: Anne Humphries - T: 0121 445 5955
BHRG Bewdley Historical Research Group – meets every Monday evening to research and work on documents about Bewdley aiming to spread its history around the area via publication of their work. For information on activities, please contact Charles Purcell at [email protected]
BrHS Broadway History Society, Main Hall, Lifford Memorial Hall 7pm - Parking at rear of Hall. Non-members welcome £3.00 including refreshments Contact: Mary Smith – E: [email protected] – W: www.broadwayhistorysoceity.wordpress.com
BSLHG Bromsgrove Society Local History Group, Methodist Centre, Stratford Road, Bromsgrove 3rd Tuesday of month at 7.45pm - Members £2 - Visitors £3 Contact: Anne Maguire – Tel: 01527 871354 – E: [email protected]
CCLHS Chaddesley Corbett Local History Society, Village Hall, Chaddesley Corbett DY10 4AQ 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm except March and September at 7.00pm - Members £2.50 - Visitors £3.00 Contact: Rob Blakeway - T: 01562 777679 - E: [email protected]
C&BHS Churchill and Blakedown Historical Society, The Sports Pavilion, Churchill & Blakedown Sports & Recreation Centre, 3rd Monday of month at 8.00pm Contact: Valerie Wood – T: 01562 700168 – E: [email protected]
CHS Clent History Society, Parish Hall, Church Avenue, Clent DY9 9QT Four meetings a year. Meetings at 8pm Contact: Paul Timmins - E: [email protected] – W: www.clenthistory.org
DHAS Droitwich History & Archaeology Society, John Corbett Room, Community Hall, Heritage Way, Droitwich 1st Wednesday of month at 7.30pm Contact: Roy Murphy - T: 01905 620576 – E: [email protected]
FFHS Feckenham Forest History Society, either Village Hall, Heathfield Road, Webheath OR Village Hall, High Street, Feckenham 2nd Tuesday of month at 7.30pm: please check website for any last minute alterations Contact: Jan Cooper – E: [email protected] – W: www.fechenham-forest-history-society.org.uk
FoWA Friends of Worcestershire Archives, Room 2, Level 2, The Hive, The Butts, Worcester Meetings at 7.30pm – Note: Crowngate Multi-storey Car Park £1 after 5pm Contact: Robin Whittaker – E: [email protected]
HHG Hallow History Group, Hallow, Worcestershire Contact: Jeannette Roe – T: 01905 640742 – E: [email protected]
HH&FS Hagley Historical & Field Society, St Saviour’s Church Hall, Hagley 1st Tuesday of month at 8pm Contact: Jean Atkinson - T: 01562 886549 – E: [email protected] – W: www.hhfs.org.uk
HHS Hartlebury History Society, Village Hall, Waresley Court Road, Hartlebury DY11 7TG 3rd Thursday of month at 7.30pm except August Contact: Carol Priest - E: [email protected]
HDDRG Historic Droitwich and Dodderhil Research Group, Olive Branch Community Centre, rear of Droitwich Baptist Church Hall, Ombersley Street East/Winnett’s Lane, Droitwich Spa WR9 8QX Three public meetings per year. Meetings at 10am Contact: Chris Bowers – E: [email protected]
K&DAHS Kidderminster and District Archaeological and Historical Society Contact: Catherine Guest – E: [email protected]
LLHS Langley Local History Society, Salvation Army Centre, Warley Institutional Church, Pound Road, Oldbury 2nd Wednesday of month at 10.45am Contact: Lynn Paynter - E: [email protected] – W: www.historyofoldbury.co.uk
LHLHS Lickey Hills Local History Society, Trinity Centre (Parish Hall), Rose Hill, Lickey (opposite Holy Trinity) B45 8ES 3rd Tuesday of month at 7.30pm Contact: George Gascoyne - T: 0121 453 6320
MA/b Midland Ancestors: Bromsgrove, The Methodist Centre, Stratford Road, BROMSGROVE 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7.15pm Contact: Mike Sharpe – E: [email protected] – W: www.bromsgrovebmsgh.co.uk
MA/s Midland Ancestors Stourbridge, St Peter’s Church Centre, Pedmore Lane, PEDMORE DY9 0SW Most meetings Tuesday evenings at 7pm for 7.30pm January, February and March meetings take place on Saturday afternoons at 2.30pm Visits must be booked and paid for in advance – Visitors welcome - £3 donation Contact: Victoria Horton – E: [email protected] – W: www.midland-ancestors.uk/stourbridge-group/
MCS Malvern Civic Society, Eden Centre, Grovewood Road, off Townsend Way, Malvern WR14 1GD 2nd Friday of month – 7.00pm - £4 for non-members Contact: Andrew Huntley – E: [email protected]
MFHS Malvern Family History Society, Eden Centre, Grovewood Road, off Townsend Way, Malvern WR14 1GD 1st Wednesday of month - 7.00-9.00pm (no meeting in August) Contact: Ruth Casemore - E: [email protected] – W: www.mfhs.org.uk
MMLH Malvern Museum of Local History, Christchurch Hall, Avenue Road, Malvern 7.30pm members free; visitors welcome, £2.00 per meeting Contact: [email protected]
MS The Milestone Society (Worcester Group) Contact: Ray Worth - T: 01684 892772
NWAG North Worcestershire Archaeology Group – meets every Wednesday at their excavation sites. Group visits to museums and walks to places of interest are also arranged. For full details, please Contact: Francesca Llewellyn – E: [email protected] – W: www.northwag.org
PHHS Pershore Heritage & History Society, Wulstan Hall, Priest Lane, Pershore 1st Thursday of month, except August, at 7.30pm Contact: Cynthia Johnson – E: [email protected]
QLHS Quinton Local History Society, Parish Church Hall, Hagley Road West, Quinton Meetings at 7.15pm Contact: Bernard Taylor – T: 0121 422 1792 – E: [email protected]
RHHS Romsley & Hunnington History Society, St Kenelm’s Church Hall, Bromsgrove Road, Romsley 4th Tuesday of month at 7.30pm except August and December Contact: Kov Riley - E: [email protected] - All are welcome
RLHS Redditch Local History Society, Oasis Christian Centre, 4 Plymouth road, Redditch B97 4QB 2nd Monday of month (except January and December) from 2.00pm-4.00pm. Non-members welcome: £3.00 Contact: E: [email protected]
SDMS Simon De Montfort Society, The Friends Meeting House, Cowl Street, Evesham 1st Thursday of month at 7.30pm-9.30pm £2 entrance fee – Day School in October Contact: Sue Campbell - T: 01386 47434 – E: [email protected]
TBS The Badsey Society Contact: Valerie Magan - E: [email protected]
TVHS Teme Valley Historical Society, Village Hall, Abberley Last Tuesday of month at 7.30pm – meetings held September to May Contact: Mike Harley - E: [email protected]
THVS The Hanleys’ Village Society, Village Hall, Hanley Swan WR8 0DA Four meetings per year – Meetings at 7.30pm Contact: Malcolm Fare – T: 01684 311994 – E: [email protected] – W: https://hanleyswan.net/
VEHS Vale of Evesham Historical Society, the Friends' Meeting House, Cowl Street, Evesham 4th Thursday of month, at 7:30pm Meetings held between September and May only. Guests welcome for a nominal charge Contact: Gerry Harte – E: [email protected] - W: www.valeofeveshamhistory.org
WAAS Worcestershire Archives and Archaeology Service, The Hive, Worcester W: www.explorethepast.co.uk
WCS Witley Court Society 1st Thursday of the month every quarter - venue varies, for details Contact Sally Ludlow, Membership secretary: [email protected] – T: 01905 620947
WCHS Wolverley & Cookley Historical Society, Church Hall, Wolverley 10am on Mondays Contact: Janet Morgan – E: [email protected] – W: wolverleycookleyhistorical.btck.co.uk
WAS Worcestershire Archaeological Society, St Peter’s Baptist Church, Eden Close, St Peter’s Drive, Worcester WR5 3TZ Meetings at 7.30pm – The Church has a very large carpark – If using SatNav you may need to use the postcode WR5 3TA Contact: Janet Dunleavey - T: 01684 565190 – E: [email protected] Excursions: Ginny Wagstaff – 01299 250883
WIA&LHS Worcestershire Industrial Archaeology & Local History Society, Lecture Theatre, Worcester Royal Grammar School, The Tything, Worcester Meetings at 7.30pm – Contact: Christine Silvester – 01905 354679
WHS Worcestershire Historical Society Contact: Susan Campbell – T: 01386 47434 – E: [email protected]
WLHF Worcestershire Local History Forum Contact: Cora Weaver - E: [email protected]
WLHG Wichenford Local Heritage Group, The Memorial Hall, Wichenford 3rd Wednesday in month 7pm – 9.30pm – September to April Contact: Eve Fraser - E: [email protected]
WFHRG Wyre Forest Historical Research Group, King Charles Room, Kidderminster Town Hall Meetings 2pm – 4pm – Members £2 – Visitors £3 Contact: Sandra Charlton – T: 01562 863155 – E: [email protected]
WFU3AHS Wyre Forest U3A History Group, St George’s Annexe, Kidderminster 1st Monday of the month Contact: Elaine Yates - Email: [email protected]
WyHS Wythall History Society, Wythall Village Hall, Alcester Road, Wythall B47 6JL Last Friday of the month 7.30pm except July, August and December - Visitors welcome - £2.50 Contact: Betty Sadler – E: [email protected]
September 2019