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Great Wyrley Institute: An 1870 Beacon of Hope for 2024

Posted: January 2, 2024 in Buildings, education, Social History, Uncategorized

The Great Wyrley Institute: P Ford. 2017.

Time for a small article extracted (and rejigged) from the forthcoming Great Wyrley (and Cheslyn Hay) Great War book. This one is a little different though, as the preamble will be longer than the article, which is one especially timed for the start of a new year – when most of us hold, however briefly, positive hopes for the future.

This is not an article about the merits or the vanity of those ‘wealthier people’ that founded the Institute, for if that is all that comes from reading this then the point of these few words has been missed. Neither is it a history of a building, all too familiar to most of us, but an extract about its foundation; as the reasons for that foundation, very poignantly, are as needed today, with the rise of social media, as much as in 1870.

What I ask you is to take a look around you, as the year opens, at the inability of people to accept or understand another’s point of view. It seems to be everywhere. Do not get me wrong, this is not a naive plea for world peace, but aimed at those, usually from the stronger political and ideological elements of the spectrum, that seem to dominate the narrative and often with vitriol.

There are plenty of things I would likely have disagreed with Geoffrey Elton on – a pre-60s historian that I once described as that manager of your Sunday league team that drags you off after scoring a hat-trick as your socks are not pulled-up – yet, I fully agree with him when he says of himself: ‘to be a good historian he must question his own faith and admit some virtue in the belief of others. If he allows the task of choosing among the facts of the past to deteriorate into suppression of what will not serve the cause, he loses all right to claim weight for his opinions’ (Elton, The Practice of History, p60-61).

He advocates asking questions, and especially of oneself, as well as acknowledging the strengths in other people’s arguments or opinions, as only then can you formulate a rounded opinion of your own. This lacks today.

The Walsall Road/Norton Lane junction c1840, with its splay, prior to the building of the Institute. P Ford (Staffordshire Record Office)

Other than the pubs, the schools, St. Mark’s Church, the Wesleyan Methodist Church (then on the corner of Bentons Lane and Gorsey Lane), Great Wyrley and Landywood only had one other venue apiece that could host events and shows in 1914. That in Landywood was the recently opened Lower Landywood Club, or Harrisons as it is today.

The redesigned junction after the building of the Institute in 1870. P Ford (Staffordshire Record Office).

That in Great Wyrley was the Workingmen’s Institute, or simply the Institute. It needs to be set contextually against three movements around the time of its opening in 1870: education, temperance and political. The idea of adult education (the National Education League had been formed the year before its opening, and the first Education Act for the teaching of children was also passed in 1870) is why the Wyrley library was established at the Institute (there were small libraries in both Lower and Upper Landywood as well); the temperance movement was also growing strength after a glut of beer-houses were opened after the 1830 Beer-house Act, simply replacing rather than removing the previous scourge of gin; and finally, the 1867 Reform Act had started the enfranchisement of the working-class man.

The Institute, where the stone-laying ceremony was celebrated with a half-day holiday for villagers, was opened in October 1870. An account in the Staffordshire Advertiser, 22 October 1870, laid out the reasons for it being constructed: it was the brainchild of a committee of ‘wealthier’ locals and was designed to draw working men from the temptations of drink (women were not barred from entry, of course – and no, drink was not just a male problem) through providing a meeting, recreational and educational venue that was free from religious or political bias.

During the ceremony, when Mayor Banrock of Wolverhampton officially opened the Institute, he said: ‘It would secure a greater toleration among persons of diverse political views and religious opinions, who would meet within its walls, and lead them to respect the honest, independent opinions of each other.’ This statement now puts us to shame.

The raised stage area, able to be partitioned off, in the Institute: a place built in 1870 to keep working men out of the pub, and offer space for education and recreation without political or religious bias. P Ford 2022.

The recreation function saw it used as a venue by many clubs, such as Great Wyrley Cricket Club in 1897, and societies by 1914. Through the Great War it hosted events to raise money for the Red Cross, to entertain the families of serving soldiers, whist drives for new heating apparatus at St Mark’s Church and, interestingly, a baby show (this was quite serious, as it was about raising awareness on child mortality). It is amazing to think that it was still of sufficient size to host such events despite the population rises between 1870 and 1914.

The building is home today for the Great Wyrley Table Tennis Club, but I ask you to remember in your hearts not the builders or current users of the Institute, but the purpose, although I do not like the non-drinking bit, for which it was erected.

We need to burst bubbles and engage in meaningful discourse.

Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley and Landywood Schools: Children in Need 1916

Posted: November 16, 2023 in General War, Schools, Social History, WWI

Cheslyn Hay pupils knitting for the war effort, or the Belgian Children’s Relief Fund@

Another one I have had to nick from the Great Wyrley/Cheslyn Hay Old and New Facebook page (and Tony Kulik) as the comments were turned off. I thought I would add a couple of paragraphs to this photograph for context – as I am proof reading the 1916 year from the upcoming book on the Great War – at the moment, and as it ties in with Children in Need day, tomorrow. These paragraphs could be describing the photograph above, although we cannot be sure…

To show the continued, and in general, goodwill that existed from the people of Great Wyrley, Landywood and Cheslyn Hay towards the allied nations, we shall look at events of 10 July 1916 (reported in the Cannock Courier on 15 July). While the general Belgian Relief Fund continued, there appears to be have been a switch in the latter half of the year from supporting that fund to supporting a Belgian Children’s Fund. This fund was more attractive to schools, for obvious reasons. It is worth remembering that these events examined, held at the Schools of Great Wyrley, Landywood and Cheslyn Hay, took place when the British offensive on the Somme was less than two weeks old.

At Great Wyrley Council School on the Walsall Road, Mr Samuel Mason, the Rowley Regis born headmaster, organised an open-air event: ‘There was a very large company present, presided over by Mr W.J. Bowen, who made some interesting remarks concerning the object of the gathering and also the efforts put forth by the headmaster, his staff of teachers and the children, but he could not forget the enthusiasm displayed by the general public. The entertainment consisted of a large number of drills by the children, the patriotic songs, recitations etc being greatly appreciated. At the close of a most successful gathering a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Chairman, the teachers and children. It is anticipated that £7 13s 6d will be realised when the full returns are forthcoming.’

At Landywood School, under the care of the 35-year old Albert Ezra Henshall, the Parish Council Chairman: ‘[He] and his efficient staff had arranged a capital entertainment, which proved highly successful. The Chair was occupied by Mr W. Hawthorne, of Essington, who made a stirring speech on the object of the gathering, congratulating all concerned on the successful efforts for the Fund. The programme was a lengthy and varied one, including songs, drills, recitations and dialogues, in which the children excelled themselves. At the close of two hours enjoyable entertainment, Mr Dudley of Essington proposed a vote of thanks to the teachers, the accompanist Mr Reggie Whitehouse [who would be drowned when the Leinster was torpedoed in 1918], and the children for providing such an enjoyable evening. The event will realise something like £11 when everything is settled up, so it can be said that Landywood Schools have done remarkably well.’

Cheslyn Hay Schools went further: ‘A procession was formed and marched through the principle streets in the afternoon. The younger children were placed on a waggon kindly lent by Mr E. Smith. The waggon was prettily decorated with flags and bunting, and along the route children were busily collecting. Patriotic airs were sung, and the children appeared to enjoy themselves immensely… at 6.15pm a concert was held in the school yard… the children performed exceedingly well in their drill and various exercises, while their singing and marching left little to be desired.’

It went on: ‘Mrs [Mary] Allan for the girls’ school, and Miss Scragg utilised their efforts to the greatest advantage, and one of their chief items was an action song, “the knitting song,” in which over 100 children took part, and each child was knitting something. It was quite a novelty, and met with the appreciation of the large audience. The Chair was Mr Thomas Weetman… who commended [the teachers], also the accompanists Mrs Perks and Miss Copestake [Great Wyrley], with the children… The event concluded with the audience heartily singing the National Anthem, followed by hearty cheers for the teachers.’ The event had raised nearly £8 at the time of the report being printed, with the expectation of more to come.