Newsletter – January 2009
January 9th, 2009Those who braved the weather to attend the Society’s January meeting were well rewarded for their efforts. Following Chairman Ray Porter’s welcome, we were treated to three superb presentations from members of the Society’s Research Group.
Setting the scene was Irene Oliver, who told us something of the origins and activities of the Group. Started in 1990, its members were recruited from those with an interest and who were prepared to get their hands dirty! Profits from the sales of publications had funded further projects and Irene brought examples of many of the papers and booklets produced by the Group.
Don Freeth then talked about one of the Group’s projects that had focussed on the names on the Hagley war memorial. From World War 1 we learned about the Gough brothers who had joined the Worcestershire Regiment on the same day and who died within six months of each other in 1918. Don’s next account was of the Goodwin brothers who had joined the RAF and who both lost their lives in 1940.
Finally, the Group’s founder, Tom Pagett gave a detailed insight into Bell Hall Chapel. Tom explained some of the history of this building which had been started in around 1130. Using detailed photographs, we learned not only what had happened to the building over the centuries but how the archaeologists had come to their conclusions.