BMSGH HomeBROMSGROVE
Descriptive Notes:Directories:
BROMSGROVE, a market town and parish (formerly a
borough) in the upper division of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, county of
WORCESTER, 13 miles (N.E. by N.) from Worcester, 13 (S.W.) from
Birmingham, and
116 (N.W.) from London, on the road from Birmingham to Worcester,
containing
7519 inhabitants. This place, anciently Bremesgrave, was a royal
demesne at the
time of the Conquest, and continued to be so till the reign of Henry
III; it
returned members to parliament in the 23rd of Edward I. During the
parliamentary war it was the head-quarters of a party of royalists
employed in
the siege of Hawkesley House, about three miles distant, which, in
1645, was
fortified and garrisoned by the parliament. The town is pleasantly
situated on
the western bank of the river Salwarp, and consists principally of one
street,
extending for a considerable distance along the turnpike road: the
houses are
in general substantial and well built, and the inhabitants amply
supplied with
water.
The principal articles of manufacture are nails, needles, and fish-hooks; and some coarse linen table-cloths and sheeting are still made: in the neighbourhood, potatoes, for the Bristol and other markets, are extensively cultivated. The Birmingham and Worcester canal passes within three miles to the east. The market is on Tuesday: the fairs are on June 24th and October 1st.
The town is within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates; a bailiff and other officers are annually appointed at the court leet of the lord of the manor, held at Michaelmas; and a court is held every third week, for the recovery of debts under 40s. The town-hall is a neat and commodious building, under which is a marketplace, in the centre of the town.
The living is a vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of King's Norton annexed, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £41. 8. 1 ½ and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is a very ancient structure, combining portions in the Norman style, and others in the early, decorated, and later, styles of English architecture, of which last the tower and spire, and most of the exterior of the church, are fine specimens ; the interior contains many curious and interesting monuments. There are places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians.
The free grammar school was founded, with an endowment of £7 per annum, by charter of Edward VI, confirmed by Queen Mary, who vested the management in governors, whose appointment of a master is subject to the approval of the bishop of the diocese. The original endowment was augmented with £50 per annum by Sir Thomas Cookes, who in 1714 founded six scholarships, of £50 per annum each, in Worcester College, Oxford, for this school and four others in the county; and six fellowships, of £ 150 per annum each, in the same college, to which, as vacancies occur, those who hold the scholarships succeed. There are twelve scholars on the foundation, who are clothed, educated, and apprenticed: they are entitled to the scholarships and fellowships above mentioned, but the master's private pupils usually enjoy the benefit of, them. There are some endowed almshouses in the parish.
At Dodford, two miles from the town, are the
remains of a small priory of Premonstratensian canons, founded by Henry
I in
1190, now part of a farm-house. At Shepley there are some traces of the
Roman
Iknield-street; and near Gannow is a petrifying spring. To the north of
the
town is Bromsgrove Lickey, a range of lofty hills, commanding an
extensive and
diversified prospect of the surrounding country; a considerable part,
comprising a tract of two .thousand acres, has been enclosed, and
produces good
crops of clover, turnips, and potatoes. A spring, rising among these
hills,
divides into two streams, one of which flowing northward, joins the
river Rea,
and uniting with the Trent, falls into the North sea; the
other, running
into the Stour, joins the Severn, and empties itself into the Irish
sea. [Topographical Dictionary of England
1831 by
Samuel Lewis]
Ancient Parish [25]
Included a chapel at Grafton Manor which was separate in early 13th century as an extra-parochial and a separate Civil Parish by 1858. Grafton Manor was abolished ecclesiastically in 1908 to help create Dodford Ecclesiastical Parish. Also included a chapelry at Kings Norton, which had a separate identity early and was a separate Ecclesiastical Parish by 1846. [25]
There were additional Ecclesiastical boundary changes. In :-
1755 to create Wythall Ecclesiastical Parish
1766 to create Moseley Ecclesiastical Parish
1844 to create Catshill Ecclesiastical Parish
1885 to help create The Lickey Ecclesiastical Parish
1875 to create Bromsgrove All Saints Ecclesiastical Parish [25]
Location:
O.S. Ref: SO957707
12½ miles N.E. of Worcester
The parish includes a variety of villages and hamlets in the north part, the chief of which are Bourn Heath, Great and Little Catshill, Lickey End, Sidemoor, Upper Catshill, Long Eye, Marlbrook and the Rock. All the preceding villages and hamlets are also listed under North Bromsgrove.
Burcot is 1½ miles N.E. Dadford or Dodford is nearly 3 miles N.W. Fockbury is a division of Bromsgrove parish, 1 mile N.W. [57]
Parish Church:
St. John the Baptist, Jct. Kidderminster Rd. & St.John's St
Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester until 1921, Archdeaconry of Dudley & Diocese of Worcester (1921 - *) [25]
Hundred:
Upper Halfshire [15] [25] [28]
Poor Law Union:
Bromsgrove [3] [25]
Adjoining Parishes:
Romsley; Frankley; Kings Norton; Cofton Hackett; Alvechurch; Tardebigge; Stoke Prior; Grafton Manor; Upton Warren; Chaddesley Corbett; Belbroughton [1]
Parish Registers:
| Coverage | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Microform at WLHC | Christenings | 1590-1946 | [5] |
| Marriages | 1590-1962 | [5] | |
| Burials | 1590-1954 | [5] | |
| Banns | 1924-61 | [5] | |
| Originals at WRO | Banns | Some
publications of banns appear between 1653 and 1719/20 |
[12] |
Begin 1613 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]
International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]
| Coverage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Parish Registers | Births / Christenings | 1590-1873 |
Register Copies:
At Society of Genealogists :
Christenings 1590-92, 1603-04, 1611-12, 1621-1712, Marriages 1590-92, 1602/3, 1612, 1622-?, Burials 1589-92, 1602-03, 1611-12, 1621-1712 [Typescript.]
Christenings 1841-46, Burials 1841-45 (BTs) [Microfilm.] - Published: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1998
Nonconformist:
See Bromsgrove Nonconformist Records
Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
St.John BMSGH microfiche [53]
St.John Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]
At Society of Genealogists [59] :-
St. John: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 3 [Typescript.] - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1983 - Author Townshend, Jenny et al.
Finstall burial ground: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 3 [Typescript.] - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1983 - Author: Slater, Mrs et al. (trans.)
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.
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:
1811 21 BMSGH microfiche
1811 21 1841-1901 at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]
1891 1901 Bromsgrove Workhouse Worcestershire Library and History Centre
At Society of Genealogists :-
Bromsgrove 1811 & 1821 census transcriptions & index [Microfiche.] - Published Birmingham Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry 2000
Worcestershire 1851 census returns : Bromsgrove registration district HO 107/2047 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996 Worcestershire 1861 census returns : Bromsgrove registration district (part) RG/9 2113-2115 (Bromsgrove sub-district) [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996
Worcestershire 1891 census returns: Bromsgrove registration district RG 12/2344-2348 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 2003
1851 Census Worcestershire, vol. 10 Bromsgrove transcript & surname index : part 1 Stoke Prior & Bromsgrove (part); part 2 Belbroughton, Clent, Hagley, Pedmore, Frankley, Hunnington, Romsley, Tutnall & Cobley, Bromsgrove (part); part 3 Tardebigg, Tutnal & Cobley, Bentley Pauncefoot, Webheath, Redditch & Alvechurch - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1993-5 - Author: Friend, A F (trans)
Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial 1660-1840 Worcestershire Burial Index
Marriage see Worcestershire Marriage Index
Manorial Records:
Worcestershire Record Office [50]
Abstract of fines and copies of court rolls [1629]-1886; Rent roll 1675, 1770, 1770-71 (photocopy); Court papers [c.1569-89] and [c.1665-1678/9], [c.mid-late 17th cent.]; Court rolls, presentments and other court papers 1335-1782; papers [late 14th cent.-1649], 1643-87; Manor book 1923-32;Bromsgrove and King's Norton: Court rolls 1490-1547; Court rolls and other court papers [c.1395-c.1432]. Chadwich (otherwise Chadwick): Act for inclosing common and waste lands of the manor of Chadwich 1791; Deeds re leasehold of the manor. Woodcote: Deeds 1668-1848
Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Churchwardens Charity Book 1844-72 (pt) 1868-1940 (pt)
Churchwardens accounts 1891-1915
Church accounts 1901-14, 1907-23, 1924-25
Church Institute minutes 1912-15
Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Perrygrove School
Admission Registers - 1971 - 1983 - Ref: BA 9888/3 (ix)
Log book. Note: This school was formerly known as Bromsgrove Lea Hospital Day Special School. The final entry in this volume dated 19th July 1985 records that the school closed on that date. - 1980 - 85 - Ref: BA 9888/2 (ii)
Watt Close Infants' School
Admission register - 1945 - 48 - Ref: BA 7984
Watt Close (New) Council Infants' School
Admission register - 1916 - 28 - Ref: BA 7984Log book - 1916 - 28 - Ref: BA 5652/2
Bromsgrove All Saints Sunday School
Photographs of Members of Sunday School - [early 20th cent] - Ref: BA 9456/18(ii)
Bromsgrove C E [Junior] Mixed School
Admission registers, (2 vols) - 1922-44 - Ref: BA 7984
Bromsgrove C E Boys' School
Admission register - 1907-21 - Ref: BA 7984
Log books, (3 vols) - 1863-1928 - Ref: BA 5652/2-3
Bromsgrove C E Girls' School
Admission register - 1912-22 - Ref: BA 7984
Bromsgrove C E Infants' School
Admission registers, (2 vols) - 1893-1916 - Ref: BA 7984
Log books (3 vols) - 1867-1916 - Ref: BA 5652/1
Bromsgrove Girls' National School
Log books (2 vols) - 1863-1922 - Ref: BA 5652/3
Crown Close Evening Classes
Admission register - 1909 - [19] - Ref: BA 1965/27
Lea Hospital Day Special School
Log book - 1971 - 80 - BA9888/2 (i)
Sidemoor School
Infants' Dept log book - 1874 - 1904 - Ref: BA 1618/7
Stourbridge Road C P School
Admission Register - 1907 -09 - Ref: BA 1965/26
Stourbridge Road School
Boys' Dept Log Book - 1880 - 1919 - Ref: BA 1618/17
Girls' Dept Log book - 1880 - 1916 - Ref: BA 1618/16
Infants' Dept Admission register - 1908 - 33 - Ref: BA 1618/21
Infants' Dept Log Book - 1880 - 1939 - Ref: BA 1618/18
A handlist of other records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here.
Other Sources:
St John: Poor Law BMSGH microfiche
Bentley's Directory of Bromsgrove, Droitwich, & Redditch [1840] BMSGH microfiche
Bromsgrove & the Poll Tax of 1690 : a record of Poll Tax payers in the parish of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire- Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1993 - Author: Broomfield, Alan (trans) BMSGH microfiche
At Society of Genealogists :-
The poor law & settlement documents of the parish of St. John Baptist, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1988
Bailiffs of Bromsgrove (notes with a chronological list of the bailiffs [1494-1985]) [Typescript.] - Published : Manorial Research Ltd., 1986
Glory gone : the story of nailing in Bromsgrove - Published Bromsgrove : Halfshire Books, 1989 - Authors: Kings, Bill & Cooper, Margaret
© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 19th March 2008