Treasures from Worcestershire’s Past: ~42~ Bromsgrove People and Places

12th September 2014

This week’s ‘Treasure’ has been chosen by Justin Hughes, Project Officer, Outreach; with the second in a series of the stories we have recorded from our oral history projects which are available for loan or purchase at the Hive. This week he describes ‘Bromsgrove People & Places’:

WAAS has been commissioned by Bromsgrove District Council to deliver a number of community programmes for the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). The THI is working closely with High Street retailers to refurbish priority shop fronts to celebrate the rich architectural styles which have adorned frontages of the main street for several centuries. WAAS has re-assessed the heritage of the buildings; we have coordinated a community excavation in St John St (click here for the report); and we are currently supporting the THI with the ‘High Street parade’ (a series of posters will be visible along a number of the streets historic shops from 11th to 26th September). This will be complemented by an exhibition at Bromsgrove Library.

Running alongside these archaeological explorations, we have completed an oral history project working with students from Bromsgrove School and with Bromsgrove Library. Fifteen hours of interviews were recorded with 19 local people who kindly gave us their reflections about the town and the High Street in particular, from the 1940s onwards. The major themes which arose, related to specific shops, cafes, pubs, cinemas, fairs, markets and to changes in the town brought about, for example, by pedestrianisation in the early 1980s.

An audio CD narrative of these stories ‘Bromsgrove: People & Places’, with the voices of Sam Adamson and Katie Leather, students at Bromsgrove School in 2013-14, will soon be available for purchase for £4.99 at Bromsgrove Library and it is also available for loan at the Hive.

Here are just a few of the stories:

Jo Collings – the pleasure of biscuits at John B Wilson’s Click here to listen to the audio clip

Jean Sleigh – cosy fireplace at Morris’ Click here to listen to the audio clip

Rosamund Bateman – delightful toy shop Click here to listen to the audio clip

Dorothy Tabberer & Robert Kendall – fast food & delicious faggots Click here to listen to the audio clip

Pete Lammas – at the Silver Grill Click here to listen to the audio clip

Phil Nokes – rehearsal for a date Click here to listen to the audio clip

Roy Gibson – the Roebuck alehouse Click here to listen to the audio clip

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