Wrekin News 250 by Plus Two Media Limited

Wrekin

News February 2020 Issue 250

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Wrekin

New toddler art group starts in Wellington

Wrekin

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February 2020 Issue 250

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Published by: Plus Two Media Limited Plus2 · PO Box 515 · TELFORD · TF2 2JE Tel: (01952) 228973 Editor: James Baylis james@plus2media.co.uk Editorial Support: Tania Baylis tania@plus2media.co.uk Publisher & Design: James Baylis Contributing Photographer: Malcolm Couzens

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The Methodist Church in Wellington are launching a new Toddler Art group on Monday mornings, starting 24th February, 10 – 11.30am. Each toddler will need to be accompanied by an adult helper who will also be able to join in with the art activity each week, having fun with their toddler, quality time to develop new skills and being creative. The group is limited to a maximum of 10 toddlers so please do contact us of you’d like to book a place. For more information call Barbara Murray on 07592 881108.

Win a romantic chocolate hamper

28/10/2019 08:53

Specialist writers: George Evans, Richard Worton, Martin Scholes, Chris Owen, Pete Jackson, Eve Nicholls, Robert Hudson, Anthony Nicholls, Syd Taylor, Lauren Morgan, Donna McGrath, Austin Powell Sports News: Jamie Morris & David Ross (Wellington CC) To subscribe to Wrekin News please call Tania Baylis on 07977 481186 Printed in Telford by PCP Every care is taken over the accuracy of material in Wrekin News but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Views and opinions of contributors, advertisers and interviewees to Wrekin News are not necessarily those of the publishers who cannot accept responsibility for such contributions.

Wrekin News has teamed up with the fantastic Davonna Bespoke Hampers to oﬀer one lucky reader the chance to win a romantic chocolate hamper! Are you looking for a totally unique bespoke gift for that special someone? Well look no further... Davonna Bespoke Hampers can cater for any occasion! Hampers can be tailored to suit your budget and include gifts that your special someone will enjoy. You will receive a present like no other and made with love. Please contact Davonna Bespoke Hampers via Facebook (@Devonnabespokehampers) or call 07794 407081.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter the romantic chocolate hamper give-a-way please send your name, address and telephone number via email to: tania@plus2media.co.uk with Chocolate Hamper in the subject line. You can post your entry to Plus2, PO Box 515, Telford TF2 2JE. closing date for entries is - Thursday 27 February 2020 - Good Luck!

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05/02/2020 21:43

Wellington Charter Day We will be able to enjoy the festivities of Charter Day, again this year, put the date in your diary. The town will be full of activities in the morning – celebrating the granting of a Charter in 1244 by Henry III.

by a comment from an individual at a Charter Day leading to articles shared with the public in Wellingtonia; “A Little Know Artist” (Issue 26 – 2019) and th “H.C.Reade” (issue 28 – 2020). This latter issue (28) of Wellingtonia is to be published and will be on sale on 7th March, Community History Day. Another very latest publication, a joint he charter was actually granted venture with Wellington Civic Society will also be to the Lord of the Manor giving him available on 7th March “Wellington Back in Time permission to hold a market. This would Walk” can be ‘picked up’ from either Wellington have been a rich source of income to the History Group or Wellington Civic Society display lord as he charged local folk to put up stalls and – free. sell their good and produce; a really good ‘money If you haven’t been to a previous Community spinner’ for the lord. History Day , come and see what you have been Supporting this event, Wellington History missing – 7th March 2020, Wellington Library Group will be holding an event in the Library – a 10.00am to 1.00pm. Community History Day when numerous local history groups will be present to show you what they do, to share their research ‘findings’ and perhaps help you with any questions you may The next Telford Stamp and Card Club fair have about the history of Wellington and its is on Saturday 11 April at the Belmont Hall, surroundings. There will be the opportunity to Wellington. The Fair takes place from 9.30am see a range of publications about the area and till 2pm. The Belmont Community Hall is off perhaps purchase any that interests you. If you the Tan Bank Car Park, Wellington, Telford, TF1 have photographs or written material you think 1HJ. There is a wide range of material available. others may be interested in bring them along and Including GB and world-wide stamps, postcards share them. and small cards, coins and notes. Refreshments The groups find it a valuable opportunity to are available in the hall. This is a local club fair share their interests and research into the history which is collector friendly, held on a quarterly of the area, but also to answer your questions, basis, always the second Saturday of January, which very often lead to further research into April, July and October. finding out little known events and people of the past. Personally, my research has been stimulated

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2, 3 Welcome.indd 2

05/02/2020 19:49

Win four tickets for half term at Warwick Castle

Festival of Archery This February Half Term, we will launch the Festival of Archery at Warwick Castle, this is a one oﬀ event only for February Half Term so make sure tickets are booked to not miss out! As well as the Festival of Archery you can witness our spectacular birds of prey display, explore the 64 acres of beautiful castle and grounds and discover over 1100 years of history at Britain’s ultimate castle.

HOW TO ENTER: Wrekin News has teamed up with Warwick Castle to oﬀer one lucky reader the chance to win four tickets to attend the Festival of Archery at Warwick Castle this half term. All you have to do to enter the prize draw is send your name, address and daytime telephone numbe number to - tania@plus2media.co.uk or post your entry to: Plus2, PO Box 515, Telford TF2 2JE. Warwick Castle Terms and Conditions apply. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Closing date for entries is Tuesday 11 February 2020.

Dates for your diary at Wellington Orbit W ellington Orbit Cinema and Cafe have got some exciting events coming up over the next couple of months. Not only do we have an excellent run of films, but we also have the hotly anticipated ‘Date Night’ on Saturday February 15th where we are offering diners a 3-course gourmet dinner and the option of a ‘date night film’ afterwards! The film we are screening is ‘The Lake House’, a delightful film starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. A doctor (Sandra Bullock) who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its newest resident, a frustrated architect (Keanu Reeves). When they discover that they’re actually living two years apart, they must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late. Another date for your diary is Monday February 24th, when we will be running another one of our very popular Quiz Nights! Admission is only £2.50 per person, with teams set at a maximum of 4. If you’d like to book your team in, just give us a ring on 01952 743377. On Sunday March 22nd, Mother’s Day, we will be holding a very special afternoon tea after the screening of ‘Military Wives’. The afternoon tea will start at 4pm and will include a delicious array of delicate sandwiches and cakes all served to your table with fresh tea or coffee. Afternoon tea is only £14.50 per person. Cinema tickets will need to be purchased separately. Customers will have to share a table if not in a group of 4. For more details, please contact us! The films we have coming up include ‘Military Wives’, which starts here at Wellington Orbit on Friday March 13th. The film is about a group of

military wives who form a choir at a military base. Unexpected friendships form as music transforms their lives. On Mothering Sunday, we are holding an Afternoon Tea at 4pm, after the film finishes. Places are very limited, and customers will have to share a table if not booked in as a group of 4. The cost is £14.50 per person and includes a delicious array of delicate sandwiches and cakes, all made on the premises. If you’d like to know more, just get in touch. Screenings coming up also include the cult 80’s film, ‘The Lost Boys’ which has been digitally remastered. The film originally hit the cinemas in 1987 and was a huge hit at the time. ‘Dolittle’ comes to Wellington Orbit too, as well as ‘Richard Jewell’, ‘Riverdance – Live event’ and after such a wonderful result at the Academy Awards we will be screening ‘Joker’. For all screening information and to book tickets, please go to our website www. wellingtonorbit.co.uk , pop in and see us or give us a ring on 01952 743377.

Win a pair of Golden Tickets to Wellington Orbit! Wrekin News has teamed up with Wellington Orbit to oﬀer one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of Golden Tickets to attend a film screening at Wellington Orbit! The Golden Tickets entitle admission for two people. It can be an adult + child, or two adults, or two children! All you have to do to enter the prize draw is answer the following question - Kiefer Sutherland, who stars in the ﬁlm ‘The Lost Boys’ which we are screening in March was born where? Send your answer along with your name, address and daytime telephone number to - tania@plus2media.co.uk or post your entry to: Plus2, PO Box 515, Telford TF2 2JE. Closing date for entries is Thursday 27 February 2019, good luck!

04 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 4 The Orbit copy.indd 1

05/02/2020 21:08

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Love ton Wellington reasons to Love Wellington L

ove Wellington has welcomed in the new decade by highlighting a good reason to Love Wellington every day for the ﬁrst 100 days. “Sometimes we all need a reminder of what’s around us”, says Sally Themans of Love Wellington; “It can be something simple such as a lovely view or some of the beautiful historic buildings which we can forget to appreciate - some of the facilities which we take for granted, to some of the

ones we know well and love dearly. Amongst the 100 reasons the people who make Wellington what it are also featuring - from all the various volunteer groups through to the schools, the police and the posties!” All of these are what make the fabric of our community so great - so this is a really good chance to take stock, appreciate them and give them a like! So far the campaign has achieved a reach of over 60,000 - so hopefully everyone is feeling the love!

Bid in for Wellington Station It’s great to see that this group of volunteers has got going again, and there have been regular litter picks and the group have been able to get onto the station to trim the lavender beds and are also in the process of renewing licenses to enable ongoing work. The group is very grateful to Cllr Lee Carter who has donated £300 from his Ward Environmental Fund to the Friends of Wellington Station. The FOWS have also, with the help and guidance of Telford and Wrekin Council, submitted a bid to

win funds to facilitate considerable improvements at the station - so ﬁngers crossed! The Friends are always keen to welcome new members - if you would like to join or become a patron please get in touch - call Sally on 07966 568650.

The Great British High Street Awards

Well, it wasn’t to be Wellington’s year this time.... Mayor Cllr Anthony Lowe, former Mayor Cllr John Alvey and Love Wellington’s Sally Themans travelled to Edinburgh for the Awards Ceremony, which was organised by the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government and attended by the Rt Hon Jake Berry Minister for Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth. Wellington was one of 10 shortlisted ﬁnalists in the Rising Star category from 250 entries - so it was a great accolade to have got that far. Yarm High Street, from Stockton-on-Tees won our category with Kelso being the overall Rising star winner. We came away inspired and full of ideas about how to keep the momentum of regeneration in Wellington going and will deﬁnitely be entering again this year!

06 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 06, 07 Love Wellington.indd 1

05/02/2020 15:57

Wrekin

Contact & Follow

News

Facebook @LoveWellington Twitter @LoveWellington1 Instagram lovewellington2019

Wrekin News and Love Wellington have joined forces to work together to promote #Wellington - look out for our regular monthly Love Wellington column and social media posts! ● On the Love Wellington admin team are: Sally Thelmans, Jocelyne Fildes, Caroline Mulvihill, Kath Howard, Claire Dowdall, Paola Armstrong, Tania and Peter Jones, Sarah Chard, Hanna Leeson, Stuart Tyrer, Paul Kalinauckas, Kevin Tanner, Gareth Bellamy and Naomi Wrighton.

#LoveWellington / #LoveWellington / #LoveWellington

NETWORK MEETING AT BARCLAYS

Love Wellington got together with the team at Barclays to hold another successful networking event for Wellington Businesses, which was attended by almost 60 people including the Mayor Anthony Lowe. Canapes were provided by locally based SoFood and Nanny’s Baker bought along a Baklava for everyone to try. Those assembled heard about the regeneration plans and activities going on in the town, hear about parking issues facing businesses and it also provided a chance for local businesses to meet the new Barclays branch manager Leigh Wilkinson. The next Love Wellington network meeting is planned for March and will be held in the market, with a chance for local businesses to hear about the market owners future plans. Details online at Love Wellington and in the next edition of Wrekin News.

News in

BRIEF FABULOUS FEBRUARY FIVER IN WELLINGTON

Many retailers and market stall holders are offering special £5 deals - from haircuts to breakfast deals - as part of a concerted effort to draw more shoppers to the town throughout February. The idea is not to ask people to spend more money but to spend it differently - and spend it right here in businesses that are based in Wellington. If everyone takes part and tries to change their shopping habits for a month - that will give our local economy a huge boost... Cllrs Lee Carter and John Thompson have made donations to help with promotion and success of this initiative in Wellington.

KEN FRANCIS BUTCHERS Q U A L I T Y B U TC H E R S Est 1979

● Butchers and purveyors of the ﬁnest local lamb, beef, pork and chicken. ● We cater for the more adventurous customer by providing lesser known cuts of meat. ● Sausages and burgers are hand made in the shop, ● Ham, pork, beef, and turkey are expertly cooked on the premises. ● We’re proud to sell Russell’s pies ● We can wrap items without plastic if you prefer or you’re welcome to bring your own containers.

Fiver in February We’re proud supporters of ‘Love Wellington’ and to that end are oﬀering a ‘Fiver-all-day breakfast’ to support the Fiver in February campaign Please see our facebook or the Love Wellington page for more details. We also supply award winning fresh local poultry at Christmas...

Laura, Lizzie, Tony Lee look forward and seeing you soon! to

9 M A R K E T S T R E E T · W E L L I N G TO N · T E L F O R D T F 1 2 DT · T E L 0 1 9 5 2 2 4 9 9 6 6 www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 07

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05/02/2020 15:57

George Evans The Wrekin’s favourite columnist!

THE WREKIN FOREST Just what is so special about the lands in East Shropshire?

ery few people, even dedicated locals who regularly walk up and round our favourite little mountain, know just how unique the place is. When it comes to identifying a place, one of the most important factors is its geology – the very rocks that make the foundation of the hills and vales, fields and houses that are there. Here, in The Wrekin Forest, we have a mixture of rocks like no other on Earth. The rocks are of such a huge number of variants that you will find nowhere else and support similarly varied wildlife. Royal Forest I have chosen to refer to the small area in which this great variation takes place as The Wrekin Forest but not to specify any particular boundaries to it; let’s say a few miles from the hill itself. Originally, in medieval times, an area was specified here as a Royal Forest, meaning a place where the King had the right to his favourite sport – killing deer and boar. Strict laws were made to prevent ordinary people taking deer or anything else from a Royal Forest and included the death penalty. Gradually forest laws and royal forests disappeared and weren’t used until a few years ago when a book named Secrets of The Wrekin Forest was published. Recently there has been an attempt by the organisers of our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which I hope will succeed in giving extra protection to our part of Shropshire.. Where I am currently sitting at my laptop was in a special part of the medieval forest where the deer were bred and fed and it’s here, though it looks very different. When I mention The Wrekin Forest here I mean the whole ecological system, not just the places where there are trees; undergrowth, micro-organisms within the soil, plants, insects, and animals including birds and

08 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 8, 9 George Evans feature.indd 1

human beings and the tiny creatures that live in my intestines and are currently digesting my breakfast. We all live in the forest and eat each other. We are parts of the forest, like it or not. We may not realise it but we humans have been spoiling the rest of the forest for many centuries. 10,000 years ago There were people of a kind here during the Ice Age over 10,000 years ago. They were quite different from us and called Neanderthals after a cave in Germany where their remains were found. They had Stone Age technology similar to that used in Northern Canada by Inuits in my lifetime and then called Eskimos, leaving beautiful cave pictures in England. Like many of the forest creatures (including our ancestors) they walked across where the North Sea now is, before the ice melted (as it is doing now) to get here. The seeds of the forest plants were also able to get here from Europe. It’s strange to think of it but the forest did come of its own accord from the mainland. Gradually, over thousands of years, the ice melted and the forest took its shape and form. It was

said the Neanderthals and modern men could not interbreed; I disagreed but was proved right. Those of us with red hair may be descendants of joint modern/Neanderthal ancestors very long ago. The forest used to cover most of what is now Britain, though in places there were few trees and more swamps and lakes. Around here for instance, the River Severn once ﬂowed into the Dee but the last Ice Age pushed a lot of earth about with its glaciers, after which the Severn was diverted east and south, gauging out the Ironbridge Gorge by waterfalls and rapids. There has never been a time when the Severn and its surroundings were stable for long; even now that all sorts of ﬂood precautions are in place. In fact the whole world is gradually changing naturally, whether we do anything about it or not. Wrecking features Over the centuries and millennia

Please note - The views expressed in Wrekin News by individual contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the editor of Wrekin News nor the publishers, Plus Two Media Limited.

05/02/2020 11:34

Victory in Europe commemoration May 2020 (VE Day) The date of the early May Bank Holiday has been changed to 8 May to coincide with the commemoration of the 75th anniversary Victory in Europe (VE) day, writes Mary Rogers. One of Wellington’s memorials to those who died is in All Saints Church, names remembered here are:- G.N. Barker, L Burrows, S.Cadwallader, R.C.Dickin, H.J.J.H.Hollis, L.W.Owen, S.Owen, T.J. Phillips, A.J.Poole, J.D. Preece. And D.Ward Do any readers of the Wrekin News know anything about these men or any others who died during World War Two and commemorated on the Lychgate or any other Wellington memorial? The picture is provided courtesy of All Saints Church and thanks to the archivist Judy Meeson who took the photograph. Please send any information you have to the Wrekin News, address and contact details can be found on page two.

Your VE Day memories and pictures Do you or any of your family members have any memories or pictures of VE Day? If so, we would love to hear from you... Please write to the Editor James Baylis, Plus2 PO Box 515 Telford TF2 2JE or email - james@plus2media.co.uk

that mankind has been in this wonderful forest we have been wrecking much of the beautiful wild natural features here. We have cut down the local trees and planted foreign ones in their place, destroyed all the living creatures to grub out the rocks beneath, some of which were coal, limestone or ironstone. We have eaten pretty birds and wiped out the huge elephantine mammoths and aurochs, the bears and the wolves. We pretend to own all the land, but do we really, or have the other creatures inhabiting the forest a better claim to ownership? Objections ignored Mankind has been doing these great dis-services to the rest of nature ever since we arrived and we are getting worse, not better. Not long ago, a large area near New Works was destroyed to dig up coal and support the last few months of Buildwas power station, then the dirtiest and most polluting electricity generator in

Europe. Almost all local people opposed this tragedy but our objections were ignored at a local inquiry and the destruction was approved by the inspector. I sat through the inquiry and added to the opposition but with no effect. Many young people bravely dug themselves in or sat in trees to emphasise their opposition and a Doctor testiﬁed to the dangers of the action. They were ignored. Promises were made to reinstate the forest; these were impossible to keep as it would take at least 50 years and many lies were accepted as evidence. By lies I mean statements that were untrue and known by the perpetrators to be untrue but put forward as truth. David Attenborough David Attenborough and the youngsters who support him are right; something must be done. The whole World is in serious danger. This really is the biggest emergency we have had in my long lifetime. Who’ll lead the campaign for The Wrekin Forest? We need a leader; someone must start an organisation and begin to use all our resources, local, national and international. Over to you, speak up NOW!

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8, 9 George Evans feature.indd 2

05/02/2020 11:57

Martin Scholes It’s a very welcome return to the pages of Wrekin News for former news editor Martin Scholes with a regular column - Martin will also be updating the website and Twitter account..

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE IT’S FEBRUARY AGAIN!

hristmas and the New Year are now rapidly receding memories, we have eventually Brexited and doubtless are wondering exactly what that will mean for the future of not only our country but also the Wrekin News area. Only time will tell, of course. However, what are you going to do over the coming year? Perhaps this year (2020, so we are now already 20 years into our future? Gosh!) we could look at doing something different. Are you a householder who was tricked into going for the so-called low maintenance gardening that was all the rage some years ago? Yeah. That never seemed to work out properly, did it? Low maintenance gardening was often an opportunity for weeds to shout “yippee!” as they took over your garden. If you want your garden back in some sort of order (without those masses of weeds taking it over) then please check out your local gardeners and landscaping experts, they’ll be able to offer you their expertise. And if you have trees that are out of hand, please don’t just have them chopped down. It’s far, far better to have them properly dealt with by a qualiﬁed tree surgeon. Trim, don’t kill should be the responsible motto of all people who have stewardship of trees. And perhaps you could think of planting some

10 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 10 Martin Scholes.indd 1

trees, too? Your tree surgeon should be able to advise you, they will know all the different types of species that you could plant, also what types of trees would thrive in the soil in your garden. What about a new hobby? Or an old hobby that you haven’t had time to enjoy over the years? There are plenty of art, pottery and photography clubs available. And club secretaries, please send your details into the Wrekin News so that the readers of the Wrekin News will be able to ﬁnd out what is going on and how they can join in the fun. Have you got spare time on your hands? If so, perhaps now is the time to get volunteering. Check out local charity shops who might need someone to help out behind the counter or behind the scenes. A couple of hours a week, or a couple of days a week, all types of volunteers are required. And there are charities who don’t necessarily have shops requiring volunteers but who do need volunteers to help them deliver services to people in the Wrekin News area. Working with older people, people with health issues, children, etc, etc. You can Check your local library for contact details. Many voluntary groups actually meet up in their local library. There’s always something to do. You can volunteer for a cinema, get involved in walking groups, photography or art clubs, volunteer at

your local library, visit people who would beneﬁt from a visitor, who need their shopping done, etc. There are also local groups that you can join, either physically or on social media services such as Facebook, where people share old photographs of Dawley, Wellington, Hadley, Newport, Madeley, Telford, etc. There’s always the Wrekin News, too. All of the people involved with putting the Wrekin News together love getting letters from you, the readers. So please take pen to paper, or tap out a letter on your trusty old typewriter, or your computer and send your letters to the editor, the address is elsewhere in this magazine. Either in print, the old fashioned way, or via email. If you want to send photographs please do, but do remember to email them as attachments because that’s safer than sending them by post. If you want to look into your family tree, your local librarian will be able to put you in touch with local family tree groups. If you are interested in local history every town or village in the Wrekin News area will have a local history group. Once again, your local library will be able to point you in the right direction. And if your town or village doesn’t, yet, have a local history group, perhaps you could help to start one up? Once again, your library can help by offering a space to meet, notice boards for your announcements, etc.

Please note - The views expressed in Wrekin News by individual contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the editor of Wrekin News nor the publishers, Plus Two Media Limited.

05/02/2020 21:31

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05/02/2020 11:59

Letters to the Editor Send your letters to: james@plus2media.co.uk

Better work conditions and a fair return on our labour! John M. Smith writes again from North Carolina....

illiam Latham of Donnington Wood, often known as the “Shropshire Miners’ Agent”, was my great-uncle. Born in 1860 into a mining family living in Waxhill Barracks, he only received a very basic education. As an adult, he fought doggedly against powerful opponents to raise the living and working conditions of his fellow miners. In doing so, he won appointments to leadership positions in the Trade Union movement, and to seats on Town and County Councils. He was also a Primitive Methodist preacher and a member of the Wellington Board of Guardians. His manner was forceful, forthright and down-to-earth. William started work at age 10 as a boy labourer on a farm earning 6d. for a 13 hour day. The next year he joined his father at the Freehold Colliery in Donnington Wood. The mine had a reputation for being extremely wet and the miners tied up their trousers with string to stay as comfortable as possible. As a boy miner, William earned 2s. 6d. for a 52 hour week, and quickly witnessed the squalid and perilous conditions of working underground. These experiences spurred his determination to improve the circumstances of miners and, when the opportunity arose, other long-suffering workers. William recognized that change is brought about through power … the power of a Town or County Councillor to improve local living conditions, or the power of a Trade Union leader to negotiate wages with mine owners. William became an active member of his Trade Union, the Shropshire Miners’ Association. He was appointed Secretary of the Association in 1887. A year later, the Association became afﬁliated with the Miners’

Federation of Great Britain which greatly expanded William’s reach and influence. In 1907, William was appointed Agent of the Shropshire Miners’ Association which meant that he worked for, and was paid by, the Association. His first major responsibility as Agent was to present evidence to the Royal Commission on Mines in December 1907. Based on his personal experience of 36 years as a miner, William advocated for improved mining regulations to increase the safety of miners. He was particularly concerned about the prevention of common mining “accidents”, and for holding mine owners to account when safety rules were not followed. William’s next major endeavor was to lead the Shropshire miners in the 1912 National Coal Strike. The issue was miners’ wages. Under existing rules, wages fluctuated based on the market price of coal and sometimes fell to subsistence levels. The miners wanted a decent minimum wage to be set. The strike lasted over 5 weeks, during which the Miners’ Federation could not reach an agreement with the mine owners. The strike crippled industry across the country, and brought some of the miners’ families near to destitution. Finally, the Asquith government stepped in and passed the Coal Mine (Minimum Wage) 1912 Act. Apparently, the Act did not yield immediate benefit to the Shropshire Miners as their wages were already at or above the minimum, but they had no choice but to return to work. During the years of the First World War, the miners and mine owners were focused on meeting the needs of the war effort. Nevertheless, the rising costs of coal production, the diminishing returns from the

old coalﬁelds, and increasing coal production in other countries were building a bow wave of troubles that would later culminate in the 1926 General Strike. By 1914, William (still the Shropshire Miners’ Agent) had been elected to the Salop County Council, and was he serving on the Education Committee. F. E. Green recounts an episode involving William and the Education Committee in his book, “A History of the English Agricultural Labourer, 1879-1920”. Early in the war, agricultural labourers were leaving the farms to join up for the Armed Forces. This created a shortage of farm workers to provide the nation’s food supply. Women were registering at Labour Exchanges to volunteer for land work with the Women’s Land

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Army. However, the farmers did not want these volunteers -- they much preferred to have young boys and girls who were paid less and easier to manage. Education Committees controlled by farmers in some rural County Councils were allowing boys and girls aged between 11 and 13 to be taken out of school to work on the farms. When this issue came up to the Salop Council’s Education Committee, William Latham was appalled. F. E. Green writes: “William spoke as one who had been under that foul system of boy labour on the farm. Soon after he was ten years of age he was at work on a farm with a whip in his hand … (cries of ‘Order’, ‘Order’ from the Committee), and the farmer at night too drunk to pay him. (Loud cries of ‘Order’ and ‘Chair’). Could they wonder that he was on his feet,

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12 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 12, 13 Letters.indd 1

05/02/2020 18:45

William personally, and certainly had access to some of his photographs. Cyril wrote a fitting tribute to William Latham in the Shropshire Magazine of June, 1976 and included some photographs. Two of those photographs are used in this article and, as I continue my account of William’s life, I will borrow from Cyril’s writing. Cyril provides the following story about the 1926 strike. During the time of poverty, William had a small poultry holding in his garden. One day, he addressed a large gathering of miners, saying “My religious principles would not allow me to advise stealing, but it is difficult to see one’s children go hungry”. Next morning, William’s poultry houses were empty, and chalked across the door was “Thanks Bill”. From August to October 1926, during the aftermath of the General Strike, William attended a conference in Russia as the representative of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain. The conference was hosted by the Miners’ Union of the USSR. Cyril reports: “He made dramatic speeches of appeal for international co-operation in coal protesting? He was there to protect production and usage, and for mutual the lads of the agricultural workers, support of the miners’ cause for better 90 per cent of whom … were not wages and living conditions.” “At the represented on that Council. The end of the conference, he was presented farm labourer was tied hand and foot with a photographic record album of to the farmer. He was reminded of the meetings in Leningrad, Moscow and the saying that -- To be Shropshire Kharkov. One photograph represents born and bred, Is to be strong in the William Latham proudly being muscle, And weak in the yed. And it presented with a bouquet as the main is to keep these children weak in the speaker at the Moscower Trade Union head that they had this request for Council.” boys of twelve on the land.” In the following years, the In 1926, miners’ wages were mining industry was in turmoil and decreasing in real terms, but at the Shropshire miners continued the same time coal production to struggle. These years were had become unprofitable for the undoubtedly hard for William. He mine owners. The miners wanted felt disillusioned about the conflicts a pay raise, and the mine owners within the Trade Union movement, wanted either a pay reduction or and how the TUC had let down the longer working hours. It was the Miners’ Federation in their great hour job of William Latham to help the of need. He was disappointed that Shropshire Miners find a way through the Baldwin government had resisted this intractable conflict. In May, the pressure from the Miner’s Federation mine owners locked out the miners. to nationalize the mining industry. Three days later, the Trades Union He must have wondered, when push Congress (TUC) called a General came to shove, what more the Miner’s Strike in support of the miners. The Federation could have done to achieve strike lasted 9 days and brought out 1 progress in the face of a recalcitrant million miners and 1.75 million other government and hard economic workers. There was considerable conditions. Nevertheless, his work violence including the derailing of provided guidance and continuing hope the Flying Scotsman. In the end, the for the struggles that still lay ahead for TUC called off the strike leaving the the collieries in Shropshire and around miners to fend for themselves. By the country. November, the Miners’ Federation William died aged 73 in January capitulated due to the deprivation of 1933 leaving behind his wife Elizabeth the miners and their families. Most (Gittins) and his eight children. Cyril miners returned to work for reduced provides some appropriate last words: pay or increased hours, but some “Shropshire miners and all trade remained unemployed for years. unionists could not pay a better tribute Cyril Nicholls, a retired Finance to the memory of William Latham than Director and Secretary of the by repeating the message they left for Lilleshall Company, probably knew him in 1926, Thanks Bill.” www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 13

12, 13 Letters.indd 2

05/02/2020 18:45

YOUR WELLINGTON

The latest news and events from Wellington Town Council

T! OOU ON S

Dropping through your door very soon a brand new newsletter from Wellington Town Council with lots news about what's going on in your town! You can also pick up a copy from the Town Council oﬀ ices...

Grant Applications Wellington Town Council every year awards Minor Grants to local organisations and charities to assist them to achieve their aims and objectives and this year is no exception. The Town Council is keen to assist and support the valuable work these types of organisations undertake in the Parish as they play a vital role in the local community Grant applications must be from a properly constituted group, club, committee or charity which must show that the group has charitable/ community aims and beneﬁts the residents of Wellington. Groups are encouraged to apply, and should not take the view that if they have applied before that they can’t submit a further application. Forms are available now and should be submitted by the end of February prior to the applications being considered by the Town Councils’ Grants Panel in early March. Forms can be obtained directly from the Town Council website: www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk

WELLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL Follow us on Twitter - twitter.com/WellingtonTCl Facebook - www.facebook.com/WellingtonTCShropshire Civic Oﬃces, Larkin Way, Tan Bank, Wellington TF1 1LX Telephone - 01952 567696 Oﬀ ice Hours: Monday to Friday 10.30am – 3.30pm

www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk Wellington Town Council Advert FP.indd 1

05/02/2020 11:10

Saturday 11th - Festive Re-Wind £15.95pp

January

If, like us, you have been so busy ensuring everyone else has a great Christmas and New Year this is for 11th - Festive you! Saturday Join us as we re-create all theRe-Wind festive fun and roll Christmas & the£15.95pp New Year into one party night. 3-course Christmas dinner, crackers, novelties and If, like us, you have been so busy ensuring everyone dancing till late. else has a great Christmas and New Year this is for you! Join us as we re-create all the festive fun and roll Christmas & the New Year into one party night. 3-course Christmas dinner, crackers, novelties and Sunday dancing 9th - Wedding Fayre till late. Experience for yourself the magic of weddings at Buckatree Hall Hotel. A selection of Shropshire’s finest wedding specialists join our wedding co-ordinators to answer your9th questions and guide you on your Sunday - Wedding Fayre specialthe journey. Experience for yourself magic of weddings at Buckatree Hall Hotel. A selection of Shropshire’s finFriday 14th & Saturday 15th est wedding specialists join our wedding co-ordinators to answer Valentines your questionsDinner and guide you on your special journey.

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Enjoy aFriday sensuous 4-course, candle lit 15th dinner in the 14th & Saturday traditional surroundings of our Lakeside restaurant. Valentines Dinner Includes a rose for the ladies and chocolate petit fours. £49.00 per couple Enjoy a sensuous 4-course, candle lit dinner in the 14th-16th traditional surroundings of our Lakeside restaurant. Weekend Includes Romantic a rose for the ladies andBreaks chocolate petit fours. £159.00 per stay An extra special 2-night break to include, full English 14th-16th breakfast and a candle lit dinner on either the first or Romantic Breaks second night withWeekend a glass of chilled Prosecco.

£159.00 per stay An extra special 2-night break to include, full English Friday 21st - Tribute to McCartney andor breakfast and a candle lit dinner on either the first second night with of chilled Prosecco. Thea glass Beatles £17.50pp Our Beatles tribute is the perfect antidote to aand ‘Hard Friday 21st - Tribute to McCartney Days Night!’- Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed The Beatles by a live performance and dance the night away. £17.50pp

March

Our Beatles tribute is the perfect antidote to a ‘Hard Days Night!’- Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed by a live performance and dance the night away. Sunday 22nd - Mother’s Day Lunch

March

£17.50 adult | £8.95 child

Give mum the perfect Mother’s Day gift and treat her to lunch at Buckatree Hall. Includes a delicious Sunday 22nd - Mother’s 3-course lunch followed by coffee Day and aLunch gift for all on|the day. child £17.50mums adult £8.95 Give mum the perfect Mother’s Day gift and treat Mother’s Day Afternoon her to lunch at Buckatree Hall. IncludesTea a delicious 3-course lunch followed by coffee and a gift for all £16.95 adult | £7.50 child mums on thetea day. A chocolate lover’s afternoon with Prosecco and traditional accompaniments.

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Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea £16.9528th adult- Motown | £7.50 child Saturday Magic A chocolate lover’s afternoon tea with Prosecco and £17.50pp

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April

2020 EVENT CALENDAR 2016 April

April

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Sunday 12th - Easter Sunday Lunch £15.95 | £8.95 Friday 24thadult - Soul Diva child Tribute

A traditional roast Sunday lunch with children’s £17.50pp entertainment. Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed by a live tribute performance to some of the greatest female Friday 24th Soul Diva Tribute vocalists of all time -including Whitney Houston, Gladys Night, Diana Ross and Tina Turner. £17.50pp Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed by a live tribute performance to some of the greatest female vocalists of all time including Whitney Houston, Gladys Night,22nd Diana Ross andTribute Tina Turner. Friday - Cher

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£15.95 adult | £8.95

Treat Dad to Sunday lunch. Includes a delicious 3-course lunch and a gift for the man himself.

Sunday 21st - Father’s Day Lunch Father’s Dayadult ‘Hobson’s £15.95 | £8.95Best’ Treat Dad to Sunday lunch. Includes a delicious Afternoon Tea 3-course lunch and a gift for the man himself. £16.95pp We have teamedDay up with HobsonsBest’ brewery to Father’s ‘Hobson’s bring dad a special afternoon tea which includes Tea a Shropshire aleAfternoon sample board and a selection of savoury treats. £16.95pp

We have teamed up with Hobsons brewery to Friday 26th bring dad a special afternoon teaMania which includes a Shropshire ale sample board and a selection of £17.50pp savouryGimme! treats. Gimme! - Enjoy Leap for joy and Gimme! a 3-course evening meal followed by a live perfor26th and - danceMania mance ofFriday ABBA classics the night away. Celebrating a Birthday? Special Overnight Party £17.50pp Package Leapbirthday for joy cake and Gimme! Gimme! - Enjoy Free for the Gimme! book any ofbe ourfollowed events aTo 3-course evening meal bycheck-in a live perforbirthday guest (must Includes from mance of ABBA classics and2.00pm, dance the night away. pre-booked and minimum party night Call: 01952 641821 party numbers of 10 apply). accommodation with full Email: sales@buckatreehallhotel.com English breakfast and a box Hen Party? Visit www.buckatreehallhotel.com To book any of our events of chocolates in your room Brides go free on parties Call: 01952 641821 (based on 2 people sharing of 20 or more (entrance a double or twin bedded toEmail: the partysales@buckatreehallhotel.com night only, not standard room – upgrades Visit www.buckatreehallhotel.com Looking for the perfect gift? Personalised accommodation). available at an additional cost). vouchers Gift Vouchersavailable for all events at the hotel

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MARCH

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to keep you from getting your booking ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ - Motown Magic EnjoySaturday a 3-course 28th evening meal followed by a live performance of some of the best Motown hits and £17.50pp dance the Enough” night away. “Ain’t No Mountain High to keep you from getting your booking ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed by a live performance of some of the best Motown hits and dance- the night Sunday away. Sunday 12th Easter Lunch

Enjoy a 3-course evening meal followed by a live tribute performance to some of the greatest female vocalists of all time including Whitney Houston, Buckatree Hall Hotel FP WN issue 248.indd 1 Gladys Night, Diana Ross and Tina Turner.

05/02/2020 11:09

ADVERTORIAL

News from your hospitals Bringing you updates from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH):

Sepsis lecture delivered The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) welcomed Dr Ron Daniels, CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust, to both the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford on Tuesday 28 January.

on delivered a fascinating lecture on the changing face of Sepsis and held a Q&A session at both sites, providing staff with the opportunity to make suggestions, raise concerns and have open and robust discussions about the condition. Speaking after the event, Ron said: “It was fascinating to spend a day at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, not only meeting with the Senior Leadership Team, but also spending time chatting to both senior and junior members of frontline clinical staff across multiple areas. “What was palpable was the appetite for progress. People in Shropshire take sepsis extremely seriously, and are motivated to work hand in hand to drive progress. “Staff and the leadership team acknowledge the challenges both of the past and of recent months and are united in a desire to effect improvement together. Angela Windsor,

● Dr Ron Daniels SaTH’s Sepsis Nurse Practitioner, said: “Tuesday gave SaTH staﬀ members a fantastic opportunity to discuss Sepsis, which can be a complicated condition, with a leading expert. “As a team, we all want to give the safest possible care to our patients whilst balancing risks as best we can. Ron’s insightful lecture and Q&A allowed staﬀ at both hospitals to go home with ideas and opportunities to improve the way we detect and communicate our concerns about Sepsis. Dr Chris Mowatt, Consultant Anaesthesia and Intensive Care and

● Dr Ron Daniels with Arne Rose F1 Training Programme Director, said “It was a great pleasure to welcome Dr Daniels to SaTH. “As well as hearing about the ongoing work done by Sepsis UK in driving the agenda for improving the quality of care he was able to chair a very dynamic discussion. Pharmacists, nurses, consultants, microbiology staﬀ all contributed to a vibrant debate. It was clear to everyone there that SaTH is committed to improving what we do: recognising our shortfalls, creating solutions to these problems, and improving care for our patients.”

Why voluntary registration is worth considering With Sarah Clinton Parry Carver Solicitors

ince April 1986 it has been compulsory to register land ownership in Telford & Wrekin with the Land Registry however the trigger to do so only occurs if something significant happens to that property, for example; a sale, remortgage, inheritance or transfer of equity. If you have been in your house for a number of years (prior to April 1986) and there has been no change in ownership since, your property is likely to be unregistered land. It is therefore worth considering whether to make a voluntary first registration application and there are a number of reasons why you should do so: CONVENIENCE & SECURITY– all records of registered land are kept electronically at Land Registry and unlike unregistered deeds cannot, therefore, be lost, damaged, destroyed or stolen. EVIDENCE OF OWNERSHIP – a registered title provides an up-to-date record of who owns the land or property and includes details of rights which benefit the property and obligations or rights the property is subject to. FRAUD PREVENTION – registered land is less susceptible to property fraud. If your land is registered then Land Registry are able to notify you should any third party make a claim on your land. GETTING YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER – registration means that your property affairs are in order and will be more straightforward for your executors to deal with. GUARANTEE – a registered title is guaranteed by the state giving greater security of title. NO STORAGE FEES – electronic storage of registered titles negates the need to keep the title deeds lodged with a bank or solicitors office for safe keeping. PLAN – a registered title is accompanied by a title plan which is based on the latest Ordnance Survey Map. The plan will show the general extent of the land in the title and therefore reduces the potential for boundary disputes between neighbours. Unregistered title plans are often inaccurate. PROTECTION - registration provides greater protection against the possibility of losing title by adverse possession or ‘squatters rights’ and it can assist in avoiding arguments over boundary issues. RESOLVE ANY PROBLEMS – registration provides an opportunity to resolve any issues with the property title that might have remained undiscovered without the title investigation.

More Information...

If you would like further information on First Registration or any other residential property matter, please contact Sarah Clinton at the Shifnal oﬃce of Parry Carver Solicitors on 01952 460777 or Corina Olivieri at the Wellington oﬀice on 01952 641291 or email: sarah.clinton@parrycarver.co.uk

16 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 16 News NHS.indd 1

05/02/2020 13:48

Free Will Writing Service

Parry Carver Solicitors are supporting Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s Free Will Writing Service, which is available for those aged 55 and over. Whether you are looking to make your first Will or update an existing one, it’s important that you properly plan your financial affairs to ensure your loved ones are looked after. Talk to us at Parry Carver today about having your Will written for free, for that extra peace of mind.

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Roadtest WITH THE WREKIN NEWS MOTORING EDITOR SYD TAYLOR

Vauxhall Grandland X

Elite Nav 1.2 (130PS) Turbo 6sp manual

Grandland X The tooled up twenty first century solution...

Could 2020 be a much needed boost to the new motor market?

’m no clairvoyant but having just enjoyed a spell of blues banishment at the wheel of Vauxhalls new and very stylish SUV, I have to say that the signs are certainly promising. The Vauxhall Grandland X is just the sort of multi-functional tooled up twenty first century solution to today’s transportation requirements that we so desperately need. And that means right now. Today, too many ‘Cassandras of doom’ denigrate progress. A vehicle like the Vauxhall Grandland sings a different, more uplifting tune. If you want a bit more zip in your doo dah, a little more dash in your debonair display deficit, an extra flourish of contour in your cummerbund then this SUV delivers the ‘Hey Presto! revelation’ right from the very first moment you set eyes on its appealing looks and inviting persona. The SUV configuration has pretty much sealed the argument

in it’s favour over the years. Once an innovation, the ‘go anywhere’ appeal of this type of car has firmly established it as a favourite in the market. Today the question is: ‘Which SUV do I choose?’ Here subjective elements are bound to intrude into the business of choice. In the field of decision making nothing is ever wholly rational. But you would have to be - to choose a politically incorrect phrase absolutely bonkers in order to overlook the sensible advantages of putting the new Vauxhall Grandland X right at the top of your SUV shopping list. Frankly I can’t think of a current design that looks as cool on the road as the Grandland X. Sharply styled as anything you are likely to come across, this car, sitting on the tarmac with a ready to roll pose of poised alacrity, sets the pulse racing. Power comes from a choice of engines - a 1.5 diesel or 1.2 petrol; both turbocharged. You can elect to have manual or eight speed automatic with either. Both are fully equal to the task and both remarkably economical given their performance potential. Inside the car you will find a comfy,

cleanly appointed and fuss free cabin that offers as you would expect, all the latest in driver and passenger essentials. I felt at home right away. A few quick minor adjustments to seating and mirrors and I was ready to press the starter button. Yes..I do like a starter button. It takes me back to the days when Rufus and I used to borrow Uncle Reg’s M45 Lagonda Rapide for a quick blast up to Lossiemouth. Our journey amounted to a constant affirmation of the positive attributes displayed by this fine and sensible car. Subjected to a full complement of rather weighty passengers, the 1.2, 130 PS turbo petrol engine driving the front wheels through a six speed manual gearbox, pulled smoothly and robustly throughout its range. (Up to117mph). Ride and handling were found to be top notch and it was such a pleasant and easy car to drive that I felt it stepped into a league of cars costing much more than the £27,915 price of the variant tested. My passengers all commented on the smoothness of progress. In traffic the driving position offered

a wide view of the road while on the motorway the commanding presence of the Grandland X ensured safe and stress free passage. Also there was no escaping the horrors of London traffic - but Hey! If you need to sit nose to tail for an hour or two admiring adrenalinefuelled lycra clad cyclists performing their dangerous pedal dances: if you need this - well, you need to keep a grip on your sanity. At such moments the Grandland X comes to your rescue. It’s certainly the sanest solution to sanity retention. I dropped my passengers off at the pub and looked for a place to park. A long time later, depressed by failure, I returned to The Fiddlers Arms. A true ‘Graceland’ of a car if ever there was. This is a car you need to drive as often as possible for as long as possible. It simply fills the bill for todays motoring needs. The season for jingling bells might be over but I still seemed to hear sonorous chimes drowning the snores emanating from my exhausted passengers. Ring in the New. Ring in the Grandland X.

18 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 18 Syd Taylor Motoring.indd 1

05/02/2020 11:31

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availability and status. 18+. Ts&Cs apply. Package includes RFL and 1 year’s roadside assistance. Figures are based on a non-maintenance contract. 32,000 total contracted mileage. Excess mileage chargeable. You will not own the car. Vauxhall Finance Leasing, CF15 7YT. Orders or registrations from 8 January 2020 to 2 April 2020. Vauxhall Motors Limited reserves the right to change, amend or withdraw this offer at any point05/02/2020 in time. Greenhous Advert FP.indd 1 11:11

Wellington HISTORY GROUP

The three Rs Where did a Victorian child in Wellington go to school? B

By Heather Duckett Wellington History Group

A Wrekin Road School

B Brooklyn House

C Prince’s Street School

A child’s introduction to learning was likely to have been in a Sunday school because there were few other schools.

ducation was in the hands of charities, philanthropists and churches as there was no national state-run system to educate the poor. The well-off sent their children to private fee-paying schools. The churches had a vested interest in educating the young in order to build their community of believers and schools were provided by most denominations, but without them there would have been virtually no education for the poor. In Wellington a school managed by the vicar was situated in All Saints churchyard and mainly supported by voluntary contributions. By 1835 it had become a ‘National’ school in association with The National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Church of England. As in many schools, teaching was on the ‘monitorial’ system where older pupils passed on what they had learned from the schoolmaster

to groups of pupils. The school was severely overcrowded even after the building of a separate infant school. In 1855 the school moved to a new building at Constitution Hill. A Roman Catholic school was established in 1850 in a room behind St Patrick’s Church, at that time situated on Mill Bank. It was somewhat irregular though as William John Archer listed as schoolmaster in a directory of 1851, in the census of the same year, still at Mill Bank, was recorded as a shoemaker. A schoolroom and teacher’s house was built next to the church in 1856 and the opening was celebrated with a ‘tea drinking and soiree’ by more than 300 ‘mostly members of the working community’. Funds were raised through performances at the town hall, and by voluntary contributions. The number of pupils averaged around a hundred in the late Victorian period. By 1939 the school was reported to be in an unsafe condition and alterations were made. 100 years after the school opened a new school was built in North Road in 1955, but two classes of senior pupils remained at Mill Bank until the Blessed Robert Johnson School was built in 1963. The third denomination to open a school in the 1850s in Wellington was the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The Wesleyans purchased land between Mill Bank and the Old Hall. The access road was not given a name until after the death of Prince Albert in 1861 when it became Prince’s Street. The foundation stone was laid on 27 July 1857 which was followed by a ‘public tea meeting’ at the Shropshire Works lent by Messrs Groom, prominent Wesleyans in the town. A few years later the Groom family

paid for the building of an infant schoolroom for 80 pupils on the site. The school continued under trustees until 1911 when it was sold to the county council and became Prince’s Street School. In the 1860s it was clear that there were not enough schools and debate centred round whether the government should fund schools run by religious denominations, and whether schools should be afﬁliated to any denomination. This resulted in the Elementary Education Act 1870 which, while allowing the voluntary schools to remain, established school boards to manage and build new schools. The board was elected from ratepayers and was supported by local rates. Religious teaching in the new board schools was to be non-denominational. Wellington School Board was established in 1872 and found that the National, the Roman Catholic and the Wesleyan schools were all overcrowded. The Catholic and Wesleyan remained as voluntary schools but in 1876 the National in Constitution Hill came under board control. The school board covered the parish not just the town of Wellington, and board schools were built at Hadley and Lawley in the 1870s. In early 1881 the board opened Wrekin Road School having advertised for a certiﬁed collegetrained mistress for the mixed school at an annual salary of £80 and likewise for the infant school at a salary of £50. The advertisement in the Wellington Journal informed that the ‘Wrekin Road Schools are new and erected to accommodate 125 children in the mixed and 125 in the infant department’. School boards were abolished by the

20 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 20, 21 Wellington History Group.indd 1

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Wellington History Group next illustrated

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GRAVE WORDS ADMISSION FREE / DONATIONS WELCOME Education Act 1902 and the schools were then managed by Shropshire County Council. Existing alongside the voluntary and board schools were private schools which provided education for scholars beyond elementary level. Here’s a look at two. Brooklyn House, situated at the Cock Hotel crossroads, was one of the early private schools in Wellington; there had been a school in Watling Street since at least 1841. By 1861 the school was listed as a ladies boarding school and in 1871 Sarah Heginbotham and her mother were the owners of the school. In 1877 a newspaper reported the Heginbothams were leaving, perhaps for this reason. On 27 August 1878 Sarah Heginbotham was married to schoolmaster John Milne. On 18 January 1882 Sarah gave birth to a son Alan Alexander; as A A Milne he was, of course, the author of the much loved book Winnie- the-Pooh. Miss Catherine Wright took over as the principal of Brooklyn

House which was advertised as ‘a high class school for the daughters of gentlemen’ offering ‘unusual educational advantages’ with foreign governesses and French spoken constantly. Miss Alice Sugden took over by 1895 and the school then also catered for day scholars. By 1916 Brooklyn had become a children’s home and by 1934 the cycle shop of Harry Sutch. George Webb founded Wellington Grammar School around 1907 at 56 New Street, and advertised as giving special attention to backward boys. George Webb was still there in 1922 but by 1926 Captain A J Froome had taken it over. By 1827/8 the school moved to the adjacent Belmont, the large house formerly occupied by the Espley family. It became Belmont Hall School, a school for boys 10-17 conducted on public school lines and aimed at parents who wished their boys ‘to acquire a pure English accent’. The school closed in the early 1930s.

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WIN THEATRE TICKETS! HOW TO ENTER Wrekin News has teamed up with The Place, Oakengates and Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury to offer two lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to see our feature shows. All you have to do to enter is send your name, address and daytime telephone number via email to: Tania Baylis - tania@plus2media.co.uk or send a postal entry to: Plus2, PO Box 515, Telford TF2 2JE. Closing date for entries for The Place is FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2020. Closing date for entries for Theatre Severn is THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2020. Terms and conditions apply.

The Stage this month’s top picks MORGAN & WEST SUNDAY 8 MARCH 2020

Morgan & West present captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics, and bonkers biology in this fun for all the family science extravaganza! Expect explosive thrills, chemical spills and a risk assessment that gives their stage manager chills. Leave your lab coats at the door it’s time for Unbelievable Science!

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Saturday 14 March 7.30pm

Wednesday 18 March 8.00pm

Shazia is taking on the burning issues of our time in her latest show for 2019/20.

Mike Farris once again, flies in direct from the USA to perform at the Theatre!

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DOM JOLY’S HOLIDAY SNAPS Travel and Comedy in The Danger Zone

om Joly is best known as the creator of Trigger Happy TV. And now the writer and broadcaster is undertaking his first UK tour since 2011, giving fans a rare opportunity to see him live. Dom will be talking about his exploits as a serial globe-trotting and seeker of dangerous travel spots. From North Korea though the Congo and Syria to Chernobyl, he’s visited some

TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020

BOX OFFICE: 01952 382382 of the most unusual places on the planet. Joly famously attended school with Osama Bin Laden and armed with a trusty Powerpoint, fans can expect his holiday snaps to provide comedy and a sense of danger. The best-selling author will meet fans after the show to sign copies of his latest book, The Hezbollah Hiking Club.

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22 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 22 Entertainment.indd 1

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T IEC T TICK KET

FLICKS

General Manager: Annette Small

Welcome to your new Luxury Cinema here in Telford. We have 10 screens of film magic where we screen all the latest Blockbusters and more, with Live Event showings, Real 3D, and our amazing new I-Sense Screen as well as special shows like our Odeon Kids, Silver Screen, Newbies and more. Every seat on every row has been expertly designed so you can relax and recline during your film. With less seats and extra space, you’ll have a more personal, immersive experience with every visit. Our fine selection of wines, spirits, ciders and beers from our new Oscars Bar, sit perfectly alongside our irresistible new menu of hot and chilled food. Plus with your own table built into your seat, you can enjoy your delicious cinema snacks in maximum comfort. This is just you and the film – and cinema has never felt better. Our newly re-fitted Costa is now open and ready to delight you with the very best Coffee, and surroundings to further relax, and soak up the atmosphere. Parking is available at the cinema for the perfect spot!

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Wrekin News has teamed up with the Odeon Cinema, Telford to oﬀer TWO lucky reader’s a pair of standard cinema tickets to a film of your choice. Just send your name and telephone contact via email to: Tania Baylis - tania@plus2media.co.uk or post your entry to - Plus2, PO Box 515, Telford TF2 2JE - Closing date for entries is Thursday 27 February 2020. - GOOD LUCK!

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‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ is a live-action adventure comedy based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega that centers on the infamously brash bright blue hedgehog. The ﬁlm follows the (mis)adventures of Sonic as he navigates the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound - human - best friend Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). Sonic and Tom join forces to try and stop the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from capturing Sonic and using his immense powers for world domination.

www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 23

05/02/2020 17:46

PICTURE THAT: TELFORD’S STORY When creating Telford, Shropshire’s New Town, Telford Development Corporation amassed a huge photographic collection, of nearly 15,000 images. The Collection, which has remained largely inaccessible, includes fascinating images of Telford before and during early stages of its development from the 1960’s and 70’s; most of which have never been seen by the public.

rekin Local Studies Forum, founded 20 years ago and made up of several local history groups in the Telford and Wrekin area, in partnership with Shropshire Archives, is preparing a Heritage Fund bid to enable The Forum to catalogue, digitize and make these pictures available online for everyone interested in Telford’s story. Asked about the project, current Chair of the Forum, Darren Blackburn says “Picture That: Telford’s Story will open up the history of our town and also provide opportunities for volunteering and learning new skills. We are looking forward to working in partnership with Shropshire Archives, and making this important collection available for all local people and historians.” The project also has support from Telford From February 17th to March 7th and Wrekin Council. Wrekin Local Studies Forum are holding a consultation to gather support for our Cllr Carolyn Healy Heritage Fund bid to get the TDC Photo Archive digitised. 15,000 images that tell Cabinet Member for the unique story of our Town in fascinating pictures! Visitor Economy and To take part - you can visit us at one of The World Heritage several drop in sessions including... Site said “The Telford Monday 17th February Anstice, Madeley 10.00am - 4.00pm at 50 celebrations Tuesday 18th February have ignited a Anstice, Madeley - 2.00pm - 3.00pm growing interest in Wednesday 19th February the history of the New Newport Library - 2.00pm - 3.00pm Town and several Saturday 22nd February Southwater Library, Telford Town Centre Facebook groups 10.00am to 2.00pm are used to share Saturday 7th March Community History Day: Wellington Charter Day photographs of the Wellington Library - 10.30am to 1.00pm town’s development. Look out for other venues online via our Facebook... www.facebook.com/groups/WrekinLocalStudies/ Telford and Wrekin OR you can visit the WLSF website - and use the very Council are delighted quick and easy online questionnaire! Go to http://www.wlsf.org.uk/picture-that-project/picture-that/ to support this project which will Join our local host communityenable access to the picturethattelfordstory@gmail.com Barking Mad holiday host Telford Development Corporation archive.” www.wlsf.org.uk As part of the bid, we need Telford residents, and those who have any connection with the town, to show their support for Picture That: Telford’s Story. The Forum would like not just those already interested in history to take part but also people, families and diverse ethnic communities in the Town – to enjoy the Collection if the bid is a success.

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So, from 17th February to March 7th we’re having a public consultation. This will be done in 2 ways; both using a very easy, very simple questionnaire. The ﬁrst way is online – visit our website using this link – http://www.wlsf.org.uk/picture-that-project/picture-that/ The other is a number of drop- in sessions at various venues during the period, including family half-term activities in libraries with help from Telford and Wrekin Library Service where both ﬁll in forms/ via computer will be used.

Other venues include: The Anstice, Madeley - Monday February 17th from 10.00am to 4.00pm Southwater Library, Southwater One, Telford Town Centre – Saturday 22nd February from 10.00am to 2.00pm Community History Day/ Charter Day – Wellington Library – Saturday 7th March from 10.00am to 1.00pm Updates on Picture That: Telford’s Story will be made as the project progresses. Watch this space!

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Put a Spring in your step! There’s still plenty of time to make your New Year’s Resolutions and why not make walking one of them? It’s free and it does you good!

o help make it a regular habit, why not try a Walking for Health walk? They offer a weekly programme of short walks from 15 different venues across Telford on different days and at different times. Try something local or use them to explore a new area of Telford. They range from 30 to 90 minutes so they’re easy to fit in and you can join any walk. Groups are welcoming, supportive and friendly – give it a go! Contact info@ walkingforhealthtelfordandwrekin.org.uk or visit their website : www.walkingforhealthtelfordandwrekin.org.uk Alternatively, as part of their programme, Telford Ramblers offer a Short and Social walk on the first Thursday of every month. These are more leisurely walks of around 5 miles, that start and end at a local pub or café, with the option to stay for lunch at the end. Depending on the location, there is sometimes

a meet at Sainsburys at the Forge Retail Park, Telford, to car share to the start of the walk. Again, the emphasis is on enjoying a walk and they’re a great way to get out and about. For more information about these and their full programme of walks see: www.tesramblers.org.uk Or, if you’re more target driven and need a challenge, the Ironbridge Gorge Walking Festival is fast approaching. It runs from Saturday 2nd May – Sunday 10th May 2020 and offers over 60 different walks of all different lengths. There’s something for everyone and new for this year is a 25 mile challenge. Receive a medal for completing 25 miles over 4 separate days or more. With 9 days of walks, with over a third of them of 4 miles or less and a choice of these every day, it’s not such a big ask! (There’s medals for 50 and 100 miles too, if your preparation goes really well!). Many of the shorter walks offer a lot of information about different aspects of the gorge, the wildlife, the history, the geology, so very often you don’t even realise how far you’ve walked! For more information see: www.ironbridgewalking.co.uk and their leaflet detailing all the walks will be available locally by mid February. So, no more excuses, take that first step!

Quiz Night for All Saints

There is a quiz night being held at the All Saints Community Hall on 28 February raising funds for the organ restoration project at All Saints Church, Wellington. The quiz starts at 7.30pm and costs £5 per head, teams of four or ﬁve and please bring your own refreshments (tea and coffee provided). Save the date - On Friday 13 March there will be a music concert with a choir and musicians from Old Hall and Wrekin College. 7pm start in All Saints Church, Wellington.

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Part of www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 25

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Care & Community Could you get behind the wheel for charity? An urgent appeal for volunteer van drivers has been put out by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.

he local charity offers a free furniture collection service in Oswestry and Wellington. But there aren’t enough volunteer drivers to go round. Volunteering for Age UK is rewarding and fun as Barry Church, 68, can confirm. He worked as a shift foreman for GKN Sankey and other local firms before retiring three years ago. “My retirement plan is to keep active, and as a driver or a porter you are kept very busy. The work is varied, and it’s not just about delivering and collecting furniture. For some of the older people we visit, we are the only people they’ll see all week, so we try to make time for a

chat.” People think moving furniture is all about physical strength, but Barry says there’s a bit more to it than that. “You need to be calm and level-headed, and patient too as people can sometimes get a bit stressed when furniture is being moved.” The two Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin furniture shops raise vital funds for information and advice services for older people – unlocking millions in benefits and making sure the vulnerable receive the right advice. Shop manager Paula Hinks says:

“We are looking for people who are local to Oswestry and Wellington and can be make a commitment to volunteering some time each week.” Barry adds: “There’s a lot of problem solving involved. We recently got a chest of drawers up a spiral staircase. Most of all, it’s great to have a laugh and a joke with other volunteers. I get the fellowship I was losing out on after retiring, and the work keeps me active.” If you want to find out more about volunteering with Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin please contact Janice Williams or Becky Kelly on 01743 588570. Alternatively, if you wish to find out more about volunteering in general, then please email volunteering@ageukstw.org.uk or visit ageukshropshireandtelford.org.uk.

26 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 26 Community.indd 1

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29 Adverts.indd 1

05/02/2020 11:22

Garden Home

A Wrekin News feature

Time to venture into the garden on mild days only!

he snowdrops are showing colour and I have seen a few crocus starting to ﬂower, and this is being written in mid- January! The days will now be lengthening which will give little more time to carry out any maintenance jobs in the garden. Do not, however, attempt to do anything until we have had a reasonable dry spell because walking on saturated ground can do a great deal of damage to the soil structure. It compacts the soil and pushes out what air there is which is needed by the plants roots to ensure strong growth. If the weather has improved by the time you read this, if not we have all probably ﬂoated away, there will be a lot of catching up to do. With our very variable summer last year some plants have put on a lot of growth and will need to brought back under control. It is possible with a hard prune to bring overgrown plants back to manageable proportions and restore the look of your garden without great expense. At least now we are starting to see some

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Robert Hudson of Lilyhurst Plant Centre flowers again the winter clematis such as freckles should be flowering as well the early shrubs such the dwarf rhododendrons and camellias. Even the Japanese quince (chaenomeles) can start to flower before the end of the month, weather permitting! This should all encourage venturing into the garden on mild days. Where gaps have appeared it is possible to replant as long as the

ground is nether frozen, although to date we have had very few frosts and even the ones we have had were not sufficient to cause too many problems, or waterlogged. There is still time to use bare root plants, which will save cash in these difficult times, although the time to do so is running out, as will be their availability. Do, however, remember to check regularly to see that a stiff breeze has not loosened the root ball, as this will discourage the plant from starting to grow. Winter flowering shrubs such as

viburnum tinus can be pruned as soon as the flowers have finished, some of the specimens around my own garden actually finished flowering in December last year but have been left as they give the birds cover if there are some cold days. Towards the end of the month the late flowering clematis can be pruned hard back to encourage fresh vigorous growth which should hopefully, again weather permitting, produce masses of flowers at the end of the year.

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28 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 28 Gardening.indd 1

05/02/2020 12:24

Theatre Review

with Chris Owen

with

Austin Powell

A little bit of Mirror Magic comes to Donnington

The Record Man

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Little Theatre Donnington Panto Review 2020 ell folks its Panto Time again - (Oh No it isn’t -

Oh Yes It is !!) Here in Panto-land the Wrekin News’, resident theatre reviewer, Chris Owen, was invited once upon a time again by the Little Theatre in Donnington to attend their latest production of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale: Snow White on Saturday 18th January. This production’s modern twist with a script by Director Garry Bailey was both funny, witty and a treat for all theatre goers from three to eighty-three. Chris commented: ‘The catchy sing-along score of pop-music standards ranging from the Beatles to Alice Cooper and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown kept the capacity audience comprising mainly families with very small children, enthralled from beginning to end of the performance. Which is no mean feat and serves to underscore the value of good old-fashioned live entertainment in these days of myriad multi-media alternatives.’ The show opened with a very clever effects trick in the Hall of the Magic Mirror when the face of Astero appears to the audience from inside the mirror itself at the behest of Queen Morgana. Chris commented: ‘I’m still trying to work out how this ‘live’ piece of technical wizardry was achieved.’ Chris added, ‘Thrilling pyrotechnics were only topped by a state of the art graphics animation projection depicting a ride on a runaway mine cart - Indiana Jones style, at the beginning of act two.’ Chris continued: ‘Despite some minor sound ampliﬁcation glitches the talented cast sang their collective hearts out across numerous complex and rapid yet seamless scenery and costume changes - making this one of Little Theatre’s more highly ambitious Panto productions to date. Which emphasises the fact that there is surprisingly abundant home-grown amateur theatre talent abroad in Telford. Special mention should go to the two lead players Cathy Rawlings (Snow White) and Nina Aver (Prince Rupert) who displayed equally fabulous singing and acting talent. Keeping the show on an even and hilarious keel they were ably supported by Indraroop Chakraborty (Buckles), Mike Rawlings (Lord Pierre) Simon Whitehouse (Dame Honoria) Sue Rawlings (Queen Morgana) Rob Grant (Astero the Wizard) Simon Lloyd-Roberts and Cameron McIntyre (Ragwort & Knotweed) The whole cast were deftly supported in the dance routines ranging from cod ballet to modern dance, by the talented LTD chorus. Chris commented: This panoply of vocal talent were musically supported by the commendably rare addition of a live orchestra comprising: C.J. Allen (Keyboard 1), Sam Deakin (Keyboard 2), Megan Gradwell (Trumpet), Adam Farrington-Horsfall (Saxophone & Trombone), Harrison Bradbury (Bass) and Chris Massey (Drums). The costume and lighting were superb as were the well-fashioned heads of the seven dwarfs comprising talented young mime performers backed by a ‘live’ voice-over sound track utilising a mix of midland accents.

HADS next production will be

‘DEADLY NIGHTCAP’ The Francis durbridge classic mystery thriller Directed by Lynne Home – 23 - 25 April 2020 all the usual Box Office contacts apply

Instrumental Gold Various Artists

ow here’s a CD that simply has to be played loud! Instrumentals were all the rage in the late fifties and very early sixties and this 2xCD set brings together five of the biggest stars of that genre. The Champs’ Tequila is as instantly recognisable today as it was when it was a huge hit in 1958, a track originally destined to be the throwaway B side but which turned out to be a million seller. Follow-ups didn’t fare so well, but here’s the group’s original album and, as a bonus, Chariot Rock, a single from 1959. Johnny & The Hurricanes were regular hit makers here in Britain and, here too, is their first LP which includes Red River Rock (a # 3 from 1959) and, as a bonus, Reveille Rock (# 14, 1959), but don’t discount Crossfire, an instrumental fans’ fave for years. Duane Eddy was among the first to corrupt the English language; the” twang’s the thang”, summed up his style and delivered many a hit, not least of which was Because They’re Young included here alongside other Top 20 hits Rebel Rouser, Some

Avid AMSC 1360

Kinda Earthquake and Forty Miles Of Bad Road. By way of a bonus comes Theme From Dixie, a Top 10 hit from 1961. Bill Haley And His Comets also jumped on the instrumentals gravy train in 1959 with mixed results, but his Strictly Instrumental LP is a welcome inclusion here as it’s rarely been reissued in the past. Joey’s Song was an American hit and hogged the top spot in Australia for eight weeks! Otherwise the LP is a mix of originals (Cat Walk, Shaky) and standards (Mack The Knife, In A Little Spanish Town). Finally there’s Sandy Nelson who first came to fame with Teen Beat (included here as a bonus track), but then had America’s teenagers out on the dance floor with Drums Are My Beat, the track which gave Nelson’s second LP its name. Foot tapping stuff from beginning to end, but do check out the ten minute long The Birth Of The Beat to get a flavour of his expertise. Here’s two and a half hours of instrumental gold which has stood the test of time and all at a budget price.

● Austin Powell spent almost all his working life in the music business beginning in his home area of Mid Wales in the mid-sixties. For some years he managed popular Telford pop group Fluﬀ, before moving to London where he worked in record promotion, music publishing and the management of record labels. Over the years he’s also managed several successful radio stations. Now retired, his love of music is undimmed and, although now retired, he continues to write regular features for ‘Record Collector’ magazine about the music of the sixties and seventies. www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 29

29 The Record Man.indd 1

05/02/2020 17:07

Sport Wrekin News

Book Review

email your sports story to: james@plus2media.co.uk

AFC TELFORD FACE CRUCIAL CLASHES THIS FEBRUARY AFC Telford produced a first win of 2020 in January with a six goal thriller over Blyth Spartans, amid disruption via postponed games. They now look forward to extending upon that victory in crucial clashes in February.

he Bucks ended the month on a positive following a convincing victory over troubled Blyth Spartans with the goals coming from Aaron Williams, Marcus Dinanga, Ryan Barnett and Damon Mullen who scored an own goal. The Bucks were originally due to play the game at the start of January however had the game called off at New Bucks Head due to pitch issues. Yet the Bucks recorded the victory following on from a difficult month which saw them go toe to toe with sides pushing for automatic promotion and coming on the wrong end of the scorelines. This by no means reflects the displays with a plucky effort on show against the likes of Brackley and York City. The Bucks arguably produced one of their best performances of the season in the first half against

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FOOTBALL ROUND-UP WITH JAMIE MORRIS

Brackley, yet a Lee Ndlovu goal was the difference between the sides. The Bucks were caught out against the run of the play and despite throwing everything at trying to level the score up, the game passed them by following a professional away display. Gavin Cowan’s after the match said: “After they scored I think we were putting our game plan into place really well, we showed a lot of discipline, a lot of patience. And then they caught us out on the counter which was a really good goal. They then had a trip to York City which saw them defend so well for most of the game and even had a few chances of their own to nick a goal. The match was won late on with two late goals as the persistence of the hosts was too much in the end, when Elliot Durrell grabbed a goal commencing a touch at the back post. Jordan Burrows then scored the pick of the goals as he lobbed the keeper impressively from the left hand side and even beat Theo Streete on the line to then seal the game. Gavin after the match said: “I’m gutted for the players, their attitude and application was first class today and I think they played out the game strategy well but again we’re talking about fine margins. In the grand scheme of things were not even on the same level as York City. The first game of the new year saw them take a point away with Alfreton proving a stern test as James McQuilkin scored early doors from close range. Before Ben Tomlinson scratched the early goal off by getting one back for the hosts. The Bucks now look forward to February where two games in quick succession against Altrincham could propel them more up towards the top half and away from any potential bother at the bottom.

A Bitter Resentment by JJ Roberts

hey bitterly resented him. For one of them, revenge would be sweet. Richard Jarsdel is a spiteful and obstinate boss, husband and father, who takes pleasure in crushing the fragile happiness of those around him. But his behaviour comes at a cost. Anchored to the past and suffering a painful bereavement, Private Investigator William Bailey is desperate for a change from photographing adulterous couples. When an old friend and defence solicitor offers him a challenge to find evidence of a young man’s innocence and save him from a life sentence, he grabs the chance to use his detective skills. But key evidence is missing and the accused keeps a deadly secret. Unconvinced of the other suspects’ alibis and half-truths, Will struggles to make sense of it whilst battling his own insecurities. When the accused makes a life changing decision, Will’s patience is stretched to breaking point. Can he get the evidence he needs before his own chance of happiness is threatened forever? l Other books in the William Bailey series are: In Their Absence and The Wrongful Rights.

A Bitter Resentment was published in December 2019. It can be downloaded from Amazon onto Kindle devices.

30 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 30 Sport.indd 1

05/02/2020 18:15

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