Historians' Meetings and Visits 2025
Please click on the link below for a list of the meetings and visits arranged for 2025:
The first meeting of 2025 will take place on Friday, 31 January when Richard Ewing will be talking about 'The Armitage Potbank', starting at 8pm in Kings Bromley Village Hall.
Christmas events 2024
5.12.24: Members enjoyed their Christmas lunch at The Hedgehog, Lichfield
28.12.24: Christmas walk - The O'Deas had organised a very interesting walk in Lichfield, including the restoration in progress of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal and the Borrowcop Gazebo. For further details and photos, please click on link below:
Historians' meeting 29.11.24
The speaker for the Historians meeting on 29th November was Kath Reynolds and her topic was “Tis the Season to be Jolly”. It was a light-hearted talk on the history of the customs and practices of Christmas, including the introduction of the Christmas tree (not by Prince Albert, but before Victorian times by Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III) and of the turkey for the Christmas dinner. There were some nostalgic looks at old-fashioned decorations, baubles and games – which many of the members could remember! Kath congratulated the members on their enthusiastic singing of a couple of carols to complete the evening.
Guided tour of Lichfield 30.10.24
Historians enjoyed a guided tour of Lichfield on 25th October given by Lichfield Guide, Les Young, who gave a very entertaining account of various historical places around the city centre. It certainly encouraged members to look more closely at street names, plaques and some of the older buildings hidden between more modern shops. The group tour ended in the Cathedral Close, after visiting Vicars’ Close with its row of medieval buildings, and then everyone enjoyed lunch at Bistro No 19 nearby.
Members' Evening 27.9.24
The main topic of the Members’ Evening on 27th September was the village boundary walk which had taken place the previous week. Allan started by outlining the relevance of marking the village boundaries in times past, as those living within the bounds of the village had certain rights. They could be eligible for assistance in times of need and have the right to be buried within the churchyard. Preserving the village’s grazing and woodland within the boundary were also important. Traditionally held every 10 years, the walk in Kings Bromley was re-created by the Historians group in 1994 to mark the 100th anniversary of the last one recorded in 1894. Members and visitors enjoyed the photographs of the walk (many taken in the rain!) and accounts of the day and previous walks.
Kings Bromley Boundary Walk 21.9.24
On Saturday 21st September, 30 people took part in the Kings Bromley Boundary walk which is organised by the Historians and has taken place every 10 years since 1984. The first recorded Boundary Walk took place in 1894. 19 people completed all 4 sections of the walk, including Alan Grimmett who was the most senior walker and completed the full distance in wellingtons. The length of the walk is around 13 miles, not including the distance to reach Yoxall Bridge and back.
The walk went very well, despite the last section being completed under rain, thunder and lightning. Certificates were presented to all participants on the Sunday evening.
Thanks were given to all who participated and to the walk leaders; the providers of refreshments and rest stops; the people providing transport for walkers and wellingtons; the Parish Council who arranged the certificates, so nicely produced by Lindsey Davies; the landowners who allowed us to cross their land. A most successful and enjoyable day, despite everyone looking rather wet at the end!
For more details of the walk, together with some photos, please click on the link below:
Visit to Wightwick Manor 2.8.24
Kings Bromley Historians enjoyed a visit to Wightwick Manor, owned by The National Trust, on 2nd August. The group had received an invitation from Lily Purslow, a member of staff at the Manor, who was undertaking research into stained glass windows in Staffordshire churches produced by the William Morris workshop. Allan Howard had been able to provide her with further information on the windows in All Saints’ Church in the village.
For further information and photos, please click on link below:
Historians' Meeting 28.6.24
Mary Bodfish gave a very interesting talk called 'The King's Loose Box' about the life and loves of King Edward VII.
For further details of the talk, please click on the link below:
Visit to Hoar Cross Church 31.5.24: Members enjoyed a visit to Hoar Cross Church, followed by lunch at The Meynell Ingram Arms. For more details and photos, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 26.4.24: Members' evening: Allan Howard talked about 'The Rise and Fall of the Country House' and also about Helen Price's research on the link between Kings Bromley and The King and I. For further details, please click on the links below:
Historians' meeting 29.3.24: Anthony Poulton-Smith gave a talk on 'The Saxon Era'. For further details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 23.2.24: Danny Wells gave a talk on 'The City of Dreadful Night'. For further details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 26.1.24: Allan Howard talked about 'The Four Bagot Ladies'. For further details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 24.11.23: This was a Members' evening upstairs in the Village Hall, so there was easy access to the archive. Allan Howard talked about plans for the Parish Boundary Walk to take place on Saturday 21 September 2024 and showed videos of the walk in September 2014. (For further details, look at the News section.) He went on to give a potted history of Kings Bromley from its earliest days to the present, for the benefit of members who had joined more recently. Members enjoyed drinks and cake, together with the opportunity to look round the archive.
Historians' meeting 27.10.23: Mary Bodfish gave a very entertaining and informative talk on 'Early Years at Soho' about Matthew Boulton and the Soho works at Handsworth, Birmingham. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' Visit 29.9.23:
As Soho House was closed, the visit was changed to Middleton Hall, near Tamworth. We were lucky with the weather and had a lovely day out including drinks on arrival and lunch. Members were very impressed by all the work undertaken by the volunteers at the Hall. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' visit 1.7.23:
Members visited Guys Cliffe and Hill Close Gardens in Warwick. This was a very enjoyable visit to a variety of gardens. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 26.5.23: Video of Ivy and David Butcher's walk round Kings Bromley (Part 2). For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 28.4.23: Members' evening. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 31.3.23: Danny Wells talked to Members about 'The Golden Age of Children's Picture Books and Nursery Rhymes'. For more details, please click on the link below:
Golden Age of Children's Books
Historians' meeting 24.2.23: Kath Reynolds came to talk about 'Gymslips and chalkboards', now renamed as 'Schoolday Reminiscences'. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 27.1.23: The Historians joined with members of Kings Bromley Gardening Guild for a very interesting talk by Dianne Barre on 'A Tour of Derbyshire's Historic Gardens'. For more details, please click on the link below:
Tour of Derbyshire Historic Gardens
Christmas Walk 30.12.22: Meet at The Swan, Fradley Junction at 10.30am. Historians enjoyed a fascinating walk around Fradley Aerodrome and Fradley Village. For more details, click on the link below.
Historians' meeting 25.11.22: Allan Howard gave a talk on 'A House through Time', about Forge House in Kings Bromley. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' visit 21.10.22: Historians enjoyed a visit to Redfern's Cottage Museum of Uttoxeter Life. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 30.9.22: Mary Bodfish talked about 'A House through Time'. For more details, please click on the link below:
There will be no meeting in the Village Hall in July or August, but Kings Bromley Historians are meeting up with Gardening Guild for a visit to Calke Abbey on Saturday 20 August, meeting at 11am outside the cafe in the stableyard. The group will explore the gardens and people are welcome to stay for lunch and then look around the house if they wish.
Historians' meeting 16.6.22 (with Gardening Guild): Clive Katz came to talk about 'A History of Calke Abbey gardens'. For more details, please click on the link below:
A History of Calke Abbey gardens
Historians' meeting 27.5.22: Danny Wells came to talk about 'Cheers - A History of Pubs and Drinking'. For more details, please click on the link below:
Cheers - A History of Pubs and Drinking
Historians' Visit 29.4.22: Outing to All Saints Church, Kings Bromley. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 25.3.22: Clive Katz came to talk about 'Birmingham Back to Backs'. For more details, please click on the link below:
Historians' meeting 25.2.22: Members enjoyed the talk by Kath Reynolds entitled 'Watching with Mother'. For more details, please click on the link below: