1

PROGRAMME5 Dec Annual Dinner, Lion Hotel2 Jan Broseley Brick & Tile by Steve Dewhirst6 Feb Electrical Engineer Extraordinary

(Thomas Parker) by Janet Doody6 Mar Annual Wilkinson Lecture, Edward

Blakeway, Entrepreneur by Paul Luter3 Apr Local Industrial Archaeology by Shane

Kelleher1 May Leighton Model Farm by Peter Platt5 Jun Summer Event6 Jul Annual OutingFurther details from Neil Clarke 01952 504135.

NEW MEMBERSThe Society would like to welcome the followingnew members:

John Beverly, Broseley Revd Sue Beverly, Broseley Emma James, Broseley Derek Osborn, Broseley Jennie Osborn, Broseley Florence Smith, Broseley A Williams, Warrington R Williams, Warrington W Jeremy Wilkinson, Stirlingshire

CHRISTMAS DINNER

Wednesday 5 DecemberThe Lion, High Street7.30 for 7.45 pm£18.95 per personThe Society’s Christmas dinner is always anevent to which members look forward and onceagain will be held at The Lion Hotel in the HighStreet.

An evening not to be missed, do make sure to bookyour place by not later than Friday 30 Novemberby completing the form on p15 and returning it

CONTENTS

Programme page 1

New Members page 1

Christmas Dinner page 1

Annual General Meeting page 2

Previous Meetings

The Railway Navvies page 2 Our First Forty Years page 5

New Presidents page 7

New Committee Member page 9

The Hanging Tree page 9

David Lake - a celebration page 10

A Royal Visit page 10

Society Publications page 10

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust page 10

Severn Gorge Countryside Trust page 11

What’s On? page 11

Bookshop page 11

Mailbox page 12

Christmas Dinner booking form page 15

NewsletterNewsletter of the Broseley Local History SocietyIncorporating the Wilkinson Society

November 2012

MEETINGS

Meetings of the Broseley Local History Societyare held on the first Wednesday of each month at7.30 pm at the Broseley Social Club, High Street,unless otherwise announced. Car parking isavailable at the back of the Club.

Members are requested to be seated by 7.30 pm toallow speakers a prompt start.

Visitors are welcome but are asked to give adonation towards Society funds.

2

with your payment to Janet Robinson, 26 CoalportRoad, Broseley, TF12 5AZ. Cheques should bemade payable to the Broseley Local HistorySociety.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGThe Society’s AGM was held on 3 October whenchairman Gillian Pope reminded the meeting thatthis year was the 40th anniversary of thefoundation of the Society. She then gave a resuméof the year’s activities which had included variousinteresting talks, a summer visit to Stanley Halland a thoroughly enjoyable trip to LiverpoolDocks. She also deplored the loss of two long termmembers of the Society, Ken Jones and DavidLake, who had both died during this past year.Both of them had had a huge store of invaluableknowledge of local history and their deaths will bea great loss to the Society.

She thanked the committee, as well as the tworetiring presidents, Harold Grice and Nora Lane,for their support over the past year and said thatmembership was still going from strength tostrength, with numbers well over the 200 mark.

The major highlight of the year, however, had beenthe publication of Frank Dawson’s book JohnWilkinson, King of the Ironmasters. Twosuccessful book launches had been held, one atCastlehead, John Wilkinson’s home in Cumbria,and one at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, both ofwhich had been well attended.

The Society now had two display cases of artefactsin the newly refurbished Cemetery Chapel. Thishad been open to the public on Sundays during thesummer and the chairman thanked the manymembers who had acted as volunteers. More itemsof interest, including books and papers, will beavailable for perusal when it re-opens in the spring.

Welcome news from treasurer Jim Cooper was thatthe Society’s finances were in good health and thatdespite steep rises in, particularly, postage costsmembership fees will remain at £6.00 for a singleperson and £10.00 for a couple for the coming year.

Present committee members all agreed to stand foranother year and they were voted back in, whileAndy Wellings was also voted in to fill the

vacancy left by the death of David Lake. Inaddition Vin Callcut and Joan Griffiths were askedto become joint presidents of the Society for thecoming two years.

Subscriptions for the year are now due, and thosewho have not yet paid are asked to send theircheque, made out to Broseley Local HistorySociety, to the membership secretary JanetRobinson, whose address appears on p13.

The AGM was followed by a presentation by NeilClarke and others on Our First Forty Years, afterwhich members were invited to celebrate with adrink and nibbles, while Neil was asked to ‘cut thecake’ which had been decorated with the Society’slogo by Janet Robinson.

Also on offer werespecially producedfiles for theNewsletters. With asmart black finish, andembossed with theSociety’s logo, theseare a one-off offercelebrating the 40thanniversary. They areavailable from JanLancaster at £3.00 each,tel: 01952 884766 or email: malmaxuk@aol.com.

PREVIOUS MEETINGSThe Railway NavviesMembers were in for a pleasant surprise inSeptember when Colin Bargery’s talk on theRailway Navvies turned out to be very much onewith a difference. For not only did he trace thehistory of both British and Irish navvies in theirinvolvement in the building of canals and railwaysthroughout the country, he enlivened his talk byfrequently bursting into song.

Colin began this talk by saying that the earlymeans of transport of goods in Britain had been byriver. However, the advent of the industrialrevolution, and its demand for a reliable transportsystem, soon found this method unreliable andinadequate and industrialists sought a better meansby which to ship their goods. The construction of

3

new paddle steamer services to Liverpool manymore came over looking for more permanent work,often bringing their families with them.

As is sometimes the case today, many peopleregarded these ‘incomers’ with suspicion, not leastbecause they were transient and mainly Catholic,and they were frequently the subject of abuse.They would also work for lower wages than thelocals, which naturally led to friction, and gangwarfare was rife. Reports of navvies in generalbeing drunken and disorderly did not necessarily,however, include the Irish, for while some of themcould be accused of that, many of them sent moneyback to Ireland, while the locals simply drank it.

Irish navvies did have a reputation for being verystrong and healthy and were reputed to be able toeach move 20 tons of earth a day, throwing it 15feet from the ground into a railway wagon. Theywere generally paid piece work and, working inpairs, one pair could fill 10 rail trucks a day.

Irish navvieswere said toshift 20 tons

of earth a day

canals was one answer and in the mid 18th centurythe Duke of Bridgewater literally broke newground by building a canal capable of transportinghis coal to the rapidly expanding city ofManchester. Known as the Bridgewater Canal andfunded entirely by the Duke, it opened in 1761 andwas the first major British canal. This enterpriseeventually led to a whole network of canals, and by1822 some 4,000 miles of inland navigation hadbeen constructed.

So much major construction work obviouslyrequired a considerable supply of skilled labour.This was initially to be found in the banksmen ofEast Anglia who had long experience of buildingdrainage channels in that area. Along with theirskills they brought their songs and it was withsome of these that Colin illustrated his talk, thelyrics of which were a poignant reflection of thesocial conditions of the time.

It was from their employment in the building ofnavigation canals that these men became known as‘navvies’. As the age of canals gradually gave wayto the age of rail more and more labour needed tobe recruited, so that by the 1840s there were some200,000 navvies employed in the country.

But apart from East Anglia, from whence had theycome? The answer was mainly from the mass ofthe unemployed, a situation which was attributableto several factors. Between 1801 and 1831 thepopulation of the country had increased by over30%, forcing many more people onto the labourmarket. Meanwhile, agricultural mechanisationand the combining of small farms had meant lesslabour was needed and many farm workers hadbecame redundant. Added to that was the effect ofthe Enclosures Act which had robbed people of theright to graze cattle on common land, reducingmany of them to poverty. This Act had alsorelieved landowners of responsibility for theirworkmen and allowed them to knock down theirtied cottages and put families out into the streetwith no recriminations.

In addition to construction workers being recruitedfrom this source a large number came from Ireland.Irishmen had traditionally come over as seasonalworkers for the harvest, but with the advent of the

The law inaction.

A specialconstable warnsa troublemaker,“Now mind, if I

kill you it isnothing, but if

you kill me it ismurder!”

Barrowloadsof soil being

hauled upthe steep

embankment

4

Although navvies in general were well paid byother standards, there was no doubt it wasdangerous work. There was no shoring up ofcuttings and collapses were frequent, with anaverage of two deaths for every mile constructed.Many of the contractors had very little experienceof construction work, resulting in poor supervisionand sub standard building. This was illustrated bythe collapse of the viaduct being built at Ashton in1845, resulting in the death of 15 men, andimmortalised in the lyrics of the song . . . A crackin third arch appear’d, which fatal prov’d,alas!/The work gave way, nine arches fell, mostawful to relate/When numbers on that fatal day,met their untimely fate/Like thunder’s roar, thecrash it made, struck terror and dismay/The peopleran for to assist, their efforts were in vain/Grimdeath had claimed them for his own, ’twas awfulfor to see/So many in one movement, sent intoeternity.

Navvies were paid monthly and, as is so often thecase, found it difficult to last out the month. So thecontractors ran tommy shops where the workersbought their provisions on credit, with the moneyowed being docked before the worker received hisnext wages. This arrangement was of great benefitto the contractors, who could make as much as3-4% of the profit on their contract from these shops.

Workers were also paid partly in beer. It was alsosold to the workers throughout the day and wasdrunk in large quantities to counter dehydrationfrom physical work. It was considered to be morenourishing than non-alcoholic drinks, which in anycase were more expensive, while plain water wasconsidered unsafe to drink.

Britain in the early 19th century had a real drinkproblem and the reputation of the navvies as a harddrinking sector of the work force was the perfecttarget for the anti-drink campaigners. Although inits early days the Temperance movement had onlybeen against the drinking of spirits, believing thatbeer was actually good for you, it later becametotally opposed to the drinking of any form ofalcohol. Temperance missionaries composedsongs encouraging navvies to take the Pledge andmany did, wearing a blue ribbon on their coats asa sign of their commitment. The chorus of one ofthese songs says Yes, I am an English navvy; but,oh, not an English sot./I have run my pick throughalcohol, in bottle, glass, or pot;/And with the spadeof abstinence, and all the power I can,/I amspreading out a better road for every workingman./ . . ./but while Britannia holds aloft her flagof old renown,/This cruel drink, with crushingmight, keeps British workmen down.

Of course all these workers had to live somewhere,mainly in lodging houses which were of a veryerratic quality. Some were terribly overcrowded –one farm labourer’s cottage was reputed to beoccupied by a couple and their four children, aswell as being home to 19 navvies and theirdependants, including four married couples andthree children. It was not unknown for navvies toleave their accommodation without paying, asituation known as ‘sloping’.

Most young women at this time were forced toleave home to find work, with domestic servicebeing by far the biggest opportunity. However,this was very badly paid with long working hoursand little security. An attractive alternative was tomarry, or at least co-habit with, a navvy who, in theeyes of one congregational minister, was “theperfection of animal vigour”. Although theirwages were dependent on the economy, theygenerally had money to spend and marriage tothem was considered a better bet, even if it meantmoving around the country.

By about 1860, the railway boom began to slowdown and the navvies had to look for new jobs.Some joined the maintenance teams which provedto be a very different experience. Now under therules and behavioural codes of the company that

Beer wassold to thenavviesduring theday tocounteractdehydrationPh

otog

raph

s cou

rtes

y of

Col

in B

arge

ry

5

employed them, they suddenly found themselvesno longer allowed to behave as they liked – nodoubt a big shock to some of the more volatile!

One of the consequences of the building of areliable transport system meant that food andsupplies could now be regularly shipped into anarea, allowing large cities to grow and besustained. The civic infrastructure that these citiesdeveloped provided new opportunites foremployment and gave many navvies the chance tofind work in the towns. This enabled them to settledown with their families and lead a more normallife. Perhaps the biggest indication that they werenow becoming ‘respectable’ was the fact that manyof them now took tea to work instead of beer!

A small booklet, The Railway Navvies, A SocialHistory in Song, compiled by Colin Bargery isavailable from him by email: cpbmfb@talktalk.net.

OUR FIRST FORTY YEARSOur First Forty Years was the theme of the Octobermeeting when Neil Clarke, who has been on theSociety’s committee for longer than he cares toremember, shared the history of the Society withtoday’s members. According to Neil the Societywas formed on 21 July 1972, and its birth wasannounced in the local press; surprisingly thisannouncement was repeated in the From the Filescolumn in the Shropshire Star in July of this year.Known in its early days as the Wilkinson Society,its formation was mainly due to the efforts ofRalph Pee, a member of an old Bridgnorth familywho, in 1959 had moved into The Lawns in ChurchStreet, the one time home of John Wilkinson.

Once at The Lawns, and alongside a burgeoningnational interest in industrial archaeology, Ralphbegan researching the achievements of JohnWilkinson, building models of some of hisinnovations such as the boring mill, the first ironboat and a conjectural New Willey furnace site.He then, as Neil said, became a catalyst for a groupof like-minded people with an interest in thehistory of the Broseley area and together theyformed a Society to promote the research andpreservation of Broseley’s industrial past.

At the inaugural general meeting in August 1972an elected committee included as president

Sir John Dugdale, soon to be Lord Lieutenant ofShropshire. An annual programme was devised,covering illustrated talks, a social evening and afield trip, with members being kept informed by anoccasional Newsletter and an annual Journal. Asartefacts were donated to this Society they wereadded to Ralph Pee’s existing collection ofBroseley and Wilkinson relics which he hadalready set up at The Lawns.

The programme included outside speakers and thefirst of these to give a talk to the newly formedSociety was a young Barrie Trinder, who gave asurvey of the life and achievements of JohnWilkinson; this was the first of what is still todayknown as the Annual Wilkinson Lecture. Othernow well known speakers included MalcolmWanklyn from Wolverhampton University, thetelevision personality Henry Sandon, ManchesterUniversity economic historian W H Chaloner, IvorBrown, who spoke on mining history in the SevernGorge, Neil Cossons, first director of theIronbridge Gorge Museum Trust and RogerEdmundson, a specialist on Shropshire’s porcelainindustry.

During the Society’s first ten years meetings wereheld at The Lawns, but when Ralph Pee became illthe venue moved across the road to All Saints’Church Hall. Ralph’s death in 1983 also meantthat the Society’s collection of artefacts, books anddocuments had to find a new home. Initiallyre-housed in Broseley Hall, in 1986 they weremoved back to The Lawns where MichaelBerthoud, the new owner, had agreed to set up a

A young Barrie Trinderwas one of the first

speakers at the newlyformed Wilkinson

Society

The first Society meetings wereheld at The Lawns, one time homeof John Wilkinson

6

Broseley Museum in the renovated stable block.Unfortunately this plan fell through and some ofthe larger items were put into store at the TileMuseum while others were lodged with committeemembers for safe keeping.

During this time the Society published an annualJournal under the editorship of Neil Clarke. In1987, however, force of circumstance made himrelinquish this post and over the next eight yearsonly two issues were published.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s the Societysuffered an identity crisis and it took a relaunch in1993 to attempt to get it going again. Even that didnot give it sufficient renewed impetus and fouryears later it underwent a complete makeover, theresult of which is that today it is a vibrant anddynamic Society.

Several factors led to this renaissance, possibly themost important being its change of name – fromthe Wilkinson Society to the current BroseleyLocal History Society – reflecting its interest inBroseley’s industrial and social past rather than thelife of its most famous resident. Alongside thiswas the emphasis on its primary aim, the research,preservation and promotion of Broseley’s uniqueheritage.

Another factor was that new faces on thecommittee brought a new venue, that of BroseleySocial Club, and a revitalised programme witheight indoor meetings a year, two summer events– a local outdoor event and a coach trip to a placeof interest – and a Christmas dinner.

Also helping to consolidate the rejuvenatedSociety has been the publication since 1997 of aregular quarterly Newsletter. This gives resumésof talks to the Society, news of upcoming eventsand activities of both topical and historical interestaround the area. It also has a lively Mailboxsection with people from all over the world writingin for both social and industrial information aboutBroseley.

Of more lasting value, however, has been therevival of the annual Journal and Neil said it hadgiven him great pleasure to be able to resume theeditorship in 1996, since when it has been

published every year. The Journal gives bothmembers and non-members the opportunity topresent the results of their research into the historyof the Broseley area as well as related subjects. Italso contains the full text of the Annual WilkinsonLecture.

The Society does still have a collection ofartefacts, books and documents and severalattempts have been made to find a permanent homefor them in Broseley. David Lake, who sadly diedearlier this year, was for many years the curator ofthis collection and Neil recalled going with him ona number of occasions to the Ironbridge GorgeMuseums, the County Library and the CountyMuseum Service in an effort to find support forsuch a home. Unfortunately, no such venue has yetbeen found, though David was greatly heartenedby the fact that some of the items are nowdisplayed in the Cemetery Chapel.

And so, in tracing the history of the Society, Neilwas pleased to say that over the last 15 years it hasgone from strength to strength and, with aninternational membership of well over 200, cancertainly lay claim to being one of the largest andmost successful local history societies inShropshire.

Neil’s talk was followed by some typical RonMiles’ reminiscences, one of which was the timewhen he acquired an original Wilkinson token.Excited by this acquisition and wanting to make itlook nice and shiny he had, on a friend’s advice,dipped it into some Daddies Sauce, only later to betold that that was the worst thing he could havedone! Ron then showed a picture of the model ofWilkinson’s iron boat. This had been built byRalph Pee entirely from old tin cans and waslaunched at Willey Pool. No doubt onlookers werejust as amazed that it floated as when the originalone was first launched at Willey Wharf in 1787.

This model of Wilkinson’s iron boat was built byRalph Pee and launched at Willey Pool

7

vein, he also baked fournumbered ship’s biscuits ofthe type which would havebeen found on HMSVictory. No 1 of theseBroseley Biscuits was putup for auction on eBay,eventually making £200 forthe Society’s funds.

During the John Wilkinson bi-centenarycelebrations in 2008 he arranged for the striking ofreplica Wilkinson tokens as well ascommemorative Wilkinson plates made by localpotter Elspeth Soper. These were available for salethroughout the year and also helped boost theSociety’s reserves.

Though no longer on the committee, Vin says thathe and Hilary very much enjoy the Society’sactivities and are always willing to help in anyway, a sentiment which is much appreciated bymembers.

NEW PRESIDENTSAt the AGM two new presidents, Vin Callcut andJoan Griffiths, were elected for a two year term.

Vin Callcut and his wife Hilarycame to live in Broseley some tenyears ago, attracted here by thedepiction of the town on theSociety’s website as well as thearea’s industrial history. It wasalso a little closer to members ofHilary’s family and her beloved

Wales – she was born in Llandudno. Vin himself,however, was born in the City of London Hospitaland claims to be a true Cockney, although he spentmost of his childhood in Chingford, interrupted onlyby two short spells as an evacuee during the war.

He says that it was while collecting interestingpieces of shrapnel during the war that he firstbecame interested in metals and on leaving schoolhe worked at the British Non-ferrous MetalsResearch Association for 13 years, meanwhilebeginning his tertiary education as a day releasestudent. Over the years he studied further,eventually doing a post graduate course in

In John Freeman’s absence, Vin Callcut gave hispresentation on the Society’s past activities. Thesehad included coach trips to such places asCastlehead, the Morecombe Bay residence of JohnWilkinson, Thomas Telford’s PontcycyllteAqueduct, Brunel’s SS Great Britain and IsaacWilkinson’s Backbarrow furnaces. Closer tohome, Society members had also visited ApedaleMine and the sites of Wilkinson’s Bradley andBrymbo ironworks, all fascinating visits arrangedby the late David Lake.

Vin then recalled how, even before he and his wifeHilary moved into Broseley in 2001, he haddiscovered the Society’s website. This website,which was set up by Steve Dewhirst, has such awealth of information on it that Vin becamefascinated with the history of the area and decidedto join the Society. This fascination was enhancedwhen some alteration work to the house theybought in Church Street yielded an old Shirlettfireback which was mentioned in Randall’sHistory of Broseley. This literally ‘weighs a ton’– and more – and Vin is thinking of offering it tothe Ironbridge Gorge Museums provided they willcome and collect it!

Vin’s interest in local history brought him on to theSociety’s committee and he recalled the variousactivities in which he had been involved. One ofthese was the Trafalgar 200 celebrations when hehelped stage an exhibition in Broseley Library. Itwas here that a scale model he had built of theAlexander Brodie stove, which was installed onHMS Victory, was on display. In a less serious

A memorable visit toApedale Mine

Some members mayremember a trip to Bershamin this vintage coach.Despite its looks the journeywas without mishap

A Broseley Biscuit netted£200 when put up for

auction on eBay

8

metallurgy, during which time he published over100 technical papers – enough to gain him electionto Chartered Engineer status with ‘Eur Ing’ prefixrecognising his international work.

After a spell with Delta Enfield Rolling Mills, in1980 he joined the Copper DevelopmentAssociation, becoming director there before finallyretiring in 1999, at which point he was presentedwith the Institute of Metals Award for service tothe copper industry.

Having spent a lifetime in this industry, Vindecided in retirement to study domestic brass andcopper products, especially those made inBirmingham, with the intention of publishing abook about those manufactured between 1851 and1951. This ambition has now had to be changed toa web based rather than a printed version whichwill eventually appear on his websites‘oldcopper.org’ and ‘oldcopper.org.uk’. In themeantime he has established and posted on this sitea Directory of Marks of the makers of domesticcopper and brass, obviously a well worthwhileresource as he says he gets around 50,000 hits amonth as well as a steady stream of helpdeskenquiries. There is still, however, a long way to goas photographs and details of the vast array ofproducts still need to be collated.

Vin’s interests, however, do not lie solely withcopper and its products. Since childhood he hasbeen fascinated by trains and railways and he andHilary have spent many happy holidays travellingto unusual places on trains in Europe and NorthAmerica. Apart from his fascination with theactual locomotives, Vin says it is a chance to dosomething different as well as to meet people oflike interests. Society members may have noticedthat on several past July trips, he has managed toinclude a ride on a preserved steam railway in theday’s activities!

Vin and Hilary joined the Society shortly beforemoving to Broseley and have been active membersever since. Among the many things Vin has doneis to transcribe some of the Memory Eveningswhich were held some years ago, as well as toarchive the articles in the Society’s annual Journal.These latter may be found on his website and are avaluable contribution to the Society’s resources.

Joan Griffiths, on the otherhand, has lived in Broseley allher life and can trace herpaternal line back sevengenerations to 1550. Educatedat the old grammar school inCoalbrookdale, she has spent

much of her life since then working for theBroseley community, in particular with regard toproviding sporting facilities for the youngsters.This, she says, came about because when her twosons were teenagers her husband Les and othersdecided to start up a football club, the BroseleyRangers, which quickly gained a reputation asformidable opponents. Rather than being a‘football widow’ Joan decided to join in, becomingsecretary of the Birchmeadow Playing Fields andeventually treasurer, a position she still holds today.

As secretary, she was responsible for overseeingthe maintenance of the playing fields and wasparticularly concerned at the state of the changingrooms, secretly admitting to being delighted whenthe old tin roof finally blew off in a gale. Withhelp from various sources, including funds raisedlocally, new changing rooms were eventually builtand officially opened in 1990.

Joan did not stop there, however, and continued towork tirelessly for sporting facilities for thecommunity, such that in October of this year shewas asked to open the new Multi Use Games Area,known as MUGA, of which the town is justifiablyproud. This has been built in the grounds ofBroseley Primary School in Dark Lane and at theopening it was said that, but for Joan’s continuedhelp and persistence, this project would never havecome about.

Joan Griffiths kicksthe ball to start off thesix-a-side matcheswhich marked theopening of the newMulti Use GamesArea at Dark LaneSchoolPh

otog

raph

cou

rtes

y D

ave

Wal

lace

9

Another of Joan’s passions has been researchingher family history, in the course of which she hasamassed a mountain of information, documentsand illustrations which she is always happy toshare. The furthest back she can go is to the Hillfamily in 1550, who owned Benthall Ironworkswhich were situated on Bridge Bank. Theyapparently cast their own iron gravestones, someof which can still be seen in Benthall churchyard.

This interest in her family history led to hereventually publishing her first book, Broseley, thePeople and the Past, featuring anecdotes,memories, facts and photographs of Broseleytaken over many years. This was followed byPoachers in the Gorge, a record of the lives ofsome of the river men. Equally interesting is herBroseley Boys School, 1863-1889. In this bookJoan has taken extracts from the school registersfor those years and turned them into a poignantaccount of the social conditions of the time.

Always looking for other worthwhile things to do,Joan is now putting into digital format the burialgrave records from the time of the opening ofBroseley Cemetery in 1885 and hopefully thesemay be viewed in the near future in the CemeteryChapel. She has also, as a fund raiser for the newChurch roof, itemised all the monumentalinscriptions for every grave in the churchyard aswell as the plaques inside the church itself.

Joan says that even though she now lives on herown, she is seldom bored. Hardly surprising,considering how much time and energy she stilldevotes to the people of Broseley.

NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERThe recent death of David Lakehas left a vacancy on the Society’scommittee and at the AGM AndyWellings was elected to fill hisplace.

Andy says that althoughShropshire born and bred, he only came to live inBroseley some 12 years ago. Educated at MarketDrayton School, he subsequently trained as anengineer, joining Dairy Crest as an apprentice; hestill works in the dairy industry.

Having spent some years travelling the world,Andy decided it was time to settle down and wentto live in Ironbridge with his partner Joanne who,at the time, was teaching in Barrow School. Theymoved to Broseley in 2000, buying a house inCape Street. This to Joanne was, in many ways,like coming home as she had lived in Benthall as achild and was also familiar with Much Wenlock,her grandfather keeping the Fox Inn there.

Andy is a keen walker and says that places andbuildings he sees when out walking have oftenpiqued his curiosity as to Broseley’s social andindustrial past, which is probably why he joinedthe Society some three years ago. While he admitsthat his engineering background gives him aninsight into Broseley’s industrial past, it is actuallythe social history that fascinates him. Although heenjoys the monthly talks and presentations, andtries not to miss them, he is most interested inmeeting the people and hearing them talk about‘the old times’. One of his concerns, however, isthat membership is made up of mainly older peopleand he would like to try to encourage more ofBroseley’s younger generation to come and seewhat the Society has to offer.

THE HANGING TREEThere has been a certain amount of correspondencein recent Newsletters regarding a stone plaque inDuke Street, Broseley, which was recently resitedonto the front of a garden wall. Little appeared tobe known about this stone, which depicted a treeand some rather indecipherable writing.

Now Michael Pope has written in to say this:This stone had previously been sited on the insideof the wall but earlier this year the owner of thiswall agreed to resite it on the street side so it couldbe seen by passers by. Thestone depicts a tree and in the17th and 18th centuries suchtrees were often shown on earlymaps to designate boundariesbetween properties. Thesemarkings were useful if therewas a dispute over a certain

This plaque has now been resited sothat it can be seen by passers by

10

boundary or land ownership. These trees becameknown as ‘hanging trees’, perhaps because gallowswere usually set up on parish boundaries. Theactual ‘hanging’ tree could have became confusedwith a tree that marked a boundary.

The wall on which this plaque is sited is knownlocally at the Dead Walls, perhaps because it isnear to the Quaker Burial Ground in what is nowthe car park for the Pipe Museum.

I am most grateful to Bob Rhodes for providing mewith this information and a number of early mapsof the area clearly marked with a number of thesetrees.

A metal plaque reflecting this information, andwhich has been paid for by the BroseleyPartnership, has been made by Roger Fewtrell atBlists Hill and is shortly to be erected alongsidethe existing stone plaque.Editor

DAVID LAKE - A CELEBRATIONAs members will already know David Lake, whowas a long time supporter of the Society andcurator of its artefacts, died earlier this year. InSeptember his daughter Rosemary invitedmembers to join her in celebrating his life andachievements and at a function at David’s house inNordley over 100 friends and associates gatheredto remember him. Despite the sadness of theoccasion, there was much fun and laughter aspeople shared their memories of David,reinforcing how much he will be missed.

The Society would like to thank Rosemary for herhospitality and hope that she will remain in touch.

A ROYAL VISITFrank Dawson’s book John Wilkinson, King of theIronmasters, recently found an unexpected homewhen HRH Prince Charles was given a copy on avisit to the Ironbridge Gorge Museum inSeptember. Along with other trustees of theIGMT, Society member and past chairman JohnFreeman was there to greet him and took theopportunity to present him with a copy.

The Prince of Wales, who has been patron of theIGMT since 1979, was at the Museum to unveil the

newly refurbished Boy and Swan fountain whichstands in the grounds of the Museum. Originallycast in Coalbrookdale for the Great Exhibition of1851, the fountain was moved to a park inWolverhampton before being brought back toShropshire in 1959.

SOCIETY PUBLICATIONSThe Society is planning to publish a series ofleaflets on people connected to Broseley’sindustrial heritage. While the committee hasalready discussed several possible subjects,members are also invited to help in this project.Anyone who would like to take part, or who hasany ideas as to suitable subjects, is asked to contactthe chairman, Gillian Pope, on tel: 01952 883960or email: steve@broseley.org.uk.

IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUSTThe Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust hasappointed an industrial heritage support officerto develop a national strategy to improve thesustainability and conservation standards ofindustrial sites preserved with public access andidentified as needing support by Sir NeilCossons, President of the Association ofIndependent Museums.

Ian Bapty, previously Senior Project Archaeologistat Herefordshire Council, joined the IGMT inSeptember and will be supported by a steeringgroup of experts from across the Association forIndustrial Archaeology.

The project will be delivered in partnership withseveral key organisations including the IronbridgeInstitute, the University of Birmingham and theEuropean Route of Industrial Heritage.

The newly refurbished Boy and Swan fountain, aboveleft,which stands in the grounds of the Ironbridge GorgeMuseum, was recently unveiled by HRH Prince Charles.Above right, Prince Charles chats with some of the

trustees of the Museum Phot

ogra

ph c

ourt

esy

Iron

brid

ge G

orge

Mus

eum

Tru

st

11

SEVERN GORGE COUNTRYSIDE TRUSTThis year saw the completion of the first TelfordAccess to Nature project, managed by the SevernGorge Countryside Trust, with almost 7,000people experiencing nature at first hand, and 18local green spaces receiving physical and sensoryaccess improvements. Now a further £113,000funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s SupportingChange and Impact initiative will enable theSGCT to continue to work in partnership withShropshire Wildlife Trust, Small WoodsAssociation, Shropshire NHS Green Gym andTelford & Wrekin Council to deliver a one yearproject allowing, among other activities, familybushcraft days and forest school sessions for 8-14year olds. It will also allow the SGCT to workwith local schools, residential homes and familygroups in their local green spaces.

In addition an Outdoor Learning Programme willincorporate over 40 different workshops and walksin which everyone can join. The programme willbe available in January.

In the meanwhile, book now for these activities inthe New Year:

3 January, 10.00 am – 1.00 pmFamily winter walk along the Sabbath Walks withCadi Price, free.

5 February, 10.00 am – 1.00 pmTree ID in Winter in Benthall Woods with RussellRowley, free.

25 February, 9.30 am – 4.00 pmIntroduction to Rural Archaeology with ImogenSambrook, cost £10.

For more information on these and otheractivities contact Cadi Price tel: 01952 433880,email: cadiprice@severngorge.org.uk or visitwww.severngorge.org.uk.

WHAT’S ON?Ironbridge Gorge MuseumsCoalport China MuseumMon 26 NovemberYour chance to make a Christmas decoration foryour tree or table at a ceramic workshop. Bookyour place now.

Mon 18 – Fri 22 February 2013Drop-in ceramic workshop

Jackfield Tile MuseumSat 15 DecemberDecorate a tile with a Christmas theme. Book yourplace now.Mon 18 – Fri 22 February 2013Decorate a ceramic tile with your own design

EnginuitySat 16 – Sun 24 February 2013Flight workshopsWatch interactive shows and take part in fun drop-inworkshops.Ongoing to 14 April 2013An exhibition by blacksmith artist Jon Mills ofwhimsical sculptures showing the manyadventures of Mr Watt, Grumpy Man of Metal,who features in a series of illustrated books.

Coalbrookdale GalleryNext to EnginuityOngoing to 30 April 201310.00 am – 5.00 pm Monday to FridayFalcon Hildred exhibition of industrial artOver 600 original drawings and watercolours ofindustrial buildings and landscapes by Walesbased artist Falcon Hildred. Free entry.

For more information on these and otheractivities, contact the Ironbridge Gorgeinformation centre, tel: 01952 433424 or visitwww.visitironbridge.co.uk.

BOOKSHOPCaughley Blue and White Patterns,published by the Caughley Society, isthe first reference book to describeand illustrate all the known blue andwhite patterns produced by Caughley.It has been written by members of the CaughleySociety with additional inputs from specialistsfamiliar with this area. With high qualityprofessional photographs, it also containsinformation about the history of Caughley as wellas the various marks, borders, monograms andinscriptions found on the porcelain. Cost £72.00(including £7 p&p), orders via the websitecaughleysociety.org.uk.

12

Worktown: the Drawings of Falcon Hildred, byPeter Wakelin, includes some 200 illustrations.Details from the Royal Commission, visitwww.rcahmw.gov.uk or tel: 01970 621200.

Much Wenlock Past to Present inPhotographs Book II, by Joy Sims &Ina Taylor. A pictorial record ofMuch Wenlock, following on fromtheir first book published last year.Price £9.99. Available post free fromwww.ellinghampress.co.uk or Wenlock Books.

MAILBOXThis presentation, below, was given to my greatgrandfather, Arthur Bowyer, who was born in 1879in Barrow. Does anyone know if it was somethingthat was presented to everyone from Broseley whofought in WWI? Can anyone tell me what theletters before his name stand for as well as identifythe badge on his cap? He was a chauffeur for LordForester and later at Upper House, Madeley, thoughI am not sure where he was working at the time thispicture of him and the car was taken.Nicola Edwardsnicola.edwards73@virgin.net

I assume the presentation was given to all theservicemen from Broseley although I have not seenone before. The letters in front of his name wouldrefer to his rank. You could check the web sitehttp://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/military%20abbrevations.shtml which has a list of ranks and abbreviations.Steve Dewhirst

I do not know what regiment/service Arthur Bowyerserved in and have never seen the presentationcertificate before but I suggest you contact thecurator of the Shropshire Regimental Museum, MrPeter Duckers, who may be able to help withidentifying the regiment and possibly the certificate.

Depending when Arthur was working at UpperHouse, his employer is likely to have been Mr Dyasor Mr Legge. You could check through theElectoral Registers held at Shropshire Archives.Janet Doodyjanet.doody27@googlemail.com

Before my grandmother died she told me a storyof her and my grandfather being invited toBirmingham for a special celebration of the life ofJohn Wilkinson the ironmaster. She claimed thatmy grandfather was told he was a directdescendant of the great man himself. I haverecently begun to research my father’s history andhave established that my grandfather was born inDarlaston and his father had worked in theironworks at Bilston.

Would anyone know from where this invitationcould have come?Grahame WilkinsonG.Wilkinson@lse.ac.uk

John Wilkinson had one legitimate daughter,Mary, who married Theophilus Holbrooke. Theyhad one daughter who died at birth, Mary dying afew days later. He also had three illegitimatechildren by Ann Lewis who was his maid, MaryAnn born in 1792, another girl Johnina in 1805and a boy John in 1806. They all assumed thename Wilkinson. John Wilkinson himself died in1808.

Mary Ann married William Legh, Johnina marriedWilliam Murray. According to the recentlypublished book John Wilkinson, King of theIronmasters, by Frank Dawson, John Wilkinson

ArthurBowyer, left,received thispresentation,far left, afterWWI

Arthur Bowyer worked as chauffeur to Lord Forester andlater at Upper House, Madeley

13

junior is said to have emigrated to America where hemarried and had several children, but as far as I amaware no one has managed to trace him after this.Steve Dewhirst

Thank you to everyone who helped me with myenquiry regarding my father John Percy Westonwho grew up in Broseley in the 1920s (see August2012 Newsletter), you have helped me picture somuch more of my father’s early life.

I wonder if anyone can help me further with certainother information? My father would have been atschool in the early 1920s and wrote in his accountof his early childhood that his deputy headmasterwas very good and inspired in him a love of poetry.Would anyone remember his nameand would there be anyphotographs of him or the schoolstaff?

I have my father’s prayer bookwhich was given to him in 1928 bythe Rev’d Charles Jackson. Doesanyone have a photograph of him?Susan Donaldsonsusanpdonaldson@btinternet.com

The Shropshire Family History Society hassuggested I contact you regarding my Bodenancestors from the Lloyd Head/Jackfield area. Ibelieve they were non-conformists but have beenunable to find any records of their children’sbaptisms. I have also checked Anglican recordswith no success.

I know that the Bodens go a long way back inBroseley area history, and there were many Bodenfamilies that could easily be confused. Couldanyone help?Annabananabodhi@wavecable.com

I do not think the non-conformist baptism registerssurvive but perhaps one of our members can help you.Steve Dewhirst

While at Stratford recently I was startled tohear the following lines in Richard III - “The Earlof Surrey . . . much about cockshutt time, fromtroop to troop went through the army, cheering upthe soldiers.” On returning home, I investigated.

A cockshoot is an opening in the forest where thewoodcock might shoot across looking for water.They stay out of sight during the day but take flightas night falls, flying low through any glades oropenings. So ‘cockshoot time’ is just as night falls.

If there were no natural openings in the woods,hunters would cut wide, straight roads through thetrees, maybe 40 ft across. They would tie netsweighted with stones between two trees and dropthem as the birds flew to ensnare them. So‘cockshoot’ does not refer to guns but to themotion of the birds shooting out of the woods.Cockshut is a variation spelling which refers tohow the birds are trapped in the net, hence thedifferent spellings at the top and bottom of ourroad in Broseley.Mike Kaisermbkbroseley@yahoo.co.uk

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Chairman Gillian PopeSecretary Dot CoxTreasurer Jim CooperMembership Janet Robinson Secretary 26 Coalport Road

Broseley TF12 5AZ 01952 882495Programme Secretary Neil Clarke and Journal EditorNewsletter Editor Jan LancasterPublicity Michael Pope Richard Sells Janet Doody

Andy WellingsWebsite www.broseley.org.ukEmail steve@broseley.org.uk

Newsletter is sympathetic to the concerns of certainof its correspondents who are reluctant to see theiremail address appear in the public domain. If thereis anyone who does not wish their contact detailsto be published, they are welcome to make use ofthe Society’s email address steve@broseley.org.uk.Any respondent without access to email may pass oninformation to any member of the committee.

To see this Newsletter in full colour visit thewebsite at www.broseley.org.uk.

The Rev’dCharles Jackson

was vicar ofBroseley in 1928

Phot

ogra

ph c

ourt

esy

Jam

es H

urdl

ey

Have you paid your subscription for thiscoming year? If not, please send your cheque

to Janet Robinson, address opposite.

14Printed by Madeley Print Shop© Published by Broseley Local History Society

Newsletter

would like to thank all those

who have contributed to this

publication during 2012 and

wishes both them and

all its readers a

15

CHRISTMAS DINNER, THE LION, HIGH STREET, 5 DECEMBER 2012

Please reserve me _____ place/s for the Society’s Christmas Dinner at a cost of £18.95 a head

Name/s:____________________________ I enclose cheque/payment for

Add: ____________________________ £ _________ payable to

____________________________ Broseley Local History Society

_______________________________ Please return to Janet Robinson, 26 Coalport Road, Broseley, TF12 5AZ Tel: _______________________________ by Friday 30 November

* * * * * * * * * * Please indicate your choice of starter and main course from the menu below, giving one tick for each person

STARTER MAIN COURSE

* * * * * * * *

Christmas pudding with brandy sauce

Baked pear and caramel cheesecake

Chocolate, amaretto and cherry trifle

Raspberry syllabub

Chocolate orange truffle torte

* * * * * *Coffee and mints

Roast turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce

Parsnip, cranberry and chestnut loaf

Chicken Supreme wrapped in pancetta with acreamy white wine ,mushroom and onion sauce

Pan fried pork tenderloin in a blue cheese, onionand sherry sauce

Fillet of salmon with a cranberry, port andorange glaze

Roast topside of beef with yorkshire puddingand horseradish sauce

All served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes

Mushroom stroganoff

Spiced parsnip and honey soup with crusty bread

Potted smoked mackerel with lemon and dill

Duck and pork pâté with toast and salad garnish

Seasonal melon with fruit coulis

Goat’s cheese and caramelised red onion tart

15