Eagle-eyed visitors to the Society's recent Art Exhibition "A Brush with Wycombe's Past" were reminded on arrival at the top of the stairs in the Guildhall of the Queen's Golden Jubilee back in 2002. A set of tapestries on the wall there commemorate the event. Searching around for other tangible assets with Wycombe connections relating to past jubilee events, Society Trustee Jackie Kay was … [Read more...]
Art Exhibition was a Success
Members of the High Wycombe Society held a special Art Exhibition to be at High Wycombe's Guildhall during April 2022. Dan Wilson designed a flyer for the event. Entitled 'A Brush with Wycombe’s Past’ the exhibition coincided with the 250-year anniversary of William Hannan’s two paintings of 'The High Street in High Wycombe in 1772’ featured in recent editions of the Society's Newsletter, and … [Read more...]
Leigh Street
Planning Group member Robert Hutton has been keeping an eye on progress at Leigh Street where the former Birch factory site is being transformed. There was insufficient room in the Society's Autumn 2021 newsletter to include his update in full so this post supplements the information within the "Planning Matters" article. At the centre of the development site is Birch House, a handsome … [Read more...]
AGM 2021
AGM papers have been distributed to Society members today. These include the formal notification from our Hon Secretary confirming the date and time of the meeting: Friday 18th June at 7.30 pm (as previously publicised in the spring Newsletter), as well as supporting papers such as our annual accounts for the past two years. As we take this small step back to some form of normality, we … [Read more...]
Keeping an Eye on the White Paper
The Winter 2020 Edition of the High Wycombe Society Newsletter includes an article by Chris Woodman of the Society’s Planning Group analysing the main features of the recent Government White Paper “Planning for the Future” and other Planning system changes in the pipeline. Although the consultation periods have now ended, readers may wish to see the full text of the White Paper for … [Read more...]
Zipping and zooming in 2021
The Winter 2020 Newsletter is currently at the printers and expected back in time for distribution to High Wycombe Society members by Christmas. Zipp scooters appeared on the streets of High Wycombe just in time to get a front page mention alongside other new features in our town - but the return of HWBidCo's popular Christmas puddings in the High Street just missed our deadline! Inside the … [Read more...]
Brunel Shed progress
The sad sight of the historic Brunel Shed, stripped of its much-loved mural, ready and waiting for a transformation into a new role, has been improved a little recently by an informative display on the hoardings, giving passers-by hope for the future with an impression of its planned appearance. Robert Hutton, who took the above photograph, is a member of the Society's Planning Group, many of … [Read more...]
Wheelers of Easton Street
The story of the Wheeler family and their brewery trade in High Wycombe, from Robert Wheeler's arrival in town in 1808 through to the closure of the brewery on Easton Street in 1931, was the subject of a talk by High Wycombe Society Trustee, Jackie Kay, in October at the Buckinghamshire Local History Network (BLHN) annual conference hosted by the Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society (BAS). … [Read more...]
Fake News!
Amongst the archives of the High Wycombe Society are a number of items that have been used on exhibition boards over the past fifty years. One of these is a reproduction of a pamphlet announcing "A Glorious and Happy VICTORY" in 1642. Historians will immediately recognise this as a propaganda pamphlet of the period. There is no reason to believe that the events described within it … [Read more...]
The AGM is OFF!
Society members should by now have received notification from the Hon. Secretary confirming cancellation of the Annual General Meeting which was scheduled to have taken place on 19th June 2020. This was sent as an email bulletin on 28th May to all members who have provided email addresses to the Society, and by post to those who have not. Included with the above was a copy of the Accounts for … [Read more...]