Books about Malvern and its surroundings
There are many local history books written which can be of great interest to family historians. They can detail the history of a village, local business or institution and often contain illustrations or photographs of people and places.
Many of these books are published by a recognised publisher, but some are privately published. Almost all are only offered for sale in the areas to which they relate.
Most family historians no longer live in the areas in which their ancestors resided and so they often have no idea what local history books are available. One of our out-of-area members highlighted this problem, so we are attempting to give details of those books we know about, for the benefit of visitors to our web site. We have added comments from our members comments where appropriate.
If our readers know of any books that we have omitted please send in details and we will add them to our list.
| Title | Author | Year | Description | ISBN | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A LAD OF EVESHAM VALE | Fred Archer | 1974 | The native raconteur par excellence connecting the generations with storytelling and bring to robust life a rural world which post-Second World War changes might seem to have buried for ever. | 0-340-18623-2 | |
| MALVERN COUNTRY | Vincent Waite | 1968 | 0-85033-333-4 | JM Dent & Son Ltd. | |
| A HISTORY OF MALVERN | Brian Smith | 1966 | Probably the most comprehensive history of Malvern to date. Can be bought second hand. | Leicester University Press | |
| FROM FRUIT TREES TO FURNACES | Bob Pooler | 2002 | The history of the Worcestershire Constabulary from 1839-1967. Malvern and surrounding districts feature. | 0-94358503 | Blacksmith The Paddock Blacksmith Lane Lower Moor Pershore WR10 2PA |
| DOWN THE SEVERN | Franicis Frith Collection | 2000 | The Severn and nearby towns and villages from mid-Victorian times | 1-85937-118-3 | |
| THE CHATEAU AT IMPNEY | Barbara MIddlemas | 2009 | Short history of the house originally known at Impney Hall in the parish of Dodderhill. | 0-9510463-1-4 | |
| ELGAR THE CYCLIST - A CREATIVE ODYSSEY | Kevin Allen | In and around Malvern | 0-620-350318 | Elgar Shop at www. elgarfoundation.org.uk | |
| CHAPTERS IN NEWENT'S HISTORY | Newent Local History Society | Research which covers of 500 years of buildings, transport industries and people with family trees and photographs | 0-9544648-0-X | ||
| THE TIBBLESTONE HUNDRED | Fred Archer | 1996 | 0-7509-1256-1 | ||
| A COUNTRY TWELVEMONTH | Fred Archer | 1992 | 0-7509-0268-X | ||
| RETURN TO DUTY | Fran & Martin Collins | The story of the US army hospitals in Malvern during WW2 | |||
| NOAKE'S GUIDE TO WORCESTERSHIRE 1868 | A few paragraphs given to each town and village in the county. | ||||
| THE UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH YEOMANRY FORCE 1794-1914: WORCESTERSHIRE YEOMANRY | R J Smith | 1990 | 0-9515714-2-7 | ||
| WARTIME WORCESTERSHIRE | Jeff Carpenter | 1995 | Compulsive reading for those who can remember WW2. | 1-85858-0587 | |
| WORCESTERSHIRE | J L Leatherbarrow | 1974 | A sympathetic and well-informed guide | 0-7134-2786-8 | |
| WORCESTERSHIRE VILLAGES, CHURCHES AND PUBS | Roy Millar | An interesting book showing older arts of the county. Profits to to St Richard's Hospice | 0-9549455-1-4 | ||
| THE WORCESTERSHIRE VILLAGE BOOK | Worcestershire Federation of WIs | 1988 | Research of Worcestershire villages by WIs | Countryside Books | |
| THE DEFENCE OF WORCESTERSHIRE AND THE SOUTHERN APPROACHES TO BIRMINGHAM IN WORLD WAR II | Mick Wilks | Explanation of the vital role played by Worcestershire in the defence of Britain from invasion. | 9- 781904396802 | Logaston Press | |
| WORCESTERSHIRE AT WORK | Ray Jones | 1994 | Old photographs | 0-7509-0703-7 | |
| THE STORY OF NORTON BARRACKS: HOME OF THE WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT | Stan Jobson | 2015 | Development during Boer War and WW1 and 2 | 9781906663926 | Longaston Press |
| HISTORY OF ROTHERWAS MUNITIONS FACTORY HEREFORDSHIRE | John Edmonds | 2004 | Covers the factory and is workers. Illustrated | 9781904396272 | Longaston Press |
| The Morgan | Ken Hill | 1996 | Illustrated history of Malvern cars | 9780747803287 | Shire |
| TRADITIONS OF DEATH AND BURIAL | Helen Frisby | 2019 | Illustrated | 9781784423773 | Shire |
| MIDLAND RED IN COLOUR | Bernard Warr | 2018 | Illustrated story. Includes Worcesershire | 9781445673783 | Amberley |
| WORCESTERSHIRE RAILWAYS | Mike Hitches | 2009 | Illustrated- with related text | 9780752450575 | History Press |
| HISTORIC WORCESTER STREETS | Terry Wardle | 2014 | Street by street account. Illustrations and maps | 9780955380945 | Terry Wardle Publications |
| Blackpole munitions factory Worcester | Colin Jones | 2017 | World War 1 and 2. Includes plans and photographs | 9781910739133 | Longaston Press |
| TOP SECRET WORCESTERSHIRE | Stephen Burrows Michael Dayton | Vol 1: 2018 Vol 2: 2020 | Includes Malvern Defford and Pershore Includes memoirs | 9781858585819 9781916168091 | Bruin Books Bostin Books |
| LOST WORCESTER | Ray Jones | 2021 | Includes photos and information on buildings which no longer exist | 9781398101173 | Amberley |
| PIGOT & CO's NATIONAL COMMERCIAL DIRECTORY 1835 | 1996 | Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Monmouthshire, Rutland, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, north and south Wales | 1-898593-15-9 | Facsimile edition | |
| CHRONICLES OF THE HOME GUARD IN WORCESTERSHIRE | Mick Wilks | 2014 | Includes photographs and diagrams | 9781906663872 | Longaston Press |
| THE SCRATCH OF THE HOP | Marsh O’Mahony | 2021 | Hop farming. Uses local archives, photographs and interviews. Worcestershire and Herefordshire | 9781910839447 | Longaston Press |
| A HISTORY OF BARTON COURT, COLWALL | George Demidowicz | 2021 | Illustrated. Includes local family trees (e.g. Wyldes and Brights) | 9798573809304 | Malvern Hills AONB |
| HISTORY OF PLACE NAMES IN ENGLAND AND WORCESTERSHIRE | Luke Jenks | 2021 | History of place names with Worcestershire examples | 9781913425784 | YouCaxton |
| WORCESTER IN 50 BUILDINGS | James Dinn | 2018 | Building by building account. Includes photos and maps | 9781445680514 | Amberley |
| AN ARCHITECTURAL GUIDEBOOK: GREAT MALVERN, WORCESTERSHIRE (2nd ed) | Louisa Davidson | 2017 | Period by period guide to Malvern's buildings. Includes styles, architects and materials used. Glossary and bibliography included | 9781540604729 | |
| NOT THE FRONT STAIRS: A history of Douglas House School, Malvern from 1948 - 1970 | Rose Arno | 2021 | A book written by one of our members. | 978-1-9-12078066 | Aspect Design |
| WORCESTERSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY GUIDEBOOK | Vanessa Morgan | 2011 | Very readable book about the whole county by a local genealogist. | 978-0-7524-5969-1 | The History Press, Stroud GL5 2QG |
| THE MALVERN WATER CURE | John Winsor Harcup | 1992 | About the cures and the people involved. | 0–9507540–3–X | |
| UPTON | Pamela Hurle | Upton is fortunate to have reached the 21st century with so much of its ancient charm and so many of its older buildings still intact. | 0-85033-687-2 | ||
| THE GUARLFORD SCENE | The Guarlford History Group | 2005 | The Group's 2nd book is a pictorial celebration of the village which remains a vibrant community and a pleasant place to live | 978-0-9550498-1-1 | |
| THE GUARLFORD STORY | The Guarlford History Group | 2005 | An Account of Guarlford and its inhabitants from pre-Roman days until the present time, with emphasis on social activities and working enfironments over the last 150 years | 0-9550498-0-6 | |
| COLWALL COLLECTION | Stephen Ballard | 1999 | Memories of an Herefordshire Village | 1-873809-37-9 | Colwall Millennium Project |
| CASTLEMORTON FARMER - John Royner Lane 1798-1871 | Pamela Hurle | Collection of diaries of the articulate and reasonably well-off farmer who travelled widely during his lifetime | 0-95229366-0-7 | ||
| A MALVERN BIBLIOGRAPHY | Roger Hall-Jones | An historical and descriptive account of books published about Malvern 1725-1987 | First Paige 19 Abbey Road Malvern WR13 2ES | ||
| THE MALVERNS: Images of England | Brian Iles | Collection of over 200 photographs documenting life in the Malverns from 1860s to 1950s | 0-7524-3667-8 | Tempus Publishing Ltd | |
| AQUAE MALVERNIENSIS | Cora Weaver & Bruce Osborne | A history & topography of the springs, spouts, fountains & wells of the Malvern’s. Includes people & places. | 1-873809– 07-7 | Out of print but available at libraries | |
| BYGONE MALVERN | Pamela Hurle | 1989 | A wonderful collection of old pictures, postcards & prints of Malvern in the early 20th century. | 0-85033-725-9 | |
| DEAR POLLY | Ed Meriel Hayes | Letters to a Victorian Lady's Maid from Alfred Hayes an orderly at Sandhurst collected by their grand-daughter | 1-85858-221-0 | ||
| THIS WAS OUR MALVERN | Compiled by Margaret Bramford. | 2000 | An entertaining account of life in a Spa town in Worcestershire, in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, as recalled by Malvern folk themselves, with occasional glances backward to even earlier times. In two volumes, each containing 30+ photos several in colour. | Beacon Books | |
| AROUND MALVERN IN OLD PHOTOGRAPHS | Keith Smith | 1989 | An excellent collection of old photographs, postcards & prints covering the period 1850s to 1950s. | 0–86299–587-6 | Alan Sutton Publishing Gloucester |
| MALVERN VOICES: SCHOOLS | ed. Gill Holt | 2002 | An oral history | 0-9541520-2-6 | |
| MALVERN VOICES: CHILDHOOD | ed.Gill Holt | 2001 | An oral history of the 20th Century | 0-9541520-0-X | |
| THE MALVERNS | Pamela Hurle | 1992 | Mainly about churches and places. | 0-85033-8190-0 | Phillimore |
| MALVERN CHASE | Pamela Hurle | 1993 | Malvern Chase: its origins, law and legacy (booklet) | ||
| THE STORY OF MALVERN LINK WORCESTERSHIRE | Daphne Drake FLA | 2000 | A5 size 35 pages. 2nd Edition This excellent book charts the history of the Link from about 1000 BC to 2000AD. The story is enhanced by the inclusion of appropriate illustrations and photographs. Available from the publisher and local bookshops. | First Paige 19 Abbey Road Malvern WR13 2ES | |
| SCIENCE COMES TO MALVERN – TRE: A STORY OF RADAR 1942 – 1953 | Ernest Putley | 2009 | This is a very interesting and informative account of the development of radar in Malvern and the important part it played in the defeat of the axis powers. Cost is currently £4. 95 but only obtainable from Malvern Museum. | ||
| WYCHBOLD BEFORE THE MOTORWAY | Robin Skerratt | Full of pictures of people, mostly named, at work, rest and play from the early 20th century to the 1960s | Droitwich Print North Street Droitwich | ||
| WORCESTERSHIRE CONTIGUOUS PARISHES | Allen/ Thompson/ Chalkley | 1998 | Alphabetic list of all parishes with their adjoining parishes | 1-901824-26-8 | |
| DOMESDAY BOOK - WORCESTERHIRE | Compiled by direction of King WIlliam I | 1982 | Statistical survey carried out in 1086AD of population and productive resources of the whole country | 0-85033-161-5 | Phillimore |
| PERSHORE, WHERE D'YE THINK? | Compiled by Margaret Bramford. | An account of life in a small market town in the 1920s and 1930s as recalled by Pershore folk themselves | Sedgeberrow Retail Market Pershore 01386 751830 | ||
| PERSHORE REVISITED | Marion Freeman | Images of Pershore | 07524-7524-3737-2 | Tempus Publishing Ltd | |
| PERSHORE | Marion Freeman | 1997 | Collection of old phographs and postcard in a nostalgic look at old Pershore and surrounding villages | 0-7524-0726-0 | |
| AROUND PERSHORE IN OLD PHOTOGRAPHS | Michael Dowty | 1988 | Visual memories via the lens of William Ward Dowty (1887-1979) covering the time he was learning the family business in the High Street, Pershore. Simple tour of Pershore and its villages | 0-80299-480-2 | |
| PERSHORE PEOPLE | Janet Daniels and Marion Freeman | 2004 | Description of the lives of people of Pershore's past, many just ordinary folk | Privately printed | |
| MEMORIES OF WYCHBOLD | Robin Skerratt | Recounts memories through the 20th century of the village telling where people lived and their occupations | E Baylis & Sons Ltd Worcester | ||
| THE MALVERN HILLS AND WESTWARD | Archie Miles | 2002 | Travels through the Malverns and East Herefordshire (in photographs) | 0-9542690-1-2 | |
| OF THE PARISH HERE AND THERE | Gill Lawley | The history of Martin Hussingtree | None | Anmar Publications Fernhill Heath Worcester sunny.side49@ virgin.net.co.uk | |
| STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN | Anne Bradford | 2002 | The history of Stourport-on-Severn told by people who experienced or were closely associated with it | Hunt End Books | |
| OLD REDDITCH VOICES | Anne Bradford | 2005 | The history of Redditch told by people who experienced or were closely associated with it | Hunt End Books | |
| THE HISTORY OF BARBOURNE | Claire and Terry Wardle | 2007 | The history of a Victorian suburb on the north of Worcester from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day illustrated with maps, plans, drawing and photographs | 978-0-955-3809-0-7 | MTC Ltd PO Box 665 Worcester WR1 3WN |
| KAYS OF WORCESTER | Bernard Mills | 2003 | Kays' long history from the latter part of the 18th century to the end of the 20th century | 0-9546662-0-8 | |
| WORCESTER | Paul Harrison | 2005 | Black and white pictures of different ares of the city including sport, Royal Worcester and Elgar | 0-7524-3726-7 | Tempus Publishing Ltd |
| MEMORIES OF WORCESTER | True Northern Books | A collection of pictures showing people and places covering the 19502 and 1960s | 1-903204-25-9 | ||
| OLD WORCESTER: PEOPLE AND PLACES | Bill Gwilliam | Local, social and industrial history collected from a range of sources not easily obtained elsewhere | 0-951352-8X |
