A GRAND old Redditch group which has brought enlightenment, knowledge and joy to thousands of residents is to close after more than 150 years in the town.
The Redditch Society, first formed in 1851, has seen its numbers dwindle from the hundreds down to just 60 and with no new blood coming in has no option but to shut its doors for good.
“We have just been unable to get it over to people just how fantastic this society is and so this is a very sad end for us,” said its president, Winyates resident Sandra Hughes.
Over the years the society has attracted top names to its doors, including the BBC’s Andrew Marr; one of the team behind the Hadron Collider, the huge particle accelerator in Cern in Switzerland and has played host to Radio 4’s topical political show ‘Any Questions?’ – not to mention the people behind Thrust 2 – the Redditch designed car that took the land speed record, and the man who cycled from Bewdley to Beijing.
In a world of computer search engines where the user must have some knowledge of what they are looking for to ask the right question, the beauty of the Redditch Society has been the way it has allowed its audiences to happen upon some unexpected gem thanks to the quality and variety of its speakers.
Such ‘happy events’ – serendipity – have kept audiences enthralled for generations, until now.
“As well as discovering something that you might not know anything about you also have the opportunity to question the speaker,” said longstanding supporter Gay Thomas.
And in keeping with this tradition it full intends to go out with a bang, with next Friday (March 10) local historian Dr Sylvia Pinchens delivering a talk on ‘The True History of Maria Hume’ before the final night’s talk on Friday (March 24) when Andrew Lound, curator of the Avery History Museum will give a talk on ‘Brunel’s Leviathan – The Great Eastern’.
The Redditch Society, set up by local industrialists, was born in 1851 to benefit and educate the workers in the days before compulsory schooling to encourage lettering and writing.
By 1875 the need for graphic artists saw an arts school open on Unicorn Hill before loving to the old library, which still stands on the corner of Church Road and Church Green West.
After the First World War interest in the society waned but thanks to a local journalist it was re-born in 1945 with the emphasis on science, literature and arts.
“Most of the meetings were held in the Congressional Church on Evesham Street – about where the toilets in the Kingfisher Centre are now!” said society stalwart Brian Stallard.
“We’re all very sad that it’s come to this, but the society as it is now is unsustainable and so, unfortunately, we have to close,” added Sandra.
The Redditch Society’s last two talks start at 7.30pm and all are welcome to show their support for a grand old Redditch institution.
