AN APPEAL has been launched for pictures and information regarding a group of Malvern residents who contributed significantly to the cultural life of the town.
Researchers involved with the Great Malvern: Route to the Hills project are looking for people to come forward and share their stories, and in particular, any photographs of Gertrude Annie Mitchell, Eliza Wilson Gannaway, Sarah Strachan and Francis Maria Broad.
The quartet are being researched for a new shop trail being developed to bring to life the unknown stories of businesses based on Belle Vue Terrace and Church Street and their owners.
Volunteers have been undertaking research for the last year but are keen to find out more about the three women who had a significant impact on Malvern life.
Katy Wade, learning and community engagement officer for the Route to the Hills project, said: “Gertrude was a very impressive woman and we would value anything that would enhance our understanding of her life including any personal reminisces of Gertrude at work and at play and particularly photographs of her throughout her life.
“Eliza, Sarah and Francis lived above the shop in the early days and we would value any stories, reminiscences and tales of their lives that would help to make a more complete picture of these local successful businesswomen.”
Gertrude was born in Oswestry in 1881 and her maiden name was Barriball.
She married Harold Hastings Mitchell in 1912 at St John’s Wesleyan Church in Worcester and went on to become a successful business woman as well as an important and influential player in the Malvern and Worcester fashion industry.
In 1914 Gertrude became joint director of a large clothes shop in Worcester High Street called Ayris (Worcester) Ltd which was later renamed Gertrude Mitchell Ltd and closed in 1952.
In the 1930s she also had a wholesale millinery business called Madame Barriball which was based in Barbourne, Worcester.
The business had a showroom in central London.
She went on to run a ladies clothes shop on Belle Vue Terrace called Gertrude Mitchell (Malvern) Ltd.
Gertrude is perhaps best known for being director of Warwick House between 1942 and 1959.
She also left her mark on the town in a number of other ways including helping to form The Elgar Society and being a founder member of the Soroptimist club of Worcester and Malvern.
She died in 1981 at the age of 100.
Eliza Wilson Gannaway, Sarah Strachan and Francis Maria Broad were partners in an important ladies clothes shop on Belle Vue Terrace between 1894 and 1927 on the site where Lloyds Bank stands today.
The site is significant as it was home to the first ever water cure establishment developed by the original water cure doctors Dr James Wilson and Dr James Gully.
Anyone with any more information or pictures should email the Paul Fretwell, the main researcher for the project, on [email protected].
