The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress
Welcome to the Bromsgrove Society
The Bromsgrove Society exists to preserve the history and promote the sustainable development of the town of Bromsgrove in north Worcestershire.
Read more about Our Work and How to Join
Upcoming Events
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15.February.2022 | 19.30
A History of Scythe-making in Belbo... -
15.March.2022 | 19.30
The Death of a Priest: The Popish P... -
19.April.2022 | 19.30
The Bromsgrove Guild in the Black C...
Buy Books Online
A variety of books about Bromsgrove and the surrounding area is now available to purchase via our online bookstall.
We accept payment by credit/debit card or Paypal, using the Paypal gateway, or you can also pay by cheque.
You can browse the Bromsgrove Bookstall here.
Bromsgrove Society Spring Programme
The Bromsgrove Society's local history meetings continue online:
Our February meeting is now:
- 15th February: A History of Scythe-making in Belbroughton. Speaker: Sarah Bradley.
It is amazing to think that Belbroughton was once the international centre for the manufacture of scythes!
Today Belbroughton in north Worcestershire is an attractive, red brick village with little sign that for several hundred years it was known for the manufacture of high-quality scythes. In this talk, Sarah Bradley discusses the development of this industry, which reached its peak in the nineteenth century and employed highly-skilled craftsmen, and traces its decline in the twentieth century, with the works closing in 1968.
Sarah is an excellent speaker and former resident of Belbroughton. The Society is delighted that she is available to give this talk via the Zoom platform.
- 15th March: The Death of a Priest: The Popish Plot and Worcestershire 1678-1681. Speaker: Doug Smith.
Lies, intrigue and death threats at the very centre of power! This may sound familiar today, but Doug Smith from Chaddesley Corbett will take us back to Worcestershire in the late 17th century to show that such goings on are nothing new! Not for viewers of a nervous disposition!
STOP PRESS: As the public health situation remainsl uncertain, the Society will continue to hold its local history meetings online via the Zoom platform for the remainder of the 2021/22 programme. As a result, there have been some changes to the advertised programme for February and March 2022. All meetings start at 7.30pm. See the full programme here.
We hope to return to the Methodist Centre from September 2022.
If you have enjoyed our talks and wish to support our work, you can contribute to the Bromsgrove Society using the button below.
Bromsgrove Rousler 2021
The latest edition of the Bromsgrove Rousler, the popular local history magazine, is now available. The 2021 edition – number 36 in the series – once again features a fascinating mix of personalities and events that have helped shape Bromsgrove’s history.
Topics in this year’s Rousler are:
- Bromsgrove's Glassmaking Industry
- Bromsgrove School's Two Chapels
- Benjamin Maund
- Valley House, Bournheath
- The Origins of Bromsgrove's Court Leet
- The Riddle of Lambsey Stones.
Members will receive their copies shortly. Find a local stockist.
See here for one-click mobile-friendly purchase (2021 edition only).
Don't miss our Special Free Delivery Offer
We have a special postage-free offer covering the latest and previous editions of the Rousler. You can order:
- 1 Copy for £2.95
- 2 Copies for £5.00
- 5 Copies for £10.00
Multiple copies can be for the same year or separate editions for different years. All delivered postage free. To order click the 'Read More' link below.
Your order can include any recent issue back to 2007 (No. 22).
To help identify stories of interest, an index to all editions of the Rousler back to 1986 is available as a free download.
Rouslers also make an ideal Christmas present especially for friends now living elsewhere and we can post to any address in the UK.
Why not include a local book with your order? Choose from the online bookstall.
Latest Newsletter
The Bromsgrove Society Newsletter
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The September 2021 issue of the Society's newsletter is now available, containing details of:
Click the links to download the September Newsletter (PDF format). |
Perryfields & Whitford Vale
The Bromsgrove Society urges planners to reject applications on Perryfields and the Greyhound Junction
The Bromsgrove Society was extremely disappointed when the planning inspector went against the recommendations of the District Council, Whitford Vale Voice and the Society and granted outline permission for a development on Whitford Vale.
Since that decision, the developers for Perryfields and the Greyhound Inn have submitted new applications to the Council and have appealed to the planning inspector. The Bromsgrove Society has reviewed the plans and appeal documents and concludes that the applications and appeal should be refused on grounds of highways and heritage. In a 6 page document the Society outlined the issues with the highways and a 3 page document focused on the heritage aspects of the Greyhound Inn which developers want to demolish.