What's New

8th January 2024

Happy New Year

For some reason the year 2023 zoomed by, and people are looking forward to the UK General Election later in 2024. Putin continues to wage war on Ukraine, there is bloodshed in Gaza, and COVID-19 lurks in the background. In the last week the Post Office Horizon scandal has grabbed the headlines - many Postmasters in the UK were sent to prison accused of theft, when deficits were actually to due to bugs in the Horizon computer system software, which managers attempted to keep secret.

Recent additions to the website:-

Occasional Coronavirus (COVID-19) update for Malvern Seniors dated 5th January 2024.

Link to latest version

Summary: there has been a rise in COVID infections over Christmas but nothing to be greatly concerned about.

Our occasional blog on Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to be updated.

2nd September 2023

Recent additions to the website.

The COVID-19 Autumn Booster

Cases of COVID fell markedly during the Spring and Summer but are slowly rising again. During the period September to December those aged 65 years and over can expect to get an invitation from their GP surgery offering Flu and COVID Booster jabs which patients can elect to have separately.

See our occasional COVID update of 1st September 2023

Fibre To The Home (FTTH)

We have had Fibre Internet installed and have added our first impressions to our blog:-

Broadband Internet, Fibre To The Home

The Russian invasion of Ukraine

Things may at last be turning sour for the Russians, but expect it to be a few weeks before the size of the dent Ukraine has made in the Russian defences to become apparent.

See our blog, The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

10th August 2023

Fibre To The Home (FTTH)

Until recently, rural broadband provision on the outskirts of Malvern has been poor with download speeds in some places of only 2 Mb/s or so over copper landlines.

A year ago Airband solved the problem in Guarlford by installing Fibre To The Home, and since then OpenReach has run fibre up to Clevelode. Fibre has also appeared in Madresfield.

Now it seems FullFibre and OpenReach are beginning to fill the gaps, enabling more and more Malvern homes to be connected to full fibre, enabling Broadband download speeds of up to 900 Mb/s.

On the Barnards Green side of town, installation of fibre has been spotted on parts of the Guarlford Road, Hall Green and Chance Lane.

Click to find out more by reading our article 'Broadband Internet'

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Our blog about the Russian Invasion of Ukraine continues to be updated; it's little more than a diary of events viewed from Western eyes. What concerns us is the unnecessary hurt and bloodshed instigated by Vladimir Putin. Let's continue praying that peacekeepers bring this war to a close.

17th May 2023

Pharmacy changes

Visited Barnards Green to collect a prescription last Saturday and it seems things will be changing. The Lloyds Pharmacy branch in Barnards Green has been sold to Claremont House Pharmacy across the road; so we are expecting Lloyds Pharmacy to close and that soon we may be collecting prescriptions from Claremont House.

Lloyds Pharmacy has been bought by the Equity investment firm Aurelius who are 'rationalising' the company to increase profitability.

The Boots branch in Church Street closed in March 2023 due to expiry of the lease, so Murrays Pharmacy 'next door' will have picked up some of their trade.

The signage outside Murrays has changed with a grey banner simply displaying 'Pharmacy' last Sunday. In fact it appears the Murrays chain was merged with  Peak Pharmacy, part of PCT Healthcare Ltd run by the Cattee family, two years ago. In addition to the business in Church Street there is a busy pharmacy at the Prospect View medical centre, and shop on the corner of the traffic lights in Malvern Link.

OVO Energy

After 3 months of frustration our OVO Energy on-line account has started to work. It may be either the wrong class of meter had been linked to the account, or no tariff assigned; customer care appears to have improved.

4th April 2023

Our Energy billing has been transferred from SSE to OVO Energy. Our experience of OVO Customer Care is poor. It's very difficult to contact anybody and the company is extremely slow to respond.

Click for Citizens Advice comparison of Energy Suppliers' Customer Service

We think M&S Energy which was the top performer is being absorbed into Octopus. OVO is near the bottom of the list at seventeen.

2nd April 2023

On Sunday 2nd April we published our last weekly Coronavirus blog. The epidemic lasted 3 years but hopefully we are now mostly out of it.

23rd March 2023

On  Thursday 23rd March, Malvern said goodbye to well known historian Dr John Harcup whose funeral was held at Great Malvern Priory.

Read more about John in Malvern Gazette article:-

Dr John Harcup, former GP and Malvern historian, dies at 90

16th March 2023

Norman May, Malvern's Marketing Maestro

On Thursday 16th March we went to a talk by Robert Arley about 'Norman May, Malvern's Marketing Maestro'. For those who don't know, Norman May came to Malvern about 1880 where he died a young man in 1889. During his short working life he set up Norman May's Studio in Church Street and published Norman May's Guide to Malvern and guides to other towns.

Don't worry that you may have missed a treat, as Robert Arley will be repeating his talk for the U3A.

Date: Tuesday 25th July

Venue: The Cube

Time 2:30 pm

An event not to be missed by those interested in local history.

Click to find out more about Robert Arley and his other talks

Click for our biography of Norman May

8th February 2023

Noticeboard updated with refreshed links and the date for Daffodil Sunday at Madresfield Court which will be on Sunday 19th March 2023 (Mothering Sunday).

23rd January 2023

Red Books

Purchased an 1890s copy of Norman May's Guide to Malvern from Red Books, an Internet based retailer, based in Hanley Swan. Also obtained a rebound copy of The Ancient Malvern Priory published by MT Stevens in 1913; the pages are tired but nice illustrations and useful for reference; and a copy of The Story of the Malverns dated 1911 a little green book by George Woodyatt Hastings who is buried in Guarlford churchyard - who was the son of Sir Charles Hastings MD. Brian Smith's more recent A History of the Malverns published circa 1964 and revised in 1979 adds to the tale - the development of Malvern from prehistoric times to the early 1960s

Red Books has a selection of books for sale in Henry's Cafe in Upton on Severn. An excellent place to get a coffee, while your partner is browsing the friendly fabric shop next door called The Stitchery.

19th January 2023

The 'Welcome to Malvern' sign on the Guarlford Road took a hard knock as the result of another traffic incident at the junction with Chance Lane. Rumour has it the Town Council will effect repairs.

1st January 2023

Happy New Year everyone.

7th December 2022

First real frost of winter so had to defrost and then demist the car before going out.

A new book about Malvern in WWII

Earlier in the week, purchased a copy of Boffins come to Malvern from the Malvern Book Coop in St Ann's Road (opposite the Unicorn Inn), price £12.

Lots of photos, 143 pages, it's a good read.

Front cover of Boffins come to Malvern

An excellent Christmas present we thought.

30th November 2022

Where has this year gone? Last Sunday was the first in Advent, and Christmas is rapidly approaching.

There has been little change to the website over the summer and autumn except for the updating of our COVID, Politics, and Ukraine war blogs.

Just when we breathed a sigh of relief that the pandemic was over Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine. Similar steps had been taken before which we didn't expect to see repeated in our lifetime.

In 1956 Khrushchev's tanks had rolled into Budapest to quell an uprising in Hungary, while in 1968 Brezhnev ordered some 250,000 Warsaw Pact troops and 2,000 tanks to enter Czechoslovakia to defuse attempts to liberalise the Communist System. It didn't work then, both Hungary and the Czech Republic are now members of the EU, and military action is unlikely to work for Putin now.

The Covid pandemic

Life returned to normal in the UK some time ago but we have continued to record cases, hospital beds and deaths on a weekly basis with a view to eventually writing a short personal account of the pandemic.

Politics blog

We have largely refrained from political comment. The Tory party has been in disarray, and inflation especially in terms of the price of food and energy has spiked. Trade Unions are increasingly calling strikes demanding large pay rises. Once again we have entered a Winter of Discontent similar to that in the 1970s when the Labour Party was in power.

Malvern Hills Foodbank

The poor are going to be hard hit this winter and some of you may want to help by contributing to the Malvern Foodbank.

 These are examples of items that are being requested:

• Boxes of Mince Pies

• Selection Packs of chocolate or sweets

• Christmas Puddings

• Large and small Christmas Cakes

• Large and small Cake Bars

•  Boxes of Savoury Biscuits

• Packets of Christmas Biscuits

• Boxes of Christmas Crackers

• Tins of Ham

• Tins of Fruit in Natural Juice

The Ukraine war

Putin continues to bring unimaginable suffering to the population of Ukraine while his army has been fought to a standstill. Our blog is a simple timeline of events interspersed with speculation about what might happen next.

Scotland 1921 Census

Family historians with Scottish roots will be interested to know the 1921 census went on-line today at:

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

3rd May 2022

The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is now into it's third month and few thought Ukraine would be able to hold back the might of the Russian military for so long. Few probably expected to read accounts of rape, looting, torture, murder, genocide and the wholesale destruction of cities so similar to events in the 1940s.

Now the Coronavirus epidemic is all but over in the UK, we are attempting to write a few words each day following events in the press and social media, sometimes adding our feelings about what is going on.

Some links have been added to the menus to aid navigation to our blog, should anyone want to dip into it.

We must all be concerned whether or not this war will escalate into a conflict involving the whole of Europe. Well in a way that is already happening in terms of sanctions, military aid, inflation, fuel and food shortages; military action has already spread outside the borders of Ukraine, with military targets being attacked inside Russia. The only question left is will Russia attack NATO. Putin has already lost a lot of men and equipment, so he would be unwise to escalate, but who knows what an irrational Dictator will do.

19th March 2022

Daffodil Sunday and Spring Gardens

Another chance to explore the grounds of Madresfield Court.

See noticeboard for details.

16th March 2022

The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

A new page has been added to Blogs intended as a diary or timeline of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

Lower Howsell Gas Works

We hope shortly to add a few words about the old Gas Works at Lower Howsell, Malvern Link, to our story about Malvern utilities then and now. Trade directories suggest it was erected in 1861, much earlier than we had thought. Please do tell us if you know the history.

24th February 2022

We are restarting our blog about Politics and World Events. Minor stuff but if you want to look at it either go to our Coronavirus update page where there is a new link at the top, or click Other Resources and then Blogs buttons and you will find a link further down the page.

19th February 2022

John Brown

Our article in the family history section (Roots) about baker and preacher John Brown (1846 - 1938) of Greenock has been updated following new information from Chris Sutton.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic weekly update for Malvern Seniors

Now the COVID-19 epidemic is all but over, we are giving serious thought to discontinuing our weekly blog as life returns to normal. The likelyhood of Russia invading Ukraine and the possibility of a European war seems a greater threat.

Storm Eunice

Malvern appears to have missed the very worst of Storm Eunice which swept across England and Wales yesterday. Our power went off for an hour just before lunch, and a large branch from a cedar tree in Guarlford churchyard blocked Rectory Lane. Many schools closed, before half term next week, and the Malvern Gazette reported roads blocked by fallen trees, but thankfully no injuries have been reported.

22nd October 2021

Miscellaneous

The summer has flown by. Updating our weekly COVID blog has kept us busy, but we set aside time to visit family in Gosport, entertain grandchildren and just about keep the garden under control. Sadly our neighbour opposite passed away.

We have replied to several local history enquiries including one from Dawn Heuston in Canada who found two photos by Norman May in an auction lot which we have copied into our Biography of Norman May. Dawn would like to reunite the photos with descendants - can you tell us who is in the pictures? Two other Victorian Cabinet photographs by Worcester photographers relate to Sarah Foxhall and Emma Fryers, daughters of a carriage proprietor, who were born in Malvern circa 1850, and we plan to add their story to our page about local artists and photographers.

John Boocock sent us photographic portraits on porcelain by his great uncle - Norman May's business partner JW Beaufort for Malvern Museum. We plan to photograph those and add to our page about Norman May Ltd

Jean Reader told us about horticulturist Reginald Radcliffe Cory who was born at Lambert House in Graham Road on 30th October 1871. We assume his mother Anna Maria Cory happened to be in Great Malvern on holiday, but if you know of any other connection with the town do please let us know.

Bobbie Clark sent us digitised copies of two Hillstone School photos possibly taken in the 1940s or 1950s which we will add to our page about past Malvern Schools. Mention of a helicopter landing at the Link School sports day has been amended.

We photographed the new memorial to the founders of Malvern girls' College in Great Malvern Cemetery erected by the old girls of Malvern St James and will add that to our biography of Isabel Greenslade.

In Greenhill Drive opposite the entrance to Great Malvern Cemetery there is considerable disruption caused by the replacement of the gas main.

The water main replacement mentioned below was completed ahead of schedule and the contractors left Barnards Green in a tidy state.

Yesterday, BT Openreach were lifting manholes in Barnards Green to install yellow fibre optic cables - we wondered where they were heading and who would benefit! Our BT fibre broadband on the edge of Malvern only achieves 10 Mb/s whereas rural Broadband offered by Airband can achieve 50 Mb/s at Guarlford. The BT implementation of rural broadband has been moving at snail's pace - do let us know if it has reached you.

22nd June 2021

Water main replacement in Barnards Green

Severn Trent are replacing the ancient 5 inch cast iron water main with larger blue 'plastic' pipe of about 8 inch diameter. Work started many weeks ago in Poolbrook road and by 7th June digging had reached the junction of Barnards Green Road and Geraldine road (see photo below).

Road works approaching the shops on 7th June 2021

A report in the Malvern Gazette suggests the trench is now approaching Colston's bakery. One of the contractor's said the plan is to go up to the pelican crossing and then meet a pipe coming down the other side.

Slow progress is being made, due to unrecorded services in the road, and the work is expected to continue until 23rd July.

The new blue water main pipe awaiting installation

Sadly this means continued one way traffic, controlled by lights, leading to delays for drivers and lack of parking outside the shops; made worse because part of Geraldine Road car park is being used as a storage area for the contractors.

Part of car park cordoned off by contractors 7th June

If you are just passing through it's recommended you make a detour to avoid the lights.

Shopkeepers are however keen to retain trade so please help them by continuing to shop in Barnards Green if you can find somewhere to park.

18th June 2021

Malvern schools then and now

Article about past Malvern schools updated with more information about Fairfield, Hillside and St Richard's Catholic preparatory school.

11th May 2021

Biography of Edward Glazier

Short biography added about Dr Edward Victor Denis Glazier CB who co-authored textbook Transmission and Propagation and was director of the Royal Radar Establishment Malvern from 1967 to 1972.

7th April 2021

Mobile Phone Mast

Hutchison UK Ltd has declared their intention to erect a 20 metre high mobile phone mast not far from the Chase High School.

The planning application number is  21/00605/TC

Location SO 7870 4508

5th April 2021

Application for an easement at Mill Lane

A developer is seeking an easement from the Malvern Hills Trust to enable an access road to be built next to Mill Lane to facilitate the building of up to 180 homes on farmland between Mill Lane and the Green Dragon.

If permission is granted the proposal could then be included in SWDPII which itself has yet to be approved.

Click this link to see the documents

Mike Huskinson, Chairman of Guarlford Parish Council, is asking as many people as possible to make representations to the Malvern Hills Trust by the closing date for comments of 18th April 2021.

Click to read Mike's personal comments on this proposal

(Opens Microsoft Word document in new window)

Comments can be submitted to the Malvern Hills Trust by clicking this link  

15th March 2021

The Story of The Abbey School Malvern Wells

Memorabilia kindly sent by Diana Moores in Lancashire spurred us to write about the history of The Abbey School. If you would like to add to this account, or correct it, please do get in touch.

Click to read The Story of The Abbey School

14th March 2021

Coronavirus weekly update

Once again we have updated our weekly blog for Malvern Seniors. The welcome news is that hospital cases and deaths are falling, and most of us will have had our first jab by now.

Malvern is well provided for - there is a COVID testing station in the car park below Great Malvern Library, Lateral Flow Test kits should shortly be available from Great Malvern Library, and a mass vaccination centre has opened at The Three Counties Show Ground.

The districts with the highest infection rate in Worcestershire are currently Wyre Forest (Kidderminster) and Redditch. Barnards Green recently had the most cases in Malvern but don't worry, the situation is improving.

3rd January 2021

Happy New Year

The good news is two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use in the UK. The bad news is the virus is currently spreading out of control and hospitals are in danger of being overwhelmed. Hopefully in three months time we will be over the worst; in the meantime the PM warns 'get ready for a bumpy ride'!

Click to read our Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic weekly update for Malvern Seniors

Still no news about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Malvern, but we hope things will start to happen when people return to work on Monday after the Christmas and New Year holiday.

23rd December 2020

Merry Christmas

Suddenly Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching. Thankyou to everyone who has contributed to our pages, to Waitrose for delivering our groceries, Cotswold Dairies for delivering milk, MHDC for emptying our bins, Amazon, DPD, Post men and women, the shop keepers in Barnards Green, those who have kept utilities running, Rev Gary of the Old Hills Benefice and the team at Great Malvern Priory for keeping our spirits up, and Malvern Civic Society, Malvern U3A and the Malvern Family History Society, for providing interesting talks and opportunities to chat using Zoom.

COVID vaccinations

Despite vaccinations rolling out on 8th December starting in Coventry, we haven't been able to find a timetable for vaccinations in Worcestershire and Malvern, so have invited the Malvern Gazette to investigate.

Do please tell us if you know the plan and we can either publish that here or provide a link to the document, or website(s).

Coronavirus weekly update

We have continued to publish our weekly update on Coronavirus for Malvern Seniors. Just when we are told infection rates are going down they start going up again so be jolly careful this Christmas.

Water meters

We have had a letter from Severn Trent and Network Plus saying our water meter is going to be replaced by a meter that can be read remotely. What's that we wonder as there has been nothing about that on the Severn Trent Water website.

Well by 'remote' we are guessing a couple of feet and assume that the water meter will be able to be read by a van driving past with an appropriate radio linked to a laptop computer, thus saving the driver having to stop and lift the water meter cover. Will the water meter now need a battery or will it have a little generator driven by the water passing through? Rather like the COVID vaccination timetable, so far, we are being kept in the dark.

Communications is the key, something which can still be improved in these modern times of the Internet and smartphones - ask the lorry drivers queued at Dover!

17th November 2020

Memories of past schools

Everett Jones remembers attending 'The Link School' in the 1960s and would be happy to hear from former pupils. See new page:

Memories of the Link School by Everett Jones

Following a tip-off from ex Lawnside pupil Fiona Davidoff, Malvern Museum has acquired a Great War memorial board of Distinctions Won which used to hang in the Link School dining hall. Unusually this seems to be of awards won by former pupils who survived the war, and is not a Roll of the Fallen. Local historian Cora Weaver plans to write more for the Malvern Museum magazine (Newseum). A WWII Roll of the Fallen already hangs in the museum.

Diana Moores has sent us her mother's photos of The Abbey School Malvern Wells in the 1930's and a copy of the school magazine, The Hazel Nut 1947, which we will pass on to the archivist at Malvern St James. We are drafting a future article about the Judson sisters Florence, Margaret and Alice who founded The Abbey School and are buried in Malvern Wells cemetery; if you have any memories, anecdotes or photos you would like to contribute, please let us know.

5th November 2020

Coronavirus

A COVID lockdown was imposed in England on 5th November which is due to end on 2nd December, but don't hold your breath, the lockdown will probably be extended even if called by a different name.

If you are interested in the Worcestershire numbers and trends read our blog:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic weekly update for Malvern Seniors

16th October 2020

RIP

Lady Rosalind Morrison, grand daughter of 7th Lord Beauchamp of Madresfield Court, died aged 74 following a heart operation.

She will be sadly missed by the many that knew her.

12th October 2020

Coronavirus cases continue to escalate

Cases of Coronavirus in Worcestershire continued to ramp up during September accelerating in the last fortnight, raising the prospect of special measures, particularly in Bromsgrove.

Click to read our weekly Coronavirus update for Malvern Seniors

6th September 2020

Coronavirus update for Malvern Seniors

Every Sunday evening we update our blog summarising trends in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) statistics for Worcestershire and the Malvern Hills.

The rate of infection fell to a minimum at the beginning of July but has since been creeping up, rising sharply nationally in the past few days.

Click to read our weekly Coronavirus update for Malvern Seniors

24th August 2020

Combine Harvester video clips

We have added some MP4 video clips of a Combine Harvester to our photo gallery so our grandchildren can see and hear what a real, as opposed to a toy, Combine Harvester is like.

Click to go to Combine Harvester video clips

15th July 2020

More roadworks on Guarlford Road

Ringway are putting up new road closed signs on the Guarlford Road, so expect surface dressing with gravel in the next 3 days. Be prepared to take diversions and drive slowly on newly gravelled surfaces.

There are road closed signs at the Hall Green junction with Chance Lane and Madresfield Road. You can probably go around these to access properties but you may not be able to get onto the Guarlford Road.

There are many other roadworks in the area. For details and latest situation try these links:

Click for Worcestershire County Council website

Click for interactive map of roadworks

Coronavirus

There has been a significant outbreak of Coronavirus on  a farm at Mathon. 75 vegetable pickers and packers have been infected who have shopped in Malvern, Worcester, and Ledbury; and three have gone missing, but Public Health people say nothing to worry about. See Malvern Gazette website for latest news. We will be updating our weekly Coronavirus blog and putting it on a new page next Sunday.

Face masks have to be worn in shops from 27th July so why not start now. Perhaps there should be a competition for the most stylish? Nicola Sturgeon seems to have set a trend in Scotland and sales of tartan masks are burgeoning.

Barbers

Hairdressers can now reopen, and 3 of a Kind Barbers at 130b Malvern Link is back in business by appointment only. You can book either by phoning 574048 or making a booking on Facebook. Try this link:

http://www.facebook.com/3ofakindbarbers

Bread flour

We have been told bread flour is available from Colstons bakery and the Cheeseboard in Barnards Green and sometimes at Morrisons and Waitrose (but not online).

Does anyone know where soft light brown sugar and Easybake Dried Yeast can be purchased, which seem to be in short supply - if so do please contact us.

Family history resources

Family historians in Malvern may be interested to know that Ancestry Library Edition  can be viewed from home for free until 31st July giving access for example to US census records. To do this you need to log onto your library account with your library card number, click on the house icon at top left of screen, then click on Ancestry icon at bottom right of screen. It's as simple as that - if you are already a member of the library.

Digitised records at the National Archives can also be accessed online for free, certainly up to 21st July, when the National Archives plans to begin reopening.

9th July 2020

Roadworks on the Guarlford Road

The Guarlford Road was closed today for patching between Chance Lane and Guarlford church, hindering access to Malvern from Upton upon Severn.

 Expect further diversions and delays along the road during the next few days due to resurfacing. BT is expected to carry out further works in the area this summer.

Malvern Wells Cemetery

Second page added about Malvern Wells Cemetery which includes Wells House school WWI Roll of the Fallen

17th June 2020

Coronavirus

We are continuing to update our weekly blog about 'Coronavirus for Malvern Seniors' drawing on the government's published statistics and daily press briefings.

Rothwell and Milbourne's garage

Story about the history of Rothwell and Milbourne updated following new information from a family historian in Sydney, NSW.

30th April 2020

April news roundup

The Coronavirus epidemic began to spread rapidly in the UK in March, resulting in the government ordering a relatively soft lockdown on 23rd March which banned gatherings and caused the majority of shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants and theatres to close, whilst allowing families the freedom to leave their homes for short periods to exercise. Consequently we have been at home for the past 5 weeks, mostly gardening and watching TV; during this time the weather has been fine and warm. Rain in the last day or two has given the garden a much needed drink.

Sadly Garden Centres and DIY stores have remained shut, and the Scouts have not been able to supply bedding plants as a fund raiser this year.

Local organisations such as churches, the U3A and the Civic Society have continued to keep in touch with their members which has raised spirits, as has the fund raising for NHS Charities of Captain Tom who is 100 years today. The RAF organised a flypast by a Hurricane and Spitfire in his honour.

Parents are learning about schooling at home!

We have updated our blog about politics and world events weekly to comment on the spread of the Coronavirus epidemic in Worcestershire, with particular regard to the elderly in Malvern. The anticipated exponential rampant spread of the disease has been halted by the lockdown but causing unemployment and huge cost to businesses and the economy, as in many other countries.

Today we have added some Coronavirus resources to our noticeboard including a leaflet from Malvern Town Council with some useful suggestions about where those in need can seek help.

Sir Kier Starmer has been elected leader of the Labour Party and it will be interesting to see what effect this has on parliamentary debate and decision making.

For the time being, talk about flood defences and BREXIT has gone to the back of the queue.

11th March 2020

Coronavirus update added to our blog about politics and world events; this is mainly for the retired community in Malvern.

For those abroad - locally the rivers Severn and Teme burst their banks, during February causing widespread flooding at Bewdley, Worcester, Powick and Upton upon Severn. Malvern itself did not flood though travel was restricted and long detours had to be made to reach Worcester and surrounds.

The Friends of the Commons of Malvern residents' association (FoCoM) is spawning a new association to be known as the Malvern Environmental Protection Group (MEPG) with a wider remit to consider for example the impact of the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) proposals on the town.

Their email address is: malvernenvironmentprotectiongp@gmail.com

28th February

Blog about politics and world events updated on 15th Feb to include mention of the threat of 'Coronavirus'.

18th January 2020

The old hospital at Lansdowne Crescent funded by Dyson Perrins was demolished in December to make way for a new care home, and work has begun to demolish the site where radar was developed during WWII, to make way for 300 new homes. Soon there could be little trace of the historic developments that took place in our town, unless a site can be found for a museum or educational centre.

You can find out more by visiting the Malvern Radar and Technology History Society (MRATHS) website.

A short video clip about demolition of the site can also be found on the BBC News website entitled,

Malvern's touchscreen tech secrets now on your radar

Did you know the liquid crystal display incorporated in so many everyday products was invented at Malvern.

15th January 2020

The Malvern Hills Trust has published the results of the Public Consultation about proposed changes to its governance.Click to go to page listing MHT analysis. The report, and the recommendations within it, will be discussed at the next meeting of the Trust Governance Committee on the 30th January 2020.

5th January 2020

Happy New Year to all our friends. We have added a short roundup of 2019 mainly concerning the political stalemate over BREXIT in UK. Work on our website slowed in 2019 due to competing commitments, but we have made a note of feedback to be incorporated in due course.

Superfast rural Broadband has at last arrived in Guarlford and Madresfield.

The modernised Plough and Harrow pub has reopened under new management. There is plenty of parking at the back.

25th November 2019

New page added about the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review which has entered the Public Consultation stage. This is a crucial document which could have a huge impact on the future of Malvern. The deadline for submitting comments is 5pm on 16th December 2019.

The Malvern Hills Trust received the raw data from the Public Consultation concerning the proposed extension of their powers some time ago but for the time being are refusing to let the the public see it. Democracy seems to be a word they do not fully understand. Recent changes to the Trust's code of conduct are, in our view, essentially a gagging order on Trustees, whilst proposed changes to their Easement Process could be seen as a developer's charter.

7th November 2019

The Malvern Hills Trust Public Consultation closed on 13th October and the Trust are saying they expect to be briefing the Board on the findings and consequences in February 2020. It is to be hoped the Trust present the full findings to the public well before then.

Elections were held for 4 seats on the board of the Trust on 31st October 2019 and the following were elected.

Chase ward    Graeme Crisp

Wells ward      Richard Fowler

Dysen Perrins  Trevor Parsons

Priory ward     John Watts

David Fellows was elected unopposed as Conservator for Guarlford.

See our article:

Changes afoot at the Malvern Hills Trust

4th November 2019

A six week Public Consultation has started inviting the public to comment on draft proposals for building an additional 14,000 homes in Worcestershire, including 880 homes in Malvern which are in addition to those ordered to be built by the Government by the year 2030. The project is called the South Worcestershire Development Plan - Review or SWDPR.

On 29th October 2019 Malvern Hills District Council had approved the 'Preferred Options Plan' to go forward to the 'Public Consultation' stage despite many reservations. The chairman said that MHDC had to meet targets set by government and he hoped everyone would take the opportunity to submit constructive comments.

The plan includes proposals to build outside the development boundary in fields to the south of the Guarlford Road and on land bounded by Hall Green, Windrush Crescent and the Madresfield Road. Strangely it looks as though there has been no effort to reconcile these proposals with the recently approved Malvern Town Neighbourhood plan.

Also see out Noticeboard page.

26th August 2019

Press release, issued by the Malvern Hills Trust, about forthcoming Public Consultation, added to the noticeboard.

It is important as many residents as possible, and visitors to the Malvern Hills, familiarise with and comment on the governance proposals before the closing date of 10th October.

19th June 2019

New page added about Malvern Wells Cemetery which is managed by Malvern Wells Parish Council. It's a quiet peaceful spot off Green Lane.

The chairman of the Malvern Hills Trust has resigned; the new chairman is Mick Davis.

The official opening of Civic Week now named Midsummer Malvern next Saturday (22nd June) will be at 10:30 am on Belle Vue Terrace. Click to find out more out more on the new Malvern Civic Society website designed by local business Nepeta Consulting.

The deadline to extend the UK's exit from the EU has been extended to 31st October 2019. To make best use of this time the Conservative party has forced their Prime minister to resign, is holding a lengthy campaign to elect a new prime minister, and is then going on holiday!

28th May 2019

Noticeboard updated. There are many interesting upcoming events including the Three Counties Show and a programme of events organised by Malvern Civic Society.

The Tourist Information Centre has now moved from the top of Church Street to occupy the old church offices at the end of the Lyttleton Well courtyard.

At national level MPs have continued to debate BREXIT and the country is split. It's about time someone shows some leadership and the pros and cons are explained to the public, so decisions can be made based on facts rather than arm waving!

We managed to open a Twitter account and that turned out to be quite straightforward. However opening a Facebook account turned out the opposite and the first two accounts created were disabled within hours with no explanation given. Strangely, Facebook appears to lacks a credible customer care helpdesk - a matter which the management team ought perhaps to reconsider.

22nd March 2019

Residents were delighted to learn that the Board of the Malvern Hills Trust voted on 19th March 2019 to refuse the Chance Lane Easement seeking approval for a new highway across the common. Quite rightly so, as this land is not earmarked for development, and local housing needs will be more than met by new homes approved at Newland and the old RSRE South Site.

3rd March 2019

The Malvern Hills Trust has announced that the meeting to discuss the controversial application for an easement across public land at Chance Lane has been rearranged for Tuesday 19th March 2019 at 7 pm in the Gryphon Room, Malvern College - see noticeboard.

If you object to this proposal, which could damage the eastern approach to Malvern, please come along to the meeting and support other residents.

1st March 2019

History of Malvern updated with reorganised section about ADRDE arriving at Pale Manor Farm in 1942, and the naming of roads at Malvern Vale.

23rd February 2019

Article about the 'Water Cure' Doctors updated

The section about water cure Dr Thomas Rayner died 1891 has been updated with additional information about his parents and siblings.

12th February 2019

Provisional Special Board meeting of the Malvern Hills Trust cancelled

The Malvern Hills Trust have announced that the meeting to decide the Chance Lane Easement provisionally arranged for 28th February cannot now go ahead due to a delay in obtaining legal advice from Counsel regarding matters raised by residents.

The Trust hopes to advise a new date at or before the next meeting of the Board on 14th March 2019.

29th January 2019

Provisional Special Board Meeting of the Malvern Hills Trust to decide the Chance Lane Easement

A Happy New Year to one and all. Our MPs have returned to Parliament and are fiercely debating Brexit, while the Malvern Hills Trust has provisionally rescheduled their meeting which had been planned for 20th November 2018 to decide the Chance Lane Easement.

POSTPONED FOR A SECOND TIME

The Trust delayed the 20th November meeting in order to consider legal points raised by residents, and the advice from their Counsel was discussed at the MHT's Governance meeting on 24th January 2019 - the public was excluded from discussion of that matter, as the MHT considered the public's presence to be prejudicial to the public interest. Another example of the Trust's secrecy.

If you object to this proposal, which could damage the eastern gateway to Malvern, please come along to the meeting on and support other residents.

Date: Thursday 28th February 2019 (cancelled)

Venue: Chase High School, Geraldine Road, WR14 3NZ

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Here is a link to the Malvern Hills Trust announcement where further details can be found:

http://www.malvernhills.org.uk/visiting/event-listing/20190228-provisional-special-board/

15th November 2018

Special meeting about the Chance Lane Easement postponed

The Trust say the special meeting on 20th November has had to be posponed due to unforeseen circumstances. We speculate it may be delayed until the new year.

12th November 2018

Special meeting about the Chance Lane Easement

The Malvern Hills Trust announced at the Board meeting on 8th November that the special meeting to decide the Chance Lane and Jackpit Lane easements would be on Tuesday 20th November at 7:00 pm in the 'cricket pavilion' next to the Council Offices otherwise known as The Council Chamber, Priory Lodge.

POSTPONED

A copy of the MHT papers and the applicant's submission can be obtained from the  reception desk at the MHT office in Grange Road.

A copy of the plans can also be viewed on the MHT website

If you wish to ask a question at the special meeting this has to be lodged with the Trust by noon on Friday 16th November. This can be either sent by email or handed in at reception.

email: info@malvernhills.org.uk

The Rose Farm Partnership is seeking this access to facilitate building two and three storey houses in the field known as Rose Farm opposite the Green Dragon pub on the Guarlford Road.

If you object to this proposal, which could damage the eastern gateway to Malvern, please come along to the meeting on Tuesday 20th and support other residents.

24th October 2018

New article added Changes afoot at the Malvern Hills Trust. The purpose of this report is to alert precept payers to the Charity Commission Scheme which the Malvern Hills Trust hopes to set in place granting new powers and possibly overriding or amending parts of the Malvern Hills Acts.

There has to be a public consultation, during which residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals. Possibly this will start in December 2018 - it is important you have your say.

3rd October 2018

Page about the Friends of the Commons of Malvern updated; please note new email adddress.

The agenda for the next Malvern Hills Trust Land Management Committee is put on the MHT website. It is noted there is a proposal to amend the Easement Policy which would give the Chairman carte blanche to bypass the Land Management Committee and places much greater emphasis on the money to be made by granting easements.

30th September 2018

Minor edits to pages about Great Malvern Cemetery and its memorials and addition of a new page named 'Tour 6'.

26th September 2018

Book review

Review added of art reference book about the 'McCulloch Collection', by New Zealand historian Lawrence McCallum, including details of where and how to buy.

18th September 2018

New page added with photos of gathering on the Worcestershire Beacon.

Menu button added at the top of the Home Page. Clicking this will display the navigation bar as a list which may be easier to tap if you are using a device with a small screen?

Apologies if you could not find our website on Monday night and Tuesday morning; the hosting company reported a networking problem.

11th September 2018

Gathering on Worcestershire Beacon

The Friends of the Commons of Malvern are organising a gathering at the Toposcope on the Worcestershire Beacon at 2pm on Saturday 15th September in order to photograph views of the commons from the hills and demonstrate support against the Easement from Chance Lane into Rose Farm that is being considered by the Malvern Hills Trust.

Car Parking

MHDC has introduced a flat charge of £1.50 for parking all evening from 4:00 pm at the Splash.

Note however that the concession for residents with Timewheels to park  for free for more than 2 hours after 6:00 pm has been withdrawn.

Rebadging of web pages

Rebadging and checking of web pages is ongoing. We are mainly tidying up the title and navigation at the top of each page, not the content, but in doing this we are finding some of the older links no longer work and need updating.

7th September 2018

Addition of newsletter of the Friends of the Commons

Link to a short update from the newly formed residents' association added to the Friends of the Commons page.

1st September 2018

Residents continue to lobby the Malvern Hills Trust

Residents continue to lobby the Malvern Hills Trust, recommending that it should not approve Easements into Rose Farm, which is the field bounded by Hall Green, Chance Lane, Jackpit Lane and the Guarlford Road; it is in fact the field shown in the picture above.

The Friends of the Commons of Malvern residents' association page, which has more information, has been updated.

A to Z index updated and minor tidying up of the header of some pages to reflect new domain, but still some work on 'rebranding' to do.

31st August 2018

Another collision at the junction of Chance Lane with the Guarlford Road

A car travelling from Barnards Green towards Guarlford was hit by a vehicle pulling out of Chance Lane. Three police cars and an ambulance were in attendance at 4 pm when we passed the scene. One vehicle seems to have crossed the common knocking down the Chance Lane sign before colliding with the hedge. A second vehicle with severe frontal damage was taken away on a low loader in the evening.

The picture above shows the Vauxhall Zafira which collided with the hedge, with front wheel in the ditch below; the air bags had been activated. Inset is picture of debris piled near the junction.

28th August 2018

Draft page added about The Friends of the Commons of Malvern residents association set up with a view to promoting and protecting the character of the lowland commons east of the Malvern Hills.

Page about Rothwell and Milbourne's garage updated with new information about William Henry Mayo and Joseph Coley who were earlier pioneers in the motor trade.

17th August 2018

Residents association renamed 'Friends of the Commons of Malvern'

Their new e-mail address is: focom.org@gmail.com

11th August 2018

Change of domain name

As much of our website now relates to the history of Malvern and the Malvern Hills we are transferring our website files from www.123-mcc.com to the new domain www.the-malvern-hills.uk; once this is complete the old web hosting will be closed and the old domain should forward to the new one.

There is a small chance we may have forgotten to amend a link pointing to 123-mcc.com which will fail to work once the old legacy hosting is closed; please do let us know if you encounter a problem using the new website and then we can fix it.

8th August 2018

Residents up in arms

A meeting was held in Guarlford Village Hall at which Guarlford Road and Hall Green residents were joined by other interested parties to discuss the easements requested by the Rose Farm partnership.

The Developers want access from Chance Lane and Hall Green Close into the field which lies opposite the Green Dragon on the Guarlford Road, in order to build a new housing estate; which could be potentially 400 houses.

However, at this stage there appears to be no detailed plan or planning application and the land is not earmarked for development in either the current South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) or Town Plan..

At the meeting Dr Graeme Crisp voiced residents' concerns and Duncan Bridges, Chief Executive of the Malvern Hills Trust, responded on behalf of the Trust. A lively question and answer session followed.

Residents are very worried about these easements and voted to form a Residents Association to fight the application; there is concern that full details of the application are not being shared with the public.

The Malvern Hills Trust say the deadline for responses has been extended to Friday 17th August 2018, and it is possible the MHT Board will meet to decide the application on 13th September.

If you wish to know more please contact The Friends of the Commons of Malvern residents association via email:

focom.org@gmail.com

Objections to the Easements can be sent to the MHT by post to the Manor House, Grange Road, Malvern WR14 3EY, or by email:

info@malvernhills.org.uk

Anyone who is a member of Facebook can also air their views on the residents' association page:

@FriendsCommonsMalvern

https://www.facebook.com/FriendsCommonsMalvern

29th July 2018

Can we continue to trust the Malvern Hills Trust?

About March 2017 an approach was made by a body now calling itself the Rose Farm Partnership seeking an easement from the Malvern Hills Trust, formerly known as the Malvern Hills Conservators, for a new access from Chance Lane into the field opposite the Green Dragon on the Guarlford Road.

For fifteen months the Malvern Hills Trust has been rather secretive about this and not releasing any information until 14th July 2018 when letters were put through the doors of neighbouring properties - showing a proposed new road across the common in order to facilitate building a housing estate on the field, which is bounded by the Guarlford Road, Jackpits Lane and Chance Lane. A further access from the field into Hall Green Close, crossing Jackpits Lane, is also being proposed by the developer in order to provide a pedestrian cycle way and emergency access click to view plan circulated to residents.

The dilemma for the Malvern Hills Trust is whether to continue to protect common land for local people, or make a lot of money from granting an easement.

Few precept payers have been consulted about this, but we think everyone has a right to make their views known before the Board comes to a decision.

The MHT can be contacted by email info@malvernhills.org.uk

10th June 2018

Noticeboard updated with details of Madresfield school fete on 23rd June 2018. Do come along to Madresfield Court and support this marvellous school fundraising event if you can.

Minor edits to 'A Short History of Malvern'.

3rd June 2018

Minor updates to page about Madresfield in Worcestershire.

There is a new page on the Guarlford Parish website reflecting that the church of St Mary at Guarlford is part of the Benefice of Powick and Guarlford and Madresfield with Newland.

It appears that the Powick Parish website is not working at the moment except for a home page that directs you to either Parish Council pages, which are now hosted by Worcester County Council, or to 'A Church Near You'.

30th May 2018

List of churches in Malvern updated; primarily we have added links to websites, where there were none before, and fixed links that no longer worked.

On 27th May at Powick Rev Gary Crellin was inducted as the new incumbent of the Benefice of Powick and Guarlford and Madresfield with Newland.

Photo: Rev Gary Crellin greeting Julie Greenwood, Headmistress of Madresfield C of E Primary School after service at St Peters Powick.

26th May 2018

Update of the biography of James MacKenzie who retired to Daresbury in Priory Road and died in 1916.

Addition of information about Bernard Beattie Slater to the page about the proprietors of Rothwell and Milbourne's garage.

14th April 2018

New page added about the history of Rothwell and Milbourne's garage which started under that name about 1919 and closed in 1990. Please do tell us if you know more about Joseph Rothwell who we think may have founded the business.

6th April 2018

Malvern U3A member Brian Chesney wins BBC Mastermind

Congratulations to Brian on winning Mastermind. It was a tense moment when the last person to go almost reached Brian's score!

Brian Chesney leads the U3A Social History Group and we enjoy listening to his informative talks; the current series is about British Prime Ministers.

Minor edits to the web site

New information about the Link School added to Malvern schools then and now. Minor edits to list of burial grounds and photos of Malvern churches.

1st April 2018

Recent changes to the web site

Burial grounds in Great Malvern and surrounds updated and index added.

Minor updates to the following pages,

A stroll down Orchard Road, A stroll down Worcester Road, and Photos of churches in and near Malvern

Welland History Group

The newly formed Welland History Group plans to write a book about the village and surrounds; we went along to their second meeting to chat about how the Guarlford Story was produced.

Can you help us

We speculate about who founded the garage Rothwell and Milbourne circa 1919 on our page 'A stroll down Worcester Road' - but do we have it right?

We have been unable to discover when Malvern Wells Cemetery was opened. Have you come across a report of this in the Malvern News or Malvern Advertiser?

Have you come across the grave of General Henry Lygon 4th Earl Beauchamp? His funeral was held at Madresfield on 15th September 1863 and newspaper reports suggest he was interred in the family Mausoleum next to the old church, since demolished, which was near the Court.

14th March 2018

Cancellation of Daffodil Sunday at Madresfield Court

This event will not now take place as the field used for car parking is waterlogged.

14th March 2018

New page added A stroll down Worcester Road. It's a first draft and later on we plan to add information about some of the people that once lived there. Do let us know if you can add to the history of either the buildings or residents.

17th February 2018

Minor edits to biographies of James MacKenzie and Rev William Edward Lloyd. Information about Knotsford Lodge and Abbey Terrace added to A Stroll Down Abbey Road.

23rd January 2018

Addition of an article about James MacKenzie (a Victorian gentleman) who retired to Daresbury in Priory Road in Great Malvern circa 1901. Sadly both his sons were casualties of the Great War and you will find their names inscribed on the Priory War Memorial.

17th January 2018

Addition of a Street Directory of Priory Road, Great Malvern which attempts to relate the Victorian house names to modern street numbers. You might think this was easy, but nowadays houses typically just have a street number in order to help the postman, old nameplates have disappeared, there has been some infill, and some buildings have been demolished and replaced. Not to mention that house names can change over time. Please do let us know if any corrections are needed or you can add to the history of Priory Road.

Parking in Avenue Road

In recent months congestion caused by parking in Avenue Road and side streets around Great Malvern Station has become a serious problem. Parked cars are obstructing the flow of traffic up and down Avenue Road, making it extremely difficult for cars and buses to pass, and increasing the likelyhood of an accident, particularly on the bend above the station.

The cause may be partly due to people using Great Malvern station parking all day to avoid parking charges at Malvern Link. Whatever the cause, we think Malvern Town Council and Worcester Higways need to get a grip on this for example by putting some time limited parking restrictions in place.

8th January 2018

Happy new year to all our readers and contributors.

Due to the growing number of pages about Malvern in Worcestershire, not to be confused with a suburb of Melbourne in Australia, and coinciding with the new year, we have thought it sensible to rename our home page:-

'Miscellany of Malvern'.

We have also added a 'History menu' button at the top of the Home Page so that you can jump directly to our section about Local and Social History. Everything else remains the same.

New photographs have been added, recording a little more of the town's Victorian architecture in our Stroll Down Back Lane.

A page about Priory Road, running below the Malvern Splash, is in preparation.

25th November 2017

Waitrose car park

We noted the free car parking time at Waitrose in Great Malvern has been extended from 2 hour to 3 hours; a very welcome development which should make life easier for shoppers over Christmas.

Microsoft Windows 10

Observations on apps that were not working following the v1709 update; these have since been fixed.

13th October 2017

Recent updates

Article about Great Malvern cemetery extended with more information about those buried, on page 5, including John Sloggett Jenkins who was editor of the Malvern Advertiser newpaper and Matthew Thomas Stevens who founded the Malvern Gazette.

Photo of headstone added to biography of JS Jenkins.

Page about Davenham and the Dyson Perrins and Dixey families updated.

Biography of Gladys Sayle, founder of Ellerslie school, updated with memorial to her sister Pearl in Malvern Wells cemetery.

Attribution of photo to art dealer David Croal Thomson corrected.

About burials

We looked for the memorial to water cure doctor Ralph Barnes Grindrod in St Peter's churchyard at Malvern Wells but could not find it. Do you have a photo or can you tell us exactly where to look?

The findagrave.com website was updated in early November 2017 and is much improved; you first have to add the person's name and location of the cemetery in order to create a memorial record; you can then later add photos, a transcription of the inscription and biographical information. We have registered and added Malvern Wells cemetery to the database; Great Malvern cemetery, Great Malvern Priory, and St Matthias in Malvern Link were already listed, but not so far the burial ground at Newland. If you are one of those historians who likes photographing and researching headstones, this could be a good place to leave a copy, likewise information about family graves.

1st August 2017

New page created containing more information about Parking at Waitrose.

Minor edits to page entitled A Stroll down Orchard Road

26th July 2017

Warning about parking at Waitrose Great Malvern

According to the Malvern Gazette from 27th July Waitrose are imposing a maximum two hour stay, with a £70 fine imposed by an outsourced operator if your stay is exceeded.

Previously the sign at the Watrose car park offered:

Free parking for up to 2 hours with stamped store receipt (or with disk)

Up to 3 hours £1.50; else 60p with stamped receipt

Up to 4 hours £5

Up to 5 hours £10

That friendly proportionate approach ought to have been enought to discourage long stays, but our observation has been the parking booth was rarely manned, so for some time Waitrose has chosen not to enforce their policy.

Two hours is sometimes not long enough for example if you want to do a big shop at Waitrose and then visit other shops on the high street, or the library.

If you don't like this draconian proposal you might want to consider sending the company a polite email explaining your objection, and perhaps amplify this by boycotting the Waitrose store for a few months, till management get the message that residents would prefer a more customer friendly approach!

In comparison, you can park for up to 3 hours free at Morrisons.

24th July 2017

Various minor edits to web pages:

Links to other websites updated; things change and some links had stopped working.

Biography of Gladys Sayle, founder of Ellerslie school updated - do you have a photo of her?

Section about Ellerslie school updated on Malvern Schools Then and Now, and plan of the site added.

Photographer CJ Gosvenor added to list of Malvern artists; he and his brother made a photographic record of Ellerslie school circa 1926.

Stroll down Orchard Road page tidied up and expanded. We have been told The Cedars in Orchard Road, demolished in 2013 in order to build The Revue, had once been the home of water cure Dr Leopold Stummes.

Biography of Scottish/Australian merchant Robert Sellar updated to include image of memorial plaque in Melbourne cathedral.

(Attended tour of Malvern cemetery during civic week led by Brian Iles. He is writing a book and if you want to know about notable burials he is the man to speak to. Meanwhile an additional page is in preparation which will add just a few more names to our snapshot of the cemetery.)

11th June 2017

A - Z index updated. Minor edits to page about Malvern School Then and Now including addition of Malvernhurst. Index of McCulloch collection of modern art crossed referenced to information about disposal.

13th May 2017

Menu added to connect miscellaneous pages about Victorian art. RA catalogue index of 1913 cross referenced to associated Art Journal index.Transcription added about disposal of McCulloch collection.

26th April 2017

Biography added about the Victorian painter John MacWhirter and his family.

18th April 2017

Page about Abbey Road in Great Malvern updated with new information about past residents of South Bank, Hampton House and Ellerslie. Minor edits to page about the Victorian water doctors of Great Malvern.

6th April 2017

Short biography of Rev William Walker added, who was a Victorian schoolmaster. Early in his career he was headmaster of Hanley Castle Grammar School, and later he founded a boys prep school named Connellan College at Townshend House in College Road, once the home of water cure doctor Ralph Barnes Grindrod.

24th March 2017

Short biography of Dr Ralph Barnes Grindrod added, who was a vigorous promoter of the Temperance movement, a good christian, and founded Malvern's first newspaper, the Malvern Advertiser. For a fuller account of his life you should read his excellent biography written by Janet Grierson, who lived for a time at Park View and was the sister of Cambridge historian Philip Grierson.

8th March 2017

Biography of John Sloggett Jenkins added, who was the proprietor and editor of the Malvern Advertiser newpaper from 1867 to 1900.

Malvern Hills Footpath Society added to local links.

26th February 2017

An early 'portrait of a gentleman' added to biography of Norman May, which was kindly sent to us by Steve Fox. Do please tell us if you know who the sitter is.

New link added to the History Menu pointing to our tour of Barnards Green shops in 2012. In the five years since we took the photos many businesses have changed hands, so this page has been essentially relegated to archive status.

New page added 'Barnards Green, Malvern, then and now' which complements our tour of the shops - if you want to find out more about the history of Barnards Green you are advised to contact the curator at Malvern Museum who is leading an in depth study.

Street directory of Graham Road updated, but still more to add about past residents.

Minor amendments to Family History page about baker John Brown, and new page with transcription of the obituary of his great great nephew Gordon Dunlop.

2nd February 2017

Memories of The Hill School incorporated; these were sent to us by Tony Gwynn-Jones who emigrated to Australia in 1952. Tony arrived at the school before WWII and his account includes interesting reminiscences of wartime Malvern.

3rd January 2017

We wish all our readers and contributors a very happy new year.

Minor edits to home page and update of our index to the Royal Academy catalogue of 1909 describing the McCulloch Collection of Modern Art.

2nd December 2016

First draft of modern street directory of Graham Road, with photographs, added. We have attempted to cross reference this with Stevens' street directory of 1911, but it has been hard work - do let us know if any corrections are needed or you can provide photos showing the architectural features of houses that cannot be seen from the road.

25th November 2016

Street directory of Graham Road, Malvern, added, transcribed from Stevens Directory of 1911. This reflects the order of houses in the street, and might help in locating a house that has changed its name. Many houses still stand and have retained their original name, but some have a new name, and one or two are recently built such as Hillstone House and Hillstone Mews.

19th November 2016

Biography added about MT Stevens (1866 - 1944) who founded The Malvern Gazette newspaper.

Biography of Alice Kate Farmer and Schools pages updated with new information about the location of Langland school (1901 - 1912).

13th November 2016

Biography added about Zachary Merton (1843 - 1915), a metal merchant, who attempted to improve the education of the poor in London.

5th November 2016

Biography added about George Paterson Yeats, art teacher and Victorian watercolour painter.

3rd November 2016

Family history article about 'Relatives and others in Southampton' updated; it's a rambling account, but if you are able to add to it do get in touch.

25th October 2016

Following an exhibition in Great Malvern Priory, Victorian painters Mary Brandling and Fanny Steers added to list of Malvern artists and photographers; plus examples of their work and those of George Paterson Yeats.

Information about the last days of Hillstone prep school added to page about Malvern schools then and now.

More information about Dr John Campbell Fergusson, of the Malvern Hydro, added to page about the water cure.

Blogs menu page updated, plus notes on our experience of upgrading from BT Broadband to BT Infinity; (this is a neglected area of our website and you won't find a great deal there).

Short article about Victorian metal merchant and benefactor 'Zachary Merton' in preparation. Please let us know if you can contribute either some notes on his life, activities of his trust, or a photo of him.

21st September 2016

Further amendments to page about past Malvern Schools. Pages about Great Malvern cemetery tidied up and new page 4 added including a transcription of the tribute to Rev William Grundy, headmaster of Malvern College who died in 1891 aged only 41 years.

21st August 2016

Short article added about journalist Ernest Jack Quill who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in WWII.

20th August 2016

Article about Hillstone School expanded. Do let us now if you have any photos of Hillstone or memories of the school, particularly covering the period from 1965 to 1992 when the site in Como Road closed.

9th August 2016

Story of schoolmistress Alice Kate Farmer updated, and obituary added.

6th August 2016

Page about past Malvern schools updated with addition of more photos of Southlea school; photo of the WWII Roll of Honour of the Link School, which now resides in Malvern Museum; and memories of St Nicholas School for girls in Cowleigh Road, North Malvern which closed in 1957.

Page about the water doctors of Great Malvern updated, with enlarged section about Dr Thomas Rayner who took over the water cure establishment at Park View from James Wilson MD.

Minor edits made to pages about Abbey Road (addition of photo of James Wilson's memorial); Great Malvern Cemetery; the Priory churchyard; and photographer Norman May.

31st May 2016

Recently revised pages:-

Biography of Alice Kate Farmer updated; from 1920 to 1944 she was Councillor for the Trinity Ward of the Urban District Council and eventually vice-chairman of the UDC.

Page about Malvern schools updated with information about past headmasters of the Wells House prep school, and Clarendon.

Minor changes made to the biography of Norman May, photographer.

More information about CD Walton added to page about Malvern artists and photographers.

Second page about Great Malvern cemetery amended with revised section about Victor William Price who was killed in a flying accident in WWI, and his nephew Neville Bellamy.

10th May 2016

New page added:

About Henry Norman, a soldier of the Great War, and his family

Additional material added to pages about Great Malvern Cemetery

28th April 2016

New page added:

Malvern private schools - list transcribed from Littlebury's Trade Directory of 1873

27th April 2016

New page added about schoolmistress Amy Flint who founded a girls' school named Clarendon in Cowleigh Road North Malvern about 1898. The school flourished but left Malvern and relocated to North Wales in 1948.

18th April 2016

New page added about school mistress Alice Kate Farmer who ran a school for young ladies at Langland House in Graham Road Great Malvern, before the First World War. Towards the end of WWI she was one of the founders of Malvern Women's Institute, and supported National Kitchens to help the poorly nourished.

Minor updates made to past Malvern schools, including St Nicholas prep at Cowleigh Bank. Information about Clarendon House girls' school still to add. Do let us know if you have stories or photos of closed schools.

24th March 2016

New page added containing historical information we have gathered about artists and photographers, mostly Victorian, having a connection with Malvern. Do please let us know either of any errors or if you can provide supplementary information, or photos.

Click to go to list of artists and photographers

3rd March 2016

Mini biography added about Norman John May who founded a photographic business known as Norman May's Studio in Church Street, Great Malvern in the late 1870s.

Do let us know if you can tell us more about Norman May, the evolution of the business under subsequent owners, or can provide photos that could be incorporated on the webpage.

1st  March 2016

We are immensely grateful to those who send us information so that our web pages about local and social history can either be amended or extended. In the last fortnight the history of Malvern schools past and present has been updated, with significant new information added about Southlea in Albert Road, and The Hill which was on the Worcester Road; a big thank you to Peter Gibbs and John Webb for that.

Notes on the occupancy of Tudor House after 1891 have been added to the page about the water cure; thankyou to Michele Losse for helping with that.

Images from Malvern Museum have been added to our page about Holly Mount Mansion.

The story about blind clergyman William Edward Lloyd has been updated following receipt of new information from David Scott, a former archivist at Worcester College for the Blind; more to add.

We finally finished our photographic record of the memorials in Guarlford churchyard to link to the inscriptions recorded by Cora Weaver et al circa 1990; the list of inscriptions can be found on the Guarlford Parish website.

Please do let us know if you would like your stories and photographs copied to Malvern Museum.

2nd January 2016

Article added attributing the painting of George McCulloch in the Broken Hill Art Gallery, New South Wales, thought to be by 'Manks', to the Welsh portrait painter Barnett Samuel Marks.

We wish all our readers a happy new year.

25th November 2015

Short biography added about Revd William Edward Lloyd who despite a disability became a clergyman after attending Worcester Blind College.

Details of Chesfield added to page about Victorian houses in Abbey Road.

10th November 2015

New pages added telling the story of two Victorian houses, Hatley St George in Albert Road South, which for a time was occupied by the Junior House of Malvern Girls' College, and Holly Mount Mansion where Princess Victoria stayed in 1830 when she visited Great Malvern with her mother.

4th November 2015

Page about relatives and others in Southampton extended.

25th September 2015

A link to a review of books about the art collector George McCulloch has been added to the History menu; this relates to our glimpse into the world of Victorian art.

A panorama of Great Malvern has been added, and minor edits made, to our page about the history of the Malverns.

The page about the Victorian water cure has been updated with a little more information about the family of Dr James Wilson, and the history menu tidied.

Those interested in DIY may be interested to know a branch of Screwfix has opened in Betony Road, off Townsend Way in Malvern Link. Both Screwfix and B&Q in Spring Lane are part of the Kingfisher group.

Business people and those travelling a long distance to events at the Three Counties Showground, who sometimes find local hotels full, may be interested to know that a Premier Inn has opened on the edge of the Trading Estate. There is also a Premier Inn in Worcester next to the cricket ground.

5th July 2015

Biography added about Rev John Lindsay Birley a schoolmaster and organist who died in Germany in 2003.

Minor updates to page about Priory Park Mansion.

15th June 2015

Biography added about Gladys Sayle who founded Ellerslie school for girls in Abbey Road, Great Malvern, after the First World War.

3rd June 2015

Biography added about Isabel Greenslade a founder of Malvern Girls' College, with additional information about her family background and early business associates, Lily Poulton, Blanche Mitchell and Kate Dawson.

Biography added about Florence Kate Firth who followed on from Janet Leighton as Principal of Lawnside School.

16th May 2015

Noticeboard updated.

Page about past Malvern schools updated and biographies added about Victorian school teachers Caroline Cooper, Julia Marten Duplock and Janet Leighton.

Two pages about buildings in Abbey Road updated.

18th March 2015

Short story added about the Malvern based Victorian painter James Charles Oldmeadow and his family.

8th March 2015

Short story added about the family of British painter George Romney (1734 - 1802). Two of his great grandchildren died at Malvern, one of whom is buried in Great Malvern cemetery, whilst another Eliza Jane Romney lived in the town for 30 years or more.

1st March 2015

Officially the start of Spring in the UK. Though it will probably be a week or two before we see many fresh shoots in gardens here in Malvern. However we have been told there is already a good show of spring flowers in the churchyard at Birlingham near Defford.

On Sunday 15th March there will be an opportunity to explore the gardens of Madresfield Court; see noticeboard for details.

Some more photos have been added to the story of the Michie Hospital, and a transcription made of The Times newspaper report about the sale of the McCulloch collection of modern art in 1913.

29th January 2015

Many thanks to the people who have been in touch about the history of the area and have in some cases provided photographs; we greatly appreciate that. In consequence we have been able to update the following pages:

Page about Malvern schools amended with more information about, for example, the history of Douglas House and Ellerslie.

Pages about Abbey Road and Wells Road updated with more information about Ashfield, Ellerslie, Hampton House, Cherbourg, Southlands and some of the people that lived there.

Story of Priory Park Mansion amended.

Information about 'Priors Mount' which once stood in Priory Road added to the page about College Road; during WWII it was the Officers Mess for HMS Duke.

Information about Hugh Bayfield Spear added towards end of the page Roll of the men of Malvern who fell in the Great War

20th November 2014

So many people died or were injured in the Great War. Families in all cities, towns and most, if not all, villages were affected. You will see we have been gathering information about some of the memorials in Malvern (UK) and in a few cases attempted to provide more information about casualties where little has been known. You are welcome to use this, but please check we have got the story right, and do let us know if you can provide further information.

Page added about the family of John Nelson, a casualty of the Great War.

Page about Great Malvern cemetery continued to a second page, including some notes about the Commonwealth War Graves -

Page added with a menu of links pointing to pages on this website which mention a casualty of war etc.

13th October 2014

New local history page added about the Nether Grange Estate

Page about Great Malvern Priory, war memorial and churchyard updated

4th October 2014

Page about Great Malvern library and War Memorial updated and new page added listing the Men of Malvern who fell in the Great War

7th August 2014

Putting a name to an old photograph; about Stephen Craddock who for one year was Mayor of Wolverhampton. Two of his nephews died in the Great War.

Details of war memorial plaques in St Mary added to page about Madresfield.

Burial date added to page about nurse Ethel Mary Lewis who served in the Great War.

(We were told about 457 old boys of Malvern College died in the Great War. Many being officers, that suggests the casualty rate was very high. Do you know what percentage of those that fought were killed?)

27th July 2014

Page added about St Leonard's Newland churchyard and choristers' war memorial.

15th July 2014

Addition of a short biography telling the story of the life and times of the Reverend George Shaw Munn, a clergyman of the Church of England, who was Rector of Madresfield in Worcestershire for 49 years, from 1856 to 1905.

5th July 2014

Addition of a book review, about a group of Victorian painters who became known as The Glasgow Boys.

29th June 2014

Two mini biographies added to history index,

Robert Sellar (Australian merchant)

Charles Edward Murray Puckle (a soldier of the Great War)

Little previously has been written about Robert Sellar who was the business partner of Victorian Australian politician Sir James McCulloch. Charles Murray Puckle was one of the last partners of the Melbourne firm McCulloch Sellar and Company. His eldest son was killed at Gallipoli and we thought it appropriate also to write a few words about him, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the start of the Great War.

13th May 2014

Photographs of war memorial and other monuments added to local history page about Great Malvern Priory and its Churchyard

Photos of Madford retail park, near Malvern Link, added to,

A short history of Malvern

11th April 2014

Addition of town walk illustrating more examples of Victorian architecture,

A stroll down Orchard Road

Addition of another family history story

James McCulloch (junior)

11th February 2014

Additions to miscellaneous pages about Victorian art (see index) and cosmetic updating of some of the HTML tags; both work in progress.

14th December 2013

Hospital visits and convalescence reduced our activities this year, but we are on the mend and hope to be out and about more in 2014.

Minor changes have been made to the pages mentioned below and a new page created showing some Victorian photographs of men and women who may have been painters (we don't know who many of them are, but can you help identify them):-

Local and social history menu

Lest we forget

Churches in and near Malvern

Handy household tips

Family History - John Brown

Victorian art and artists

The A to Z index was last amended in February 2013 and we hope to update shortly.

13th September 2013

Over the summer we completed several articles which had lain half finished for a while:-

Addition of local history page about Great Malvern Cemetery

Addition of local history page about the Victorian water cure doctors of Great Malvern

Addition of page about Great Malvern Priory and its churchyard which is not an in depth article, but contains miscellaneous information we have collected.

Addition of page about Edmund Wallace Elmslie the architect who designed Great Malvern Railway station and the Imperial Hotel. The article also mentions Dr Archibald Weir a Victorian physician and surgeon.

Addition of a transcription of the Will of Major General William Henry Beckwith whose daughters are buried in Guarlford churchyard. You can find out more about the Beckwith sisters and their family on the Guarlford website.

23rd June 2013

Addition of local history page about John Archer who was a hotel keeper during the years when the Water Cure was at its peak.

14th April 2013

Addition of local history page about Priory Park Mansion

Addition of local history page about College Road and Townshend House

5th March 2013

Page added,

About Charles Morris a Victorian benefactor and Holy Trinity church

Pages updated,

Photo album of local churches

The story of a house named Davenham and Charles William Dyson Perrins.

The history of Farnborough Court in Hampshire

22nd February 2013

Revision of pages about Malvern Link and Abbey Road.

Addition of biography of Ethel Mary Lewis latterly of Malvern Link who was a district nurse and was awarded medals for her service during WWI.

18th February 2013

Recent pages added,

History of Farnborough Court in Hampshire

Photo album showing churches in Malvern

3rd February 2013

Addition of new 'history' page telling the story of surgeon Lawrie Hugh McGavin who worked at the Michie Hospital, and the 'Farnborough Court' Red Cross Hospital during WWI.

30th January 2013

Addition of new page briefl;y telling the story of the Michie Hospital, which was just one of many establishments set up to treat the casualties of the Great War.

21st January 2013

Addition of new web page A stroll down Abbey Road Great Malvern with some local history and photos showing examples of nineteenth century architecture.

15th January 2013

Addition of new web page Out and about in Malvern Link containing photos of some buildings in Malvern Link and their history.

3rd January 2013

Recent additions to photo gallery pages,

Rose Bank Gardens

Shops in Worcester Road Great Malvern

Malvern Community Hospital

Other changes,

Amendments to page about Davenham and Charles William Dyson Perrins.

Artwork added to local history menu, companies then and now, and menu for other resources

29th December 2012

Birth of our first grandson 'Ryo' in Tokyo

21st November 2012

New album added to Photo Gallery with photos of Wucha Jawar Camp which was on the North West Frontier of India near Peshawar circa 1940. There is also a link from our history page and the A-Z index.

16th November 2012

New page added to Other_Resources named Who is Who with links to help find Malvern Councillors.

Blog page created with update on South Worcestershire Development Plan

Davenham page about CW Dyson Perrins updated

Malvern schools then and now page updated

1902 Malvern telephone directory page amended

31st October 2012

New history page added telling story of what happened to some radio, TV and engineering companies. Click to view Companies then and now The year 2012 marks 90 years since the first BBC radio broadcast in 1922.

23rd October 2012

Page about the history of Daveham (a residential home for the elderly) updated following the open day which we attended on 20th October 2012.

Book review page added about John Dixon's new book 'The Churches and Chapels of Malvern'

New page added about the village of Madresfield which lies to the east of Malvern Hills.

8th October 2012

Addition of new history page,  transcription of Malvern 1902 telephone directory

Amendments to history page Malvern schools then and now

5th October 2012

Addition of a local/social history page about the development of the utility services such as gas electricity and water in Great Malvern. Click the link below to view.

Social history - public utilities then and now

17th August 2012

Addition of locaal history page about Malvern schools then and now

10th July 2012

Recent additions to photo gallery:-

Newland fete and St Leonard's church

Stokes Bay near Gosport

Land rover button changed to Motoring on all navigation bars, and site map and index brought up to date.

30th May 2012

Recent pages added

A tour of Barnards Green shops

Owning an English Setter

10th April 2012

Addition of a new family history page Relatives and others in Southampton

4th April 2012

Short history of Malvern page updated. Land Rover button on the Home page replaced by Motoring button. Directions to the old LDS family search page added to links. Guide to researching family history updated.

18th March 2012

Guarlford Grange deleted from list of guest houses - it is now a private residence.

New page added - our observations on the  philosophy of religion

On Monday 12th March there was a road traffic accident on the Guarlford Road near the Green Dragon. No further information available at present.

7th October 2011

Changes to website

Will transcriptions and UKBMD added to Links page. Details of open day to find out more about draft local development plan added to notice-board. Family history guide updated.

6th October 2011

Theft of Guarlford Church Bell

Thieves stole the church bell from St Mary's, Guarlford, during the night of Thursday 6th and Friday 7th October. The bell had safely hung in a Hornbeam tree in the churchyard for nearly a century after the turret on the church roof was removed for structural reasons. The thieves cut the cable to the security lamp and tyre tracks suggest a heavy vehicle was involved.

Identification: the bell which weighs about 200 Kg is marked at the top M&S.CO and in the middle 'RECAST- 1926'.

The bell had also been marked with 'smart water' to aid identification.

The thieves had returned after being disturbed the previous night. 

Anyone with information should contact West Mercia Police on Tel 0300 333 3000

17th July 2011

Family history - main menu page updated.

Will of Henry Evans of Greenhill Lane, died 1864, added

11th July 2011

Web pages for visitors to Quothquan and Biggar in Scotland updated.

Click this link to go to Quothquan Home Page.

10th June 2011

Obituary of James McCulloch (1797 - 1849) added to family history pages (see index).

6th June 2011

Family tree of John Brown updated. John and his brothers Archibald and Niven ran family baker shops in Greenock, Kilmacolm, and Ayr, Scotland

4th April 2011

Addition of A - Z Index page entered by clicking 'Index' button on right hand side of Home page navigation bar.

11th March 2011

We awoke to the first reports of the earthquake in Japan coming through on BBC radio.

Click here for a report from Tokyo

1st January 2011

Unusually we had a white Christmas. The snow in Malvern first fell on the 17th December and remained until the thaw began on 28th. The weather was much colder than average with the lowest recorded temperature being minus 15 deg C. Fortunately the main roads were kept clear, but there was plenty of ice on side roads to catch the unwary.

12th December 2010

Link added to History page about Len Cundell who was a well known racehorse trainer in the 1930s. His story is told in a new book by his daughter Jane McKee.

5th November 2010

Minor updates to, links, eating out, and list of businesses; reference added at end of guide to researching your  family history.

25th September 2010

Section about 'eyesight' added to 'Ergonomics for users of computers' page (for the benefit of those with slightly impaired vision).

Minor changes made to Land Rover pages

5th July 2010

Recent updates to the web pages

Addition of new Eating Out page

Update of Lest We Forget page

Addition of Genealogy Relationship Chart

Population of List of Local Businesses

Addition of List of Active Churches in Malvern

Book review - History of the non-conformist churches in Malvern

22nd May 2010

A Virgin hot-air balloon with large gondola  slung below just misses high voltage cables and clears houses before landing in field opposite.

14th Feb 2010

Link to images of Malvern library and war memorial added to photo gallery

9th Feb 2010

Recent updates to the web pages

Roots page amended (about family history)

• New page added - How to trace your family tree
• Link to Ancestor images in photo gallery
• Matthew Kick added to Lest we forget page

Photo Gallery pages amended

• A stroll around Great Malvern added 
• Three photos added to Ancestors Page

Link added to Other Resources page

• Table of constants and conversions

16 Jan 2010

Links added to Other Resources page.

• Timeline of wars and other events
• A short history of the Malverns

The snow which arrived on 5th January finally melts

26th December 2009

Beginning of icy weather.

Vauxhall Omega skids and crashes into the Gualrford pond railings; this time the railings break spearing into the engine bay. It's only a fortnight or so since the railings were repaired following a car traveling from Malvern ploughing through the railings.

20 Sep 2009

Battle of Britain Sunday

A moving service  was held at Lansdowne Methodist church where we met to recall that in 1940 the RAF against all odds defended this country, and many gave their lives so that we can live and worship in freedom.

19 Sep 2009

Attack by dangerous dog

Account of attack by Staffordshire bull terrier added to other resources/blogs

17 Sep 2009

Car crash

There was another collision at the junction of Chance Lane with the main Guarlford road at 4:30 pm. Police, fire, and ambulance vehicles were in attendance and the main road was closed for about half an hour.

Click for photo of aftermath of collision.

11 Sep 2009

List of family killed or injured in conflicts added to other resources/roots

6 Sep 2009

First Quothquan web pages drafted, see 123-mcc.com/quothquan/index.htm

26 Aug 2009

New navigation bar added to web pages.

11th Sep 2008

Addition of Bangor reunion photographs; menu accessed from Photo Gallery page.

Landrover Discovery unreliability reference page added to resources.

15th Jun 2008

Safety in the home and car battery tips added to resources page. Navigation bar added to Notice-board  to enable a search for local events and to view items for sale on Malvern Gazette Exchange and Mart site.

Titles added to menu and home page links;  fade transition added.

15th May 2008

Health & Safety, Landrover Servicing, and Working with Computers added to Resources page

16th Sep 2007

Web pages rearranged to permit future expansion.

30th Jun 2007

We had a wonderful party to celebrate Stuart and Hayfa's marriage last year in  Penang.

Click for photos