We offer members a varied programme of events, at least monthly, throughout the year. These are mainly illustrated lectures in the winter and guided outings in the summer, but also include many social occasions. We stage an exhibition every year at the centre and have published a number of books. An annual journal contains articles on local history and accounts of our activities.
The Local & Family History Centre at 5, Sherford Street, Bromyard is the headquarters of the Society.
The ground floor comprises a reception area and well stocked shop selling local books, maps, postcards and many other items (many of these are available from our online shop). Adjacent is a spacious Exhibition room with a changing series of displays of local interest throughout the year. The building has a passenger lift to the first floor and is fully accessible to disabled visitors.
Our purpose built Archive on the first floor is home to our large collection of local records. The catalogue can be searched via computers in the research room and we hope it will be online to view later this year.
The Research room provides a pleasant environment for both the casual enquirer and the serious student of family and local history.
There are no charges for looking round the exhibits. However the Society is entirely dependent on your generosity to operate the centre. The running costs are considerable and donations are most welcome.
The Society is well known for its fine collection of old photographs of Bromyard and surrounding villages, together with its considerable documentary archive. This collection has been gradually built up and added to ever since the foundation of the Society in 1966. It is unusual in that the catalogue index contains a large number of personal names making it good source of material for local family historians.
The building was purchased by the Society in 1999 and converted to its present use with assistance of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The centre was opened for public use on May 1st 2003 and has been an overwhelming success and widely admired for the range of heritage services being provided on a voluntary basis under one roof.
The centre is run entirely by volunteers and receives no regular local authority financial support.
We have joined forces with ‘Food for All’ at 10 – 12 High Street and moved into their premises has been renamed ‘Binyon’s of Bromyard’ after FFA’s Founder, Pam Binyon, and her father who was a driving force in this town for many years. A central hub in the town offering both christian and general books, access to the history of the town, tourist information, gifts, local knowledge, arts, crafts and much much more.