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
Spring 2021 Programme
Due to the on-going restrictions, all meetings for the Spring 2021 programme will be held online via the Zoom platform.
The meetings in our Spring 2021 Programme are listed below. Pre-registration is essential and bookings will open here around one month before each event.
- Tuesday, 19 January 2021: Shakespeare’s Women. Speaker: Jennifer Rigby. Back by popular demand! We are pleased to have Jennifer Rigby, the multi-talented actress who will look at Shakespeare’s portrayal of women through his plays. Sit back and enjoy! Register here
- Tuesday, 16 February 2020: Fatal Transport Accidents in the West Midlands, 1820s - 1920s. Speaker: Quintin Watt. A welcome early return to Bromsgrove for the former Head of History at South Bromsgrove High School, this time exploring transport accidents well before the advent of motorways and the A38 Bromsgrove by-pass. Register here
- Tuesday, 16 March 2020: The Lives, Work and Legacy of the Architects Freddie & Mary Charles. Speakers: Emily Hathaway and Tegan Cornah of Worcestershire Archive & Archeology Service. This talk about formerly Bromsgrove-based architects with a national reputation for the conservation and repair of timber-framed buildings, was originally scheduled as the Bromsgrove Society’s Annual Lecture 2020.
- Tuesday, 20 April 2020: Highways and Waymarkers of Worcestershire. Speaker: Jan Scrine. Jan is experienced in researching, recording and preserving old road signs, milestones etc. This illustrated talk will focus on examples of these from three local counties.
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.
Subscription to the History of Bromsgrove Book
SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW CLOSED
The book will be published later this year in both hardback and paperback versions.
Further details will be released in due course.
To commemorate the Bromsgrove Society's 40th Anniversary, the Executive is planning to produce a new publication. Provisionally entitled 'A History of Bromsgrove', the book will cover the history of the town and district from earliest times through to the present day based on the latest research. Local historians Jenny Townshend and Julian Hunt are hard at work on the text and the book will be lavishly illustrated with drawings, maps and photographs. Publication is scheduled for Summer 2020. Click Read More to sign up as a Subscriber.
Bromsgrove Rousler 2020
The latest edition of the Bromsgrove Rousler, the popular local history magazine, is now available. The 2020 edition – number 35 in the series – once again features a fascinating mix of personalities and events that have helped shape Bromsgrove’s history. Ideal lockdown reading!
Topics in this year’s Rousler are:
- The History of Bromsgrove Fair
- Titanic - the Worcestershire Connection
- Bromsgrove's Post-War Housing Crisis
- Bromsgrove and the Priestley Riots of 1791
- Memories of Lickey End
- Lickey End in Old Photographs.
Members will receive their copies shortly. Find a local stockist.
Don't miss our Special Free Delivery Offer
With on-going shopping restrictions due to the pandemic, some people may not be able to purchase the Rousler from local shops in the usual way. To address this we have a special postage-free offer covering this and previous editions of the Rousler. You can order:
- 1 Copy for £2.95
- 2 Copies for £5.00
- 5 Copies for £10.00
- 10 Copies for £15.00
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).
Or opt for a 'lucky dip': say how many and we'll send you 2, 5 or 10 copies
from our stock.
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.
Checkout as a guest if you don't have a Paypal account.
Latest Newsletter & AGM
The Bromsgrove Society Newsletter
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The September 2020 issue of the Society's newsletter is now available, containing details of:
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.
World War 1 Book
There is a possibility that a book may be compiled about our 'local lads' who took part in WW1, 1914-1918.
If any of your family from this area took part in the Great War and you would be willing to share their story, whether they survived, whether they were buried abroad or closer to home, whatever their story...
Please contact Chris Nesbitt, 01527 877227 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Upcoming Events
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19.January.2021 | 19.30
Shakespeare’s Women -
16.February.2021 | 19.30
Fatal Transport Accidents in the We... -
16.March.2021 | 19.30
The Lives, Work and Legacy of the A... -
20.April.2021 | 19.30
Highways & Waymarkers of Worcesters...
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.
Online Payments
With postage costs continually increasing, we are keen to encourage more people to pay their subscriptions by either setting up a standing order with their bank or using Paypal on this website.
You can renew online and check the current subscription rates on our Membership Page.
You can also opt to receive your newsletter electronically - please contact the Membership Secretary.
| Payment can now be made by PayPal |
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From the Gallery
