ASTWOOD BANK

Descriptive Notes:
At the beginning of the 19th century Astwood Bank, Crabbs Cross and Hunt End were small villages on the outskirts of Redditch and part of the large ecclesiastical parish of Feckenham.
By 1881 the population had grown to about 2500 persons and a chapel of ease was built at Astwood Bank. The first part of the building was completed and consecrated on the 11th August 1884, with the building being extended to its present size and approximate layout by 1923.

Status:
The church was a chapel of ease to Feckenham. Astwood became a separate parish in 1981 [5]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SP043629
On the Warwickshire border of the county, 3½ miles south of Redditch

Parish Church:
St. Matthias & St. George, Church Rd., Astwood Bank, Redditch

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester [11]

Hundred:
Upper Halfshire [11]

Poor Law Union:
Alcester [29]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1906-57	[5]
	Marriages	1924-74	[5]
	Burials	1949-65	[5]

Nonconformist:
Astwood Bank Baptist Church:
Christenings1813-1950; Burials1800-77 (gaps) Worcestershire Library and History Centre [30]
Originals: Marriages1946-79 Worcestershire Record Office [12]

The following all at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [30]
Alcester & Astwood Baptist Church: Births 1788-1837 Deaths 1801-06 Burials1800-37
Note: Alcester is in Warwickshire & Astwood was part of Feckenham. Alcester was the mother church. No pre-1837 register of marriages was kept. Between 1801 & 1813 the minister was minister for both Alcester & Astwood. From 1813 he was minister of Astwood only.
A volume containing a list of persons buried, plan of burial ground & list of graves: 1845-87
Register of members: 1813-50
Astwood was a daughter church of Alcester Baptist Church. It had ceased to be used as a place of worship by 1990.

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
St.Matthias & St.George BMSGH microfiche [53]
St. Matthias & St. George: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 10 - Published : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1991 - Author Farmer, G R (trans.) Society of Genealogists [59]
Persons buried at Baptist church, with plan of burial ground & list of graves (1845-57) Worcestershire Record Office [51]

Census Records:
Access to all the censuses between 1841 and 1901 is now widely available on the library edition of Ancestry.co.uk at most record offices. You are strongly advised to book time on their computers before making a visit.
The findmypast.co.uk website offers access to the 1911 census. This is a Subscription or PayAsYouGo site. 
Many commercial organisations have issued CDs and DVDs covering all the censuses from 1841 to 1901.

Some repositories offer census details on microfiche as listed below:
1851 at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Astwood Bank British School
Log book - 1870 - 87 - Ref: BA 191

Astwood Bank C P School
[formerly Infants', Girls' and Boys' Schools]
Log books - 1878 - 1944 - Ref: BA 5244

Astwood Bank Council School
Log book, Boys' Dept. - 1926-78 - Ref: BA 11134

A handlist of other records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here.

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 5th February 2010

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