The bottom end of the enclosure, including the former garden. 2015.
A few weeks ago, Brian Holmes asked the question as to why School Lane in Little Wyrley/Norton Canes had such a name https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/other-places/the-norton-canes-endowed-school-on-school-lane-little-wyrley/
The applications for entry on the Gt Wyrley Roll of Honour for Benjamin and George Henry Smith, 1917. The handwriting is the same.
(Staffordshire Record Office)
I had decided that I would take a break from the Great Wyrley fallen soldiers to cover something different; however, I then realised that it was actually approaching the centenary of one of the chaps, so I changed my mind and I am sure people appreciate why. To be honest it wasn’t just the centenary that tweaked my interest, but also the fact that a second ‘Smith’ was recorded on the fallen plaque and this ‘Smith’ puzzled me, as it was out of alphabetical order. No prizes for my regular readers in guessing where this is going, but the thought of an error in some way popped into my mind. I was to not only be proved right, but that also that these men were in fact brothers. So, not only did it seem silly to cover much of the same family background in two articles, but it felt far more fitting to tell their stories, at least what we know of them, together…click the link to read more… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/wyrley-landywood/great-wyrleys-fallen-wwi/ben-and-george-smith-brothers-in-arms/
The emphatically completed ‘Roll of Honour’ form for Thomas William James
(Staffordshire Record Office)
Read the tragic story of the elusive on-time Brownhills, Wyrley and Brummie man, Thomas James and how the attempt to get him a recognised war grave has took a giant leap forward … https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/wyrley-landywood/the-harrisons-club-great-wyrley-war-memorial-history/from-brownhills-to-brandwood-thomas-william-james-and-the-pity-of-war/
Harry Withnall’s medal card, showing he reached France on 5 March 1915
(National Archives)
The story of Harry Withnall would leave me a little sadder than usual: not only because he turned out to be an only child, but also that both Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay’s memorials have his name incorrect. Wyrley’s error is a spelling one, with ‘Whithnell’ seemingly as incongruous as having John Wilkes Booth carved next to Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore. Cheslyn Hay’s memorial had the correct spelling for Withnall, but the wrong christian name attached – they had him on the memorial as William Withnall. Harry as a name is problematical in that it is a name itself or a nickname for Harold or Henry for example, but surely it could not stretch to William could it?… click on the link to read more… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/wyrley-landywood/great-wyrleys-fallen-wwi/harry-withnall-can-i-please-have-my-name-back/
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