It’s great when somebody writes about their old haunts, no more so than this guy, Richard Foster, Born at Spion Kop but now living in Burnham on Sea. His book on growing up in Great Wyrley will be a pleasure to read for residents and locals alike no doubt, Here is preamble from Richard on
his book
Rich Foster was born at the Spion Kop, also known as Harrison’s Buildings in Gorsey Lane, Landywood, in 1956. He attended Landywood Primary School and Great Wyrley Secondary Modern, later to become Great Wyrley High School.
The Foster’s roots are well established in the village. Rich’s grandparents owned Fosters shop in Gorsey Lane and his Granddad Foster was a local councillor for many years. Rich’s brother, Trevor, continues to live in the village. Parents Harold and Margaret Foster died in 2019. Rich, a former lawyer, moved to Burnham on Sea, Somerset with his wife, Lynne, on retirement in 2020.
Rich’s debut book, Spion Kop, is based on a true story about his life growing up in the mining community of the ‘Kop’ and the secret about his identity kept by his family and villagers for 18 years. Set in the 1950’s to the 1970’s, Spion Kop is a ‘warts and all’ account of life on the Cannock Chase coalfield and reflects the culture of the period. The book has been written as a tribute to his family and the community of which he was part .Although based on a true story, the book is a personal response to his memory of those times; some people may therefore have different recollections of the people and events included in his work. Parts of the book and some characters have also been fictionalised.
Spion Kop, by Rich J. Foster can be purchased through the Amazon website and with thanks to Richard and his publisher’s in their permission with using this extract.
Click here to from Amazon:
www.amazon.co.uk/Spion-Kop-Rich-J-Foster/dp/1835307035