The Wyrley Outrages!
In short a series of attacks on sheep, cattle and horses discovered in 1903 for which George Edalji, son of mixed-race parents arrested. The attacks were said to be extremely brutal and included maiming and “ripping”. Police received letters from the “Wyrley Gang” and investigated (or not).
Mr Clark, final teacher in primary school was the first person I remember mentioning these – and it changed my world. Something extremely noteworthy had happened in the very place I now lived. History and fame knew where I lived. I went to the very church that the accused-convicted-cleared George Edalji’s father had been vicar!
Mr (Albert) Tomkinson, history teacher at the Secondary Modern school I went to added more – and more grisly – detail.
A couple of years ago I read a book (George and Arthur, by Julian Barnes), thinking I had learned more. It is a well-written book, but may well be guiding readers down a number of wrong, but interesting paths. For sure Arthur Conan-Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories certainly visited Great Wyrley and is reputed to have stayed at the Star Inn – a couple of hundred yards from my own home and now being renovated (rumour has it to become a gastro pub) – while trying to find the evidence to clear the convicted man.
Now I read – in the erstwhile Express and Star – that there is a TV mini-series being made based on the book to star martin Clunes, Art Malik and Emma Fielding. It is being filmed in locations which include, it is said, Staffordshire.
There is a lot of interest in local history at the moment. A new series of Peaky Blinders started on Thursday. Peaky Blinders is stunning in its portrayal of conditions in Birmingham and the surrounding area (the Peaky Blinders on which this drama is based were a Small Heath gang who sewed razor blades into the peaks of their caps to use in fights). I suspect, however that the writers took liberties with the real history to come up with this tense, gritty period piece which involves politics, gambling, the lives of the working class – and, in this new one life in the 1920s as the gang, having become “respectable” and rather rich seek to expand their activities.
It is interesting to note the way society treats “gangsters” of the past. In the case of Peaky Blinders adding a dark glamour.
Following an item on the Making of peaky Blinders on the local news programme was an ironic reminder of the realities of gangsterism: the drive-by shooting of a couple of teenagers, Letitia Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis in 2003 in Aston. Apparently some part of a “retaliation killing” gang plan. Things in Birmingham at the time, perhaps even now revolving around hardened gangs. Is it possible things don’t change?
I cannot help thinking about the way the media, so quick to get to a story these days, impacts on our lives: our actions, thinking, opinions. A massive influence, no doubt.
Meanwhile western politicians and some of their counterparts in the Middle east are struggling to come to terms with the barbarism of “Islamic State” (I put the name into inverted commas here for a number of reasons; not least because I find it hard to link their stated beliefs with the Islam I know. Also because the media refers to them by a number of acronyms (ISIS, ISIL) and it is hard to pin down who they actually are. Whatever the case may be they are altering politics in the Arab world in seeming to be trying to set up a separate state run on lines they believe are sacred. They have ruthlessly executed U.S., U.K. and French nationals who, it seems were where they were to supply aid to local communities. It is also reported that Europeans are joining their ranks in Syria, fighting against the national armies and Kurds who live there.
The United States has called for a coalition to stand against this “threat” and is actively bombing the Islamic State forces on the ground. Britain and other countries are joining them.
From that international news to the small matter of the Walsall home game. Bristol City, unbeaten so far this season and riding high and confident at the top of our league arrived with a massive support: busy, vocal and getting behind their team. The attendance was somewhere around five and a half thousand. Wish we could get that many every week!
Paper talk is that we are getting over our injury list, that we have more players to pick from (that (Jordan Cook for example is almost ready to play a full game – he broke his ankle, after being our big summer signing during the friendlies trip to Devon).
And, sure enough we started the game better than any I have seen this season On the front foot, at times with four men pressing up: Sawyers, Bradshaw, Baxendale (another waspish display) and Forde looking strong.
On-emergency-loan Andy Butler again looking big and strong at the back and Paul Downing seeming happy to take a lead from our former skipper. A busy first half from Chambers and a super display from young Reece Flanagan (again) until he ran out of steam in the second half. And Romaine Sawyers seems to have his mojo back. Until last week lacking in confidence and off the pace he deservedly took the man-of-the-match award last week and is again busy and effective.
The Wyrley Outrages!
In short a series of attacks on sheep, cattle and horses discovered in 1903 for which George Edalji, son of mixed-race parents arrested. The attacks were said to be extremely brutal and included maiming and “ripping”. Police received letters from the “Wyrley Gang” and investigated (or not).
Mr Clark, final teacher in primary school was the first person I remember mentioning these – and it changed my world. Something extremely noteworthy had happened in the very place I now lived. History and fame knew where I lived. I went to the very church that the accused-convicted-cleared George Edalji’s father had been vicar!
Mr (Albert) Tomkinson, history teacher at the Secondary Modern school I went to added more – and more grisly – detail.
A couple of years ago I read a book (George and Arthur, by Julian Barnes), thinking I had learned more. It is a well-written book, but may well be guiding readers down a number of wrong, but interesting paths. For sure Arthur Conan-Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories certainly visited Great Wyrley and is reputed to have stayed at the Star Inn – a couple of hundred yards from my own home and now being renovated (rumour has it to become a gastro pub) – while trying to find the evidence to clear the convicted man.
Now I read – in the erstwhile Express and Star – that there is a TV mini-series being made based on the book to star Martin Clunes, Art Malik and Emma Fielding. It is being filmed in locations which include, it is said, Staffordshire.
There is a lot of interest in local history at the moment. A new series of Peaky Blinders started on Thursday. Peaky Blinders is stunning in its portrayal of conditions in Birmingham and the surrounding area (the Peaky Blinders on which this drama is based were a Small Heath gang who sewed razor blades into the peaks of their caps to use in fights). I suspect, however that the writers took liberties with the real history to come up with this tense, gritty period piece which involves politics, gambling, the lives of the working class – and, in this new one life in the 1920s as the gang, having become “respectable” and rather rich seek to expand their activities.
It is interesting to note the way society treats “gangsters” of the past. In the case of Peaky Blinders adding a dark glamour.
Following an item on the Making of peaky Blinders on the local news programme was an ironic reminder of the realities of gangsterism: the drive-by shooting of a couple of teenagers, Letitia Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis in 2003 in Aston. Apparently some part of a “retaliation killing” gang plan. Things in Birmingham at the time, perhaps even now revolving around hardened gangs. Is it possible things don’t change?
I cannot help thinking about the way the media, so quick to get to a story these days, impacts on our lives: our actions, thinking, opinions. A massive influence, no doubt.
Meanwhile western politicians and some of their counterparts in the Middle East are struggling to come to terms with the barbarism of “Islamic State” (I put the name into inverted commas here for a number of reasons; not least because I find it hard to link their stated beliefs with the Islam I know. Also because the media refers to them by a number of acronyms (ISIS, ISIL) and it is hard to pin down who they actually are. Whatever the case may be they are altering politics in the Arab world in seeming to be trying to set up a separate state run on lines they believe are sacred. They have ruthlessly executed U.S., U.K. and French nationals who, it seems were where they were to supply aid to local communities. It is also reported that Europeans are joining their ranks in Syria, fighting against the national armies and Kurds who live there.
The United States has called for a coalition to stand against this “threat” and is actively bombing the Islamic State forces on the ground. Britain and other countries are joining them.
From that international news to the small matter of the Walsall home game. Bristol City, unbeaten so far this season and riding high and confident at the top of our league arrived with a massive support: busy, vocal and getting behind their team. The attendance was somewhere around five and a half thousand. Wish we could get that many every week!
Paper talk is that we are getting over our injury list, that we have more players to pick from (that (Jordan Cook for example is almost ready to play a full game – he broke his ankle, after being our big summer signing during the friendlies trip to Devon).
And, sure enough we started the game better than any I have seen this season On the front foot, at times with four men pressing up: Sawyers, Bradshaw, Baxendale (another waspish display) and Forde looking strong.
On-emergency-loan Andy Butler again looking big and strong at the back and Paul Downing seeming happy to take a lead from our former skipper. A busy first half from Chambers and a super display from young Reece Flanagan (again) until he ran out of steam in the second half. And Romaine Sawyers seems to have his mojo back. Until last week lacking in confidence and off the pace he deservedly took the man-of-the-match award last week and is again busy and effective.
Bristol City wearing an unusual strip: purple shirts and green shorts. Not sure if this is an away strip, but I am used to associating The Robins with red and white. My favourite colour is purple, so, while this is an unfashionable combination, especially with the bright orange boots some of the team are wearing, I find myself liking the team. But it’s a league One Game, not a catwalk show, although it has a couple of pantomime moments. The first of which is a moment of comedy that became semi-tragedy (and could have gone terribly wrong!): keeper O’Donnell, keen to get on with the game took a free kick (simply too early and without thinking) which, poorly directed, came off the back of a walking away City striker. Fortunately for him – and Walsall – it didn’t rebound into the net. O’Donnell shouted furiously, gesticulated dramatically – and the ref booked the Bristol player for not being ten yards away when the kick was taken. Poor refereeing, but we smiled.
A little later, Wilbrahim, one of the taller Bristol players, stooping down to control the ball was touched by the boot of a Walsall defender. He went down dramatically – no call for such over acting – and the defender was booked. I am guessing it was for “foot up” but this was not the case. We stopped smiling!
Former Everton and Man.Utd. manager David Moyes was a the game apparently. He played for Bristol City once upon a time – or he has been invited to take over the youth team at Walsall (just a joke Mr Moyes, honest) – take your pick..
Although he wasn’t getting much of the ball, the Bristol winger, number 23 Joe Bryan looked useful and cut into the penalty box to score a neat goal after eleven minutes. We did not panic, even on the field, keeping up a steady stream towards the Bristol goal. Some fine passing movements, mixing short and long passes and good raiding by our full backs.
Some substitutions followed: Bradshaw off (perhaps injured) and Cook coming on and Flanagan off and Clifford on, finally Baxendale off and Manset on. Some more fine play, Walsall showing no lack of confidence now after good wins over the past few weeks and a great passing movement saw Romaine Sawyers (on duty again this week for St Kitts) hit a sweet and powerful drive into the net.
Also noteworthy was the substitution of the assistant referee, who went down in a tangle after a tussle between Jordan Cook and a Bristol defender. It took an embarrassingly long time for the substitute official to appear. And once he was on Bristol City decided to make a substitution. Why, so suddenly when they had just had something like six minutes to get it done?
Game finished one all. Satisfyingly good performances from the Saddlers; getting better. I expect Bristol City, with their attitude and professional play will be in the promotion race at the end of the season … but this is football.
A great afternoon’s entertainment.
I have been invited to join I.C.A.D. as a guest for the match they will perhaps sponsor (at home against Barnsley on December 13th) and we also talked about going to Rochdale on Tuesday for the Johnson’s Paint Trophy game.
Watch this space!
Bristol City wearing an unusual strip: purple shirts and green shorts. Not sure if this is an away strip, but I am used to associating The Robins with red and white. My favourite colour is purple, so, while this is an unfashionable combination, especially with the bright orange boots some of the team are wearing, I find myself liking the team. But it’s a league One Game, not a catwalk show, although it has a couple of pantomime moments. The first of which is a moment of comedy that became semi-tragedy (and could have gone terribly wrong!): keeper O’Donnell, keen to get on with the game took a free kick (simply too early and without thinking) which, poorly directed, came off the back of a walking away City striker. Fortunately for him – and Walsall – it didn’t rebound into the net. O’Donnell shouted furiously, gesticulated dramatically – and the ref booked the Bristol player for not being ten yards away when the kick was taken. Poor refereeing, but we smiled!
A little later, Wilbrahim, one of the taller Bristol players, stooping down to control the ball was touched by the boot of a Walsall defender. He went down dramatically – no call for such over acting – and the defender was booked. I am guessing it was for “foot up” but this was not the case. We stopped smiling!
Former Everton and Man.Utd. manager David Moyes was a the game apparently. He played for Bristol City once upon a time – or he has been invited to take over the youth team at Walsall (just a joke Mr Moyes, honest) – take your pick..
Although he wasn’t getting much of the ball, the Bristol winger, number 23 Joe Bryan looked useful and cut into the penalty box to score a neat goal after eleven minutes. We did not panic, even on the field, keeping up a steady stream towards the Bristol goal. Some fine passing movements, mixing short and long passes and good raiding by our full backs.
Some substitutions followed: Bradshaw off (perhaps injured) and Cook coming on and Flanagan off and Clifford on, finally Baxendale off and Manset on. Some more fine play, Walsall showing no lack of confidence now after good wins over the past few weeks and a great passing movement saw Romaine Sawyers (on duty again this week for St Kitts) hit a sweet and powerful drive into the net.
Also noteworthy was the substitution of the assistant referee, who went down in a tangle after a tussle between Jordan Cook and a Bristol defender. It took an embarrassingly long time for the substitute official to appear. And once he was on Bristol City decided to make a substitution. Why, so suddenly when they had just had something like six minutes to get it done?
Game finished one all. Satisfyingly good performances from the Saddlers; getting better. I expect Bristol City, with their attitude and professional play will be in the promotion race at the end of the season … but this is football.
A great afternoon’s entertainment.
I have been invited to join I.C.A.D. as a guest for the match they will perhaps sponsor (at home against Barnsley on December 13th) and we also talked about going to Rochdale on Tuesday for the Johnson’s Paint Trophy game.
Watch this space!
Trials and Trails: life and times of a Walsall fan 