The Worcester Connection

In the autumn of 2019, the Historical Group visited Worcester. One of the highlights of the tour was the Library at the Cathedral, home to a magnificent collection of books and manuscripts dating from the Saxons to Sir Edward Elgar’s music, and plenty in between. We made a modest donation to the Library which we hoped would help restore one of its many treasures.

After the Covid interregnum, Cathedral Librarian David Morrison selected volume two of Purchas’ Pilgrims published in London in St. Paul’s Churchyard in 1625 for restoration using our donation. This is a travel, geographical and social history book containing very early accounts in English of travels in Africa, Palestine, Anatolia, Syria, Arabia, Persia, and other parts of Asia including India. It also has some black and white maps and some pictures. The significance of this work is that Samuel Purchas’s multi-volume work, despite its flaws, is still one of the earliest records of exploration from the early-modern era.

On 18 October the Master, Clerk, Past Master Martin Shenton, and Geraldine Shenton visited the Library. In the photo they are with David Morrison who is holding volume two of Purchas’s Pilgrims.

Later that day the Master and Clerk dined with the Worcester Clothiers’ Company, who were celebrating their 500th anniversary. This year Princess Anne was the guest of honour at the Clothiers’ dinner.

The Founders’ Company support the Cathedral Guild of Bellringers in their work teaching our art and science, which we call ‘The Exercise’.