NEWS
This page is here to contain any items of news about the society and its activities. It will be updated from time to time as things happen or events are organised. Watch this space.
Our Febuary Talk:
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All Roads Lead to Rome
communications by Road in Roman England
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Our 2026 programme continues on
Thursday 26th February
Alan Godfrey, from the Alcester Roman Museum
​will relate how the road system ensured rapid communications throughout the Empire, and explain the innovative Roman construction methods which created a standard of road which were not seen again until the 18th century.
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As usual we will be at the Friends' Meeting House in Cowl Street, starting at 7:30. All are welcome.
Our Talks Season 2025-26
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Our progamme of talks for the 2025-6 season: the complete list
25 September 2025 7:30pm
Justin Newland “The Limits of Empire –
How Drake’s Circumnavigation changed History”
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30 October 2025 7:30pm
Max Keen “Pirates! The Fact and the Fiction”
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27 November 2025 7:30pm
Robin Goldsmith “The formation of the Royal Flying Corps”
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11 December 2025
Members’ lunchtime get-together in the Red Lion
29 January 2026 7:30pm
Ray Sturdy “Remembering the Swinging 60s: ……”
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26 February 2026 7:30pm
Alan Godfrey “All roads lead to Rome: Communications by road in Roman England”
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26 March 2026 7:30pm
Richard Churchley “Off to the workhouse: the poor are always with us”
30 April 2026 7:45pm Following our AGM
Gillian White “Mary Queen of Scots”
28 May 2026 7:30pm
Galen Bartholomew “Auschwitz”
All talks will be at the Friends’ Meeting House in Cowl Street.
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We look forward to seeing Society members, new members, and anyone else who wishes to come.
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THE VEHS COLLECTION IN THE ALMONRY MUSEUM,
The Almonry Museum has now closed for its much-needed restoration work, and virtually all of its contents - large and small - have been removed.
For many of the items (those belonging to the Town Council, of course, and some of those belonging to the Society) it is intended that these will be rehomed in the museum when it reopens in two or three years' time. A few of our items have been returned to their original donors, or passed or offered to other museums etc. The remainder of our items, including documents and furniture, will not be taken back when the museum reopens, and are now totally in the care of the Society.
Some items have been judged to be in very poor condition (or of too little interest) and have been scrapped, but the remainder is now in store. We have rented a second room at the storage facility at Avondale and a container at Hinton-on-the Green, and many artefacts are stored in members’ homes. It will be necessary to rationalise our collection in order to reduce the burden (including the financial burden) of maintaining the storage, and this process will continue in the coming months.
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Any member who wishes to be involved in the rationalisation, or to provide storage, is welcome ot contact ​​​​​​​Carmel Langridge 01386 446502 or Richard Ball 01386 870665
Membership
Our 2025-6 Membership Season is well under way, - and we always welcome new members. If you are looking to join you can do so here - either as an individual or as a joint membership with a partner or a member of the family.
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Members who have not yet renewed their membership are invited to do so. It is simple to renew online: here for individual members and here for a joint membership.
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Joining now will authorise you to come and vote at our AGM in April
Meanwhile, back numbers of our Members' magazine The Almoner's Pen
is available to all including non-members. This is the 2023-24 issue: Just
click on the cover picture to order, and others are also available.
see all our publications here.​​​​​​
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St Lawrence’s Church
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The CCT - with help from the Society - ensured that St Lawrence's Church was open as often as possible through the summer. Now in the winter season it remains open from time to time, including days midweek, and is available for functions such as the Craft Fair
Group visits may be made by arrangement with the Society - please contact a member of the committee - or through the Tourist Information Centre on Merstow Green
Two Knights from the Vale: Two New Books
Our recent book by John Kyte about Sir Henry Fowler has sold out.
So John's son Richard has taken the opportunity to revise this and produce a new SECOND EDITION which is now available. Click on the image to link to our online shop.
Sir George Dowty, the founder and Chairman of the Dowty Group, came from a family with origins in Evesham and Honeybourne. He was born in Pershore, where his family had strong links with the Abbey.
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Recently published is a book of extracts from his diaries, covering the years 1919-1975.​ The book (hard-backed) costs £13 and copies can be obtained from Martin Robins, the chairman of the Sir George Dowty Memorial Committee at martinrobins@btinternet.com