Society Archives and Projects

The society has many ongoing conservation and research projects. Peter Beck, our conservation officer, keeps his eyes and ears alert to changes in and around Quinton and acts accordingly. The society are at present working on trying to get the Christ Church listed as a building of historical interest and importance.

The Old Burial Ground is an ongoing project and although progress seems quite slow and tedious, we do appear to be making some headway. Although having said that recent appeals for funding from the Co-operative Community Fund have been rejected. It is a pity but we will continue to look for fresh sources of money to finance the project.

Another ongoing project is the recording of shops, businesses etc from as early as possible to present day. When we have enough information on spreadsheet, it will be placed on the “archive section” of the QLHS Internet site and also filed in folders for reference by members during meetings and at the exhibitions.

Various areas have already been researched with the help of the old trade directories that can be found on the 6th Floor of the Central Library in Birmingham. However, these directories are now being placed on CD-rom and can be viewed in the comfort of your home on the computer. The society has used the money available to it to purchase quite a number of these CD’s, in order that an archive of its own can be built up. Society members can loan the CDs for their own study and reference.

On the next page will be a list of the CD-roms that the society own at present. If anyone wishes to loan them, for a week, they should contact me. There would be no charge for the hire, but the hirer must collect and return them to me and if any damage occurs, then a charge would have to be made to replace the CD.

If you are interested please contact me.

AVAILABLE AT PRESENT

1851 Census of England-Worcestershire
1861 Census of England-Worcestershire
1871 Census of England-Worcestershire
1881 British Census and National Index
1891 Census of England-Worcestershire
1873 Return of Owners of Land
1830 Pigot’s Directory-Combined Counties
1873 Littlebury’s Directory and Gazetteer of Worcestershire
1878 Post Office Directory of Birmingham and Suburbs
1879 Post Office Directory of Birmingham and Suburbs
1913 Kelly’s Directory of Worcestershire (with map)
1924 Kelly’s Directory of Worcestershire (with map)
1940 Kelly’s Directory of Worcestershire (with map)

The above cost between £20 and £60 so as you can see we would have to make a charge for any damages. Hopefully, the list will increase as the society’s bank balance improves and our treasurer feels that the society’s funds are healthy enough to warrant the purchase.

The basic requirement to view is a computer with a CD-rom drive and the programme–Adobe Acrobat Reader vers. 5 or 6

The society is presently contemplating the purchase of a laptop computer but only when funds are available.

This would allow members to hire the machine at a modest cost and do their own research without the need of their own capital outlay. It would also be available at our monthly meetings, enabling those who are doing research to access the information. We are always looking at ways to improve the service our members but always making sure that we spend the society funds wisely. However, more about that in the future.

Bill Yates draw a map of the area dated 1904 –1928 and also found, by referring to Kelly’s Directories, the shops along the Hollybush, see below.

Note in 1928:
Beech Lanes/The Hawthornes/Quinton Hill/Ridgacre Road becomes Hagley Road West

Hollybush Shops-North side-1952

From Birch Road

I am sure that the above will stir many memories and perhaps the occasional comparison of what we have on offer today.

Staits Shoe Repairs and Beckett
Photo by kind permission of John Stait

If you would like to help or do some research for the society then please contact Bernard Taylor on 0121-422-1792 or e-mail qlhs@bjtaylor.fsnet.co.uk.

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