Landywood and the Boer War: What Links Streets Lane to Modder River and Gorsey Lane to Spion Kop?

Posted: February 26, 2026 in Houses, Landscapes, Place-names and demonyms, Social History
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The site of Spion Kop, or more generally ‘The Kop’ in Landywood. P Ford.

It is undeniable that two Landywood places were linked to battles of the Second Boer War (1899 – 1902): recollections from Facebook posts, that will be paraphrased or cited later, state that Streets Lane was once unofficially known as Modder River and the area on Gorsey Lane, around the junction with Wharwell Lane, was once unofficially called ‘The Kop’. While the initial questions must be what and where exactly were Modder River and Spion Kop within Landywood, it follows that there needs to be an examination as to why these names were adopted in the first place. I would then like to posit the case as to why these names have largely – though not entirely – now been forgotten and that the road names adopted as a part of phase one of the Cameron Homes development off Landywood Lane – Modder Close and Spion Kop View – are the result of missed opportunities elsewhere and are really divorced from their historic connection… see https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/wyrley-landywood/articles/landywood-and-the-boer-war-what-links-streets-lane-to-modder-river-and-gorsey-lane-to-spion-kop/

 

 

 

The Great Stones of Landywood: Village Tradition

Posted: January 6, 2026 in Landscapes, Mysteries, Place-names and demonyms, Pre-Medieval
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‘The Great Stones of Landywood.’ GWLHS.

The local tradition that I want to examine for this first article has been touched upon by myself in the past and by others, and is that of the ‘Great Stones of Landywood.’ I had looked into the stones a little but had written nothing on the subject until 2014 – when I mentioned them in passing within a short article on the origins of Great Wyrley. However, it is my intention to revisit the subject, partly as I have been asked a couple of questions recently about the stones and partly as if there were a lost stone circle it would have meant something to those that erected it as well as those that still feel a connection to such sites today. So, I aim to reassess and report on in a little more detail – though not exhaustive – any evidence supplied from geological sources, place-names, topography, archaeological sources, historical sources, and more recent oral testimony… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/wyrley-landywood/articles/the-great-stones-of-landywood-village-tradition/

Darts, Andys’ and Memories

Posted: December 18, 2025 in Uncategorized
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Hello All,

Last year I did a little dart challenge in memory of Stuart ‘Diesel’ Sagar, a regular at my spiritual home – Andys’ Alehouse. This year, I want to remember Stuart but also honour the memory of those that helped establish Andys’ Alehouse in the first place – Mike and Ann Williams.

So, this year I am trying to do thirty-one 180s in the month of December – that is, on average, one for each day. I started a little late, and truth be told losing so many days in the month to the festivities and, as I am miserable, too many people clogging-up dartboards in the pubs, I thought I wouldn’t achieve it but have since caught up so I am giving it a go.

I am currently on 24, and will update at the end (I only get paid if I do it!); there is, however, £50 in the kitty – and I am hoping to get another £50.

The aim is to tap my family for sponsor money – which this year will go to fighting Motor Neuron Disease. Andys’ Brewhouse has an MND box currently for any Wyrleyites that visit the wilds of Streetly – if not, all I would ask any Blog reader, if they wanted to support this, is that you pop a quid in any box you see – anywhere.

Merry Christmas to one and all, and a Happy New Year!

UPDATE: I would like to thank everyone that contributed to this challenge, and was especially moved when a Blog reading couple insisted I took a tenner for the cause while in the Swan. Thanks to all, we raised £150 for the fight against MND. I did complete the challenge on Saturday 20 December – I went out throwing for around 5 hours until my legs felt like lead and my throwing arm ceased to exist (had to drink with my left!) That day saw not only the final six 180s I needed (I was on 25 by then) but I got a personal record of 10 during the day! I surprised myself that I completed this so early.

We are a good little community within a community at Andys’ and while, because I am miserable, I dont know everybody, I want to take this opportunity to remember Chris Pittaway – who also left us too soon.

Our thoughts also turn to ‘our’ Tracey, an integral part of the running of Andys’, and while it isn’t my place to elaborate, we wish her well with what lies ahead.

Paul (Wyrleyblog)

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Stuart… aka Diesel… who sadly left us last year at just 47 years

Section Three: Further Community Tales II: The Chilton Family and Harrisons Club

Posted: November 6, 2025 in Family History, General War, Pubs and Clubs, Social History, Soldiers, War Memorials, WWI
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Harrisons Club

Further Community Tales

This sub-section looks at the fluidity within our wider community through four stories (split into two parts for the Blog): the third story is that of the Chilton family, once of Churchbridge, Bridgtown and Shirebrook in Derbyshire, which stands as an exemplar for those that were born in or pass through the village, to go on to live elsewhere, before falling in the war; and the final story is the effect of the war upon a cosmopolitan institution – that of Harrisons Club – and how it faced the difficulties of the period and yet, at the same time, tried to use the Club as a part of the overall war effort.

See: https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/section-three-further-community-tales-ii-the-chilton-family-and-harrisons-club/

Section Three: Further Community Tales I: Wallace Lawson and Frank Emberton

Posted: November 6, 2025 in Family History, General War, Soldiers, War Memorials, WWI
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Wallace Lawson (Walsall Local History Centre)

This sub-section looks at the fluidity within our wider community through four stories (split into two parts for the Blog): the first story is that of Wallace Lawson, a soldier that appears on the Cheslyn Hay war memorial and yet is buried in the Great Wyrley civil cemetery (which in itself warrants his inclusion in the book); the second story is that of Frank Emberton, who was Great Wyrley’s most highly decorated ordinary soldier, in that he received the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and yet there is a question as to the exact nature of his relationship with Great Wyrley. https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/section-three-further-community-tales-i-wallace-lawson-and-frank-emberton/

Remembering the Fallen V: Edward Aulder Benton, William Gretton (with Walter Bickley and John Lockett from Cheslyn Hay), Percy Mears (and Family), Henry Jones and William Ames

Posted: July 31, 2025 in Family History, General War, Social History, Soldiers, WWI
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The baby-face William Gretton, likely 17 when the photo was taken. (Walsall Local History Centre)

The updated stories of further Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay Great War soldiers: the lad that enlisted twice, Great Wyrley/Cheslyn Hay’s worst day of the War, The Mears family at war, missing… presumed dead, and the boxing Engineer all feature…  https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/remembering-the-fallen-v-edward-aulder-benton-william-gretton-with-walter-bickley-and-john-lockett-from-cheslyn-hay-percy-mears-and-family-henry-jones-and-william-ames/

Remembering the Fallen IV: Alfred Whitehouse, Walter Collins, William Sambrook, Joseph Dutton and Harry Bullock

Posted: July 18, 2025 in General War, Soldiers, War Memorials, WWI
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The private stone that originally marked Harry’s grave. (GWLHS/Bob Bullock)

The updated stories of further Great Wyrley Great War soldiers: two Grenadiers, a Wyrley school teacher, the Newtown lad, and the boy with two names all feature… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/remembering-the-fallen-iv-alfred-whitehouse-walter-collins-william-sambrook-joseph-dutton-and-harry-bullock/

Remembering the Fallen III: Theodore Crescens Bason, Wilfred North, Ernest Robinson, Charles Withnall, George and Benjamin Smith

Posted: July 3, 2025 in General War, Soldiers, WWI
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The grave of Benjamin Smith, once nursed by Vera Brittain at the Devonshire Hospital in Buxton.

The updated stories of further Great Wyrley Great War soldiers: Wyrley’s only officer, the man wrongly spelled on two memorials, two brothers, the Somme and the Battle of the Scarpe all feature… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/remembering-the-fallen-iii-theodore-crescens-bason-wilfred-north-ernest-robinson-charles-withnall-george-and-benjamin-smith/

Remembering the Great Wyrley Fallen: Joseph Masters, Herbert Higgs, Reginald Coley Woodhouse, John Gossage and Harry Griffiths

Posted: June 25, 2025 in General War, WWI
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Reginald Coley Woodhouse, former Queen Mary’s, Walsall pupil (QMS Magazine December 1918)

The updated stories of five more Great Wyrley Great War soldiers: Wyrley’s first, Jutland, Ypres, the Irish Sea, and a fall from grace all feature… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/remembering-the-great-wyrley-fallen-joseph-masters-herbert-higgs-reginald-coley-woodhouse-john-gossage-and-harry-griffiths/

Remembering the Great Wyrley Fallen: Ernest Thomas, Patrick Downey, Harold Mitchell, William Simpson and Thomas James

Posted: June 5, 2025 in General War, Social History, War Memorials, WWI
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The new memorial in Great Wyrley’s Remembrance Garden.

What now follows are basic biographies for Ernest Thomas, Patrick Downey, Harold Mitchell, William Simpson and Thomas James. A few pointers on them: first, these biographies are about the men and not a commentary on the war; second, to reflect my journey, they appear in the order they were written for Wyrleyblog; third, the biographies are self-contained – so there will be some repetition of information, and it will be obvious as the stories were not designed to be read consecutively, especially for those that served together or shared similar experiences; fourth, some of them are cruder, especially those written at the start of the project; fifth, some have less detail than others due to the scarcity of their records; sixth, they have all been reworked a little from the blog entries, as some illustrations have been removed for spatial and other reasons, and some have been added to as new material has become available to use; and finally, some have had to address sensitive issues – and I hope they do so in a respectful way – but the aim of all is that they act as the smallest of windows into the lives of villagers from over a century ago, so we know who it is we are remembering during that silence on that November morning… https://wyrleyblog.wordpress.com/about/great-wyrley-in-the-great-war-book/remembering-the-fallen-ernest-thomas-patrick-downey-harold-mitchell-william-simpson-and-thomas-james/

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