JOIN US FOR THE FRIENDS FIRST AWAY-DAY OF THE YEAR

SATURDAY 9 APRIL

The Pen Room in the Argent Centre, Frederick St., Hockley is home to a heritage collection that acknowledges Birmingham’s place at the centre of the world pen trade in the 19 and first half of the 20 centuries. We will be meeting at the Pen Room at 1.00pm and metered street parking is normally available adjacent to the Argent Centre Admission is free although donations are welcome. Following the tour we will move onto Birmingham’s world famous Royal Birmingham Society of Artists for refreshments and a view of the current exhibition.

So that we can advise both venues of anticipated numbers would members please book a place by contacting Roger Bruton on:

rnbruton@tiscali.co.uk or

Tel: 0121 308 3508

‘The Emergence of the West Midlands: Culture, Communities and Change 1779-1918’, Annual Conference of the Centre for West Midlands History

Friday 30 March to Sunday 1 April 2012 Fee to be announced

This major international conference explores social, economic, political, scientific and cultural developments in the region. Further details to be announced

‘Birmingham History Day’

Saturday, 26 November 2011, Large Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, University of Birmingham, 10.00am to 4.00pm

This event includes presentations by academics, research students, authors, heritage professionals and leaders of local history projects.

‘Black Country History Day’

Saturday, 15 October, 2011, Large Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, University of Birmingham, 10.00am to 4.00pm

This event is jointly organised with the Black Country Society and includes presentations by academics, research students, authors, heritage professionals and leaders of local history projects.

Annual Lecture:

Provisional date: Monday 20 June 2011

Paul Long, Birmingham City University, Title to be announced.

'A Life of Dissent: Dorothy Thompson 1923-2011'

Thursday 2 June, 2011, Large Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, 5.30pm to 8.00pm

Dorothy Thompson, who lectured in History at the University of Birmingham, was a world-class social historian and a political activist and campaigner. This event is a celebration and commemoration of her life, led by several of her former research students. It includes the showing of a TV documentary, which focuses on the contributions of the lives of Dorothy Thompson and her husband, E.P. Thompson.

Research Showcase: Two West Midlands Artists

Wednesday 25 May, 2011, Lecture Room 3, Arts Building, 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Elaine Williams, ‘Florence Camm: the Birmingham Municipal School of Art and beyond’; Aileen Naylor, 'Introducing Mr W. J. Wainwright R.W.S., R.B.S.A. (1855-1931)'

Visit to The Pen Room, Argent Centre, Frederick St, Hockley

Saturday 9 April 2011 at 1.00pm

The Pen Room is home to a heritage collection that acknowledges Birmingham’s place at the centre of the world pen trade in the 19^th and first half of the 20^th centuries.

To book, contact Roger Bruton: rnbruton@tiscali.co.uk or 0121 308 3508

Centre for West Midlands History Research Group

Research Showcase

an evening with...

Chris Penney

The Hurd Library

Thursday 10 March

6:30-8:30pm

Lecture Room 3 (1st Floor), the Arts Building

University of Birmingham

Please confirm your attendance via return of this email (CWMHRG@hotmail.com).

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope that you all had a well-deserved rest. Please find information regarding our next research showcase below. I hope to see you all there!

Centre for West Midlands History Research Group

Research Showcase

an evening with...

Dr. Caroline Archer:

The Kynoch Press: Typographic Trendsetters of the 20th Century

Caroline is Honorary Research Fellow at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design, Birmingham City University.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

6:30-8:30pm

Lecture Room 3 (1st Floor), the Arts Building

University of Birmingham

Please confirm your attendance via return of this email (CWMHRG@hotmail.com).

Feel free to circulate this to any others you think may be interested in attending.

Thank you!

Next meeting!

Centre for West Midlands History Research Group

Research Showcase

an evening with...

Ray Shill:

Iron Making in Birmingham

and

John Townley:

The Crank Company and Their Customers

Thursday 11 November

6:30-8:30pm

Lecture Room 3 (1st Floor), the Arts Building

University of Birmingham

Please confirm your attendance via return of this email (CWMHRG@hotmail.com).

Feel free to circulate this email to any others you think may be interested in attending.

Hope to see you all there!

'Industrial Responses' exhibition at RBSA Gallery

Industrial Responses

RBSA Gallery

11 October - 6 November 2010

Industry and manufacturing are central to Birmingham’s identity. Since the early 19th century, artists of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) have responded to our region’s evolving industrial landscape. Industrial Responses brings together a variety of examples taken from the RBSA’s Permanent Collection. Artists represented include Founder Member Samuel Lines, Harry Eccleston Hon. RBSA and Arthur Lockwood RBSA. By exploring themes such as art collecting, the picturesque, the sublime and seaside culture, the exhibition demonstrates the many ways in which art and industry interconnect. Industrial Responses forms part of a three year community project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund: Exploring Birmingham’s Art History with the RBSA. Why not join the RBSA's Archive Team for an interesting morning of discussion and debate at our study morning on Sunday 17 October. Speakers will include Dr. Richard Clay and Dr. Malcolm Dick (University of Birmingham) and lunch will be provided. For more details, please contact the gallery on 0121 236 4353 or email connie@rbsa.org.uk.

Black Country History Day - October 16!

Black Country History Day

Saturday October 16 2010

10:00am-4:00pm

Large Lecture Theatre, Arts Building

University of Birmingham

£17 (refreshments and lunch provided)

Speakers include:

Paul Quigley: What's Left of the Black Country?

Chris Gallagher: William Shenstone and the Poetry of the Leasowes

Dr. Edward Chitham: Why Not Sandwell?

Janet Sullivan: Paying a Price for Industrialisation: Pollution in Oldbury

For more information or to book, contact

Dr. Malcolm Dick (Director of the Centre for West Midlands History)

on 0121 415 8253 or email: m.m.dick@bham.ac.uk

Cardinal Newman Exhibition

Place: Floor 6 of the Central Library, Archives and Heritage, in the secure area behind the counter.

Times: the secure area is open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, extended opening to 8pm on

Thursday.

Dates: Tuesday 7 September to Saturday 30 October 2010.

When John Henry Newman first came to Birmingham in 1846 he lived at Oscott in the north of Birmingham, close to the new Catholic Oscott College. He then set up The Oratory in Birmingham, which from 1852 has been on the Hagley Road in Edgbaston. Newman wrote poetry as well as his work for the Catholic church, One of his most famous poems is The Dream of Gerontius, which the composer Elgar set to music; the first performance was at the Birmingham Triennial Musical Festival in 1900. Newman died in 1890 and was buried at the Oratory Retreat near Rednal. After his death the Oratory Church was rebuilt as a beautiful memorial to him.

For more information click here

NEXT EVENT: Research Showcase Evening!

Centre for West Midlands History Research Group

Research Showcase

an evening with...

Keith Clenton:

A Walk Through Birmingham City Centre Back in Time

Photographs from the Carl Chinn 'Birmingham Lives' Archives

Wednesday 22 September

6:30-8:30pm

Lecture Room 3 (1st Floor), the Arts Building

University of Birmingham

Please email to confirm your attendance to CWMHRG@hotmail.com

Hope to see you all there!

Next meeting!

Centre for West Midlands History

Research Group

Research Interests Meeting

Monday 2^nd August 2010,

6.30-8.30pm

Lecture Room 8 Floor 3 Arts Building, University of Birmingham

We are organizing a follow-up session to our last meeting by holding a ‘Research Interests’ Meeting on Monday 2^nd August. We would like members to come and be prepared to speak informally for a maximum of five minutes about their research projects so that we can share interests, see how we can mutually help each other, and discuss the future progress of the group. It is also important that you consider what types of events and activities you would like the Research Group to conduct.

We wish to compile a list to be shared among members of research topics, so that individuals will be able to contact each other if there are common interests in their studies.

Please can you contact Connie Wan at cxw555@bham.ac.uk:

a) To let her know if you are able to attend the session on 2^nd August and the topic which you will cover.

b) To let her know if you are willing to have your name, research interests and email address circulated to other members.

Aims of the Centre for West Midlands History (CWMH) Research Group

The group has been designed to bring together people and organisations interested in the rich history of the region, with the aim to develop complementary group activities and projects to support a network of individuals engaged in research. This may include (but is not restricted to) active scholars, postgraduate students, heritage professionals or local historians. The Research Group also encourages interdisciplinary research. Members can participate in and take advantage of initiatives and opportunities that cross the boundaries of conventional subject disciplines, in order to enlarge research contexts and generate new ways of approaching areas of historical research.

The Centre for West Midlands History Research Group is a group within the Friends of the Centre for West Midlands History: www.cbamh.bham.ac.uk

Welcome!

The CWMHRG had its inaugural meeting back in June and we are glad to say that the event was a big hit! We now have over 40 members!

This group has been designed to bring together people and organisations interested in the rich history of the region, with the aim to develop complementary group activities and projects to support a network of individuals engaged in research. This may include (but is not restricted to) active scholars, postgraduate students, heritage professionals or local historians. The Research Group also encourages interdisciplinary research, for its members to participate in and take advantage of initiatives and opportunities that cross the boundaries of conventional subject disciplines, in order to enlarge research contexts and generate new ways of approaching areas of historical research.

We plan to post upcoming events on this blog so keep your eyes peeled!

If you wish to contribute to the group, please email CWMHRG@hotmail.com to register your interest!