Redditch Virtual Museum and Historic Archives
The Redditch Local History Society was founded in 2009 to investigate, document and promote the history & heritage of Redditch and the surrounding area. Despite being designated a “New Town” in 1964 the town has nearly 1000 years of history. The 1800s saw it dominate the worlds production on needles and fish hooks and in the first half of the 1900s its industrial pedigree was typified with household names such a Terry’s Springs, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Britannia Batteries and many other manufactures.
The new town development from 1964 to 1984 saw its population rise three-fold to over 80,000 and it diversification into many new manufacturing and service industries. Today it is a modern, successful and cosmopolitan town benefiting from the changes brought in from the new town investment.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the designation as a new town the RLHS launched its “Remembering Lost Redditch” project and the Redditch Heritage web-site which were targeted on the changes brought about by the new town.
We have continued to research the history of Redditch, continued to collect materials and artefacts donated by others and in the absence of a physical Heritage Centre within the town we have created a “Virtual Heritage Centre” to present information on the history of Redditch.
The “Redditch Virtual Museum and Historic Archives” is the vehicle which records our archives and presents our documentation of the town’s history.
One issue we are very conscious of is copyright. Not all material can be readily displayed in the public domain and so in some cases the on-line version of this site serves as an index to material which can on be made available under controlled conditions. Such controlled conditions include meting, exhibitions and events held at venues in and around the town.
We always welcome new input to add to our archives and our knowledge of the town. Please contact the society archivist on archivist@rlhs.org.uk if you have any donations.
Lastly, the Redditch Virtual Museum and Historic Archives site represents an ongoing project that may never be completed, there is always new material being donated and researched which is then added to the site. So please return frequently and follow our progress.