The current committee consists of eight members. They are:
Chairman: Robert Savage
Robert was born in Birmingham, but since 1976 he has lived in Worcester. He taught Biology at Worcester Royal Grammar School. His ancestors appear to be part of the fabric of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Their surnames include Bullock, Powell, Betteridge, Page, Wilcox, Archer, Fox, Gibbs, Jelfs, Howard, plus Smith and Jones. It is possible that the Savage family has taken over 500 years to travel about 30 miles from Newbold Pacey in Warwickshire. His wife’s ancestors come from more exotic locations, including Old Swinford, Lye, London, Hertfordshire, Wiltshire, Ireland and India.
Treasurer: Wendy Gillespie
Wendy grew up in Birmingham with ancestors from Birmingham, Worcestershire, Falkirk and Glasgow. She worked for more than 30 years in various office jobs; her employers included the University of Birmingham and the civil service. Taking early retirement in 2015, she has since completed a Foundation Course in Accounting and helped to set up Welland History Group. She has always been keen on history and also has an interest in languages, especially German. She and her husband have lived in Welland for more than 20 years. They were both National Trust volunteers when they lived in Birmingham and their first glimpse of each other was on a work party cleaning out Bredon Barn.
Programme Secretary: Jan Condon
Jan was born in Wolverhampton after WWII. Her father was also a Wulfrunian but his roots, like those of her mum, were in Dorset. Jan spent most of her childhood in Wombourne, Staffs and went to one of the first comprehensive schools, Ounsdale. She went to University at Newcastle to study Latin. Here in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society she met her late husband, Peter. Jan graduated in 1969 worked as a trainee librarian with Northumberland Libraries and went to Newcastle Polytechnic to prepare for LA exams. She worked at Solihull Technical College as Librarian, and then moved to the Sixth Form College to a post which included teaching Roman Britain and archaeology - trips to British camp included. She is still interested in archaeology and has now added local and social history as well as family history to the mix. There is also a Manx connection as Peter’s mother was Manx, with a family tree going back to the seventeenth century. His father was born in Scotland to Irish parents. Jan is unlikely ever to finish her family tree. She does not have any children but has loads of forefathers and foremothers (is there such a word?).
Social Secretary: Mike Taylor
Mike is married to Val and they have two children and two grandchildren. One of his initial schools was St. George's Infants in Worcester where he tells us he had to write with chalk on a slate board! He was a librarian at Pershore Secondary Modern before taking an apprenticeship with MEB at Evesham. He still works for the local electric company but it is now called WPD. Mike's father was an Aircraft Electrician working at TRE Defford (later RRE) which moved into Pershore Aerodrome. Mike was a choir boy in Pershore Abbey progressing to male voice and later as a tenor he joined the Pershore & District Choral Society. His favourite piece of music is Bach's "B" Minor Mass which he sang in Tewkesbury Abbey whilst he was their librarian. As well as family history Mike's main hobby is walking and with his family he joined the Evesham Rambling Club in 1981 and has been their treasurer since 1990. During the winter months he plays skittles, heading up the "Lower Moor Lovelies" team who he tells us are steadily improving their league position.
Secretary: Jean Evans
Jean was born in a small mining village in the Welsh Valleys near Merthyr Tydfil, leaving at 18 to study Pharmacy at Bath University. She began her career in hospital pharmacy, working in several large hospitals throughout the Midlands. It was during this time, she met her husband-to-be, Simon. He was also a pharmacist, at Leicester Royal Infirmary. Together with their two small children they moved to Malvern in 1992 where they ran, and eventually owned, Evans Pharmacy in Malvern Link. It was Jean's father that aroused her interest in family history by telling her snippets about his father's family in Wales and his mother's from Devon. Jean's maternal grandparents are from Herefordshire and moved to Wales to work in the collieries. After purchasing credits to gain access to the 1901 census her grandparents' details popped up and she has been hooked ever since. She has been a member of the Society for 12 years. She has been on the committee previously as trips organiser. She enjoys walking, cycling, swimming, and pilates. She is an avid reader and is currently learning Italian. Along with her garden and traveling, which she loves to do, she keeps very busy. She has helped the Society at many fairs and events.
Membership Secretary: Karen Hill
Karen was born and grew up in Malvern. She became interested in her family history after receiving a get-well card from her Auntie Mabel when she was seriously ill aged 13. She asked how she was related and this started a lifetime interest in family history. During her late teens & 20’s she went to St Catherine’s House in London, to search BMD records ,and the Public Record Office, to view the census returns. Karen’s mother did not know who her father was, but Mabel knew some details about him but never mentioned his name. Now, after 53 years of searching, she has discovered who her grandfather was through taking a DNA test. Karen went to college in Birmingham & taught there for five years before returning to Malvern when she married Phil. They have two married daughters and a son. When bringing up their children & childminding for others, the family tree took a back seat except for adding close family BMD’s. Some years ago, Karen decided it was time to get back to researching the family tree & all those online records that are now available as well as having time to visit places connected to her family and that of husband, Phil. There are now two grandsons, so the tree is growing!
Publicity Secretary: Ruth Casemore
Ruth started to dabble in family history when her father died in 1990, though not seriously as she was working full time as an events organiser. When she moved to Worcester in 2001, she joined Malvern Family History Society after attending one of Frank Townsend's family history classes at Worcester Technical College. She was unaware of any family connection with the Worcester area until discovering that her husband's great grandfather had moved his family from Warwickshire to Barbourne, Worcester, just half a mile from where she lived at the time! Following a move to Warwickshire in 2021, she continues to be a member and still enjoys editing the Society's journal, Tree Tappers which she has produced since 2005.
Webmaster: Catherine Banks
Catherine's interest in family history was sparked by her aunt, who researched her side of the family back to the 1700s in the days before computers. That left Catherine to do all the rest. She is also interested in local history and with a friend has been researching the Barnards Green area of Malvern. The rest of her time is spent running her own business, looking after her family and gardening.
Help Desk: Paul Millington
Paul runs the One Name Study for Millington
