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Christmas Chairman’s notes from Winter Magazine 2025

Christmas is now on us, the year has been one of the warmest this century and it’s been great, I’ve never wore shorts so much, if fact I was still wearing them in October. Mind you, we haven’t met January yet and winter. The short days are with us and makes us very reflective on what has gone on during the past year. Members of our Society have passed away including my own son. Life is very precious as we get older, so we hang onto memories but strive to carry on daily life.

We had a great day out at Chester for the winter market, all thanks to Pam for organising the trip. The October Open Day went down well, our theme was mining with new articles that were donated to the society. We met many new people. Many thanks to all that attended.

Even though I tried to step-down within the society earlier in the year, I’m standing firm as Chairman for the moment. I want to thank all of our members for the support throughout the year. We’ve had some great speakers throughout the year and look forward to welcoming more in the new year. Every month we are getting more members joining and coming to the Coffee Mornings, it’s a great opportunity to catch up with everyone. Also thanks to the Committee for their help over the year and their dedication to the society and our members.

Winter Magazine is now available to members as part of their membership. Non-Members can buy the magazine for £2 from a member of the committee.

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Our Christmas Social – Coffee Morning was a great success. The room was packed with Christmas spirit. There was mince pies with tea and coffee, for the cost of £3 per person. Plus we had raffle with some great prizes. Thank you Tim Rooney for the entertainment. A good time was had by us all. Happy Christmas everyone

On 27th November, our society enjoyed a delightful day trip to the beautiful historic city of Chester. We were fortunate with the weather, which was kind enough to allow everyone plenty of time to explore both the Continental Market and the city centre. For those visiting Chester for the first time, the city made a strong impression with its elegant streets and distinctive character.

Although not everyone managed to walk the city walls or visit the riverside, what we did see more than justified the journey. The Continental Market, while similar to others found around the country, was pleasantly uncrowded, making it an enjoyable place to browse.

From the comments shared at the end of the day, it was clear that our members thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Sincere thanks go to Pam for organising such a successful outing, and to our coach driver – Gary, for getting us there and back safely and comfortably.

It was a pleasure to welcome back Ned Williams, who once again delivered a fascinating talk. This time, he explored how toys can shape children’s interests and even influence future careers. He explained that Austin was the first car manufacturer to produce model versions of its vehicles, a project that also provided employment for men injured during the war. The idea quickly caught on, and soon many companies were producing miniature replicas of their own products.

For girls, some of the most popular toys were Barbie and Sindy dolls, each accompanied by an impressive range of outfits and accessories that fired young imaginations. Not long after, Action Man arrived on the scene, capturing the attention of boys and becoming an iconic toy of its own.

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Mystery Photography

In our large back log of photos, we found this charming photo, on the back it says Mom and Dad with Maurice about 1941 in Johns Lane.

Can anyone name the couple? 

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This photo was taken December 1968, the first year that Great Wyrley High School formed a brass band. Rehearse took place in the school hall with ex-Yorkshire miner Jim Sharp on trombone. Music teacher Margaret Howell poses with a baton, using mainly donated instruments. Old Jim Sharp – trombone, Andrew Perks – cornet, Valerie Love – cornet. Georgina Onions – euphonium. Tim Perks – cornet. Rosemary Wiznieski on tenor horn and Terry McGrath on tuba.

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