In a couple of weeks, we are hoping the all clear will sound, well I know that sounds fanciful and I know it sounds like the end of a war, even though, to be flippant, the bombs have stopped dropping but the virus is still out there, we still need to be careful, we have been locked down, opened up to be put on tiers, then after Christmas locked down again till April, when then the rest of the none essential shops opened up. Pubs with beer gardens or outside facilities came to life, together with cafe’s and restaurants on May 17th we could eat and drink inside and finally mix (to a degree). It all seemed like we were coming out of a nightmare that we were blindly led into. Rates of deaths through Covid-19 were worse the second time round and in the UK deaths
per million people were second only to the USA in total. Then the vaccine came on board and through the lockdown new admissions and deaths began to tumble, the virus touched every part of our area, whether through just illness or sadly deaths, the vaccine once rolled out there would be no way in stopping us, by March over 20 million doses were given, the most across Europe, while we immunised the EU were still prevaricating, by now all of us who had the first vaccination in January and February has had our second by the end of April and the rest of the population are getting it or going to get it, hopefully by the end of July the rest of the adult population.

Our last coffee morning was February last. Hopefully, with a strong wind behind us, our next Coffee Morning will be August. We shall open the Centre on the fourth Thursday for photos etc. It will be great to welcome each and every one of you and to carry on where we left off and my saying is onwards and upwards. Lastly, and very personally to me, my aunt, Alice Bamford, who was a member with her late sister Mary from the early days of the Society, has passed away peacefully at the grand old age of 99.

Twelve months ago we were all looking forward to a new year, we wanted to do so much but in the end it all came crashing down around our ears. I wanted so much in promoting our Society in so many ways, but it wasn’t to be, we lost 11 months to that dreaded virus, on top of this unfortunately our Secretary, Diane lost her daughter to it, a week before Christmas the lass was only 54. It seemed everything stopped; it was almost like a dystopian dream with every one walking around and looking like zombies in face masks. We did all the right things and followed the rules; face, space and wash hands, we went out of spring into a lovely summer under a lockdown but to see another one rear its ugly head in November last.

Thank fully with the vaccinations that started last December (I had mine in late January) and to be given out to all later on the this summer, so hopefully we can look at the world now in a different light, even though we’d been hit with a variant to the Covid strain and shut down again for six weeks at the beginning of January. We were hoping to resume Coffee Mornings in later in the year and looking forward to resuming a normal life again for the Society, but looking at it now it’ll probably be the autumn before we meet, but as we say ‘watch this space’. Mind you winter came back to bite us on the rear end after Christmas, arctic temperatures, ice and snow, so much for planet warming, at least days are getting longer, we shall come out of this horrible virus I’m sure, so let’s get back together, we’re missing you all. Wishing you all a good health and stay safe.

The year started off so normal, weather mild, no sign of winter as yet, then we were to meet only twice in 2020. Who would have thought we were to go through such a year. The rumours that came out of China of a possible outbreak of flu like symptoms, a funny name I thought at the time, CORONAVIRUS. January went into February and some European countries were starting to get nervous of what was going on, Italy was the first to consider this to be a bad one, Woohan in China had locked down and so the pandemic spread across Europe and into the UK.

It’s silly to repeat, who did what and who didn’t, we just got on with it. The Society opened up the Centre in August, on the fourth Thursday for members. Unfortunately within the next fortnight the Government issued more restrictions and reduced the amount to six people that could congregate. It was a shame that only a few could come to the open morning, but it was nice to see them. We did all the right things and used PPE but to no avail.

I know it has been scary, and still is, as we now entry into yet another sprike, and the depth toll over 75k since the pandemic started. I think the majority of us have lived by the rules and continue to do so. At the end of the year we was informed of the death of Phil Evans, he was one of the early members and a good friend to the Society. We shall miss him very much.

I was hoping we could resume our meetings, now we are in the New Year, but unfortunately with the new strain of Covid-19 virus unveiled over Christmas, within two weeks, we have gone from tier 3 to tier 4 and now into a National Lockdown, for the third time. There is hope though, with the new oxford vaccine being approved for use in the UK from today (05/01/2021). There may still be abit of a wait, until we can have the injection, but if we all work together and stay at home for abit longer, then maybe this will be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Chairman and Editor – Gary Smith

If you have any stories or articles that you would like to be fetched in the Great Wyrley History Social Magazine, please send to: winsongary@aol.com

Some time ago we were asked a question by Andrew Collins by email on one particular family, the name was Hartwell, they ran a grocery shop at 179 Walsall Road and Hartwell Lane ran alongside the shop, although the writer says the shop was renamed and the Hartwell Lane was moved a hundred yards away. More information was given to the shop which ran from 1900 to around 1940’s, we have more info at the centre of this particular family.

On another matter we have been asked about Harrisons pit and how many fatalities had there been there during the time of the pits existence, we have looked at all the books on Harrison’s but fail to find an answer.

Any information from above please let us know, thank you