We welcomed Steve Booth to our coffee morning, he gave a very interesting talk about Cannock Chase. One of the items he mentioned was Beaudesert Hall, (Beaudesert  translates as beautiful wilderness). In 1546 it was given to the Paget family. The 6th Marquess of Anglesey tried to sell it, due to financial difficulties. Unfortunately there were no buyers, so the furniture was sold, and the house was demolished in 1935. Even this was not completed as the demolition firm went into receivership.

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We’ve had a request from a Mrs Ann Mumford, born and raised on the village, and is looking for information from anyone who may be able to recognise the people in the photos below.

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It’s Gordon Bridges Funeral on Friday 16th June. Condolences and deepest sympathy from the whole of the society go out to Pam and all the family.

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If you have any photo’s we can copy and return them, or you can send them to diane@mstolley.plus.com or winsongary@aol.com

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Have you heard an interesting speaker recently? We are always interested in different speakers. Please tell Diane if you know of  any one.

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Black Country Museum

Everyone had a great day out at the Black Country Museum, the weather was good, a shame our Chairman Gary Smith was too ill to attend. It was lovely stepping back in time and seeing how life was like long ago. So many things to see and do, from looking down a coal mine, or taking a trip on the canal. Tasting the traditional fish & chips was a big treat, as they don’t cook in beef dripping anymore. It was great looking at all the old houses and seeing how the homes were decorated, with just the basic accessories, not a television or phone in sight. How sure we’d managed today without our phones. Here are a few photos taken on the day. A trip to the Black Country Museum.

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Future  Events

Thursday 18th May Steve Booth Cannock Chase talk Table Top Sale
Thursday 18th May 7-9pm John Homer Black Country Tales
Thursday 25th May Trip to Black Country Museum
June 15th Keith Robinson Miner’s struggle for Justice with table Top Craft Sale

Thursday 15th June – Keith Robinson – Miner’s struggle for Justice Table Top Sale
Thursday 22nd June, 7-9pm – OPEN EVENING Click here for details
Saturday 24th June, 11am-4pm – Great Wyrley Carnival History Stand Display
Thursday 20th July – Kevin Reynolds  Pigeons, from Gods to the gutter – Table Top Sale
Thursday 17th August Rob Elliott British Army in the 18th century Table Top Sale
Thursday 21st September Guest Speaker – Trevor Bevan – Giving a talk in Charles Dickens Table Top Sale
Thursday 28th September, 7-9pm OPEN EVENING Guest Speaker Click here for details
Thursday 19th October – Val Campbell Victorian Food
Thursday 16th November – Alan Pugh Battle of the Alamo
December 21st Social

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Open Evening on Thursday 22nd June 2023
We had a great evening, lovely to see old & new faces come along for a cuppa & a chat… READ MORE

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Our Royal Summer Magazine

It was lovely to see the World coming together to celebrate His Majesty. Despite the weather, what an amazing parade, an historical moment, the likes of it, we haven’t seen for 70 years & may not see again. It will be interesting to see what happens next? Read all about it in our latest magazine. If you are a member, you will get this as part of your membership, available to buy from the committee for Non-members.

I announced that we were doing away with the fourth Thursday morning in the month for open days. We decided later, that we will keep up with that morning for the foreseeable future as we need to keep on top of things. We will continue as availability by committee members allows. Also the question of Open Nights, in future it won’t be open on the day of the Coffee Morning, dates for these will be announced well in advance. At our first Open Evening on 16th March, there was a great turnout with a number of fresh faces, that were unable to come to our coffee mornings and find out what’s going on in the society. We are all looking forward to the next Open Evening 22nd June.

2023 has been a generous year for Great Wyrley Local History Society so far. Since the lockdown finished at the back end of 2021, our society has grown insomuch as if anymore were to join, they would have to bring their own chairs, as we would not have enough chairs for our Coffee Mornings. We have made new members every month since the start of the year and long may it continue.

Complimentary to our morning meetings, we hold Open Evening meetings four times a year for people that can’t get to us on the fourth Thursday, for our Coffee Mornings. We are finding this is taking off. This year we have evening speakers on two occasions. the first on Thursday 18th May 7-9pm – John Homer Black Country Tales and another on Thursday 28th September. We have a great trip arranged, which we will be visiting the Black Country Museum which is now SOLD OUT.

Hope you like our website, administered by Soeli Thomas. We are trying to use the website as a source of information, keeping you informed of what’s happening in the society. Also we are prominent on Facebook, our official page is www.facebook.com/greatwyrleyhistory even though there are other pages & groups on Facebook that use ‘Wyrley’ in the title, we are NOT associated with them.

We like to be present at as many events as possible in Great Wyrley, recently being St Georges Day celebrations at Harrisons Club and next will be at the Great Wyrley Carnival, on Saturday 24th June. We are eight strong, on the committee running the Society, with upwards of 80 members and more joining each month. We have given in excess of £700 to local charities over the last two years. We are constantly thinking about new ways to play our part in the community and inform people about the vibrant history of the village we live in and long may it continue.

What an enjoyable morning we had with Kath Reynolds, talking about the “old school days”. It bought back many memories – good and bad. It was all chalk and talk back in the day. Now it’s all white boards and laptops.

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The liberty bodice with suspenders was one item that will remain with me for a long time.
In the United Kingdom they were well known for decades, with some older women still using them in the 1970s. A liberty bodice was a simply shaped sleeveless bodice, often made of warm, fleecy fabric, usually with suspenders  attached. It might be straight or slightly curvy, and sometimes had buttons to fasten on other underwear: drawers (knickers or US panties) or petticoat/slip. A vest might be worn underneath. The bodices had no boning, unlike corsets, although some had firm cloth strapping which might encourage good posture. read more…

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It is with great sadness that we report of the death of Chris Myatt, on April 14th 2023, after a long illness, wife of Ron Myatt. Ron was on the Committee of the Society from the early days, and helped giving us a secure financial framework. Chris Myatt – Centre Chairman and Secretary, With her ‘can do’ attitude and eternal optimism she was instrumental in developing and maintaining www.landywoodvoluntaryhelp.co.uk for 40 years & was a well loved person in Great Wyrley. Chris’s voluntary work in the community will live on. We send our deepest sympathy to Ron Myatt & family, she will be greatly missed.

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Do you have a story to tell? that involves GREAT WYRLEY, either the place or a person? We’d love to hear your story and print it in our magazine.

Any school stories or photos? workplace stories, scouts, girl guides, football team stories?

Please email any stories or photos to: photos@greatwyrleylocalhistorysociety.co.uk

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Have you heard an interesting Speaker’s recently? We are always interested in different speakers. Please email: diane@mstolley.plus.com

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I thought this was an appropriate photo, given last months talk. It is of Landywood School, I counted at least 46 pupils, how did the teachers cope with such a large number?  Exact date unknown.                                                                      

On Thursday 22nd of April we had our monthly coffee morning, and once again we had full attendance of members, also new members attended which was great to see. We had our monthly speaker in the form of Joan Lockley who gave an enthralling talk about her work and dedication to rescuing hedgehogs, both abandoned and injured, she told us that she is the only one remaining in the West Midlands area that continues to rescue these fantastic creatures. Everyone was impressed with her presentation and following the talk she showed all there, a rescued hedgehog that she had brought along with her. All of us at the Society wish her well with the rescue and long may it continue.

We also had our Handcraft Table Sale at the meeting which proved to be very popular, and this was also available on our stand at the stand at the St George’s day held at Harrisons on the 22nd of April, A huge thankyou to everyone that purchased from the craft table, we made a sum of £62.50 which will go into our Society funds.

Can’t wait to see you all at Harrisons Sports & Social Club on Saturday 22nd April for St- George’s Day. On our stall we will have special offers on our selected books. Great Value & a Great Day out for all the family. 12noon – 5pm