COMMUNITY MAGAZINES
Village Voice
PRESERVING THE COMMUNITY
SPIRIT IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
One of the best known landmarks on the Himley Road is Summit Garage, whose history goes back to the Second World War when it was known as Bradley’s Garage. In 1945 local businessman Robert (known as Jack) Newey was travelling along the Himley Road when he saw that the garage was being auctioned. On the spur of the moment he decided to bid for it and a couple of hours—and £750—later he was the proud owner of what was to become Summit Garage.
Despite the concerns of his wife (who had already announced that her husband was
not fit to be left in charge of the chequebook!) the investment quickly proved to
be sound. Indeed, within a matter of weeks he had recouped two-
Initially Jack used the garage as a base for his already successful haulage firm—and even stabled some horses there. As time went on, however, the business altered and the haulage side ceased and Summit Garage undertook work described as “automobile engineers, body builders and repairers, painting and spraying”.
In the early 1950s Jack, with his haulage contracting contacts, took on the franchise for Dodge lorries and then in 1957—with the increase in private motoring—the Austin franchise. Austin, of course, became BMC, then British Leyland, Rover and then MG Rover before its complete demise last year. For 40 years Summit was an authorised dealership for the marque but this finished in 1997. Summit, though, continued to provide an unrivalled service to local Rover owners—a service that still continues today.
In 2003 Summit took on the local franchise for Perodua, a Malaysian car manufacturer that has developed an enviable reputation for producing high quality cars at very reasonable prices. Indeed, their Kelisa model is the cheapest car currently available in the UK—retailing at less than £5000.
MOVING WITH THE TIMES
The one thing that the Black Country has always had in abundance is pubs!
One of the most interesting is the Red Lion in the centre of Gornal Wood. Originally
a ‘home brew’ pub it was acquired in 1935 by Tommy Booth, a one-
Before Tommy Booth acquired the pub, however, it had two famous licensees who passed into Gornal folklore..
For 38 years mine host at the Red Lion was Thomas Malpass—known locally as Pokeymon. His general good humour and love of practical jokes made him a legend in and around Gornal. He sold the pub to William Clewes of Quarry Bank’s Home Brewery during the First World War and William Jones became the licensee. Known to one and all as ‘Billy on the Ob’ he became a firm favourite in Gornal.
PUB TALES: THE RED LION, GORNAL
The Reverend Charles Girdlestone—Vicar of Sedgley until 1826—was related to Admiral Lord Nelson and could allegedly trace his ancestry back to Charlemagne.
Before it was demolished in 1966, Abbey Farm in Gornal Wood was the family home of Dr Hicken, a local GP.
The Deepfields footbridge over the Birmingham-
Between 1905 and 1968 Jones’ Newsagents and Tobacconists in Abbey Street, Gornal Wood was a major distribution centre for the ’Express & Star’. At its height 22 paperboys would arrive at the shop every evening to deliver more than 2000 papers to homes as far away as Pensnett and Coseley.
After the Birmingham New Road was opened in 1927, Coseley UDC arranged for trees to be planted on both sides of the road. The trees were dedicated to those from the area who had lost their lives in the First World War. Each tree had a plaque attached with the name of the victims remembered in this way.
In 1267 Wood Farm in Cotwall End was owned by Moysi le Forrester who was granted a pardon for “the murder of Stephen and any consequent outlawry”.
That Coseley-
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In 1893 Harriet Walters (16) of Tower Street, Sedgley died of lead poisoning whilst working in an enamel shop in Bilston. The death was debated in the House of Commons and Queen Victoria wrote to the Prime Minister, Mr Gladstone, that she was concerned about “the deplorable conditions of the homes of the Sedgley poor.”
In 1877 Mary Brettle, keeper of the toll gate in Upper Gornal was summoned to court for imposing excessive toll charges—she charged 4½d instead of 3d for a horse and cart. She was warned about her future behaviour and made to pay the costs of the case.
In White’s Directory of 1873 Thomas Underhill of Gornal was described as “tailor, baker, grocer, earthenware dealer and tripe dresser”.
In 1868 Dr Ballenden, Sedgley’s medical officer of health, described the area in a report in this way: “Thirty years amongst the nailers of Sedgley convinces me that they are the most immoral people in England. The women have more manly qualities than the men and in free fights the wife is generally the victor.”
Virtually no Roman remains have been found in Sedgley. A few Roman coins dating from the first century AD have been discovered (including one on what is now the playing fields of Dormston School) but there is no
evidence of any buildings from the period.
In 1928 a novel entitled ‘The Village’ written by a former curate at St James’s, Lower Gornal scandalised the local population. The clergyman—Winser Garnett—lampooned many individuals in the village (including the vicar, Rev Job) using thinly disguised fictitious names for his characters.
The group of vaults belonging to members of the Homer family in the churchyard at All Saints Church, Sedgley (seen here right) was originally within the church itself. When the church was rebuilt the Homer chapel was not included within the new church and although the Homer family threatened legal action the church authorities refused to move the vaults back inside the building.
Previous issues continued
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The distribution of VILLAGE VOICE changes every month. This ensures that regular advertisers have their advertisements seen by as many potential customers as possible.
This means that around 5000 house-
In addition, copies are made available every month in local libraries, health centres and other public buildings.
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