Ancestry WW1 Sessions

We were at Southwater library today to deliver our first WW1 Ancestry session. It was great fun and our learners were able to find out some really interesting information about their WW1 ancestors. Look out for more sessions soon.

School Childrens WW1 Poetry display at Madeley and Southwater Libraries

It is half term next week and we will be having two very exciting displays in our libraries throughout the week. At Southwater we will be displaying poetry from children at Meadows primary school in Ketley on the media wall and children's digital table all week. Head to Southwater to have a look at the poetry and all the other great things including the adult digital table which has some amazing images of Telford through the ages.

 

 

At Madeley library with lots of help from the wonderful Madeley staff we have managed to put together another really good display of poetry this time with contributions from Holmer Lake primary school, Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge C.E primary school and Meadows primary school. There is some great poetry on the display boards as well as in the folder next to them and I strongly recommend going along and reading all the brilliant work.

 

 

We'd like to thank all the schools that submitted work, Historic England for collecting them and especially to thank all the children who created a poem. We have absolutely loved reading the poems while putting together the displays as have all of the library staff and we're sure the public who have the pleasure of reading them over the next week will do so also.



Suffering From Cheerfulness

I would like to draw the readers attention to an absolutely brilliant book we have on the catalogue- Suffering from Cheerfulness The Best Bits from The Wipers Times.

It is full of interesting and funny stories from the paper that soldiers made and circulated between themselves on the front during the war. Including this wonderful poem.

VIRTUE

 

Now you subs of tender years

For your morals, it appears,

(You must admit they're open much to question)

There is shortly going to be

A morality O.C.,

Who will see that vice does not spoil

your digestion.

 

His H.Q. is going to be

Close by Leicester Square, and he

Will parade his Batt. for duty everynight,

In his ranks we'll shortly see

P'raps a Bishop or M.P.,

Who will see that virtue's path you tread

aright.

 

If on leave and pleasure bent

At Victoria, a gent

Will grab you as you're dodging off alone,

Will escort you to H.Q.,

When you'll quickly find that you

Are provided with an aged chaperone,

Your amusement will depend

On how much she'll let you spend,

And you'll dine at Lyons or an A.B.C.,

Should you dare to want a drink,

With a look she'll make you think

What an awful well of sin a sub can be.

 

You may smoke one cigarette,

Ere retiring you will get

All your orders for the morrow's pleasure

feast,

Hand your cash in charge, and then

Off to bed as clock strikes ten,

Feeling that in former days you were a

beast.

 

You will come to learn and love

Programmes as described above

For you must admit that you were most

immoral.

 

You will find when leave's expired

That your fancies will have tired

For the glass that sparkles, and for lips of

coral.

Shifnal Local History Group

I highly recommend visiting the Shifnal Local History Group Exhibition at the Old Fire Station on Shrewsbury Road. It is open every Friday 2pm-4pm and Saturday 10am-12pm and is full of lots of very interesting displays about the history of Shifnal.

They have lots of illuminating information about Shifnal in WW1 and also the men from Shifnal that fought during the war. A really interesting and unique exhibition that is available to view is the Autograph book from the auxiliary Military hospital that was on Shrewsbury road in Shifnal during the war which is full of interesting cartoons and personal messages.

It is well worth a visit if you are local or in the area when it is open.