November 2011 Newsletter
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Newsletter Newsletter of the Broseley Local History Society Incorporating the Wilkinson Society November 2011 MEETINGS PROGRAMME Meetings of the Broseley Local History Society 7 Dec Christmas dinner. are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 4 Jan More Memories of Broseley with Joan 7.30 pm at the Broseley Social Club, High Street, Griffiths. unless otherwise announced. Car parking is 1 Feb Historic Shropshire Churches by available at the back of the Club. Richard Bifield. 7 Mar Annual Wilkinson Lecture, Joseph Members are requested to be seated by 7.30 pm to Priestley and the Wilkinsons by Diana allow speakers a prompt start. Clarke. Visitors are welcome but are asked to give a Further details from Neil Clarke 01952 504135. donation towards Society funds. NEW MEMBERS The Society would like to welcome the following CONTENTS new members: Roger Onions, Malvern Wells, Worcestershire Programme page 1 Shirley Runte, Alberta, Canada New Members page 1 Keith Aldin, Broseley B Mason, Wolverhampton Christmas Dinner page 1 Previous Meetings CHRISTMAS DINNER Wenlock Olympian Society page 2 Wednesday 7 December Annual General Meeting page 3 The Lion, High Street Fords and Ferries on the page 4 7.30 for 7.45 pm Shropshire Severn £17.95 per person The Society’s Christmas dinner is always an The Clock and Watch Makers page 7 of Broseley event to which members look forward. As in the past, it is to be held at The Lion Hotel in the High Broseley Cemetery Chapel page 7 Street since this makes it easily accessible to most people. Friends Challenge Quiz page 7 Do make sure to book your place by not later than Olympic Torch Relay page 8 Friday 2 December by completing the form on What’s On? page 8 p13 and returning it with your payment to: Janet Robinson Bookshop page 8 26 Coalport Road Mailbox page 9 Broseley TF12 5AZ. Christmas Dinner booking form page 13 Cheques should be made payable to the Broseley Local History Society. 1 PREVIOUS MEETINGS While intended for men only, with women not Wenlock Olympian Society even allowed to watch, it was decided in 1852 to In September Helen hold one race for Old Women, in other words Cromarty, sponsorship working women. However, since women did not secretary for the Wenlock at that time ‘wear anything under their skirts’ it Olympian Society, gave a was later deemed unsuitable and the experiment talk on the life of William was not repeated! Nonetheless, these games Penny Brookes and his part became so popular that in 1860 they were renamed in the setting up of this the Wenlock Olympian Games. Society. William Penny Brookes, founding father of the Keen to expand these, Brookes began to include William Brookes was born modern Olympic Games pageantry and organised processions through the in Much Wenlock in 1809 and lived there for much town as well as increasing the number of events. of his life. His father was a local doctor and as a By 1870 the sports included running, cricket and young man Brookes was sent to study medicine in 14 a side soccer, and in the following year London. From there he travelled to Italy where he competitions in drawing, prose and poetry for both attended lectures at Padua, famous for its 16th children and adults were introduced. As the years century mediaeval herb gardens. He also studied went on the Games became increasingly popular at the Sorbonne but, on the death of his father in and well known so that people came from all over 1831, returned to England to take over his father’s the country to compete. This had a snowball effect medical practice. in that they took the idea back home and started up similar societies in their own communities. A man of many interests, he was a social reformer who believed that anyone of any class should have While the question could be asked why the the opportunity to expand their knowledge and Wenlock and not the Much Wenlock Olympian become mentally and physically fit. He also felt Society, there is a simple explanation for this. that England’s young men should build up their Brookes was keen to include not only the town of strength and fitness in case the country became Much Wenlock but also the surrounding areas involved in another war. which spread over Wenlock Ward, Broseley Ward, Madeley Ward and Little Wenlock. He was also well known as a philanthropist, paying for the refurbishment of the Guildhall in Much Brookes’ real ambition, however, was to help Wenlock and setting up the Much Wenlock revive the original Olympic Games and in 1859 he National School in 1848. He was a magistrate for obtained sponsorship for such games to be held in almost 40 years and in 1856 became chairman of Athens. Unfortunately, Athens used the money to the Wenlock Gas Company which first brought hold an industrial exhibition, merely tagging on lighting to the town. He was also director of both some games at the end, which in any case were the Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway only for Greek citizens. Companies, with the first train to Wenlock So in 1865 Brookes helped found the National coinciding with the Wenlock Olympian Games of Olympian Association based in Liverpool. Their 1861. first national event was held in 1866 at the Crystal But it was in 1841 that the Olympiad story really Palace in London. It attracted over 10,000 began. In this year Brookes established the spectators and was meant only for amateurs. Agricultural Reading Society to help local people Brookes’ idea of an ‘amateur’ was anyone who did read and in 1850 set up the Olympian Class of that not earn money for his sport and he was Society to help them keep fit. The first meeting of determined that all such people should be eligible this Society included athletics and sports such as to compete. However, this did not suit the ideals quoits, football and cricket and was open to of the elite who were determined that British sport everyone of any class. should be restricted to ‘gentlemen’ – in other 2 words, those people who did Annual General Meeting not need to work for a living. The Society’s AGM was held on 5 October when Brookes, however, won the chairman Gillian Pope said that the past year had day and his definition of been very successful, with an interesting amateur still stands. programme of talks and activities. As well as presentations on such varied topics as Shropshire 1877 saw the celebration of Iron Age Forts and the Wenlock Olympian Society Queen Victoria’s Jubilee the annual Wilkinson Lecture, presented by Vin and Brookes took the Callcut, had reviewed the life and achievements of opportunity to ask Greece to Pierre de Coubertin John Wilkinson, relating them to conditions today. donate a prize for the who, in 1894, set up the National Olympian Games International Summer activities had seen a guided walk down being held in Shrewsbury. Olympic Committee Loamhole Dingle in Coalbrookdale and an The silver cup sent by King George I of Greece extremely interesting trip to the Blaenavon Iron gave Brookes the chance to lobby the Greek nation Works and the Big Pit in South Wales. to hold an International Olympian Festival in The Society had also been active in erecting Athens. Sadly, his efforts were in vain. commemorative plaques around the town for Meanwhile, a young French aristocrat, Baron which they had received a grant of £1,000 from the Pierre de Coubertin, was growing up with an Local Joint Committee. Numbering ten in all, the increasing sense of the importance of physical last of them has now been erected on the Burnt education and sport in schooling as well as among House in Cape Street. All ten were made by Roger the general population. In 1889 he organised an Fewtrell at Blists Hill. International Congress on Physical Education and Another project was its involvement, together with subsequently met up with Brookes. Brookes Broseley Town Council and Broseley Partnership, invited him to Much Wenlock and put on a special in the refurbishment of the Cemetery Chapel where autumn Games in his honour. De Coubertin was some of the Society’s artefacts are now on display so impressed with Brookes’ work that, on his to the public. return to France, he wrote a glowing report saying The chairman then went on to say that many that “If the Olympic Games that Modern Greece members will remember Frank Dawson and the has not yet been able to revive still survives today, Society’s trip to his house, Castlehead, in Cumbria it is due, not to a Greek, but to Dr W P Brookes”. some years ago. Inspired by the fact that Both de Coubertin and Brookes shared a common Wilkinson had built and lived in that house, Frank dream of an Olympic revival in the form of an had written a book about him. Sadly he died international Games and in 1894 de Coubertin set before it could be published, but he left the rights up the International Olympic Committee. While to the Society. Thanks to the efforts of David Brookes’ ideal was for a Games based on the Lake the History Press of Stroud has agreed to Wenlock Games, which would include pageantry publish this book and hopes to have it on the shelves shortly. and would be held in Athens, de Coubertin disagreed with this maintaining that the Games It was also mentioned that next year would be the should move around the world.