Sunday, 24 August 2014
Friday, 8 August 2014
Monday, 4 August 2014
World War One Exhibition Part 2
Sunday, 3 August 2014
WEBHEATH
1914-1918
All quite on the Home Front;A scrap book of life as
it appeared in the Redditch Indicator!
St Philips, Webheath.
The Church was erected in 1870 through the Cooperation of two
Land owners. Richard Hemming a local Needle master and owner of the Bentley
estate who gave the land and Lady Henrietta, Baroness Windsor of Hewell Grange
who provided most the money to build the
church. The cost of building the church was around £3,000, and it was designed
by the Architect Mr F Preddy in the early English Style. St Philips was the
daughter church of St Bartholomew’s Tardebigge, and in that roll ministered to farmers, estate and factory workers alike, its
200 seats were free, no ‘pew rent’ was charged.
Church and Parish Life.
Between the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria on June 28th 1914 and
the start of the First World War on August 4th 1914, life
continued very much as normal. In July
two outings had been organised by the church. The Choirboys annual outing was
to Blackpool on the train, they were accompanied by the Rev and Mrs M Davis also
on the treat were some of the girls from Mrs Davis’s Bible Class. The party
started out at 4.45 Saturday morning and arrived home early Sunday morning,
‘tired but happy’. The children’s mothers had their own outing to
Warwickshire stopping at Stratford on
Avon on to Luncheon in Leamington and then Warwick were they had
tea before driving back to Webheath in horse drawn brake’s, they were again accompanied
by the Rev Davis and His wife.
After the declation of war the services continued as before,
however at the children’s October Harvest Festival service, the offerings of fruit given by the
young people were passed on to the
Belgium Refuges who had been housed in Redditch. Collections were taken at all the Harvest services and these amounted
to £2.10s. The money was given to the Redditch War Distress Fund which helped
the wives and children of the men who had been called up or volunteered and
people thrown out of work by the war.
The Parish’s main meeting place was the school room were the
Sunday school was held, this was a timber hut attached to Pump house Farm. Here
the Parish council met normally once a month. Social gathering attached to the
church and Temperance Society were also held in the school room. Whist drives,
sales of work and concerts for the local Soldiers and Sailors comfort fund were
held there too.
At the 1915 Easter services the children brought ’Easter
eggs’, these hens eggs were given to wounded service men probably those who
were in the Tardebigge VAD hospital that was the village hall before the war. After the Sunday school sermons in 1916, a
men’s service was held. The address was given by the headmaster of Halesowen Grammar
School. He urged,” greater watchfulness and plain speaking, especially in the
education of children, instead of the narrowness of the past. A fuller, broader
and more spiritual atmosphere must be created by us for the next generation”.
The Sunday Schools annual treats still took place, these were
teas held at larger homes of the congregation with games taking place in an accommodating
farmers field, weather permitting. The choir boys outing for 1916 was a day at Bidford
on Avon “were they spent an enjoyable day”, by the river.
In August 1917 the war
shrine was dedicated this was a wooden structure fixed on the west wall of the
church facing the road. It held and still holds the names of the fallen and
roll of honour naming the serving men of Webheath and district, including 20
former choirboys. Canon Dickens of
Tardebigge church passed away in November 1917 and Rev M Davis resigned as
curate of St Philips in 1918. Rev Herring became the next curate for Webheath.
Webheath Curates
The Rev R M Davis was curate in charge of St Philips Church
of England church, Webheath, which was in 1914 part of Tardebigge parish, were
Canon Dickens was the vicar. The Rev
Davis had been curate since 1912; he and his wife lived in Pumphouse Lane. The
former curate Rev J Christie Lodged with Mr Bartlam at Pumphouse Farm. Both the
Mr and Mrs Davis were busy in the parish especially with the children and young
people.
The Rev Davis was keenly interested in Education. He was the
chairman of the Bentley Elementary School mangers and took Religious education
classes there. He also inspected the
schools register and logs, and sat on the Redditch Higher Education Committee,
and with other local vicars delivered religious instruction at Redditch
Secondary school. He was the inspector of Church of England schools in the
Bromesgrove area for the Worcester Diocese.
The Rev Davis resigned from St Philips in early 1917; however
he stayed on when asked to by Cannon Dickens after his successor Rev Kane was
preferred to a parish in Warwickshire. The Davis’s were presented with a cheque
from over hundred parishioners collected when he first resigned but presented
when he stayed. Mrs Davis was also given money collected at a whist drive and
“which was placed at Mrs Davis’s disposal’
The Rev Davis finely left the following year in June 1918, to
take up a post at St Mary’s a large industrial parish in the heart of Nuneaton
Warwickshire, he would be covering two clergymen who had gone to serve as Chaplin’s
at the front.
The Rev Herring took up the position of Curate from 1918 to
1920, he saw the war memorial stone put in place and dedicated and the also
after a long campaign by the parishioners land and money to build a parsonage.
WAR SHRINE.
The Webheath Shrine was dedicated in August 1917, there were
at least two other shrines in Redditch. One in Headless Cross and the shrine at
the Headquarters of St Stephens Scout troop. The first war shrines appeared in
East London Streets in 1916 and became a popular form for communities to
remember the men they had lost and those who were serving abroad. The Church of
England embraced the idea, and many shrines were in church grounds.
The Rev Davis took “a lively interest “in the creation of the
shrine. Readymade shrines could be purchased and this seems to be the case with
the Webheath Shrine. The Shrine was “purchased by general subscription by all
classes”. The wooden shrine originally had doors with glass in them, at the top
of the Shrine was the words ‘The great Sacrifice’. Inside there was a shelf to
put vases of flowers on. And a wooden cross with a crucifix in its centre, on
each side was a hand written list, one held the names of the fallen, seventeen
names at that time. The second longer list was the Roll of Honour, of around a
hundred names of the local men who were serving their country.
The shrine was unveiled on the Saturday the 10th
August, on what appears to have been a damp day. The Earl of Plymouth had
promised to open the shrine but he was engaged elsewhere so Archdeacon Peile
took his place. The Shrine had been placed on the west end of the church so it
could be seen from the road.
There was a short service held in the church with the Rev
Davis reading the lession then palm 23 was sung, during the singing of ‘O God
our help in ages past ‘, the clergy, choir and congregation processed out to the West end of the
church. Were the Archdeacon conducted
the rest of the service, unlocked the shrine and gave a short address.
“He said they had met that day for the good object of paying
honour to the brave men, to and those who were living and fighting for their
country and for those who had laid down their lives for the cause. One of the
bright sides of the war was the courage and endurance of our “contemptible”
little army which they had at the declaration of the war. These were also the qualities’
of the citizen army which had been formed and sent out in thousands and tens of
thousands. They went on to keep up the cause in every part of the world. It was
good to honour the brave honour their sacrifice and endurance. ....... They
admired and paid reverence to the men at the front on the ships and in the
aeroplanes”.
After the address, the shrine was Dedicated and blessed, by
the Archdeacon. The last post was sounded by buglers and service finished with
a hymn.
THE WAR MERMORIAL
Even before the war had ended committees had been set up to build
memorials to the fallen across the county in cities, towns and villages’.
Webheath’s committee was set up in 1919 and collected money for a permanent
stone.
The war memorial was unveiled on 17th October 1920
by Colonel Godwin DSO, CMG. The memorial
is a tablet, a plain stone it
replaced the War Shrine on the west end of the church. The tablet contains
twenty four names of men from Webheath and district. On to top of the of the stone,
an inscription with the words.
”to the memory of the men of Webheath
and district who fell in the Great War 1914 -1918”.
Thomas Alexander, Oscar Andrews, John W Andrews, Albert
Baker, Thomas Beckensale, Harold Morgan Bowen, Charles Broom, Leslie St Claire
Cheape, Hugh Grey Cheape, Albert Clayton, Arthur Clayton, Charles Futrill,
William Futrill, Edwin Gibbs, Frank Griffin, Benjamin Harper, Arthur Harris,
Thomas Hawthorne, Edward Farley Hunt,
Stuart James, Ernest Morris, Jack Smout,
Thomas Such, Frederick Waters.
“Ye that live on Mid England pastures green remember us and
think what might have been.”
As the weather was ‘inclement’, most the service was held in
the church rather than the especially built platform in the church yard. After
Matins, Colonel Godwin gave the Address.
“This memorial was raised as an everlasting testimony to
those who gave their lives for their mother county. It was a war waged by the
will of the people to prevent the Germany riding rough shod over Europe,
trampling small nations under her feet and finally assuming world power...
Germany had been brought to her knees in the field, and in her fall brought
down Russia, Austria, Turkey and others...”
After the address the congregation led by the choir and
clergy the Rev F G Ellerton vicar of Tardebigge Parish and the Rev H C Herring
curate in charge of Webheath church , processed the the church yard. Here a
short service was held conducted by the Rev Ellerton who recited the dedication
prayers, after which Colonel Godwin unveiled the tablet. The hymn “our help
in ages past” was sang, the last post sounded the blessing given and the
service ended. Among the people present was Lady Plymouth, Lady Phyllis Clive,
Lord Windsor, the Earl of Plymouth was prevented from attending owing to an
engagement in London.
The shrine was removed from the west wall outside the church
to make way for the Memorial stone. It was restored and re erected inside the church by Mr W Lumbley, while Mr Treadgold
rewrote the names on the shrine which had weathered since the shrine had been
erected both them did the work for no pay. ”it may be said the work of both was
neatly executed”.
Webheath Baptist Mission
Hall.
The chapel was built in the 19th century to serve
the Webheath and the hamlets around it. It had a strong congregation and
community. Webheath chapel stood between the larger chapel in Redditch and the
oldest Baptist chapel in the district at Astwood Bank. The chapel closed and The
Christadelphians took over the chapel in the last century and modernised and rebuilt
the front of the building.
The chapel held services on Sunday and during the week, as
well as running a Sunday school for the local children. The chapel had a strong
choral tradition, two of the Harvest Festivals were ‘services of song, “White
on to harvest “, and “Mills of God”, hymns and sacred music were sung with
appropriate linking readings. The ladies of the congregation would ‘tastefully
decorate ‘the chapel for all the special services.
The Sunday school had their special anniversary services were
the collections were given to help the work of the Sunday school and the
children lead most of the services themselves with hymns and readings. Once a
year the school had a treat, Licky hills before the war, but during the war a
local farmer’s field for games or tea and self made entertainment in the chapel
if it was raining. Prize giving took place in December to bring the Sunday
school year to an end.
The services were lead by Mr Southwick, Mr Mathews and the
Pastor the Rev Wassell. The Pastor Married in August 1916 and the new Mrs
Wassell was presented with a silver egg stand by the oldest member of the congregation
on behalf of the rest of the community. Mrs Harrison said “it was a great joy
to welcome Mrs Wassell and while the
gift was a small one, she could assure Mr and Mrs Wassell it was given with a
full hart”.
The members of the chapel had a comfort fund that sent out
gifts to the men of the congration that was serving the country at home and overseas. In the February 1915 edition
of the Redditch and Webheath Baptist News Magazine was a letter from Private B
Lippett thanking members of the chapel for the gifts he had received. Sadly Private
Lippett had died from wounds he received in the Battle of La Basse the month
before.
Heathfield Road
The name of the road had been changed from Webheath Lane to
Heathfield road a few years before 1914, and it was still some times Referred
to by its old name. It was at the time the main road for the village with most
the houses shops and the Post Office on the road.
However the condition of the road was a constant battle between
the Parish Council and the rural district council surveyor, Mr Whitemore. In
the Parish Council meeting of April 1915 the condition of the road was
discussed.
“The road appears to have a soft foundation, with metal
placed on the top of it. When the stream roller had been over it, the road was
left in a switchback state.”
The councillors sent a letter asking the surveyor for the road
to be attended too. Mr Whitemore sent a postcard back saying that the matter
would be attended to. However six months later nothing had been done and the councillors
sent a second letter. The road had become so dangerous that two local residents
finding a large manhole (pothole) after heavy rain had taken it on themselves
to call out the local roadman. They helped the roadman level it with three
barrow loads of stone.
“The Rural district Council did not seem to understand the
importance of Webheath. Heathfield road was used be a large and increasing
number of people, new housing was being built and the road should be improved.”
In the March 1916 meeting, a letter was read out form Mr
Whitemore explaining that a lack of labour meant that he was “unable to keep
Heathfield road in the condition he would like”. The poor weather over the four years of war
did not improve the condition of Webheath roads.
A heavy snow fall accompanied by strong winds in February 1916,
brought down an oak tree near the post office, workman from Bentley estate
cleared it up. The state of the road continued to prove a problem through
the War and beyond.
A School for
Webheath.
Webheath village was growing quickly with the building of new
houses through the first two decades of the 20th century and would
continue to grow or the next eighty years. The increase in population meant there
were more children in the area and no central school.
The local children went to four different schools depending
on where they lived, Foxlydiate children would have found Tardebigge the
closest school to where they lived. Some
older children may have gone to the new school at Bridge Street. Those children
who lived on Birchfield road and near the Rose and Crown would have walked
along the busy road to the Headless cross school. The children at Hill Top went to Bentley school.
Parish council members held posts as mangers on three of the school boards.
All the children had long Journeys to school the children
going to Bentley had to cross the Swans brook. Entries in the Bentley log book
have constant references to the weather and fact that children were arriving
soaked, or that attendance among the infant’s was poor. In the Parish Council
meeting of April 1918 the question of the brook was brought up. Mr Bartlem said,
“The children sometimes had to walk through water for 20 to
30 yards, he had known P.C Broom and his wife arrange to met the children and
help them over, and he had done the same himself”.
By 1919 the need for a school had become even more pressing
and the Parish council had written to the County Education Authority to ask for
a school, there had been no progress on the matter by the council’s meeting May
1920. The previous year the Redditch District Education Committee felt that the
district needed a mixed infant school, a view they still held. Mr Spires said an
infant school should be provided at Webheath,
“The danger of little children having to make Journey to
school along the main road where there was considerable motor and other traffic
would be stopped.”
The County Council Education Committee asked for evidence, Mr
Neasom conducted a census covering a radius half a mile from the post office.
There were 75 children between 8 and 14, 80 children between 4 and 7 and 43
children under five. The census and other evidence were sent off to the committee.
The reply came, “it was impossible to deal with the question
of a school for Webheath, the committee required very strong evidence before committing
themselves”. Mr Lambly, chairman remarked that they had sent all the all
evidence they could, but if the committee wanted further evidence they should
go down “muskets way between 8.30 and 9 on a wet morning”
It comes as no surprise that the plea for a school for
Webheath was turned down, and it was only after the next war that Webheath got
what should have been a short term infant school based in the village hall and
it wasn’t until 1959 when Webheath Infant School was finely opened.
Farms, Farming and Food
Production.
There were several large farms in the Webheath and Foxlydiate;
most of the farmers were tenants of the two large estates left in the area. The
Sillings Estate had been sold in 1912,
and most of the land along Cumpfield had been sold for building plots with
Crumpfield farm, farmed by Samuel French, the last agriculture land left on the
Webheath side of the road. Sycamore Farm stood near the cross roads at Hill
Top, and farmed by Hedley Cook, across the road at Hill Top George English had a small holding and ran a
milk round. Pumphouse Farm, was a mixed farm, Harry Bartlam ran it. At the top
of Cur Lane was Boxnote Farm also the Bentley Estate office. Down Spring Hill
lane was Spring Hill Farm ran by Mr Hill and at the top of the lane, Foxlydiate
farm.
Birchfield Road, Foxlydiat Lane, Church Road, and Heathfield
Road surround an area of land that had been the common until it was enclosed in
1771. Most of the land was part of the Plymouth Estate. The land seems to have
been divide up into a number of smallholdings. The Estate also allowed two fields
to be used as allotments; there had been 50 before the start of the war. A further 5 were provided during the war and
after the war the demand was such that the Parish council wrote to the estate
to ask if anther field could be used for allotments. The allotments were
situated at the top of Church road.
As men were called up, there was a shortage of labour. The
County Council tried encourage the local farmers to take on women. At a Bentley
meeting in April 1916 the farmers said that they did not need any more women as
they had enough local women who were able to work when needed. What they didn’t
say was thanks to a by –law children under thirteen could work on farm’s for
three days a week for up to six weeks
when applied for. And from the Bentley log, applications increased from 1917, many
were from farmers applying for their own children for haymaking or potato
picking.
Between 1914 and 1918, farming had to contend with some very
wet weather and heavy winter snow storms. Potato blight was reported in 1916
and 1917, there was a Government scheme to promote spraying, and the council
bought a sprayer to be shared by the farmers to prevent the problem in spring
1918.
Parish Council
Webheath parish council was formed in 1894, and dissolved in 1930.
The members were local business men and farmers. Messrs T Buckley, W.H.M Ellis.
J.T. James, J.T James, Mr W Blandon, H.F Chambers, S Neasom, C. W Owen and M
Hill, among others. The meeting became fairly irregular as the war went on and
like the local school boards quite a lot of time was taken up with dealing with
government circler’s, from pig clubs, rat and sparrow clubs to spraying.
One of the main problems the council had to deal with was the
condition of the roads, footpaths, and drains. Webheath roads were a constant
issue, at one meeting Mr Ellis referring to green lane man holes said they were
a danger to cyclists and, “to negotiate some of the them was as bad as going
through the Dardanelles (laughter)”. It was pointed out by the secretary that
Green Lane was Feckenham’s problem.
At the parish meeting in 1915 the problems of getting water
to a fire in the village were debated. A notice was posted in the Rose and
Crown giving the whereabouts of the village standpipes in an emergency. One had
been misplaced but was found in the property of the late Mr White. It was
decided to keep one in Miss Wyldes shed and at Mr J.T James. The Rev Davis wanted
to know “how they would get on in the event of the fire in the church”. Mr
James said the stand pipes were for buckets. Several members pointed out the
Redditch Fire brigade would attach their hose to the fire hydrant and there
would be no problem reaching the church.
Fox
and Goose Inn
Mr Thomas Griffin, of the Fox and Goose Inn, Foxlydiate
started a fund to supple the local men from Foxlydiate and Webheath, serving in
the Army and Navy with tobacco and cigarettes. Over the four years of the war
he collected £150, a number of fund raising schemes were used including Pea and
Bean shows at the inn. In 1920 Mr Griffin was presented with an address
illuminated by Mr Tredgold as a thank you from ‘his friends’.
Foxlydiate House
William Hemming the needle master built the house in the 1840s;
the house was later sold out of the Bentley Estate. The house passed through a
number of owners and tenants. By the outbreak of the first Worlds War, Mrs
Victor Millward and Family lived there. They took a full part in the village activities
and lent both house and grounds for those activities. In August 1915 the Millward’s entertained the
wives of the soldiers and sailors of the Neighbourhood to tea. “The weather was
delightfully fine and the company enjoyed the garden and the grounds “.
A drawing room meeting
was held in aid of the, Scottish Woman’s Hospitals for Foreign Service. The
speaker was a Miss Thurstan, who said she had not worked in the suffrage
Hospitals, but she had been working as a nursing sister for the Belgium Red
Cross and was sent to Brussels three days before the German occupation of the
city. After six weeks all the English doctors and nurses were sent to the
Danish’ frontier’ and realised. Miss Thurston then made her way into Russia and
joined a Flying Ambulance Column in the front line of the Russian Amy. After
this “thrilling account”, a collection was taken and £ 9 was given.
Forced landing
May 25 1918; Aeroplane Down, and aeroplane descended on
Sunday night in a field near Webheath Church, the course was engine trouble.
The machine passed over Redditch so low that many people thought it had come
down in Easemore Road. By the noise of the engine it was clear there was some
defecting and just before alighting this was more noticeable. A few minutes
served to put the little fault right and the aeroplane quickly rose and continued
its journey. Redditch indicator
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