Miscellanea

A Winter Meeting
For everyone in general but railway buffs in particular Society's meeting in February: Wednesday, 13th Feb. 1991; Grieg Hall Alcester 8 p.m.

Two Valleys Not One
We call ourselves a magazine for the Lower Arrow Valley but we really include the River Alne also. Hence, Great Alne, Kinwarton and Haselor have always come into our reckoning.
It is therefore something of a mystery why we have neglected Aston Cantlow and its members, Little Alne and Shelfield. This ought to be put right. It is a surprise that Aston Cantlowians have not risen in righteous indignation, with parades down Alcester High Street and picketing of the Society's meetings; but nothing has happened although to our knowledge A. C. does not possess its own Local History Society. A good start could be made if readers, particularly any from Aston, would help in transcribing some of the basic archives lying in record offices and waiting to be discovered Some of these are:- 19th century censuses : 19th century trade directories: parish registers (1560 onwards): manor court records parish records: Inclosure Award (1744): probate records: -- etc. These are in the Record Offices at Stratford, Warwick and Worcester

Please contact the society if you can help

Another Old Needleworks Gone
With the destruction of the old industrial estate behind the Birmingham Road, Alcester, the firm of Martin-Davis Press fronting the road has also been swept away. This building had its place in the history of needle-making. At the beginning of the century one of the Allwood family joined with a Mr. Blackband in setting up here the Alexandra Works, in conjunction with the scouring facilities at Ragley Mill. Few buildings now remain which were once devoted to needlemaking: the Minerva Works on Station Road is the finest still in existence, while the building at the top of Malt Mill Lane, opposite Malt Mill House, is unlikely to be destroyed.

Theses
Some of the best research happens when someone takes a local subject as the basis for a degree thesis. Such an one has been completed by Mr. Martyn Cutmore of Alcester on 'Puritnism At Alcester 1592 - 1662' He has kindly given a copy to the Society's files; we hope that soon we can get one for Alcester Library. Our late Chairman Cyril J.Johnson, did his thesis some years ago on the 'Origin and History of the Alcester Waterworks Company? and the Society was able to purchase a copy of this admirable study for the Library. Do you know of other degree theses on our area about which we ought to know?

In our next issue we will view 'Puritanism' in some detail.

A dictionary of Alcester Biography to be published shortly ( 50p ADLHS)

Local Past' thanks the following for local photographs:
Mr. Ron Bray: Mr. Alf Hickinbotham Mr. David Moulson: Mr.Charles Strain
and for a lever arch file: Mrs.L.K.Roberts

Next time you visit Gloucester why not have a look at the Robert Opie Collection at the Museum of Advertising and Packaging It is Britain's first such museum and may be found at the following address:
THE ALBERT WAREHOUSE GLOUCESTER DOCKS GLOUCESTER GL1 2EH (Telephone: 0452 302309)

The Alcester and District Local History Society has just bidden farewell to Chairman, Mr Cyril Johnson. The Society has much for which to thank Cyril for he brought to the position energy, efficiency and hard work.

Fortunately, his expertise in such areas as photography will still be stay able to us,

Winter 1990 Index