Celebrating Hampshire Historians

O'Malley, Michael

19 September 1925 - 17 November 1992

Michael O’Malley was born in Edinburgh to Patrick and Rachel O’Malley.  During the Second World War he enlisted in 1944 and served as a sergeant in Burma.  He was subsequently awarded the Burma Star.  After the war he worked for the Ordnance Survey in the UK and was relocated to Perth, Western Australia from 1964-1968.  Upon his return home in 1968 he settled in Romsey and continued to work for the OS in the Archaeology Branch until his retirement in 1976.

During a family picnic at Braishfield, O’Malley noticed what appeared to be a flint scraper and further investigation in 1970 revealed many more.  Despite having recently recovered from a cardiac arrest and its attendant problems he secured the farmer’s permission for an excavation on the site, which became known as Broom Hill.  With the help of a few volunteers from the Lower Test Valley Archaeological Study Group and over a period of seven years, one of the largest later Mesolithic domestic sites in the United Kingdom was unearthed.  Radiocarbon dates suggest that the site was in use for about two thousand years, from 6500 to 4500 BC.

The lack of a definitive publication and the passing of time has made it difficult to substantiate the claims for ‘England’s oldest Mesolithic structure’ on the site.  What cannot be called into question is the fact that this was an important settlement in use for many generations, something supported by the large quantity of flint implements found.  There were 8,659, including utilised waste flakes, from the 1971-1973 seasons alone and in excess of 89,000 pieces all told.  An especially high number of ‘microliths’ recovered from the site was achieved using an innovative tiered sieve, the smallest mesh being 1/8th of an inch square.  The excavation was also a testament to one man’s determination and conviction.

O’Malley’s work on Broom Hill gained him 2nd prize in the BBC Chronicle awards in 1979 and local press coverage, such as the local news show Coast to Coast.

Sources

• Family of Michael O’Malley, namely grandson Michael Hamilton and his mother.

Portrait

Contribution to county’s history

Although not a professional archaeologist Michael’s initial observation, subsequent excavation of Broom Hill and perseverance led to the understanding of a nationally important archaeological site. He was instrumental in bringing awareness of this early chapter of human history in Hampshire to schools and the public alike, with talks, reconstructions, models and popular publications.

Relevant published works

• O’Malley M, (1978) Broom Hill, Braishfield: Mesolithic Dwelling, Current Archaeology, 63, 117-20

• O’Malley M and Jacobi R M, (1978) The Excavation of a Mesolithic Occupation Site at Broom Hill, Braishfield, Hampshire, 1971-1973, Rescue Archaeology Hampshire 4, 16-38

• O’Malley M, (1982) When the Mammoth Roamed Romsey, LTVAS

• Hampshire County Magazine, 1992

Critical Comments

Other Comments

Contributor

Ross Turle, January 2023

Key Words

Broom Hill, Lower Test Valley Archaeological Study Group, LTVAS, Mesolithic

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