Local History

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THE LOCAL HISTORY COMMITTEE OF THE KNOWLE SOCIETY

Local History Archive The Local History Centre's Archive - view our online Index

Publications (Guides and DVDs)

Services available from the Local History Centre

Exhibitions mounted by the Local History Centre

How The Knowle Society Local History committee does its work

Aims and Origins

The Society's Local History committee has responsibility for running the Local History Centre in which is held the Archive. Their objective is to provide a service to the village by

	providing a repository for items of local interest which would otherwise be lost to posterity
	recording the personal memories of elderly residents
	recording today's events

Most items are either given by local residents, or copied from originals loaned for the purpose. However, any original material, which properly belongs in a controlled atmosphere under the care of professional archivists, is passed to the County Record Office at Warwick, Solihull Library or Birmingham Reference Library, as appropriate.

The Society fulfils its obligation to display the collection through exhibitions, lectures, etc. Started in 1977, the collection soon grew beyond our expectations, and in 1988 we were pleased to accept the invitation of Solihull M.B.C. to move it to Knowle Library. The Society retains the ownership and responsibility for the care of the collection, and administers the Archive.

The Archive is maintained at Chester House Library and is manned regularly by Society members on Saturday mornings 10.00-12.00 noon. If Saturday morning is inconvenient you can make an appointment - please email archive@knowlesociety.org.uk - when emailing with archive enquiries, please indicate where you live (i.e. local or distant) so we know what options we have when following up your enquiry.

PUBLICATIONS

From time to time the Society issues guides, walks leaflets and DVDs about Knowle.

	A Short Guide to Central Knowle (booklet)
	Celebrations in Knowle from the 1930s to the 1960s (DVD)

A Short Guide to Central Knowle - price £3.

Thoroughly revised. Describes all buildings of interest in Central Knowle, illustrated with many new photographs.

Available from the following outlets (as at March 2010):

Knowle Library

Solihull Central Library

Oxfam Books and Music, Knowle

Midland Business Equipment, Knowle

For orders outside the Knowle / Solihull area please contact us here

Knowle Society talks and meetings

Events and festivals where The Knowle Society is exhibiting

Celebrations in Knowle from the 1930s to the 1960s - DVD price £8

This new DVD (the Society's first) comprises unique black and white and early colour film of carnivals and national celebrations in Knowle taken over four decades by Mr F G Ratcliff.

This is a newly revised version of the VHS video last available in 1993. It provides a fascinating and amusing insight into life in the growing village of Knowle. This DVD makes a delightful gift and will appeal to anyone with a love of Knowle and particularly to anyone with roots in the village.

Available from the following outlets (as at November 2008):

Knowle Library

For orders outside the Knowle / Solihull area please contact us here

Knowle Society talks and meetings

Events and festivals where The Knowle Society is exhibiting

Services

The Knowle Society Archive

Family History

Schools and Colleges

Oral History

Exhibitions and Lectures

Tomorrow’s History

Names for Roads and Buildings

Other Services

The Knowle Society Archive

	Over 7000 items grouped under 1300 subjects including photographs, estate brochures, Parish Magazines
	Further items welcome
	Copies available subject to copyright.
	Materials are available for sale and special viewings can be arranged by appointment

Family History

Assistance is given to people with a local connection in researching their family history as it applies to Knowle.

The Society's Archive is indexed with local names wherever possible to assist this researching.

Good sources of material within the Archive (the index of which may be searched online) are estate brochures and scrapbooks.

Schools and Colleges

	Volunteers have occasionally assisted Knowle Junior School with local history projects within the national curriculum.
	We also supply information and material, and the collection is an additional resource for students at all levels.

Oral History

	Memories of old Knowle both on tape and written from interviews.
	A questionnaire is available to make a ‘Write It Yourself’ memoir easy to compile.
	Some people prefer to write their memories in book form.

Exhibitions and Lectures

Aspects of village life illustrated by recollections and items from the collection. Past favourites include 'Village Shops of Yesterday', 'The Inns of Knowle' and more.

Tomorrow’s History

	A scrap book of press cuttings, programmes, etc. , started in 1977, always attracts great interest.
	A photographic survey of all buildings of historic or architectural interest was completed in 1979.

All of our archive of photographs (over 3,000) are now (July 2010) in the process of being copied and put into albums to make them easier for the public to access and view. Three albums have been completed so far and are available to view. Copies of all of our photographs and indeed any other material in our archives can be ordered for a nominal charge, as detailed below.

Knowle Society archives are open to the public every Saturday morning between 10am – 12noon. If this time is not convenient alternative arrangements can be made by contacting Janet Eržen on 01546 779040 or Kathy Jephcott on 01564 779007.

Copies of items in our archives can be obtained for a nominal charge as detailed below, provided they are for personal use only. For any other use permission should be obtained from The Knowle Society by contacting one of the above numbers. Where permission is given for any other use, an acknowledgement to The Knowle Society would be expected.

Photocopies 15p each

Printed images 50p per postcard size

£1. 00 per A4 size

£1. 50 per A3 size

DVD/CD of up to 5 images £5. 00 each + 50p each additional image

Names for Roads and Buildings

The Society is pleased to make suggestions, usually based on our delightful old field names, our connections with Westminster Abbey or recalling prominent Knowle families.

Other Services

	We can arrange walks round the village
	We can supply local organisations and businesses with photographs, small exhibitions, etc.