Royal Tabloid Tales from Redditch

The high point of the needle industry in Redditch was during the mid 19th century. In 1869 there were 117 manufacturers in the town supplying 90% of the world's needles. North American Indians bartered land for them and in the Sudan needles could be exchanged for a wife! Sadly, by the last decades of the 20th century the industry was in decline and today only one company remains, and that is in Studley not Redditch town itself.  Wishing to preserve the history of the town's primary industry for future generations, in 1971 a working group commenced the daunting task of renovating the Forge Mill. Twelve years later it was opened by Her Majesty the Queen.  Today the museum displays not only the machinery, raw materials and products of the needle industry over the centuries, but also associated products such as textiles, sewing machines and accessories.

When the Queen visited Forge Mill she was just a few yards away from the ruins of Bordesley Abbey. The last royal visitor to the town had stayed at that very abbey - over 650 years before, when King Edward III visited the abbot and monks in 1328. The ruins of the abbey have yielded much interesting archaeology and this too can be seen at Forge Mill Museum where the Abbey Visitor Centre is situated.

      
HM Queen Elizabeth II at the Forge Mill