Apologies to those who were planning to come along on Thursday 25th May, to delve into some real and very sobering local history with Sarah Bradley, who has for a number of years, been doing research into what exactly it meant to be poor in the 1800s in the Belbroughton and Clent areas. Sarah very kindly agreed to bring her talk forward to our March meeting which we had widely advertised as a talk from Dr Gillian White.
Thank you Sarah for a talk which gave insight into how the government of the time, with its increasing concerns over the rising costs of providing relief for the poor lead to the setting up of workhouses around the country. There are tales of cruelty within the system – the boy, Oliver Twist daring to ask for more food – in Dicken’s novel of the same name – being one of the best known. Sarah was able to give us real examples of both kindness and cruelty that she had discovered within the Bromsgrove Poor Law Union(which included Clent).
The local research continues as part of a national project.We are very lucky to have had Sarah share her work with us.
*Anyone wanting to know more about this research can contact Sarah through Belbroughton History Society.
Although it is unfortunate that our billed talk for March The Hugely Huggable History of the Teddy bear didn’t happen we are now looking forward to welcoming Dr Gillian White as our speaker on Thursday 25th May. Come along, if you can to what should be a talk with a difference. Teddy Bears will be in there but also look out for some real Teddie’s and how they influenced their times.
Clent Parish Hall – DY9 9QT- From 7.30pm – Talk starts at 8pm.
Refreshments on offer afterwards.
