Commemoration of the 100 year anniversary of the start of the Great War meant a busy period for the Society. On August 3rd, The Peace games were held and followed by the Royal British Legion commemoration service at St. Marks with a candlelit vigil being held at 11 pm at the Memorial Gates the following day.

A cross-section of photos is displayed below. It may be possible for DVD or still photo copies to be produced of the events. Any interested member should contact Diane and best efforts will be made.

The Society also arranged a swing band concert at the Sports and Social Club on behalf of the Royal British Legion and SSAFA. Thanks to the Club team efforts, it was a hugely successful evening and requests have been received for further similar evenings at a future time.

We hope to welcome a long-distance member (Jenni Bond) to our September coffee morning.

A status report on our Great War project has been discussed with, and issued to, the Heritage Lottery Fund. Further efforts are being made to better understand some artefacts. At present, the Imperial War Museum, Goethe Institute and German Historical Institute have been consulted.

An extensive range of documents relating to the Greensill family have been received and further research is being undertaken with the positive support of Helen Ralphs and the Cheslyn Hay Society.

Members have been consulted about possible future trips and visits. Initial feedback has been received and further information will be sought in readiness for possible trips to be discussed with members.

The coffee morning speaker was John Billingham who gave an entertaining and nostalgic talk about the 1950’s (hopscotch, early TV’s, sweets coming of ration, for example).

The coffee morning speaker in September is Dave Dunham speaking of snipers in the Great War and in October it is Joe Dyke whose theme is coins and postcards.The range of topics underlines the Management Committee aim to provide a breadth of speakers. Members are, again, asked to speak with Pam or Diane with suggestions of speakers they would like to hear at future coffee mornings. 

The coffee morning address by Derek France provided an entertaining insight into the world of speedway racing in the 1960’s and 70’s. Derek (known as Rick) during his racing days had racing enthusiasts in the audience who also recalled the thrilling times.

The August and September coffee morning addresses will be given by Jo Dyke on ‘life in the 1950’s’ and Dave Dunham on ‘The Great War arms / sniping tactics’ respectively.

The Society Committee strives to put on a variety of topics at the coffee mornings, as seen by the recent and future speakers. It is looking for feedback from members on speakers they would like to hear, if possible.

The Senior Citizens Centre has held its A.G.M.; it was agreed that charges to the History Society would be unaltered for the next year.

As part of the Great War project, the Society has supported the restoration of the plaque at the Institute on the corner of Norton Lane. Dr Paul Collins recommended a professional stone restorer (Brian Gibbs). The work was completed in July. The pictures below show the plaque ‘as was’ and ‘as now’ after completion. It means the fading plaque laid in 1870 is now preserved for future years.

A broadband facility has been successfully installed by BT at the Senior Citizens Centre. This will facilitate the proposed genealogy/ family history/ library access facility planned to start in September. It is provisionally planned for the 4th Thursday each month.

Also, as part of the Great War project, the Imperial War Museum has been visited. It recently re-opened after installing a new Great War hall. This is in addition to the extensive displays already in place.

The visit allowed some of our artefacts to be discussed with their experts and, also, to consider the feasibility of the Society visiting the Museum in 2015. Personally, the whole site was a thrilling experience that advantageously used new technology to further the overall experience. Members are to be asked if they want to consider a visit in spring / early summer 2015, if possible.

A big activity behind the scenes is the transcribing of burial records as part of the Great War project. Diane is painstakingly working away and maintaining a steady output. It would be of tremendous assistance if other members could provide support, as possible. It is a task that can be fitted in with available time. Please ask Diane for further information.

Thanks to the support of Dave Dunham and Ron Mattison, members were able to enjoy a visit to the Chase Great War training huts on June 12th. It provided a good insight with the many examples therein.

 

Gary gave a talk supported by photos and articles on Landywood Farm and the Snape family at the June coffee morning. The entertaining address demonstrated the rich history seam that is being unearthed.

A man of the village, Derek France, will be speaking of his life and career in the thrilling ‘world of speedway racing’ at the July coffee morning with Jo Dyke speaking of ‘Life in the Fifties’ at the August coffee morning.
The A.G.M. was held at the June coffee morning. Management Committee members gave synopses of activities over the last year with the on-going activities and the Treasurer summarised the financial status. It was confirmed that membership fees remain unchanged from those already in place.
At conclusion of the A.G.M., Gary outlined the Society profile since start-up five years ago and the target steps for the upcoming year. Members unanimously agreed that the Management Committee was re-elected for the upcoming year.

We participated in an enjoyable day at the Annual Carnival on June 28th. Thanks to everyone who manned our stand and the many visitors throughout the day.

The 100 year anniversary of the start of the Great War is looming. Commemorative events are being scheduled. A summary of the events will be distributed at the July coffee morning for members consideration and possible participation, if desired. Please send an e-mail if an electronic version is wanted, as and when prepared.
We supported an application by the Express and Star to the Heritage Lottery Fund to digitise their vast back photo library. It would then be available to the general public and groups such as our Society. The application was multi- layered and notification has been received that the first part of the application has been successful.
Enquiries for Family History information has been received from the Hitch and Hassall families and feedback has been sent, as available and researched.
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As previously mentioned, the Society is promoting an event on behalf of the Royal British Legion and SSAFA for the poppy appeal. On 9th August, a big band concert is being held at Great Wyrley Sports and Social Club. It starts at 8 pm. Advance tickets cost £4 from Gary or £5 payable at the door. The music is provided by the Miller Tones with vocal support from a male and female singer. It promises to be a great night of Glenn Miller tunes and swing music of that era.

The visit to the Houses of Parliament on May 13th was considered a great success. In Gary’s words, ’48 of us paid a visit. We were met by Gavin Williamson, our M.P. and had the usual group photo (as shown below) in the Great Hall of Westminster. Avery helpful guide took us round the building. A marvellous day out was enjoyed by all which will not be the last day out, I’m sure’

Thanks to the co-operation and support of Ron Mattison and Dave Dunham, a visit has been arranged to the Chase Training huts on 12th June. The coach will leave the Senior Citizens Centre at 10.30 am and return to the Centre by no later than 2.30 pm. The cost is £2.50 per person. There are places available on the coach that can be booked with Diane (414417) or coming to the Centre on the day, subject to availability. A café serving snacks and drinks is nearby and it should be possible for the Great War Trail in the Chase to be followed, if preferred, during the visit.

The June coffee morning is the A.G.M. followed by Gary speaking about Landywood Farm. The July coffee morning address is given by a long-standing resident of the village (Derek France) and includes his participation in the exciting world of speedway racing.

Due to illness, the speaker at the May coffee morning had to withdraw at short notice. A hasty replacement enabled the Society to outline its Great War project, as supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, with special mention being given to a number of on-going and planned activities therein. It is hoped that a written summary will be available for members attending the June coffee morning. One of the activities is summarised below.

Restoration of the plaque / inscription at the Institute on the corner of Norton Lane is scheduled for July time-frame. The feasibility of further restorations is being considered. At present, it includes plaques at the Wesley Chapel and a change to the Memorial Gates.

Recording of coffee morning speakers has been raised for consideration. It especially applies to members who cannot attend the coffee mornings for whatever reason. Speakers’ permission will always be sought before the coffee morning. Would members have any objection to the possibility? It should be raised at the A.G.M. for consideration and, hopefully, agreed, if possible.

Broadband facility should be installed at the Centre in near future. It had been requested by coffee morning speaker(s) in the past and will be invaluable during our Great War project when further research is being undertaken.

As Gary confirmed at the May coffee morning, the Society hopes to start a drop-in facility and, at the same time, help members of the community with their family history. The broadband capability should be of tremendous assistance with this latter objective. The intent is to run the sessions on the fourth Thursday of each month and a provisional autumn time-frame to start has been indicated.

An interesting enquiry has been received from the USA re Wyrley origins and any knowledge of current (or relatively recent) Worley families in the area. Can any members provide any information? It is possible that we may be visited in foreseeable future to further consider the question.

Community Events
The Society is preparing its materials for the upcoming Carnival being held on the Star field on 28th June. The main theme of the Carnival is ‘history’ so we hope to see many members there joining us.

Visits to the National Memorial Arboretum, as supported by District Council members on the Parish Council, are still scheduled, as previously mentioned. Feedback from the earlier visit has been excellent and further information, or bookings, can be made with Sian or Debbie at the Community Centre on 414768.

The Society is promoting an event on behalf of the Royal British Legion and SSAFA for the poppy appeal. On 9th August, a big band concert is being held at Great Wyrley Sports and Social Club. It starts at 8 pm. Advance tickets cost £4 from Gary or £5 payable at the door. The music is provided by the Miller Tones with vocal support from a male and female singer. It promises to be a great night of Glenn Miller tunes and swing music of that era.

At the April coffee morning, Sue Plant provided an entertaining and thoughtful talk on the life and times of her dad, Jack Plant. It especially addressed his war time prisoner of war efforts working on the notorious Sumatra railway line.

Reg Fullalove will be the speaker at the May coffee morning. The A.G.M. will be held at the June coffee morning and will be followed by a talk by Gary Smith outlining his on-going work with the owner of Landywood Farm.

The St. Georges Day celebration went well. This was probably helped by the good weather with the procession and the side stalls (including ours) at Harrisons Club reporting an enjoyable day. Pictures from the day, including some unusual transport are displayed below.

Paul Ford gave an interesting address at an evening meeting at the Centre on April 28th. The topic was ‘Walsall during the Great War period’. It covered various aspects of the town and the community, as seen by the following pictures.

Ron Mattison and Dave Dunham had previously spoken at a coffee morning about the training huts on the Chase during the Great War. They have since issued an invitation for the Society to visit the huts on a specially arranged visit. Gary and Pam extended the invitation to members at the April coffee morning. It is likely that transport can be arranged for a small party to visit in the June / July time-frame, with costs therein borne by the Society. It is hoped that details will be completed to share with members at the May coffee morning and places would be filled on a ‘first come first served’ basis with a ballot being held if it is over-subscribed.

The background research and other work on the Great War continues apace. Numerous current activities are on-going, and future planned activities are being scheduled. It is hoped to summarise the details with members at the May coffee morning. Members may also be especially interested in a wyrleyblog site run by Paul Ford. It has interesting news and also demonstrates the linking threads between the local communities and the Societies therein.

The Society received a photo of an ‘unknown soldier’ some time ago. It was followed up by Tony and Diane with the resultant findings being reported in an article in the Chronicle. We are delighted to receive further similar contents and a recent example is displayed below.

We have initial details and any findings will be shared with members at the May coffee morning. At the same time, it will be inserted in our Great War Facebook page so that feedback can also be received from other audiences to help our research.

Community News
Excellent feedback has been received from attendees visiting the National Memorial Arboretum in March. The visit arranged by the Parish Council office was supported by allowances from the District Councillors on the Parish Council and further visits are scheduled for later this year. It is understood that a substantial number of bookings have already been made. Members should contact Sian or Debra at the Parish Council office on 414768 for further information and are recommended to make bookings before the ‘house full’ signs are displayed.

South Staffordshire Council support a range of ‘walking for health’ activities. Therein, a program has been raised ‘commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the outbreak 0f World War 1’. On 6th September, a Great Wyrley & Cheslyn Hay Memorial Circular walk is arranged with both Societies providing supporting talks and displays. Everyone is invited to join the walk and are asked to speak with Cath on 07817 507954 for further information.