The Bromsgrove Summer School 2026

Overview

The Bromsgrove Summer School celebrates the rich agricultural, industrial, architectural and cultural history of Bromsgrove and district.

The event runs over three days, 7th-9th July at Bromsgrove School, Worcester Road and attendees may participate over one, two or all three days. Each day, there will be a presentation in the morning, with an excellent lunch in the Old Chapel. In the afternoon, a local visit connected with the day's subject is offered. This year, there is a new option of just attending the morning session only, with no lunch or afternoon visit.

Courses are open to both members and non-members of the Bromsgrove Society. Our bookstall will also be available with a wide selection of books for sale on the history of Bromsgrove and district.

Programme

1. Tuesday 7th July: Birmingham and the General Strike of 1926, with Andrew Reekes. Andrew followed a career in education and has now returned to studying history in the West Midlands. In the afternoon Julian Hunt will look at how the General Strike affected Bromsgrove.
2. Wednesday 8th July: A History of Kidderminster, a town renowned for its Carpet Industry, with Julian Hunt, local historian and founder of the Summer School. The afternoon visit will include a view of surviving carpet factories and handloom weavers’ cottages.
3. Thursday 10th July: The Bromsgrove Guild - New Evidence and Insights, with Professor Ben Bennett. Ben is a former Bromsgrove resident with an in-depth knowledge of the Guild. His recent research has revealed previously unknown works. In the afternoon we will visit the site of the remaining Guild workshop and some of the Guild features at Bromsgrove School.

Bookings

The standard fee for each course is £55, or £50 for members of the Bromsgrove Society. The cost for attending courses on all three days will be £150 or £135 respectively. The morning-only charges (without lunch or afternoon visit) are £15 and £10 respectively. To book courses follow the links below. Please make sure you select the right ticket type for your booking:

1. Member or Non-Member; and
2. For 1-2 Full Days or all 3 Full Days; or
3. For one or more Mornings Only.

You can also download and return the form from the Bromsgrove Society website.

Not a Member? Anyone attending for two days or more can recoup their membership fee straightaway by taking advantage of our discounted rates for Summer School. Plus, you receive the annual Rousler magazine, copies of our quarterly newsletter, and reduced rates on our local history talks. You can join online on our website.

Access

Free parking is available at the Worcester Road entrance to Bromsgrove School. Please note that there are some steps on the Bromsgrove School campus and at the sites of some afternoon visits. If you have mobility problems, please ask for more details.

Registration and Timings

Tea or coffee will be served as students arrive from 9.30am. Courses commence at 10.00 a.m. and there is an excellent lunch at 1.00 p.m. Speakers and students set off for the afternoon visits, using their own transport, at 2.00 p.m. and these will finish at about 4.30 p.m.

Afternoon Visits

Transport for afternoon visits will be arranged during lunch time. Offers of car spaces are much appreciated.

FAQs

How do I book tickets for the Summer School?

Please click the listings in the section above and make your selection. Other courses in the series will appear in 'Related Items' at the bottom of the page.

How do I claim a discount as a Bromsgrove Society member or for attending on all three days?

Six ticket types are available for each lecture:

1. Full price (i.e. Non-Member attending for one or two days). This is the default price.
2. Bromsgrove Society Member - Day Discount
3. Bromsgrove Society Member - Three-day Discount
4. Bromsgrove Society Member - Morning Only Discount
5. Non-Member - Three-day Discount
6. Non-Member - Morning Only

Select the ticket category that applies for your booking and the price shown will update to the correct rate. If attending for three days be sure to book all your courses at the same time so that we can apply the correct rates.

How do I pay?

To book tickets here you must pay online, using either a credit/debit card. Alternatively, we are able to accept bookings by post, using the paper booking form (available on our website or included with the Bromsgrove Society Newsletter). However, booking online makes things easier for you and for us, so if you have this option we would encourage you to do so. Please make cheques payable to 'The Bromsgrove Society' and send to the organisers immediately at the address shown on the form.

Do all of the lectures have afternoon visits?

Not necessarily. Certain lectures have afternoon visits, as indicated in the programme above. Where visits are offered attendance is optional and subject to your own transport arrangements. Generally, the lecturer will try to ensure that all those wishing to participate in a visit are able to do so, by arranging lifts or other shared transport.

Can I change which lectures I attend after I've booked?

If you change your mind about which lectures you wish to attend you should contact the organisers to see if it is possible to change, otherwise if you book through this site you will be charged again.

What's the refund policy?

If you are unable to attend the Summer School for any reason we will be able to refund your booking fee up to 7 days before the event. With less than 7 days notice we may need to charge all or a proportion of the fee, depending on whether we are able to re-sell your ticket.