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.
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Evesham Abbey Trust
We congratulate Evesham Abbey trust for their award of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Find out more on the website here
Craft Fair
In St. Lawrences' Church on 1st November
We had a good time at the Craft Fair on Saturday 1st November. Our stall in the vestry displayed a variety of things for sale, including some items from our historic collection - mainly baskets and flatirons - Christmas cards , and some original pictures by Joyce Doyle.
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The time was quiet at times, but this was the first event of its kind organised by the CCT and was considered to be a great success. We will be holding it again next year - watch this space!
Our November Meeting
Our next Society meeting will be on Thursday 27 November.
Robin Goldsmith will be talking about The Formation of the Royal Flying Corps
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If you are a member of the society, there will be an opportunity to renew your membership for this year, if you have not already done so. If you have not a member yet, there will be an opportunity for you to join.
You will also be able to buy some Christmas cards etc.
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
Our Talks Season 2025-26
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Our progamme of talks for the 2025-6 season is under way
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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: ……”
26 February 2026 7:30pm
Alan Godfrey “All roads lead to Rome: Communications by road in Roman England”
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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Membership
Our 2025-6 Membership Season has now begun, and members are invited to renew their membership.
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It is simple to renew online:
here for individual members and here for a joint membership.
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 will be made similarly available in due course
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St Lawrence’s Church
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The CCT - with help from the Society - has ensured that St Lawrence's Church has been open as often as possible through the summer. Now in the winter season it remains open from time to time, 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