! ROMANY MEMORIAL REVIEW Provides and promotes an understanding of the Birmingham Romany Gypsy and Romany culture. www.winsongreentobrookfields.co.uk

Chairman: Ted Rudge 118 Cropthorne Road Shirley B903JJ [email protected] Phone 0121 744 5939 Secretary &Treasurer: Susan Arthur ! President: Prof. Carl Chinn. !

NEWS LETTER No 5 SUMMER 2009 Notice of a meeting at the “ Tavern” on Sunday 26th JULY 2009, from 11am Dear Friends, Normally we meet around the date of the 1905 eviction to pay our respects to your Romany relatives and the spirit behind the memorial. This year we are able to meet on the exact date of the eviction 26th July (104 years later). Arrangements to hold the 2009 reunion / meeting, our sixth, at the Soho Foundry Tavern have been made for Sunday 26th July. If you require a Sunday Lunch (Dinner) this year please ring the Soho Foundry Tavern on 0121 558 4670 and make the booking. Alternatively a Bar-B-Q style meal can order on the day.

Last year’s reunion was well supported and apart from the thunder storm at the end was a great success. We were fortunate to have Carl Chinn, our president, broadcast his Radio WM programme from the tavern where many of you contributed your stories on air. At previous reunions most of the time is spent in conversation with old and /or newly found relatives / friends. I am sure the same will happen again, as each year we are joined by newly found relations and friends. However this year thanks to the pressure exerted by the “Friends of Black Patch Park” they were able to report that the area Action Plan has been approved by the Secretary of State and adopted by MBC. This is conformation that Black Patch Park will be retained as “open space” and is no longer under any threat of being built on. When I posted this extremely good news on my website many people asked if a reunion could be arranged to meet and celebrate the retention of the park by people who cared. They have all been invited to join us on the 26th July together with the “Friends of Black Patch Park” so there should be many more people to talk to. In addition the family trees of the Smith, Loveridge and some Clayton’s will again be available on the day thanks to the research being carried out by one of our members.

One of the two aims of our group is a membership willing to provide for future maintenance of the present memorial and eventually to replace it with a more elaborate brick memorial. Donations of at least £2 each member per year was agreed to cover this situation and the printing, postage etc costs of the meetings. Payments will be accepted and receipted at the reunion or by post to my address please with cheques payable to the “Birmingham Romany Memorial Review”. Currently we have £792-78p on deposit with the “Abbey” and a full years financial balance will be available at the reunion or after by request.

At Soho House from 4th April until 1st November there will be an exhibition celebrating the life, work and legacy of (1728-1809). Part of this exhibition includes a display by the “Friends of Black Patch Park” with several references and photographs of the Romany Gypsies and the park. My new book entitled “In and around through time” (£12-99) contains 90 old photographs and 90 new taken at the location of the old all in full colour will be available at the reunion also a 2010 calendar entitled Winson Green to Brookfields (£5) with photographs of the area including Black Patch Park Finally if you know someone that would be interested in joining us on the 26th of July please bring them along. Let’s hope for good weather and a day to remember with your support and that of friends, relatives and old park users. I am looking forward to meeting you all again. “Custi Bock”, Ted Rudge 20/05/09