WORCESTER

Descriptive Notes:

Directories:
WORCESTER, a city and county of itself, having exclusive jurisdiction, locally in the county of Worcester, of which it is the capital, 111 miles (N. W. by W.) from London, containing, according to the last census, 17,023 inhabitants, which number has since increased to about 20,000. The City is pleasantly situated at the base and on the acclivity of elevated ground, rising gently from the east bank of the river Severn, over which is a handsome stone bridge of five elliptical arches, connecting it with the suburb of St. John's.

[Trade]
The manufacture of broad cloth prevailed here to a very great - extent in the reign of Henry VIII, at which time there were three hundred and eighty looms, employing eight thousand persons: on its decline the carpet manufacture was introduced, which, after flourishing for a short time, was transferred to Kidderminster.

The present manufactures are those of porcelain and gloves, for the former of which this city has obtained a degree of reputation unequalled at home, and not surpassed abroad: the Worcester china is equally valued for its fineness and transparency, the elegance of its patterns, and the beauty of its embellishments.

The glove manufacture conducted upon a very extensive scale, affording employment to not less than eight thousand persons in the city, exclusively of many thousands in the neighbouring villages …

The manufacture of lace has been recently established here, and is making rapid progress. A distillery upon a large scale, a rectifying establishment, and a British wine manufactory, are conducted; and extensive iron-foundries have been erected on the banks of the canal and the Severn: a considerable trade is carried on in hops, of which there are extensive plantations in the vicinity.

[Communications]
The Worcester and Birmingham canal affords great facility of communication between the latter town and the Severn, and for the conveyance of goods from Manchester and the north of England, through Worcester and the Severn, which is navigable for barges of considerable tonnage, and on the banks of which are commodious quays and spacious warehouses, contributes greatly to promote the trade and commercial prosperity of the city.

[Markets]
The market place, nearly opposite the town hall in High Street, is a spacious and commodious area, erected in 1804, at an expense of £5050.

The corn market is held at a place so called, being a spacious area at the eastern end of Silver-street. The hop market is held in a spacious area opposite Berkeley chapel, at the south end of the Foregate: the buildings surrounding this area, formerly used as the city workhouse, have been converted into warehouses and offices, of which the rents are applied by the guardians thereof in aid of the poor rates of the several parishes which contributed to their erection: the sales of hops are very considerable, averaging annually about twenty-five thousand pockets.

[Parishes]

The city comprises the parishes of St. Alban, All Saints, St. Andrew, St. Clement (partly in the lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow), St. Helen, St. Martin (partly in the lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow), St. Nicholas, St. Peter (partly in the lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow), and St. Swithin, all in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester.

[Schools]
The royal grammar school connected with the cathedral was founded, at the time of that establishment by Henry VIII., for forty boys, of which number ten are appointed by the dean and three by each of the prebendaries: .. The free grammar school was founded by Queen Elizabeth 156l, …

[Infirmary and Workhouse]
The city and county infirmary was established in 1770, and is under the regulation of a president and committee, being liberally supported by the nobility and gentry of the surrounding neighbourhood; the building, which occupies an airy and appropriate situation, adjoining the Pitchcroft meadow, was completed at an expense of £6085. 9- 9-> raised by subscription

The house of industry, an extensive brick building, occupying an elevated situation to the east of the town, was erected by act of parliament, obtained in 1792, for the accommodation of eight incorporated parishes of the city, the parish of St. Peter not being included; and is under the control of the mayor, for the time being, and a board of twelve directors: the buildings were erected at an expense of £7318, and the purchase of the land belonging to it was £2273.

[Extracts from Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

Status:
Civil Parish [25]

Created in 1898 by the union of the following parishes in Worcester County Borough:

Bedwardine St Michael Ancient Parish
South Claines Civil Parish
South Hallow Civil Parish
Worcester All Saints Ancient Parish
Worcester Blockhouse Civil Parish
Worcester College Precincts Civil Parish
Worcester St Alban Ancient Parish
Worcester St Andrew Ancient Parish
Worcester St Clement Ancient Parish
Worcester St Helen Ancient Parish
Worcester St John Bedwardine City Civil Parish
Worcester St Martin City Civil Parish
Worcester St Nicholas Ancient Parish
Worcester St Peter the Great City Civil Parish
Worcester St Swithun Ancient Parish
Whistones Civil Parish

Worcester County Borough was transferred in 1974 to the combined non-metropolitan county of Hereford and Worcester but in 1998 the counties were again separated. [25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO849551

Poor Law Union:
Worcester (1898-1930) [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Claines; Worcester St Martin; Whittington; Norton Juxta Kempsey; Kempsey; Powick; Worcester St John Bedwardine; Hallow [1]

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:
On BMSGH microfiche :-
Worcester City (North)- 1851 Census (Transcript) Vol. 6. PRO. Ref. HO107/2042-2
Worcester City (South)- 1851 Census (Transcript) Vol. 6. PRO. Ref. HO107/2042-3
Worcester City (West)- 1851 Census (Transcript) Vol. 6. PRO. Ref. HO107/2042-1

At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14] :
Some of the places listed under Worcester are ecclesiastical parishes. Others are merely areas of the city. Much of the northern part of the city was originally within Claines parish.
1891- 1901 Worcester Castle Street Prison
1891- 1901 Worcester General Infirmary
1891- 1901 Worcester Workhouse
1901 Royal Albert Orphan Asylum

At Society of Genealogists :
Worcestershire 1851 census returns : Worcester registration district HO 107/2042 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996
Worcestershire 1861 census returns : Worcester registration district RG/9 2089-2095 [Microfilm.] - Published London : Public Record Office, 1996
Worcestershire 1891 census returns : Worcester registration district RG 12/2324-2330 [Microfilm.] - Published London Public Record Office 2003

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:

British School for Boys
Attendance Registers.Note: The School closed in 1915 - 1900-1901 - Ref: BA 12805

Cherry Orchard Council (Infants) School
Admission register - 1919-55 - Ref: BA 11076

Cherry Orchard Primary School
Admission registers - 1883-1973 - Ref: BA 10550/2(i)-(iv)
Log books - 1883-1981 - Ref: BA 10550/1(i)-(iii)
Register of summaries of attendances.Note: On opening, this school was originally known as 'St Peter's Extra-Municipal Board School', but by 1907 it was also known as Cherry Orchard Council School. - 1964-67 - Ref: BA 10550/2(v)
Visitors log books - 1886-1903 - Ref: BA 10550/1(iv)

Comer Gardens School
Log books - 1880-1984 - Ref: BA 11953/1(i)-(iii), 2(i)-(ii)

Henwick Grove Junior School
Log book.Note: This volume contians several loose newspaper cuttings and H M Inspectors' reports relating to the school. - 1950-84 - Ref: BA 11953/2(iii)

Hound's Lane Council School
Boys' Department - Admission register - 1907-33 - Ref: BA 9294/48(iv)
Girls' Department - Admission register - 1890-1933 - Ref: BA 9294/48(v)
Girls' Department - Admission register - 1933-1939 - Ref: BA 9294/49(vi)

Hound's Lane Infants' School
Admission register - 1896-1922 - Ref: BA 9294/48(i)
Admission register - 1922-38 - Ref: BA 9294/48(ii)
Admission register - 1938-39 - Ref: BA 9294/48(iii)

Lower Wick Observation and Assessment Centre School
Attendance registers, admission register, log book and punishment book..Note: This school was formerly known as Lower Wick Reception Centre School and was closed in 1982. - 1964-82 - Ref: BA 9058

Lower Wick Observation Centre
Attendance Register - 1966-67 - Ref: BA 9888/4(xxxiii)

Pitmaston Infant School
Log Book - 1981-83 - Ref: BA 9102/12(v)

Queen Elizabeth's Free Grammar School
Admission register sheets - 1898-1945 - Ref: BA 8068/1(vi), 2(i)-(iv)

Rainbow Hill Infants School
Admission register. Microfilm - 1962-81 - Ref: BA 11061/(iv)

Rainbow Hill Junior Mixed School
[Admission register]Note: This school was later known as Rainbow Hill Primary School. - [1962-1981] - Ref: BA 11061/(iv)
Log book. Microfilm - 1942-75 - Ref: BA 11061/(iv)

Rainbow Hill Night School
Log book. MicrofilmNote: The above was also known as St Barnabas Evening Continuation School - 1893-1901 - Ref: BA 11061/(iii)

Rainbow Hill School
Log books. Microfilm - 1887-[1955] - Ref: BA 11061/(i)(ii)(iii)

Royal Free Grammar School
Attendance registers - 1923-33 - Ref: BA 4334/24-26

Royal Grammar School
Admission register sheets - 1898-1945 - Ref: BA 8068/1(vi), 2(i)-(iv), 3 Royal Grammar School - Photograph of pupils - 1875 - Ref: BA 8068/19(x)
School register.Note: The above contains information on pupils, such as dates of birth, addresses, occupations of parents, dates of leaving school and remarks - 1889-1908 - Ref: BA 4280

Samuel Southall School
Log books.Note: from September 1965 the school was known as Samuel Southall County secondary mixed school. - 1937-79 - Ref: BA 10663/1

Samuel Southall Senior Girls School
Log books.Note: These two log books include some loose papers and lists of members of the teaching staff - 1937-65 - Ref: BA 10663/1

St Barnabas Sunday School
[Sunday School?] register - [mid 19th cent] - Ref: BA 8727/7(ii)

St George's Sunday School
Boys' and Girls' classes. Registers - 1956-57 - Ref: BA 8734/30(i)
Register - [early 20th cent.] - Ref: BA 8734/29

St Johns C. E. Primary School
Log book.Note: The final entry in this volume, dated 20 July 1984, records that the School closed down on that date. - 1959-84 - Ref: BA 9888/1(iii)
Attendance registers - 1976-84 - Ref: BA 9888/4(i)-(xxxii)
Admission registers - 1959-84 - Ref: BA 9888/3(viii)

St Martin's Boys' School
Photograph of pupils - [c1903/4] - Ref: BA 7386
Printed report (listing those receiving prizes and examination passes) - 1872 - Ref: BA 9238

St Martin's School
Log books - 1924-52 and 1953-61 - Ref: BA 8502/14(ii)-15
Boys' Department - Admission register - 1926-60 - Ref: BA 9294/50(v)

St Mary's Infants' Schools
Admission register - 1914 - 25 - Ref: BA 9294/50(iii)
Admission register - 1925-39 - Ref: BA 9294/50(iv)

St Mary's Sunday School
Bible Class, Senior division register - 1944 - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Infants' class register - [mid 20th cent] - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Junior class register - [mid 20th cent] - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Kindergarten class registers - [mid 20th cent] - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Registers - 1941-54 - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Registers - 1941-54 - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Senior class registers - 1962-64 - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)
Senior School/Junior class register - [mid 20th cent] - Ref: BA 8018/22(v)

St Paul's Infants' School
Admission register - 1949-60 - Ref: BA 9294/51(i)

St Paul's School
Admission register - [18]84-[19]02 - Ref: BA 9037/75(iii)
Admission register - [19]02-1921 - Ref: BA 9037/75(iii)
Admission register - 1921-1953 - Ref: BA 9037/75(iii)

St Peter's Boys' School
Admission register - 1892-1900 - Ref: BA 9294/49(iii)
Admission register - 1900-1912 - Ref: BA 9294/49(iv)
Admission register - 1913-1960 - Ref: BA 9294/49(v)

St Peter's Girls' School
Admission register - 1901-22 - Ref: BA 9294/50(i)
Admission register - 1921-60 - Ref: BA 9294/50(ii)

St Peter's Infants' School
Admission register - 1907-25 - Ref: BA 9294/49(i)
Admission register - 1925-53 - Ref: BA 9294/49(ii)

Sunday School Angel Street Congregational Church
Minutes, attendance records etc - 1881-1933 - Ref: BA 7489

Sunday School: Bromyard Road Methodist
Photograph re Mr Harris and his class of [Sunday] School Children in [1915] - 1973 - Ref: BA 9716/1(xvii)

Sunday School: Ombersley Road Methodist Church
Attendance registers, Scholars rolls, drawing books, papers relating to Sunday School test. - 1934-1949 - Ref: BA 7933/4, 5

Technical High School
Admission register - 1954-64 - Ref: BA 9294/51(ii)

Worcester Technical College
Worcestershire Education Committee register containing names of pupils attending various classes and fees paid for each course.Note: This volume was found in the basement of the Victoria Institute, Worcester - [1949-1955] - Ref: BA 12806

Worcester Technical High School
Admission register - 1954-64 - Ref: BA 9294/51(ii)

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 30th January 2008

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