Tonight 8th May 2025, We marked 80 years since World War II ended, it was great to see so many people from the village and surrounding areas come together for the VE Day celebrations. On the Quinton Shopping Centre, in front of the Quinton Surgery, an area was setup with entertainment. On this day, the entire nation, along with our friends and allies around the world, came together to mark 80 years of peace. This is more than just a commemoration it’s a joyful celebration of reconciliation, unity, and the lasting peace that has brought us together. On this day 80 years ago, Winston Churchill announced the war was over.
We mark this occasion not only to celebrate the end of the war but to remember and pay tribute to the many millions that died and sacrificed so much for the freedoms we all enjoy today. VE Day 80 will be all about bringing the peoples, families and communities of our great nation together in a spirit of celebration and peace.
Councillor Kath Perry MBE pictured with The Bevin Boys
The evening entertain started with Councillor Kath Perry MBE giving an opening introduction, followed by The Reverend Marie Meredith relaying a message from Buckingham Palace. It was a cheer to listen to Cheslyn Hay Community Choir by musical director and founder, us they sang a collection of songs, followed by The Bevin Boys by Catherine Care. Then Councillor Kath Perry MBE entertained us with many songs from the 1940s, so many people joined in on the singing. It was great to then listen to Cannock’s Salvation Army Band ‘I Vow to thee my Country. The evening ended with the procession to Beacon and the lighting Ceremony.
It’s great when somebody writes about their old haunts, no more so than this guy, Richard Foster, Born at Spion Kop but now living in Burnham on Sea. His book on growing up in Great Wyrley will be a pleasure to read for residents and locals alike no doubt, Here is preamble from Richard on his book
Rich Foster was born at the Spion Kop, also known as Harrison’s Buildings in Gorsey Lane, Landywood, in 1956. He attended Landywood Primary School and Great Wyrley Secondary Modern, later to become Great Wyrley High School. The Foster’s roots are well established in the village. Rich’s grandparents owned Fosters shop in Gorsey Lane and his Granddad Foster was a local councillor for many years. Rich’s brother, Trevor, continues to live in the village. Parents Harold and Margaret Foster died in 2019. Rich, a former lawyer, moved to Burnham on Sea, Somerset with his wife, Lynne, on retirement in 2020.
Rich’s debut book, Spion Kop, is based on a true story about his life growing up in the mining community of the ‘Kop’ and the secret about his identity kept by his family and villagers for 18 years. Set in the 1950’s to the 1970’s, Spion Kop is a ‘warts and all’ account of life on the Cannock Chase coalfield and reflects the culture of the period. The book has been written as a tribute to his family and the community of which he was part .Although based on a true story, the book is a personal response to his memory of those times; some people may therefore have different recollections of the people and events included in his work. Parts of the book and some characters have also been fictionalised.
Spion Kop, by Rich J. Foster can be purchased through the Amazon website and with thanks to Richard and his publisher’s in their permission with using this extract.
Another part of history that is going to be lost forever. This great little museum on Cannock Chase closed its door forever on 25th April 2025. The museum housed displays about our mining heritage in the area.
Information about Museum of Cannock Chase
The museum and its outbuildings are on the site of the former Valley Colliery. The colliery opened in 1874 and was originally called the Pool Pit, after the pool that once covered nearby Hednesford Park. In 1887 the mine was connected to Wimblebury Colliery. Coal was brought to the surface there, but the miners still descended from here. In 1940 pithead baths were opened. Miners paid 5d per week to use them. The building later became the Mines Rescue Station, which stood at the top of Valley Road where the houses are today. When coal extraction from Wimblebury Colliery ended in 1962 the colliery buildings were used only for training.
The Mining Training Centre
The Coal Mining Training Centre for the Cannock Chase, Shropshire and South Staffordshire coalfields was here at the Valley Colliery site. It opened in 1946, just before new legislation was introduced that meant miners had to receive training before going underground. The colliery corn store (now the museum’s main building) was converted for training. New recruits were also trained in five Nissen huts from World War Two, which stood beside the museum.
Near to what is now our main car park, surface training facilities that replicated underground conditions were built. By the 1960s, they were being used to train 15-year-old boys who had just left school. The boys weren’t permitted to start work underground until the age of 16, so these surface training galleries provided the only opportunity for them to learn the necessary mining techniques. During its lifetime, over 17,000 trainee miners passed through the Mining Training Centre, many of whom have revisited the site since it became a museum.
The Mines Rescue Station
The Mines Rescue Station, originally based in nearby Victoria Street, moved here in 1972 and remained until the service was relocated out of the district in 1991. In 1997 the building became a public house but was later pulled down after most of it was destroyed in a fire. The houses you see today stand in its place.
The Museum
By 1982, most of the local pits had closed and the Training Centre had closed, too.
The site was taken over by the Council and in 1989 the Valley Heritage Centre was opened. Renamed the Museum of Cannock Chase in the mid-1990s, it tells the story of local coal mining and illustrates the social, industrial and domestic history of the Cannock Chase area. The top of the museum site leads to Hednesford Hills, which is now a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. As the Valley Colliery buildings once extended onto Hednesford Hills, you may still be able to see signs of its former industrial past as you walk, such as parts of the old chimneys in the undergrowth. You can find out more about the former layout of the site in our Mining Gallery.
The Winding Wheel & Mine Car
The winding wheel outside the museum is from Lea Hall Colliery in Rugeley, which closed in 1990. The wheel was unused and was left in place to give the headframe a balanced appearance. It is one of a small number of remaining winding wheels from the Cannock Chase coalfield. The mine car at the front of the Museum is from Littleton Colliery, in Huntington. It was used to transport coal from underground to the pit surface, where it was emptied onto conveyor belts.
It was great to see Great Wyrley pulling together as a community for a fantastic St George’s Day Parade. Well done Freddie Whittaker and Mia Forrester for leading the procession as Saint George and his English Rose. Has they paraded around the village it was great to see so many people coming out of their homes to join in on the celebration and donate money. We are looking forward to seeing everyone for our Great Wyrley Carnival on Saturday 28th June 2025.
Read more about St George’s Day in the Express & Star Newspaper. Read about the history of St George’s Day on the BBC website.
Our subject for the talk at our Coffee Morning by Ian Bott was Treasures Beneath Out Feet. His talk was on detecting hidden objects with the aid of a metal detector, he talked on finding odd pieces of memorabilia and of course, lots of pull rings from pop cans. Ian bott have another fantastic, as he was last with us in January 2025. Ian always gives a great talk, he is very knowledgable about many different subjects. The room was packed with members and the talk was enjoyed by all. A great morning at the Senior Citizens Centre, Broadmeadow Lane.
Our subject for the talk at our Coffee Morning by Ian Bott was Treasures Beneath Out Feet. His talk was on detecting hidden objects with the aid of a metal detector, he talked on finding odd pieces of memorabilia and of course, lots of pull rings from pop cans. Ian bott have another fantastic, as he was last with us in January 2025. Ian always gives a great talk, he is very knowledgable about many different subjects. The room was packed with members and the talk was enjoyed by all. A great morning at the Senior Citizens Centre, Broadmeadow Lane.
