Events - Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service

Aimed at new users, this workshop will give an overview of the Archive self-service area, introducing some of the sources available for Worcestershire. The workshop aims to give confidence to those wanting to use the self-service area, showing the type of information available and how to use the resources. There will be time afterwards to view sources of your choice, so if you have anything specific you would like to look at, please bring the information with you. Please bring your library cards with you if you wish to use the computers. Microform images can be saved to a memory stick by using designated software available on two specialist computers, so you may wish to bring one with you too.

Are you fascinated by plants and animals? Are you interested in drawing or painting the natural world?

The early study of nature often involved describing the uses of plants for medicines in books called Herbals. It wasn’t until explorers could observe animals and plants in their natural environment and could collect specimens, that scientists and artists could accurately describe them. Join us as we showcase stories of people who travelled to unexplored parts of the world to describe the natural world and championed plants and their uses in our gardens.

The historian Frank Mason, whilst researching his ancestors, found that one was a gloving manufacturer in Worcester in the nineteenth century. What began as family history turned into a wider exploration of glove-making and the lives of those who worked in it. In his book, Frank traces the history of the city’s glove industry from its medieval beginnings to its emergence by the end of the nineteenth century as a major international player. The book is also the story of Victorian Worcester: public health, election petitions, patriotism, attitudes to vaccination, music and religion.

Come and hear Frank talk on this fascinating subject. After there will be a chance to buy the book and have it signed by the author.

Book signing will begin at 12:00pm.

Pop in to see our Senior Archival Photographer, who will be on hand to answer questions regarding digitising your search room finds.

He will be also available to offer advice on how to digitise your own photographic archives using your own equipment.

No booking required.

Would you like to learn how to research the history of your house? Or perhaps you are interested in another building?

Come and meet some archive staff and learn about what sources are available to research house histories in Worcestershire and how to find them. We will look at items in the library, on computer and microfilm, and original archived documents on level 2 of The Hive.

Get to know the different sources with some hand-chosen examples, and perhaps feel inspired to return and begin to research the history of your own house.

This is a course for beginners, we cannot offer specific advice or research on the day but can show individuals how to use our resources and how to research.