| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Leader: | |
| Group email: | Local History 2 group |
| When: | Fortnightly on Monday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:15 pm Excluding Bank holiday Mondays and Public Holidays |
| Venue: | St. John's Library |
| Cost: | 20p for drinks (whether you have one or not!) additionally some visits may incur charges |
We meet alternate Monday afternoons 2-4p.m in the main meeting room St John’s Library, Glebe Close, Worcester WR2 5AX, unless otherwise stated on the programme. Our first meeting of 2026-27 is on Monday 7th September. Our sessions focus on local history research by members, with occasional invited speakers. We usually have two local history themed visits and one social event every year.
To tap into the wide spectrum of historical knowledge in Wu3a, we sometimes work with other history-based Wu3a groups. This year our programme includes speakers from LH1 and from the Genealogy group and a ‘sharing our local history knowledge’ session
Members are encouraged to share their research and support other members interested in discovering more about the history of Worcester and its neighbouring towns. We provide plenty of opportunities for members to do this by giving full length and/or short talks.
Members are also expected to take a turn helping with refreshments.
We are often over- subscribed, so anyone who joins the group is expected to attend regularly.
Local History 2 is dedicated to exploring the history of Worcestershire (and sometimes a bit beyond). Members are actively encouraged to share their own stories and research. Our yearly programme includes visits to places of local interest, and a social event.
Earlier on in the year we visited the County museum stores at Hartlebury, where historically interesting items, not normally on public display, are stored and lovingly maintained by an enthusiastic team, who are keen to share their stories. The stores cover the Worcestershire family of museums, including Hartlebury Castle and Avoncroft . Some of the items in store which we saw during our visit, included Vesta Tilley's costumes (marked for fire safety), a large hop cradle and stilts, a prop vase from the Worcester Exhibition, and an impressive collection of 'Worcester' gloves surpassing even the V&A's collection, as well as a vase used as a prop in the Worcester Exhibition and pipes from an organ played by Edward Elgar.
Later in the year our group had a guided tour round Worcester Infirmary Museum and were fascinated to learn that the Infirmary was built at such an incredible speed (despite a brick workers strike) due to members of the public being asked to help out making bricks at the nearby brick works at Pitchcroft
Highlights of the visit included a visit to the Infirmary chapel (largely funded by the singer Jenny Lind). The photograph shows some LH2 members in the boardroom where the idea of the society, which was to become the BMA was mooted, with Charles Hastings as it’s first chairman. On the wall are oil paintings of people associated with the Infirmary, including Charles Hastings, and Dr John Wall, Issaac Maddox and James Johnstone (pictured) who served as a physician at the Infirmary when it was established in 1745, and, whilst fully aware of the personal dangers involved when a typhus epidemic broke out 1783, nevertheless continued to look after the sick and dying . Sadly, James himself died of typhus fever on August 16, 1783, and after his death, his father took over his position at the Infirmary.
Finally, we visited The Cocky Anchor Broad Street , previously known as Cupola House, due to the domed cupola above the stairwell, and just about visible from the street. This fascinating building dates from c1740 and outside features include a Venetian window on the first floor and arched windows on all three floors each having a round stuccoed arch and human figure-head keystone representing different social types: a cleric, a soldier, and possibly a lawyer or merchant. Inside the building has original joinery, plasterwork, an open newel staircase with Chinoiserie balustrade, wooden chimneypiece with decorative mouldings, Victorian and Gothick fireplaces, and a Welsh Dragon frieze. Notable residents include local naturalist and printer Edwin Lees, (1831), Thomas Louis Woodall, bookbinder and seller (1837), and corset maker Miss H Burrow(1896–1940).
Our guide, Summer, told us that before joining the Cocky anchor team, she had no interest in history but since researching Cuppola House, history had become her passion - a familiar story – local history can soon ‘reel you in’ - . Summer gave us a really interesting and inspiring tour of the building, the highlight being a walk onto the belvedere and a view of the roof tops of Worcester. afterwards we settled into the Victorian parlour to enjoy a drink and a chat and thumb through the scrapbook that Summer had made about the restoration work.
7th September: Pamela Vernon Britannia Brewery and the Spreckley Family
Mini Val Jane Harry (Thresher)
21st September: Two midi’s Carolyn Clarke – A group of Tecton buildings in old Worcestershire
Anne S Henry Rowe and Sons: Worcester City Architects
5th October Dennis Chamberlain tba
Mini Pat Lee Broadway Tower
19th October: Sharing our local history stories:
Each member is asked to bring a local history story, photo, or newspaper excerpt to share. If you don’t have any materials at home, St John’s Library and The Hive offer good options, such as Mike Grundy’s Memory Lane Series, Bob Blandford’s Worcester’s Pubs Then and Now, or Mike Pyrce’s articles in the Berrow’s Journal. You can also discuss an old photo or personal story of your choice.
Presentations are limited to five minutes per person. After tea or coffee, there will be time for questions and comments. No computer facilities are available; all contributions should be brief and spoken, although you might want to bring along a photograph or artefact to share
2nd November: Sue Ash (Genealogy Group) The history of the London Road and Battenhall
Mini Carolyn Clarke The Two Deaneries of Worcester
16th November: Christine Buckley: Thomas Lee Archietect of St Clement's Church
Mini Anne Spurgeon Garden Cities, Cowsheds and Homes for Heroes
30th November: Peter Goggs title tba
Mini Pam Vernon The Hastings Family
14th December: Carolyn Clarke Diglis Basin, the Watergate and the drownings
Mini Carol Wilson Vesta Tilley
4th January: Val Kennewell New Street
18th January: Karin Fancett The Commandery
Mini May Youett Worcester Glove Makers
*3rd February 2.00 Visit to the Commandery – please note the change from our usual Monday to Wednesday 3rd February
15th February: Anne Spurgeon The Predatory Bishop and the Vulnerable Widow: Fact or Fiction
Mini: Phil Prince title tba
1st March: Roger Pierpoint Redditch Needle Industry to be followed after the break by
The Stourbridge Glass Industry
15th March: Marguerite Collins title tba
Mini Carolyn Clarke The Mosaics of the Church of the Sacred Heart and their history
*12th April : Group Visit Guided tour of the church of the Sacred Heart
sacredheart.droitwich@rcaob.org.uk Tel 01905 773258
*26th April Social meeting my house replacing the meeting on 29th March which falls on Easter Monday