The Gornals Revisited

The next meeting of the Society takes takes place on Thursday 10th November at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew’s Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley. The speaker is Ned Williams the well-respected Black Country historian and author of over fifty books.

Once again Ned explores the Gornals (the subject of his last two books) and shares his warm affection for the villagers and their traditions. This illustrated presentation reflects a flavour of Black Country life still around, but fast disappearing.

For past and present Gornal folk it is an evening not to be missed. (Gornal books on sale.)

As usual visitors are invited to come along – admission £1. Annual membership of the Society costs £5 and gives free access to the programme of talks.

The Somme Remembered

The Battle of the Somme raged from July to November 1916. The start was marked by huge explosions under the German lines in the early morning of July 1st. At 7:30am British troops left their trenches to be met by a barrage of machine gun fire. By the end of the day 19,240 British soldiers were dead and a further 38,230 were injured.

Engagements lasted for 141 days until November 18th by which time more than a million British troops had been wounded or killed. The brutal trench warfare had advanced the Allies some five miles. The cost to attackers and defenders had bordered on the unimaginable.

Across the Black Country families grieved for lost sons. Every family history finds links to the River Somme battlefields. One Sedgley born trooper, Thomas William Underhill, died in August 1916, aged 19. His family can be traced back to Sedgley Manor villages as early as 1700.

Follow the Somme 100 Commemorations across the UK and in France.

Explore the Somme Centenary and Remembrance Trail.