150 years of unique family records donated to Shropshire archives

But first they are the subject of a talk at Church Stretton Area Local History Group called The Croxton Archive - A Record of 150 Years of Family Life in Hope Bowdler.

The event is at 2.15pm on June 19 at the United Reformed Church Hall, Church Stretton, and is open to the general public.

Janette Murray, secretary of the group, said the material was being donated by Peter Morgan, a descendant of the Croxton family who were blacksmiths in Hope Bowdler from the 1780s.

"The blacksmiths closed in, I think, the 1940s, so it was in operation for over 150 years.

"The family have kept a lot of records, all the daily records and daily logs of the work they were doing. Also, one of the blacksmiths, John Croxton, was the parish clerk."

She said the records gave an insight into the everyday lives of ordinary people.

Janette said Mr Morgan was donating the family records to Shropshire Archives, and she and fellow group member Barbara Parnell were cataloguing them in preparation.

She said of the June 19 talk: "It will be an overview of what the archive contains. Peter will be there and there will be some of the books and postcards for people to have a look at as well."