On the ground floor our Exhibition Room houses a themed display of local photographs and items from our archives. The Society members on duty will be pleased to answer any enquiries which you may have. Entry is free.
Our current exhibition is the Rotherwas Munitions Factory Project exhibition
On Saturday 14th February the exhibition was opened by Society Chairman Mandy Palmer. Many visitors arrived for the opening which included the family of Kay (Kathleen) Bloomfield nee Eldridge who worked at Hereford Munitions Factory and Sally and Roger Dickson whose Mother and Aunt also worked there.
Angela and Elizabeth from Rotherwas Together dressed as Munitions workers.
Norma and Gillian, Kay Bloomfields daughter and granddaughter with Angela of Rotherwas Together.
Rotherwas Together is the Herefordshire-based voluntary organisation dedicated to researching stories and raising awareness of the munitions factory ROF Rotherwas, the Royal Ordnance Factory built during the First World War. The factory was used for filling shells, with the first ones rolling off the production line in November 1916. The munitions site closed after the Second World War and became home to many businesses from the 1960s onwards and is now the Hereford Enterprise Zone.
Various smaller exhibitions have been held across Herefordshire and beyond, but an exciting partnership for 2026 sees a new venture where all the Rotherwas exhibitions are brought together in one venue. Working with Bromyard & District Local History Society, the exhibition will be hosted at Bromyard Local History Centre between 14th February and 23rd May 2026.
The exhibition includes stories of some of the brave women who worked at the munitions factory during both wars, and how the factory came about in the first place. It explains about the uniforms and protective clothing which was used during the First World War, and how the name ‘canary girls’ given to the women came about. There is also the remarkable story of the Rotherwas women’s football team, who played in front of big crowds during the First World War.
Alongside the stories are original artefacts and a recreation of a First World War factory uniform. Information will be available about how to trace your own ancestors who may have worked at Rotherwas, and there will be several talks about the history of the munitions in Herefordshire.
WWII – 80 Years on (2025-2026) -read more about this exhibition
Made in Bromyard, (2025-2026) – read more about this exhibition