Industrial History
Industrial History Programme - 2025
| January 10th Elizabeth Mills Centre 10:00am "Bells" led by David Struckett | ||
| February 14th Elizabeth Mills !0:00am " Theatre Mechanics" led by Ralph Bramley | ||
| March 14th Elizabeth Mills Centre 10:00am "The 1968 Hixon Rail Disaster" Led by Malcolm G | ||
| April 11th Elizabeth Mills Centre "Tale of two Tunnels" led by Tom Elliot | ||
| May 9th Diglis Basin tour 10:00am there . Numbers limited FULL | ||
| June 13th Charlecote Mill 10:15 at th Mill. Possible lunch afterwards Numbers limited FULL | ||
| July 11th Joint trip with Ceilidh Group on the River King from Stourport to the Lenchford for lunch, celebrating 20 years of WFu3a Details to follow | ||
| Sept 12th Birmingham Police Museum tbc | ||
| Oct 10th | ||
| Nov 14th | ||
| Dec 12th Planning meeting and Quiz | ||
Industrial History Programme - 2024
| Friday January 12th 10:00am | Fairground Organs and Punched Cards by Ralph Bramley | Elizabeth Mills, Stourport |
| Friday February 9th 10:00 am | Frank Whittle and the Jet Age | Elizabeth Mills Stourport |
| Friday March 8th 10:00am | Sulphuric Acid - a Random Walk!/ the Tangye Brothers | Elizabeth Mills Stouport |
| Friday April 12 tbc | Walk around Bridgnorth | Meet at Car Park in Bridgnorth tbc |
| Friday May 10th tbc | Tour, wine tasting and Cream Tea at Halfpenny Green Vineyard | Meet there at 10:30 tbc |
| Friday June 14th tbc | Chain Making in Mushroom Green - a factory tour, chance to make a chain and local walk | tbc |
| Friday July 12th | Visit to the Aviation Museum, Coventry Airport | tbc |
| Friday September 13th | Walk around Stourport and Basin | 10:00am Own transport |
| Friday October 11th | Hereford Cider Museum tbc | Own transport |
| Friday November 11th | Bristo; Floating Harbour | |
| Friday Dec 13th | Planning and Quiz | Elizabeth Mills Stourport |
Industrial History Programme - 2023
| Friday January 13th 10:00am | Industrial Waste Water Management: member led | Elizabeth Mills, Stourport |
| Friday 10th Feb 10:00am | Some interesting Railway stations: member led | Elizabeth Mills |
| Friday March 10th | Talk on Midlands Industry by Simon Briercliffe, author of "Forging Ahead" | Elizabeth Mills |
| Friday April 14th 9:15/10:15 | Droitwich Heritage centre- salt and radio! Talk on the Brine Baths. 10:15 start there Use Public CP's Book | Meet at Broadwaters CP for car sharing 9:15am |
| Friday May 12th 9:15/10:00 | Glass Museum. 10:00am there. CP outside or opposite. £7pp to include tea etc Book | Meet at Broadwaters for car sharing 9:15am |
| Friday June 9th | Hack Green Nuclear Bunker tbc. Possible mini bus. Entry fee Book | Meet at Broadwaters |
| Friday July 14th |
Highley coal mine: Ranger led walk. Attended by ex miner. £4:30pp to include drink. 10:00am there Book |
Meet at Broadwaters 9:00am or there(CP charge) |
| Sept 8th | Shrewsbury Flax Mill and Maltings and Longdon aqueduct | Meet at Broadwaters c/p for minibus at 8:45am- prebook please: otherwise 10:00am at Mill outside Turnwood cafe |
| Oct 13th | How to build an aeroplane - member led | Elizabeth Mills |
| Nov 10th | Kidderminster Carpet Industry | Elizabeth Mills |
| Dec 8th | Amazon virtual tour and Planning tbc (can't book Amazon until 6 weeks before) | Elizabeth Mills |
Industrial History Programme - 2022
| Friday January 14th 10:00am | Bellfounding | Zoom meeting |
| Friday February 11th 10:00am | The Phosphorous Industry | Elizabeth Mills Centre & Zoom |
| Friday March 11th 10:00am | Sound: | Elizabeth Mills & Zoom |
| Friday April 8th 10:20am | Morgan Factory | Visit: please book |
| Friday May 13th am | Redditch Needle Mill | Visit |
| Friday June 10th all day | Bristol Aerospace Museum | Visit:please book. Minibus available |
| Friday July 8th | Salt | Stourport |
| Friday September 9th all day | Blaenavon Big Pit | Visit: please book. Minibus available |
| Friday October 14th 10-12pm | Industrial Steam Engines | Elizabeth Mills, Stourport |
| Friday November 11th 10-12pm | History of Radio Part II | Elizabeth Mills, Stourport |
| Friday December 9th 10-12pm | 2023 Planning Meeting and Quiz | Elizabeth Mills, Stourport |
Industrial History Programme - 2020
Programme 2020/21
11th Sept Elan Valley Aqueduct Mike and Sue
25th Sept Brooklands- external speaker Tim Morris
9th Oct Monopoly Industrial History Ralph
23rd Oct tbd- probably a film
13th Nov Measurement 3 -David
27th Nov The China Clay Industry external speaker Malcolm Gould
11th Dec Annual Quiz and bring your own mince pies
2021
Sample of Zoom meetings in the first part of 2021 see above for new programme from Oct.
March 26th Industries along the Upper severn Valley
April 9th The Nuclear Industry
April 23rd Brecon Tramways
Industrial History Programme - 2019
| Friday 11th January | Willow Court, Franche 10-12 am | History of Toothpaste Manufacturing and the first proposed underground rail link to Paris |
| Fri 8th February | Willow Court, Franche, 10-12am | Members contributions: bring an item, a book, a location or story on any Industrial History theme which interests you: 5-10 mins max. |
| Fri 8th March | Willow Court, Franche, 10-12:00 | S Staffs mine drainage: Severn Trows |
| Fri 12th April | Environsort, Norton Worcester 10:00am | Visit to the recycling centre for Worcs. Free. Meet there or 9:00am Broadwaters to share transport |
| WED 8th May | SVR Engine sheds Bridgnorth 12:00 | Tour of behind the scenes at SVR Engineering. Meet there or 11:15 Broadwaters for car sharing |
| Fri 14th June | Gloucester Docks and the 'Hereford Bull' | All day visit by minibus. Transport cost £10. 8:00am at Broadwaters CP |
| Fri 12th July | The Potteries | All day visit by minibus to the Stoke area. Transport cost £10. 9:00am at Broadwaters CP |
| Fri 13th Sept | Guided walk around Bewdley Industries | 10:30 at Bewdley Museum Approx 1.5hrs. 10:00 at Broadwaters to car share.Approx cost £4:50 ph |
| Fri Oct 11th | Franche Community Church DY11 5QA | Member's talk on "The World's 1st Underground Railway" |
| Fri Nov 8th | Hobsons Brewery Cleobury Mortimer 12:30-3:30 | Tour of Brewery with Ploughmans lunch and 'samples'! Cost £15 Members transport. Car share |
| Fri 13th Dec |
Planning meeting and sharing of "I didn't know that!" based loosely on Industrial History Franche Community Church 10:00am |
Using members ideas and experience to plan the next year.
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Industrial History Programme - 2018
| 12/1/18 | Talks on Cumbrian Industry and Electric Tram Stud System |
10-12 Willow Court, Franche |
| 9/2/18 | Film on the Ironbridge: talk on "Cutting" |
10-12 Willow Court, Franche |
| 9/3/18 | Industrial Archaeology investigation near Dowles Brook. Wellies and waterproofs! | Meet at Car Park 10 am |
| 13/4/18 | Tour Abberley Clock Tower and Hall | 9;30 at Broadwaters to car share, 10:30 at Hall |
| 11/5/18 | Dudley Canal Museum and Boat trip | Canal Museum: |
| 8/6/18 | Charlecote Flour Mill:tour by miller | CV35 8BB |
| 13/7/18 | The Blorenge, S Wales :Day trip | Minibus booked |
| 10/8/18 | TBA- if any! | |
| 13/9/18 | John Taylor Bell Foundry: Day Trip | NOTE-now Thursday |
| 12/10/18 | Shelsey Mill | TBA |
| 8/11/18 |
Gun Barrel Proof House NB This is a Thursday Talk and Tour |
£15ph, max 10 10-1:30 incl coffee |
| 14/12/18 | Planning Meeting and Quiz | Willow Court, Franche 10-12 |
Industrial History Programme - 2017
| 13th January 2017 |
Planning the 2017 programme Willow Court Community Room, Franche Kidderminster DY11 5AU From 10.00am to 12.noon |
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| 10th February 2017 |
Members' presentations Standardising mass production methods - based on the production of the Springfield rifle - Mike Cutler Coal mining - Alan Williams and Tom Elliott Willow Court Community Room, Franche, Kidderminster, DY11 5AU From 10.00am to 12 noon |
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| 10th March 2017 |
Birmingham Museum Storage Collection Leave Kidderminster Railway Station at 9.30am Cost of visit TBC |
Report |
| 14th April 2017 |
Knowles Mill, Dowles Brook, near Bewdley (postponed) There is a three-quarter mile walk to and from the mill on uneven surface Led by Tom Elliott (POSTPONED) |
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| 12th May 2017 |
Snailbeach Mine near Minsterley, Shropshire Car sharing - leave Kidderminster at 9.30am Cost of visit TBC |
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6th June 2017 NB TUESDAY |
Hereford Waterworks Museum (TBC) Car sharing - leave Kidderminster at 9.30am Cost of visit TBC |
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| 14th July 2017 |
The Davis Collection of Industrial and Agricultural Vehicles, Redditch (this will take place later in the year - TBC)
Knowles Mill, Dowles Brook, near Bewdley There is a three-quarter mile walk to and from the mill on uneven surface Led by Tom Elliott
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| 11th August 2017 |
No Meeting |
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| 8th September 2017 |
Coleham Pumping Station, Shrewsbury, SY3 7DN: 2:00pm Chance to see engines in steam Car sharing - leave Kidderminster 12:30: meet Broadwaters Car Park for car sharing. NB. Limited car park at site, on road parking nearby. Cost of visit £3pp, minimum 10 people. |
Report |
| 13th October 2017 |
Worcester Cathedral Roof Space Cost of visit £6 pp. |
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| 10th November 2017 |
Bradley Workshop A chance to visit the Canal & River Trust workshop where they make and repair lock gates. Travel details to follow |
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| 8th December 2017 |
Programme arrangements might change, so please check the website for details
Industrial History Programme - 2016
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8th January Willow Court Room |
Glimpses of industrial history in and around the Wyre Forest Mike Carter |
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12th February Willow Court Room 10.00 am to 12 noon |
Sugar and Salt Discovering something about the histories of the once local sugar and salt industries of Kidderminster and Droitwich Contributions from members |
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11th March |
Walsall Leather Museum |
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8th April |
Newman Brothers Coffin Works, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham |
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13th May |
The Blorenge industrial area, near Abergavenny - (This visit will now take place during the summer - date to be arranged) (A day visit) Visit to Drakelow Tunnels with Social History Group (Leader Janice Evans)
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10th June |
Churchill Forge, near Blakedown, Kidderminster |
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8th July |
Daniels Mill, near Bridgnorth Meet at the mill for 10.30am |
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12th August |
Cancelled |
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28th September |
Dudley Tunnel - an extended tour (6 hours) through the Dudley and Netherton tunnels Joint visit with the Geology Group - a day visit (Booking essential) Cancelled - insufficient numbers |
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14th October Willow Court Room 10.00am - 12.00noon |
A history of measurement David Strucket Please note change of date |
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11th November |
Members' projects |
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9th December Willow Court Room |
Planning the 2017 programme Cancelled |
Programme arrangements might change, so please check the website for details