Evesham at Work

The picturesque market town of Evesham in Worcestershire grew up around its large medieval abbey, situated on a bend on the River Avon. The abbey brought trade and business to the town but after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in Henry VIII's reign the town continued to be a prosperous market town for the area. The fertile land around Evesham was ideal for the growing of fruit and vegetables and the Vale of Evesham is still known today for market gardening. In this book local historian Stan Brotherton explores the working life of Evesham and its people, and the industries that have characterised it over the years, from life under the abbots, its role as the granary of Worcestershire, new charters and new guilds, to the importance of the arrival of the railways in the growth of the fruit and vegetable industry, the developments of unions and co-operatives, the impact of the world wars on working lives and present-day industries of horticulture and heritage. Evesham at Work will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this Worcestershire town.