Local History Group

Time fly’s they say and this past year has been no exception with all the activities group has been involved in during 2003. From the first week in January a round of talks and displays started with one just over the railway lines at Ernsford Grange School, to the Ernsford Ladies group, kicked off the year to a very good start.

Involvement in Coventry’s premier event [Godiva Weekend] in June, meant meetings with the Lives & Times committee and the planning for the event during the summer. They next display was held on Sunday 19^th January, locally at St James the Divine church and a great deal of information was shared with the group and church members. Research into the area and a huge amount of photographs came my way, each copied and with help from members people on then named, a few old friends where recognized and even some young photos of committee members appeared! Tony Davis entertained the group at the February meeting with some of his antidotes, and Central Library Local Studies, requested our display having heard that we now had a few photographs, much to their surprise I could only take one of four sets of broads covered with these due to lack of space.

Work started on the groups Internet site with the first of many meetings with Kerrie Davis at the Depot Studio. The display moved to St Peters in Hillfields for a day in March, remarks like ‘Where did you get all these’, ‘How long has the group been going’, ‘I did not know Willenhall had a history’ became common as word travelled about the group. The 26^th March arrived bring us to our second birthday, which was not missed at the A.G.M. in April.

During the lighter months, we tried to encourage people to attend daytime meetings, but found these were not well attended. Even Stoke heard about us and a talk at St John’s was a huge success.

As Willenhall came of age in July with fifty years passing since the first houses built by the council opened and the start of the expansion from a small rural village into today’s estate drew near plans where made to hold a festival. Comments of ‘There’s not enough time’ and ‘It takes money’ were lost in the sidelines, the phone got hot and promises of help pored in, and a meeting held at Weetc at which all three local councillors and many others attended, turned into a ‘Commitment’ meeting. There are not many who can say that they ‘Committed’ as many in such a short time, but with help from Area Co, Focus Housing, Whitefriars, and many more the idea of a festival took off big time. Ernsford Grange School held a all day event in May, and the group used this to ensure we where ready for our first at the Godiva Festival. Saturday 7^th June arrived and the group took its place within the ‘Lives & Times’ tent, the first problem was the total lack of lighting around the sides where our display took up almost the whole of one side of the tent. A quick trip home and out came the Christmas tree lights, well it did help and looked pretty as well. Children had their first smell and feel of real coal, ‘Oh mum its black!’ from one little girl and ‘What’s that? Did not surprise the group but along with the Dolly & Tub [with the chairman’s old socks and T shirt] pulled in many visitors to tell us ‘My mum used one of those’. Sunday morning arrived to find the group’s display broads had been vandalized and an unofficial party had been held in the tent over night, this later caused the group to have to replace one set of broads, as they were unsafe, but no refund or compensation has ever been made. However, the day past with a huge amount of interest and many old residents call by and found themselves on photographs.

Even Professor Carl Chinn MBE, who was broadcasted his Sunday BBC radio show from the event at the group’s invitation, remembered the times when his mum washed on a Monday not every day of the week.

 

Poppy Court, the replacement for the old Remembrance House was opened by Focus Housing, and our display brought out the residents with their stories, so much so that two talks were arranged and many memory’s stirred during the hours that quickly past. Hillfields History Group found us and a talk was well attended and lots of ideas exchanged, followed by St Anne’s RC Church here in Willenhall, and this year it’s the 50^th anniversary of the opening of this church.

About this time we connected the PRO for information on the WW2 hostels and employed a researcher to seek out information, money well spent, as the information has enabled us to collate not only Coventry’s Hostels, but also to start looking at the whole national scene, which has for too long been neglected.

The work put in by so many paid off big time on Saturday 26^th July with Willenhall celebrating its 50 years of growth. The group organised competitions to find, the oldest resident, the first resident to move in 50 years ago, and the longest resident, these with a competition to write a poem about Willenhall, in which all the four local schools took part and an open class for anyone to enter. The whole day was free, including bouncy castles for the children, sweets, pop and crisps.  The whole of Willenhall got involved, from Chace Hotel to Willenhall Wood, clowns and face painters, a steel band, free chips for anyone doing the History Trail, Lady Godiva came along, and the Lord Mayor presented the prizes to the competition winners. Centre stage in the Weetc hall was the history groups display arranged for the first time in a star shape, thus enabling everyone to get around it. The people of Willenhall did themselves proud and not one single report of trouble accord during the whole day. The only problem, which later appeared, was the children and parents requesting ‘When are we having another one!’ 

Things settled down again and in August the display was taken to the Walsgrave hospital Rehab Unit where it got some of the patients talking about old times.

 September we took part in the National Heritage weekend, with a display in Drapers Hall, Coventry, old residents and even a few old school friends appeared and Nan Nan Cai from Coventry University can along to show us her work on the web site. I have possibly missed out a few engagements during the year, it was very busy for all, but just before Christmas the group held its very first Christmas dinner at the Chace Hotel, which everyone enjoyed. Apart from the Tyrrell as they were absent, being away in New York, and appearing at the top of the Empire State building wearing the ‘Willenhall & Proud’ T shirts.

Just after Christmas the web site was sorted out and went ‘live’ on the net along with a newspaper request for information about the WW2 hostels. Lots of research and collating still has to be done, but in just two years, the group has grown into one of the leading history groups in the city for its display of the history of Willenhall.

 In conclusion, if you have documents or photographs, which the group could use, please note the following;

1.     Put the names of people, places and date on the back, or on a piece of paper attached to each photograph.

2.     Place them in an envelope with your name and address. 

3. Please let us know if you require their return.

4. Please inform us if we cannot use then for publication.

                         John Russell Chairman 2003

 

Secretary’s Report

 

It certainly has been a busy twelve months, as John’s report has confirmed. One of the most exciting aspects was the arrival of a large and bulky parcel from Holland. Peter Leurmans, one of the Dutch evacuees who came to Baginton Fields Hostel in 1945, had sent us photos, documents, videos and even extracts from his diary written at the time. It was a bitter-sweet experience to read about the exploits of the children. For them, Willenhall represented a safe haven: a place that offered them green space for rest and recuperation, and good food to put flesh on their bones. They had arrived nervous and fearful, flinging themselves to the ground every time a plane went over. In Willenhall the Dutch children who had suffered so much, learned how to play again. Peter’s materials are a valuable resource for the group, a real piece of history, which yet again links Willenhall to the wider world.

Not all our history is about the past, though. We also have a living, ongoing project, organised by Carol Hinde and Betty Leather. Equipped with a tape-recorder, Carol and Betty are in the process of visiting local residents and recording their reminiscences. Andy Davies has also been very busy compiling a history of St John the Divine Church, illustrated with many pictures of weddings and christenings solemnized by the charismatic Canon Stuart Hudson. If anyone else has a possible Willenhall project in mind, please suggest it at one of the meetings.

Who would have thought, when we first began, that Willenhall has so many different tales to tell. We’re always on the lookout for more, and who knows where the next year will take us. Willenhall Local History Group is a force to be reckoned with…so watch this space !

Iris Weir, Secretary

 Treasurer’s Report

 

Financial statement for period 01 Jan 2003 to 04 Feb 04

 

Income

Expenditure

Balance 31/Jan/2003             £472.72            Heart of England               £4,718.24 Coventry Vol Services          £320.00 Sales                                      £505.10   Interest                                      £9.18                Meeting Fees                          £83.50 Membership Fees                  £69.00 Parchment return                    £8.15 Donation                                   £7.00 Xmas Dinner                         £148.02

Committee Expenses               £253.91 Speakers                                     £37.00 Display Broads                         £150.00 Chace Hotel Dinner                 £276.48 Banner                                        £40.00 Lives & Times Fees                    £30.00 Parchment Printing                 £101.10 Training                                    £100.00 Chairman’s Account              £2180.00

Net Income              £6340.91

Net Expenditure        £3168.49