VISIT TO THE BARBER INSTITUTE AND BOURNVILLE
A large group from the Society went by coach from Malvern on Saturday 25th March to visit the Barber Institute; this was a follow-up visit to the talk by Maureen Harrison on 10th March. We were met at the gallery by Maureen who gave us a forty minute tour based on her talk.
The group than split up and spent an hour and a half going round the Gallery. A special feature was the exhibition of the romantic landscape movement of the 19th century entitled 'Moonrise over Europe' with the highlight surely being J C Dahl, the Norwegian artist's rendering of 'Mother & Child by the Sea'. The work of other artists we were able to enjoy included Rubens, Van Dyck, Rossetti and many more including nearly all of the French impressionists. Another favourite was the stunning portrait of Countess Golovine by Vigee-Lebrun, the eyes of the Countess follow you round the gallery! If you were unable to make this trip, try a visit of your own. The Gallery is open Mon-Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 12 noon - 5pm.
At lunch time we had a short walk round the University campus but 
due to the fact that Term had finished, and the parsimonious state of university finances we discovered that most of the buildings and facilities were closed. We then made our way to the 'Gun Barrels' for lunch only to find that the chef had failed to turn up for work - something that we were not told about for an hour!
A new experience for many of us was being deafened by sudden bursts of excitement from the young people every time a goal was scored in the televised premiership football match!
Next stop was Bournville, the model village begun by the Cadbury brothers, Richard and George, to be completed by the latter at the beginning of the 20C. It's well known that they were Quakers but the real significance of that is that they considered the business of making money a means and not an end. Their aim was social reform. Hence the delight of Bournville, a place for the workers to enjoy rather than just exist in. We were met at the Visitor Centre by two volunteer guides who gave us an hour's tour of the Carillon - one of only fourteen in the UK, although much more common in Europe, particularly Holland. Apparently George Cadbury had been enchanted by the one he had heard in Bruges and decided that Bournville must have one.
We then climbed the Carillon Tower - by an unexpectedly narrow spiral staircase - which is part of the Bournville Junior School. Trevor Workman, the carillonist, gave us a short recital that included Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, rather appropriate in view of the earlier Barber Exhibition! With this latter piece the playing of the instrument became less physical and had more feel and touch to it. This was combined with a description of the workings of the instrument. He also explained that, in view of its potential volume, he had to be selective about what he played and when! From the tower we had a great view through the rain of the famous Bournville Cricket Pavilion justly a listed building of the front rank! Below us the village was set out just as the Cadbury brothers had known it, probably the only part of the modern suburb that they would instantly recognise.
In view of its close proximity, on the way back the group paid a short visit to Cadbury World and stocked up on chocolate and Easter Eggs. We got back to Malvern by six o'clock after an interesting and eventful day out.
Roger Sutton