The Bromsgrove Society - Pride, Preservation, Progress

2025 AGM, 2nd July

The Bromsgrove Society’s Annual General Meeting will be held at Avoncroft Museum on Wednesday 2nd July 2025 at 7.30pm.

In addition to the usual business of the AGM, the meeting will be asked to approve minor changes to the Society’s Constitution. The Constitution was first issued on our formation in 1980 and has not been updated for many years.

The Committee considers that all of the changes are of a minor nature. They are intended to reflect the evolution in working practices over the last 40 years, as well as the changed circumstances of voluntary societies such as ours, for example declining membership.

In summary, the main changes are:

• A small change in the Society’s aims, to reflect the fact that we undertake minor commercial activities, such as selling books and organising paid events, which was not foreseen in the original powers. 
• Updating of the membership categories and removal of stated membership rates.
• Updating of the timing of the AGM, in line with recent practice.
• Revisions to the minimum size of the Executive Committee, the required number of meetings per annum, and the notice necessary for nominations, again to reflect recent practice and circumstances, and modern working techniques.
• Inclusion of electronic means of communication and electronic addresses as legitimate means of promulgating notices.

Further details will be given at the AGM. The agenda and nomination forms are available here.

Annual Lecture Now Online

Kevin Ward's lecture on the history of town criers and his 40 years as Bromsgrove's Town Crier is now available on our YouTube channel.

 

This presentation was given at Routh Concert Hall, Bromsgrove School on Tuesday 8th April 2025, as the 38th Annual Bromsgrove Lecture. In the presentation, Kevin looks back at some of the highlights he has experienced since taking the role of Bromsgrove Bellman and Town Crier in 1985, as well as his town crier heritage.

 

Kevin's recent interview with Tom Edwards of BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester is also available .

Bromsgrove Rousler 2024

The latest edition of the Bromsgrove Rousler, the popular local history magazine, is now available. The 2024 edition – number 39 in the series – features a fascinating mix of personalities and events that have helped shape Bromsgrove’s history.

Topics in this year’s Rousler are:

• Eddie Palmer: The Epic Story of a Boy Seaman
• The Caulcott Sisters
• All Saints Church: Celebrating 150 Years
• Webbs: A Local Success Story
• Forty Years of the Bromsgrove Methodist Church Centre
• Bromsgrove in Old Postcards.

Members will receive their copies shortly. Find a local stockist.
See here to purchase the Rousler from our online bookstall (leaves this website)

Rouslers make an ideal Christmas present, especially for friends now living elsewhere.
Back issues and a wide variety of books can be bought through our online bookstall.

Society Review 2023-24

The Bromsgrove Society’s AGM was held at Avoncroft Museum on Wednesday 3rd July 2024 at 7.30pm. Twenty-eight members attended.

The Chairman, Jo Slade, read her review of the year, thanking the committees and society members for their work and support in what had been another successful year. John Gerner gave a review on environment matters and Chris Nesbitt delivered her final review as chair of the Local History Group. Chris was thanked for all her contributions and was given a token of appreciation. The reports are  available here. Members agreed to give the Executive Committee authority to sign off the Annual Accounts which were still to be finalised. They will be made available on the website.

Members re-elected the officers and committee members: Chairman Jo Slade, Vice-Chairman Pat Tansell, Treasurer Julian Dyer, Secretary Sue Beaumont, Membership Secretary Sue Skidmore, Executive Committee John Gerner, Julian Hunt, Alastair Moseley and Mike Sharpe. Mike agreed to chair the Local History Group.

After the meeting Helen Voyle gave a very interesting talk about her work in cataloguing boxes of documents relating to the Court Leet going back to the 1700s. She related fascinating anecdotes taken from letters, which gave some idea of the people involved, their attitudes and activities in days gone by.

Annual Lecture 2024 Online

 
Alastair Moseley's lecture on the history of the Wychbold masts is now available on our YouTube channel.

Summer School Success

At the Summer School three speakers gave interesting and informative talks. Tony Condor spoke on ‘The Canal World’ and led a rainy afternoon visit to Tardebigge. On day two Pat Tansell looked at Benjamin Sanders and button making in Bromsgrove with a visit to sites associated with the Sanders family and their legacy. On the final day Julian Hunt and Jenny Townshend spoke about ‘The Inns and Public Houses of Bromsgrove’ with a visit to sites occupied by inns and pubs past and present.

Everyone involved was delighted to receive very positive notes of thanks. One person said “Another brilliant Summer School! Well planned, delivered, and universally enjoyed! My favourite time of the year!” Another said “Thank you very much for organising a super Summer School this year. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the three days and learnt so much - even about subjects that I thought I already knew a lot about! The hospitality was good too and I thought the lunches were excellent.”

Thank you to Chris Nesbitt for ensuring the Summer School ran smoothly; to everyone who assisted with practical tasks; to Bromsgrove School for accommodating us so well; to the speakers for all their hard work in preparing and delivering their subjects; and to Julian Hunt for arranging the programme.