The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress

Summer Season Talks

We regret the forced cancellation of the 2020 Summer School, especially as it was to have been the tenth one. Replicating the programme and social aspects of the three-day event online is not possible. Therefore we will be offering an alternative and quite separate series of events.

On three consecutive Wednesdays in July at 2.30p.m. there will be a free afternoon talk which will be open for both members and non-members. 

• Weds 1st July: Julian Hunt will give the first talk, on The History of Perry Hall.  Registration now closed.
• Weds 8th July: Mike Sharpe will speak on family history with Tracing Your Ancestors in Worcestershire. Registration now closed
• Weds 15th July: Former chairman of our Local History Group and former Head of History at South Bromsgrove High School, Quintin Watt will tell us about The Bromsgrove Guild and Where to See Their Work — when the lockdown is over. Fully booked - registration now closed

These meetings will be held via the Zoom platform, www.zoom.us.

Notice of 2020 AGM, Weds 1st July

The Annual General Meeting of The Bromsgrove Society will be held online due to restrictions currently in place during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

All documents and reports relating to the AGM have been distributed to Society members, by post or email, with the June edition of the Newsletter. These documents are also available to download here:

• A.G.M Agenda and Nominations
• Chairman's Report
• Annual Report of the Environment Committee
• Annual Report of the Local History Group
• Annual Accounts 2019-20, Full and Abbreviated

Any questions on the reports, minutes or other documents can be made ahead of the AGM via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01527 575590 before the 1st July 2020.
Online voting will be open until Wednesday 8th July to allow members time to vote.

Any amendments required to documents following questions from members will be noted in the minutes of the meeting which will be uploaded to the website.

To participate in the AGM and vote on the matters arising visit the special A.G.M Voting site.

Heritage Week

As part of its Keep Creative At Home initiative during lockdown, Bromsgrove District Council is putting on Heritage Week. BDC, together with the Bromsgrove Society, has brought together a fantastic set of resources to highlight some of our amazing local heritage.

There are plenty of opportunities to find out about local history online and whilst out taking exercise (depending on current restrictions). The Bromsgrove Society has worked with Bromsgrove District Council on a number of initiatives to this end. For example, you can discover the stories behind many of the buildings in the town centre by clicking the Interactive Heritage Map on the Heritage Week page.

Other highlights include finds from an archaeological dig and audio clips from an oral history project “Bromsgrove People and Places”.

Bookings for the Bromsgrove Society's Summer Talks - as mentioned on the Heritage Week page.

The Bromsgrove Society Celebrates its 40th Anniversary!

Back in the late 1970s public concern was growing in the town as a number of centuries old and well loved buildings were falling into disrepair and facing the threat of demolition. Many people were anxious about the changing character of the town should the destruction of buildings such as The Mitre Inn, Stoke Prior Mill and Farm House and the old Workhouse go ahead. When the Stratford Road Almshouses were demolished without notice a steering group was formed to make the feelings of the public known.

Chris Pancheri and Jennie McGregor-Smith wrote to the Council and the local newspapers to drum up support for the formation of a new civic society which would promote pride in the town and district whilst encouraging an interest in conserving and enhancing the built and natural environment.

On Tuesday 13th May 1980 over 200 people packed the inaugural meeting and the new civic society for the district, The Bromsgrove Society, was formed.