COMMUNITY MAGAZINES
Village Voice
PRESERVING THE COMMUNITY
SPIRIT IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
Until it was amalgamated with the North Staffs in 1959 to form the Staffordshire Regiment, the South Staffs Regiment had a long and distinguished history.
It was formed in 1881 from a combination of the 80th Staffordshire Volunteers (which were originally created in 1793) and the much older 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot which could trace its origins back to 1688.
The South Staffs Regiment saw action in Egypt and South Africa before, during the First World War, it was present at the bloody battles at Ypres, the Somme, Mons and Cambrai.
In the second major conflict of the Twentieth Century the Regiment gave service at Arnhem as well as Sicily, North Africa, Italy and Burma.
No fewer than four members of the Regiment—Captain John Vallentin, Captain Arthur Kilby, Lance Sergeant John Baskeyfield and Private Thomas Barrett—were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery.
For many years the Regiment was often called ‘The Terriers’, a nickname which came about because when it was posted to Egypt in 1882, the 1st Battalion of the South Staffs took with them their mascot, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
2010 may not have got off to the very best of starts weather-
Of course, it also increases the risk of injury and despite all the warnings it is still amazing how many adults and children alike play on frozen lakes and ponds. Each year there are deaths caused by people falling through the ice—especially as the thaw sets in. Please don't become a casualty.
Does anyone celebrate Christmas and New Year any more? Ask most people did they have a good time and the chances are they’ll reply, “Quiet”. So what has happened to the wild parties and general carousing that used to be so prevalent in “the good old days”?
Of course the current economic situation has much to answer for but it seems the other problem is the sheer number of “special” celebrations that we have today. Forget about birthdays and wedding anniversaries, we have also got Valentine’s Day, Mothers Day, Easter, Fathers Day, Bonfire Night and Halloween—plus, of course Christmas and New Year. And the card manufacturers are even trying to get us to celebrate Grandparents Day and even pet birthdays!
Edward Elgar, the famous composer, is said to have been a regular traveller through Wall Heath on his way from his home in Worcester to the Molineux to watch his beloved Wolves. He always cycled there and back using a Sunbeam cycle made in Wolverhampton.
Formed in the early 1920s, the Kingswinford & District Fire Brigade was, for many
years, somewhat starved of equipment. Initially they had only a handcart on which
was stored a short hose, a standpipe and assorted fire beaters. On one memorable
occasion a lorry caught fire in Wall Heath but when the intrepid firefighters arrived
they found that their hose would not reach from the nearest water supply to the burning
vehicle. Using typical Black Country ingenuity the problem was solved by the firemen
persuading passers-
Possibly one of the most famous previous residents of Wordsley is snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan who was born at Wordsley Hospital on 12th May 1975. Ronnie—who has frequently been called the most naturally gifted snooker player ever—has won the World Championship on three occasions and won almost 30 major tournaments around the world. He now lives in Essex.
IT’S A FACT
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IT’S A FACT
© 2010 ARCOS DESIGN
We have heard from two of our best known and respected musical societies who are looking for assistance. Firstly, the Summerhill Choral Society is looking to recruit an audience!
The Society is due to give a concert at Kinver Methodist Church at Potters Cross
in Kinver on the evening of Saturday 27th February and they would dearly love a full
house especially as it is in aid of a very worthwhile charity. The Bethany Children
s Home in Dhading in Nepal is a well-
Tickets for the concert are £4.00 each (£3.00 for concessions) and are available on the door (the concert starts at 7.30pm) or by calling Betty on 01902 894606 or Alder on 01902 898445.
We have had a plea from the Penn Singers who are seeking a new Musical Director to succeed their present MD who is retiring after 13 very successful years. The Singers are a mixed voice choir of 70 members and rehearse at Penn United Reformed Church on Monday evening. Full details are available from Anita Morris on 01902 897545 or by emailing her on anitam29@aol.com. The closing date for applications is 26th March.
KINGSWINFORD, WALL HEATH & WORDSLEY -
DID YOU
KNOW?
Over the last five years over 180 editions of VILLAGE VOICE have been published. This represents some 360,000 copies distributed to homes in and around Dudley and South Staffordshire.
We are always pleased to provide advertisers with full details of our circulation
including a road-
Indeed, often we can alter our distribution patterns according to advertiser wishes.
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