THE 2018 edition of the history magazine The Bromsgrove Rousler features articles about Hanbury Woods, local women with remarkable stories and the Park Gate Inn, Kidderminster Road.
Artist and writer Robin Shaw explores the history and ecology of Hanbury Woods which has been the inspiration for many of his drawings.
There is also a review of A History of Hanbury by local historian Andrew Harris and the cover features a painting of Pipers Hill by Norman Neasom.
Rousler editor Mike Sharpe said: “Hanbury has always been closely associated with Bromsgrove and it has been fascinating to explore these links further.
“Robin’s article focuses on the evolution of Hanbury Woods, while Andrew Harris’s new book traces the history of the parish from the earliest times through to the late 20th century.”
Of the local women featured, Mary Johnson was an 18th century heiress who suffered terribly at the hands of her gold‐digging husband William Chance and Jean Davidson was est known as a former chair of the Bromsgrove Magistrates and for her charity work.
Jean has a fascinating backstory, including working for the intelligence services during the Second World War.
There are a selection of photographs of the Park Gate Inn taken in the 1960s by Bromsgrove‐born documentary photographer Nick Hedges
and there are extracts from a talk by the poet Sir Geoffrey Hill, one of the town’s most famous sons.
The print version of the Bromsgrove Rousler is £2.95 and is now available from a number of stores across the district, including WH Smith’s, Foto Factory, Coffee2 in Bromsgrove, Array Fruit Farm, Banner Foods, the Spars in Catshill and Sidemoor, Kennedy’s Hardware and Polly Put the Kettle On in Rubery, It’s a Gift in Barnt Green and at Stoke Prior and Blackwell Post Offices.
In Droitwich it can be bought from Grace Cards and Books and the Heritage Centre.
This and past editions of the Rousler can also be bought and downloaded at www.bsoc.co.uk where there is a free index of all Rousler editions dating back to 1986.
