The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress

Autumn 2020 Programme

Talks for our 2020/2021 season commence in September. In addition to our regular meetings on the third Tuesday of the month, there are some additional events.

Note: Due to on-going Government restrictions, all meetings for the Autumn 2020 programme will be held online via the Zoom platform.

To attend, participants will need to pre-register using the links below. Note: Registration will open one month before each event.

Upcoming talks are:

• 17 November: Lord Horatio Nelson: Britain's Greatest Hero?. Speaker: Max Keen  Register here

• 01 December: Britain in the 1950s: Speaker: Philip Bowen  Register here
  
• 15th December: 821 Years of History in our Town: The Bromsgrove Court Leet. Speaker: Neil Beaumont  [Register from 15 November]

All meetings will be held at 7.30 p.m. 'Doors' to the online meeting room will open at 7.15 p.m. to give people time to login and connect to the meeting. Note: Once received, the meeting registration link is unique to you and cannot be used by anyone else.

These meetings are open to both members and non-members and are being offered free of charge. If you are not already a member, we encourage you to join the Society. Membership costs just £9.00 per year, which includes a complimentary copy of the annual Rousler magazine.

Some recordings from previous meetings, including our Summer Season Talks held in July 2020, are now available on our YouTube Channel.

If you wish to donate to the Bromsgrove Society you may do so via Paypal using the button below.

Latest Newsletter & AGM

The Bromsgrove Society Newsletter

The September 2020 issue of the Society's newsletter is now available, containing details of: Our Autumn/Winter Talks Online The opening of 'The BirdBox' Bromsgrove Court Leet's virtual events Bromsgrove School's new Heritage Centre The Burma Star Association and VJ Day Commemoration ...and more! Click the links to download the September Newsletter and the Minutes from the Society's 2020 AGM (PDF format).

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.

Bromsgrove Rousler 2019

The latest edition of the Bromsgrove Rousler, the popular local history magazine, is now available. The 2019 edition – number 34 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 include:

• The Founding of the Bromsgrove Society
• The Bilberry Hill WWI Gun Proof Range
• The Work of Conservation Architects Freddie & Mary Charles
• Two Byngs from Bromsgrove
• History of Woodcote Manor
• Local Artist Sybil Barham
• Poet Joe Harrison

As well as being sold through local outlets, the Rousler is again available as a paid download through this website. 

An index to all editions of the Rousler back to 1986 is available as a free download.