Hagley Historical and Field Society

The Society’s October meeting took the form of its 45th AGM, followed by a presentation.  The business part of the evening contained the usual reports from the Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman, all of whom were very positive about the activities of the Society over the previous 12 months.  In particular, the Meetings Secretary, Joan Barwick, had continued to find first-rate speakers each month, despite their rising costs.  This last feature, together with the increasing cost of room hire had resulted in the Committee reluctantly recommending an increase in subscription.  Eric Greenwood took the Chair following the 2008/9 Committee standing down and, following elections, the new committee (looking very like its predecessor) took its place.

The speaker was your scribe who gave a slide show entitled ‘Victorian Railway Stations’.  Included were the myriad architectural styles from the earliest days of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway through to Marylebone, the last London terminus opened at the very end of Victoria’s reign.  Along the way was Classical Huddersfield, Gothic St Pancras and, of course, Hagley’s 1884 footbridge.  Ken Price provided the vote of thanks.  A very busy evening was rounded off by a display of the Research Group’s current activities