The Society was formed in 1994 and covers the area of the Parish of Aston Cantlow, including the villages of Aston Cantlow and Wilmcote, together with the hamlets of Little Alne, Newnham and Shelfield. The main object is the promotion of interest in community, local and general history, through talks, meetings, outings, and by participating in history based events. A further purpose is the undertaking of research projects, including audio and video interviews, photographic recording, the collection and compilation of archive material, and the publication of information.
The Society holds regular meetings on the second Monday of alternate months in the medieval Guild Room of Aston Cantlow Village Hall. Visits to historic properties and other places of interest are organised during the summer months.
An extensive archive of items of local historic interest has been built up which is housed in a special archive room in Aston Cantlow Village Hall. Material from the archive is exhibited at exhibitions in Aston Cantlow and in other local villages.
The Society celebrated its 20th Anniversary in June 2014 with an exhibition and Gala Dinner. During the evening Margaret Twigg gave an account of activities of the Society over the previous two decades. The highlight of the evening was a most entertaining talk given by Jill Fraser describing the background research required during the production of the TV programme Heart of the Country.
The Anniversary was futher marked by the presentation of an information board on the history of Aston Cantlow village hall. Margaret Twigg, organiser of the anniversary celebrations, and designer of the information board is shown presenting the board to Malcolm Gloster, Chairman of the Village Hall Committee.
Exhibitions and Workshops
Exhibitions and workshops are organised by the Archive Committee and held in Aston Cantlow Village Hall. Quantities of new material are usually exhibited and the workshop gives an opportunity for members to help in cataloguing and archiving information that is received on a regular basis. In particular the monthly Vine publication has now been largely catalogued and referenced back to its earliest origins, giving a valuable insight into life in the villages and hamlets of the parish over several decades.
Programme 2025
Monday, 13th January – Dr. Richard Churchley – “Plague, Pox and Pestilence”
Monday, 10th March – AGM
Would you like to join the Local History Society or find out what projects, events or trips are happening? You can find out more by contacting an officer of the Society:
- Chairman: Jean Peevor Tel: 01789 269 275
- Secretary: Alan Bailey Tel: 01789 268618 e.mail: a
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Programme Secretary: Rob Davidson tel: 01789 565345
- Archive Information: e.mail:
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History Society Archives
In 1977 the local History Committee decided to produce a parish history book to celebrate the Millennium. A book group was formed and the members started to research and collect materials whilst appealing to residents for old photographs and information. The book “A Passage through time in a Warwickshire Parish” was published and sold out within a year. A wealth of material had been collected for the book and it was decided to archive this material. Originally the archives were stored in the houses of various members, but this proved most unsatisfactory and in 2004 the trustees of Aston Cantlow village hall kindly donated a room in which to house the collection. The room has been fitted up as a research room for the members of the Society and continues to accept information about the history of the Parish.
The Archive Room was formally opened on Saturday 13th November 2004 by Mairi McDonald the Archivist from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Since that time the archive committee has been cataloguing the material so that it can be accessed by members of the Society and by other people interested in both local and family history.
The Archive Room is a specialist area in which the Local History Society store their collection of historical material. The archive material consists of photographs, documents, maps, articles and artifacts of many kinds.
A wealth of information of many kinds was collected during the research and preparation of the Millennium publication “A Passage Through Time in a Warwickshire Parish” which sold over 1,000 copies.
Publications
The book “A Passage Through Time in a Warwickshire Parish” was originally published in the year 2000 as a Millenium Project. A revised Second Edition has now been published on a CD for use on personal computers or laptops. It is readily readable on a computer screen and can be printed in whole or in part if desired. However, the book is subject to copyright and is sold for the personal use of the buyer only.
Copies of the Second Edition (on CD as a PDF file) cost £5, available from Alan Bailey, Tel; 01789 268618,
Aston Cantlow and District Society – Archive Report 2022/2023
In 2019 the society committee discussed depositing some of our rarer documents in a local National record office. The agreement when establishing the archive room in 2003 was to contact the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust regarding the society archives. I duly had discussions with their archive department, and an appointment was made for an archivist to visit the archive room. However, due to covid pandemic restrictions it was put on hold.
November 2022 James Ranahan; head of collections, visited the archives room. He was extremely impressed with the whole project:- producing the book, collecting memorabilia, mounting exhibitions, setting up the archive room, and building up the archives collection. He said it should be kept as an entire archive project, and that the trust would be prepared to take over the collection if the society folded or the Aston Cantlow village Hall decided not to let us have the room. We agreed that some of the rare documents should be kept: on our behalf in a county record office, in archive storage conditions. This I put to the committee who agreed to the proposal which would safeguard the collection for future generations.
Spring 2023 James and I have had two more visits going through the collection. Some items have now been deposited in the record office. To date two entry forms have been submitted which include: –
- Wilmcote school log books register etc.
Kings Head 19C account book for Flowers brewery
Tom Watsons research notes and photographs
- two large rolled plans of proposed Wilmcote youth centre
Six volumes relating to House of Lords Appeal re:-
Aston Cantlow Manorial Rights to the Church.
This is an ongoing project and there is still more work to be done. There is a backlog of material that still needs both sorting and archiving. We hold the original copies of the “Vine“. The early editions have been catalogued, but more have been handed in since and need both sorting for duplicates and cataloguing. There are two large storage boxes of Wilmcote School material which we rescued from going to the tip. These have been sorted but need cataloguing. It is proposed that we have an archive open day with an exhibition and memorabilia display, and incorporating an archiving session which would involve members and interested parties.
Margaret Twigg – Society Archivist- 13/3/2023
