Events - Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service

The case of Bella in the Wych Elm has excited interest since the remains of an unidentified woman were found in Hagley Woods 83 years ago.

Over the years, theories as to who she was and why she was killed have abounded. For this talk we will use West Mercia Police archives, held by WAAS, to explore the facts of the case and, in partnership with the University of Worcester, lecturers in policing will look at how the case was conducted. A local playwright, Sarah Hutton, will then look at how press coverage distorted the facts of the case. In her latest play Sarah seeks to get behind the notoriety and present Bella as a real person.

Please join us for what will be a fascinating evening.

Interested in researching the history of your house? Or perhaps you are interested in another building.

We are running a free drop-in session where a member of staff will be on hand to offer advice and tips, as well as introduce you to the variety of resources available for house history in Worcestershire. This event is intended as a Q&A and resource overview, not extensive one-to-one assistance with research.

No booking required.

The case of Florrie Porter, found murdered in Lickey End in 1944, has not received the same amount of attention as that of Bella in the Wych Elm.

For this talk we will use the documents deposited with us by West Mercia Police to explore the facts of the case. Despite the involvement of US Military Police and witnesses to Florrie’s movements prior to her murder, her murderer has never been identified.

In partnership with the University of Worcester, lecturers in Policing will discuss how in times of war violence against women increases. Dr Charley Barnes from the English, Media and Culture department will then explore how the lives of victims are often forgotten in the midst of the notoriety of the case.

Come and join us for an evening guaranteed to make you think!

Do you have a treasured letter, book or album in need of a bit of care and attention?  Why not bring it along for our Book and Paper Conservator to take a look at for advise on how to care for it for many years to come?  From suggestions for packaging and storage to discussing options for repair, your special items deserve the same care as our archives.

No booking required.

Documents in our collections tell us the Battle of Worcester began in the early afternoon of 3rd September 1651 on a floodplain to the south of the city, near to where the Rivers Severn and Teme merge. Thanks to an exciting Worcestershire Archaeology project we can now add to this knowledge through material evidence of the battle.

Come to this special Behind the Scenes tour to find out more, and get up close to these captivating documents and fascinating finds!

A workshop to introduce you to the resources available at The Hive to get you started on your family history journey.

No previous experience necessary, but please bring any family information you already have (names/dates/places) with you on the day, along with a Worcestershire Library card* to allow access to the computers, if you wish.

*If you do not have one, please bring ID to get one on the day.

Join Archivists behind the scenes for a tour of what is unique, special and treasured about Worcestershire Archives and their wonderful collections. Highlights will include a letter sent from Titanic, Shakespeare’s Marriage bond, documents from the reign of King Charles I and II and the Worcestershire photographic survey.

A talk exploring some of the cases found in the Quarter Session and Consistory Court papers held in our archives. We will look at those involving violence, theft, profanity, and some that will surprise you. The punishments given out could be extreme but also unusual. An evening that will not only help you to better understand crime and punishment in the past but will also help you to discover more about the nature of 18th century society.