Cheslyn Hay & District Local History Society

Researched by Mike Belcher
11/4/1959
A large number of cups and trophies have been won by Mr.J.E.Dace of Pinfold Lane, Cheslyn Hay, in recent chrysanthemum shows.  During last season alone, Mr.Dace won eight cups in local shows for his early flowering indoor and outdoor blooms.  He has been entering in local shows for around 15 years, and in that time has won many trophies.  Other trophies held by Mr.Dace are a reminder of his prowess in the field of sport, and are mainly for tennis, bowls, snooker, and billiards.  Some of his sporting cups were won before the war, but Mr.Dace can still hold his own with most of the younger members of the Crescent Tennis Club, Cheslyn Hay.  The bowls and other cups were all won on local greens.  Until last year Mr.Dace also helped in organising a badminton club at Salem Methodist church, where he is trustee secretary.  He is manager of Hawkins Tileries, Bridgtown.

18/4/1959     Death of Mr.J.J.Wylde of Cheslyn Hay
A tile setter at Rosemary Tileries Cheslyn Hay, for 40 years until some two years ago, Mr.John James Wylde (71) of 8, Coppice Lane, Cheslyn Hay, died at his home on Sunday.  Mr.Wylde was forced to retire with ill health.  In his younger days he had also been a miner.  Born near Madeley in Shropshire he moved to live in Cheslyn Hay 51 years go.  Gardening and greenhouse work was Mr.Wylde’s pet hobby.  He was very fond of chrysanthemum growing and visited most local shows, although he never actually entered any.  Mr.Wylde was a member of Cheslyn Hay W.M.C. for a short time.  He leaves a wife Mrs.Hannah Wylde, to whom he has been married for 38 years, a son and one grandchild.

18/4/1959     They Scrambled Through a Pool of Mud
Fifty five members of ten motor cycle clubs were scheduled to compete in the first scrambles meeting organised by the local club, Cannock Chase Auto Club, on Sunday.  The mile and a half long course, which is near Fishers Farm, Lower Landywood, Cheslyn Hay, proved to be a real test.  Despite the fact that it was on the whole a fast course, certain sections were very tricky particularly for riders of large machines.  It was far longer than most, and had two very fast straights linked on a corner, which was both start and finish.  The fast straight from the start allowed an exceptionally wide margin for the twenty riders in most events.  The end of the course was the real problem.  A small hill with a gradient of one in 1½ was the major obstacle there.  The soaking that the ground received on Saturday had carved a gully in the side of the hill, and this enlarged during the course of the day.

Large Crowd
An extremely large crowd, mainly of teenagers, were centred around this hill for most of the day to watch the spills as riders reared their mounts to get the extra back wheel grip.  In many cases this resulted in both machine and rider sliding down the hill and losing precious seconds.  After this riders faced an undulating ride of about ten yards, and then a tricky descent into a pool of thick black mud.  Here many riders were unfortunate to remain, their machines axle deep in mud, with back wheels spinning furiously.  It was at this point that members of the Cannock club and other bystanders showed their sterling qualities by helping to haul riders and their machines to firm ground.  Many helpers who got directly behind a back wheel were rewarded by getting showered in mud for their trouble.  Marshalls and officials were all members of the Cannock club.  The secretary of the meeting was Mr.P.J.McAuslane.  His son Peter is also an up and coming scrambles rider in the club.  A colossal amount of work must have been put into preparing this track, and members who helped must be congratulated.

25/4/1959     Spring Fair at Cheslyn Hay
Danish born Mrs.Elsa Castenskiold, who was married nearly four years ago at Salem Church, Cheslyn Hay, to Mr.Raymond E.Hawkins, visited the church on Thursday week to open the spring fair.  Although held on the wettest April day for 72 years, the fair attracted plenty of visitors and raised £225 for trust funds.  Mrs. Hawkins, who was introduced by her husband, said she had a real affection for Salem, and was particularly conscious of what her late brother in law, Mr.Arnold Hawkins had done for the church.  Through his efforts the church had built up, and still retained a reputation for fine music.  Mr.Hawkins said it was almost certain that his late brother was present when the schoolroom was opened 70 years before, and, from the vast size of the building, it must have been felt at the time that Cheslyn Hay was going to develop very rapidly.

Heavy Costs
“It must be a terrible headache for your trustees to maintain a building of this size together with the church next door”, he added.  Building and maintenance costs had increased tenfold since 1889 he estimated, and appealed to the public to ease the trustees task by giving generous support.
Mr. & Mrs.Hawkins were thanked by Mr.J.Price, church secretary, and a bouquet and buttonhole were presented by Susan Saunders, aged 5 and Denise Page, six.  Before the opening ceremony a welcome was extended by the Rev.W.R.Kerry and prayers were led by the Rev.R.Oliver, superintendent minister.  After the fair a concert was given by the Dorian Singers conducted by Mr.H.Shingler.  The soloists were Fred Caddy, Doris Goodwin, Margaret Groome, and Hazel Rathbone.  The stalls, all decorated with spring flowers, were arranged by church departments and members of the congregation.

Stall Holders
They were as follows:- sweets, Mrs.K.Spooner; china, Mrs.H.Perks, Mrs.H.Lockett, and Mrs.J.Dace; drapery, Mrs.E.Handley, Miss.H.Baker, Mrs.K.Stokes, Mrs.H.Dace, Mrs.N.Ridgway, Mrs.V.Bull, Miss.V.Westwood, and Mrs.F.Wooton.  White elephant, Mrs.Wood and Mrs.B.Waller; perfumery, Mrs.Rogers, Mrs.J.Price, and Mrs.V.Westwood; produce, Mrs.L.Hawkins and Mrs.C.Devereux; flowers, Mrs.L.Paradine and Mrs.E.Screen; ice cream and soft drinks, Valerie Marshall and Muriel Mitchell; door, Mr.H.Brough.  Members of the Women’s Own supervised by Mrs.Eva Brough, served refreshments and the silver tree was arranged by men of the church congregation.  Gypsy baskets were carried by Gail McLachlan, Pauline Brough, Joan Heminsley, Christine Holford, Wendy Bates, and Ruth Hackett.

2/5/1959     Found no Bombs
On Friday a bomb disposal team from Essex took ten minutes to examine two depressions in a field at Cheslyn Hay, – rumoured to be craters holding wartime bombs – and reported “there is nothing there at all”.  No mine detectors or other equipment was necessary and the sergeant major in charge said afterwards that a report would be made to the Essex Civil Defence Authorities.  Some concern was last week when it was reported that the craters resembled depressions made by unexploded wartime bombs, and precautions had to be taken immediately because of the closeness of the William Baxter School.  After an interview with Mr.Ronald Lewis, who farms the land, the Advertiser pointed out last week that the holes were present before the war started and were caused by mining subsidence.

2/5/1959     New President Meets Members
Mr.E.Moore, newly appointed president of Cheslyn Hay Male Voice Choir was introduced to members at the choir’s rehearsal on Wednesday week.  Mr. Moore, a founder member of the choir, told how it was started by a handful of men.  He also paid tribute to the late president, Mr.William Perks.  Members decided that a walking stick which belonged to former conductor Mr.Ernest Amphlett, and which was formerly in the care of Mr.Perks, should be presented to Mr.Victor Roberts, one of the choir’s oldest members, and a great friend of Mr.Perks.

2/5/1959     Cheslyn Hay Adopts Welfare Scheme
The Staffordshire Rural Community Council has adopted a scheme to augment the present voluntary social services the idea was pioneered by the Cheadle Rural District Council about two and a half years ago, to fill gaps left by the old system.  On Tuesday, a special meeting was held by Cheslyn Hay Parish Council to decide whether to adopt the scheme, but only two members of the Council attended.  They were Mrs.G.A.Blackley and Mrs.A.Davies.  Thirty individuals and organisations, including doctors, clergymen, magistrates, Rural District Councillors, and County Councillors, had been circulated and over 20 attended the meeting.  Speakers were Mr.A.N.Hillier (Staffordshire County Councillor and chairman of the Rural Community Council) Mrs.Jesse Evans, secretary, and Mrs.D.Bellamy.  It was decided to adopt the scheme and five people were nominated as liaison between the public and the Rural Community Council.  They were the Rev.W.R.Kerry, Mr.C.E.Hooper, Mrs.A.Davies, Mr.M.Whitehouse, and Miss E.Hitchens.

9/5/1959     Packed Membership at Salem
Salem Methodist Youth Club, Cheslyn Hay, is very ambitious.  This much is obvious when one hears members enthusiastically discussing means of raising more money for a record player the club hopes to purchase in the near future.  Although only appointed leaders less than three months ago, Mr.Geoff Hackett and Miss. Ann Allsop wasted no time in organising the club, and forming the nucleus of a committee of eight members from the 70 members they can draw from.  So successful are club activities that membership has now been closed, allowing just enough room for the full membership.  At one time, a condition of membership was that members had to attend church regularly, but Ann and Geoff have appealed to their Christian instincts.  The rule is no longer applicable, but the committee like to see members being regular churchgoers.

Ice rink visits
Once a month members visit an ice rink in Birmingham, and learn to skate.  Some members are also taking part in a swimming scheme operating in the area.  Next season, the club will probably enter a team in the Cannock Chase Youth Table Tennis League and have several good players to select their team from.  Barry Richards, himself a good player, is secretary of the table tennis section of the club.  An excellent sum was also raised by members at the recent Salem spring fair, when they were in charge of ice cream and minerals.  When a recent table tennis tournament was held in the club, members of the church gave prizes.  Next season the club will approach the church for use of its badminton gear, unused this year.  An epilogue always precedes the closing of the club.

30/5/1959     Malayans at Cheslyn Hay
Among the thirty Malayan students from Brinsford Lodge Teachers Training College who visited the Salem Methodist church on Sunday, were Mr.Ang Tian Se and Miss Har Wal Meng both of whom read lessons.  Short addresses were given by Mr.Ling Ong Sing (myself my home my family), Mr.Eadie Sung (how I became a Christian), Mr.Ong Yong Kwong) (the church in Malaya today).  The service was conducted by the Rev.W.R.Kerry.  The students were entertained in fifteen homes of members of the church, and were driven to and from their college by cars of Salem members.  After the service, during which Salem choir, under their organist and choirmaster Mr.B.Hackett, gave the anthem “Sun of my soul” – the Malayans took part in a question programme with the Rev.W.R.Kerry as question master.  Members of both the youth club and the church asked questions about the Malayans home life, their family relations, and some of the economical and political problems of their country.  Youth club members provided and served refreshments.  Many of the Malayan girls wore their colourful national costumes.

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