Rotary Club of Shrewsbury GUEST SPEAKER – Dr James Bowen
Dr James Bowen with Rotary Club of Shrewsbury President John Siviter At the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury luncheon on 24 February 2016 our speaker was Dr James Bowen from the Victoria County History (VCH) who came to describe the work that the VCH does in Shropshire. Some Rotarians had been to the October meeting of the revived VCH in Shropshire and interest was high. Dr Bowen described the Buildwas ‘earthquake’ of 1775, which was less an earthquake than a landslide. It nevertheless blocked the Severn and river traffic was stopped. The Severn found a new route, which it follows to this day. The Buildwas Power Station was later constructed on the site where the slippage occurred. Plans for a ‘slim’ volume for each town in Shropshire are in place, with Wem and Ludlow next in line. Such short volumes will be affordable documents and should provide a wealth of local historical information. The larger volumes (red books) will be comprehensive documents that will provide a legacy of information for future generations. The next ‘red book’ will be volume XII, which will focus on Newport and the Weald Moors. The VCH will also organise an annual lecture, study days and community history events and will work together with local history groups in conjunction with Shropshire Archives. Dr Bowen gave a fascinating insight into Shropshire’s past. Summary report by Rtn Ros McCarthy