ROMSLEY AND HUNNINGTON HISTORY SOCIETY
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 22ND MAY 2012
SECRETARY'S REPORT
Once again we have come to the end of another year and I am sad to say that a short while ago we lost another of our founding members, Elsie Hunt, who died on the 2nd March this year. In memory of Elsie the Society has made a donation to the Stroke Association.
Our new Chairman and Treasurer, Paul and Ruth, have come through their first year of office without too much pain – well I haven't heard any moans or groans – and are prepared to give their services again for the coming year.
Wills and Inventories This project is ongoing and many more documents have been transcribed and prepared ready to go on to our website. Latterly we have been looking at some of the wills made by widows, which have proved to be very interesting. One lady, Mary Partridge of Hunnington, in her will dated 24th June 1746 gave and bequeathed inter alia 'my worst bed and appurtenances, my wooden screen, my worst coffer, my cheese press and one long table, my second best chest, six pewter plates, one iron plate, one flesh fork, my best spit, my second best kettle and six pewter spoons' etc.etc.
Michael Wood, the BBC presenter, who came with his team last year to see what we were doing, is now on television talking about his latest production on the history of England. I believe this is being shown very soon, towards the end of May, and it may, or it may not, show a little bit about the Romsley and Hunnington History Society.
Oral History Project Jean Cockin has for several months now worked on this project, interviewing and recording the memories of a number of people who have lived for many years in the vicinity of Romsley and Hunnington. We have taken advice from the vice-chairman of the Birmingham Talking Newspaper on the type of equipment Jean needs to carry out her recording and have recently purchased a suitable digital recorder. The project is proceeding very well.
Romsley and Hunnington 20th Century Project There has been a great response to Julian Hunt's request for information and photographs relating to properties in Romsley and Hunnington. Prople have been very supportive. A great number of houses in Hunnington have been researched and the project has now moved on to Romsley. Julian will be bringing Society members up to date with his researches relating to Hunnington on Tuesday, 27th November next.
RHHS Website Update Almost three and a half thousand people have visited our website which once again is increasing in size and is well worth looking at. We are in the process of having a new webmaster who will soon be able to bring our site up to date.
Annual Dinner Once again this will be held at Blakedown Golf Club on Friday, 15th June.
Summer Visit A visit has been arranged for 5th July to Harvington Hall where we shall have a guided tour.
Evening MeetingsOver the past year our monthly Tuesday evening meetings have been very well attended, with an average of thirty people coming and most months we have been joined by several visitors.
Attached to this report is a list of speakers for next season starting on 25th September when Chris Jackson will be giving us Part II of his talk on Postal History – 1840 to 2000.
- On 23rd October Matt Tompkins, whom you will remember is researching our Court Rolls, will be bringing us up to date regarding Romsley in the 15th Century, and on 27th November, Julian Hunt, as mentioned previously, will be talking about the history lay out and development of the houses in Hunnington.
- In 2013, January 22nd, John Billingham will be giving us Part II of his Images of Worcestershire and on 26th February, Derek Clarke, who recently described to us the restoration of the fountains and parterres of Witley Court, will tell us how the Back to Back houses in Birmingham were restored. Some years ago, Ken Hughes, gave us a talk about the back to back houses, with slides of how they look now that restoration has been completed, but Derek Clarke's talk will be from a different angle.
- On 26th March, Stephen Dean, Principal Archaeologist at Staffordshire County Council, is giving a talk entitled 'Trusting the Ground with the Treasure of Warriors' which I have been assured should not be missed.
- In April David Howe, who spoke to us a while ago about Prime Ministers' Wives, is coming to give us his thoughts on Sir Anthony Eden – Prime Minister and local MP - 50 years on.
- And that brings us on to our Annual General Meeting on 28th May next.
I hope there is something here of interest to everyone and once again we shall have some enjoyable evenings.
June Humphreys