A Thousand Years in Tardebigge

[avm228]

Hi Rootschatters

I'm wondering whether anybody on here has (or has access to) a copy of A Thousand Years in Tardebigge, by Margaret Dickins (1931). I occasionally see copies of this rare book coming up for sale for £100 or so and wonder whether to take the plunge, but before I spend that sort of money I'd be most grateful for any indication people might be able to give me as to whether it'll enlighten me on my Tardebigge lines, principally the Milwards (needle/fish hook factory owners) and connected families like the Bartleets and others. I just don't know to what extent the book descends to detail on local families, or whether it's more generally about the local history - though that would interest me too!

Many thanks in advance

Anna

[PaulineJ]

The British library holds a copy. Would you be able to peruse it there?

http://catalogue.bl.uk/F/?func=full-set-set&set_number=130878&set_entry=000002&format=999

Pauline

[avm228]

Hello Pauline - many thanks for finding that for me.  I might well manage to get to the BL at some point in the next few months - it's only a couple of miles from me but the day job tends to get in the way a bit!

That reminds me - I must update my BL reader's card - I think it's past its sell-by date...

Anna

[Nemo]

Hi Anna

The short answer is  - no. I’ve had a look at it. You won’t find it helps.

I expect you will find some more recent books published about Redditch with info about your Milward and Bartleet families, but here are two that do have some information, albeit more from the business perspective:-

1) “The Personal Reminiscences of a Needlemaker by Bernard T Lee. Published by Merlin Books Ltd, Braunton,  Devon in 1986. ISBN 0 86303 311-3

A quick look at the  book. It is essentially a full history of Henry Milward & Sons, and includes in its early chapters( up to page 33) information about the 18th and 19th century history of the trade, Redditch factories before 1930 and their amalgamations. By 1986 the company was known as Needle Industries Group Ltd
and

2) A History of Redditch by John G Rollins. Published by Phillimore in 1984 ISBN 0 85033 515 9.

I think you nedd to take a holiday in the Midlands! If you have a look at The National Archives (TNA) website and do an advanced search for Milward and Redditch, you will find there are many potentially fascinating documents, lithographs, photos and booklets etc which relate to the Milward family and Needle Industries and Associated Companies, which are held at the Warwickshire County Record Office (including a booklet written by a Bartleet about the Needle trade). There is also a collection at the Worcestershire RO. Full details of which are not on the National Archives website. As I recall it includes some personal letters.

The National Archives website has under   "Exhibitions" an on-line drawing showing an 1870 Henry Milward & Sons design for a needle case. Bernard Lees book cover has been designed using a colourful variety of needle cases mainly Milwards, but also Halls and Bartleets and others.

For info on St Stephens Church Redditch and the Bartleet fountain navigate around the following website
myweb.tiscali.co.uk/webbsredditch

HTH
Nemo

[bristolloggerheads]

If you hover your mouse of the "years in Tardebigge" on your original post it will link you to amazon. (Well it does for me) You could do worse than order it although it is temporarily out of stock - I think they will then search their sources to find it.

[linell]

Hi Anna, I ordered a copy from my local Library in Stafford, they got it for me.  Sure yours would do the same, a lot cheaper than buying it!  linell.

[avm228]

Oooh - many thanks to everybody for these thoughtful and helpful replies - for some reason I've stopped getting notifications on this thread.

It's very helpful, though disappointing, to find that the book won't further my knowledge of the family (thank you, Nemo) but I'd still like to read it and will pursue the suggestions posted here. 

I didn't realise you could order from Amazon while no stock is showing!  I also hadn't thought of asking my local library to order it, so many thanks indeed for these helpful suggestions.

I've actually already got "Personal Reminiscences of a Needlemaker" which is fascinating and informative, though for obvious reasons is stronger on the more recent history and more sketchy on the very early days of the Milwards' business.  I know quite a lot about the family but am always looking to put more flesh on the bones.  I didn't know about A History of Redditch so will investigate that.

And I definitely need to make a trip to the area!

Many thanks again to all who have responded

Anna

[Familysearch]

You might also find "Old Redditch Voices" interesting. Written by Anne Bradford, published 2005. There are several references to the Milward family and business. 

[Tricia_2]

If you go to the area, you would probably enjoy visiting the needle museum:

Forge Mill Needle museum
http://www.forgemill.org.uk/
http://redditch.whub.org.uk/home/rbc-al-forge-mill.htm