Colin Wooldridge is a respected local author and historian, who in collaboration with one of our members, Pat Dunn, has produced a series of books showing the past and present of Lye and Wollescote. He was the speaker for our March meeting and his subject was \u2018Reminiscences of Hagley and the Surrounding Area<\/i>\u2019. \u00a0He showed us a selection of the \u2018then\u2019 and \u2018now\u2019 photographs of our area which he has collected over the past 20 years. His presentation, interspersed with Black Country humour, was well received and brought back memories to many of our members who have had a long association with Hagley.<\/p>\n
There is currently much media coverage of the centenary of the start of First World War. This has concentrated mainly on the causes and horrors of the war. However, little has been said about how this war affected the daily lives people in rural Britain and how they coped with food shortages, rising prices and the anxiety of having loved ones fighting abroad and perhaps not returning. So, drawing on material from the Hagley Parish Magazines of the period, we are publishing a book in May. It will show how Hagley people rose to these challenges by fund raising, volunteering for territorial service, keeping up community spirits with local entertainments and growing additional food in the newly created allotments.<\/p>\n