The Perton Library History Open Day is back with more than ever for a day of engaging history and family fun

Saturday 5th October from 11:00am until 4:00pm.

As well as looking at what Staffordshire Libraries have to offer for those interested in local and family history there are lots of other exhibitors and plenty of drop-in craft activities and fun for families and children.

• Tettenhall Transport Heritage Group
• Western Front Association
• An exhibition of model working steam trains
• RAF Museum, Cosford
• Home Guard re-enactors
• Stourbridge Lace Guild
• Church Recorders
• The ‘Chase through Time’ exhibitio
• Historian Angus Dunphy - The Royal Dutch Forces at Wrottesley Park 1941-44
• David Dungar – Author of ‘Cometh Light’ Wolves & Wolverhampton 1888-1939
• Get family history advice from ‘Midland Ancestors’
• Wombourne History Group
• NT Moseley Old Hall and NT Dudmaston
• Kinver author, Tom Bryson
• Albrighton Local History Society
• Arts and crafts for children with local artist Hannah Reynolds
• Staffordshire Museums Service
• Museum of Cannock Chase
• Friends of Wolverhampton Archives
• AiM (Archaeology in Mind)

And much more….

All events are FREE to attend.

Every object tells a story! This new touring exhibition explores the rich history of Staffordshire through objects, documents and photographs in the collections of Staffordshire Archives and Heritage Service.

The ‘On Your Doorstep’ exhibition launches at Perton Library on Saturday 31^st August and will showcase objects and documents from the Perton area, enabling local people to discover unique stories and memories on their own doorstep.

The Archives and Heritage Service looks after over 11 million objects, photographs and documents which together tell the stories of Staffordshire’s people and places.

There will be an opportunity for visitors to get involved with different activities during the exhibition including a poetry workshop with local poet Mal Dewhirst and a Digital Day where visitors can bring their own photographs along to be scanned and included on the Staffordshire Pasttrack website. Contact Perton Library for full details on 0300 111 8000 or at perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk

The exhibition has been supported with funding from Arts Council England.

Every Object Tells a Story

Come and explore the stories and history of Perton on your doorstep with poet Mal Dewhirst and objects and documents from the Staffordshire County Collections.

Perton Library

Thursday 5^th September 2:00pm-4:00pm

Tuesday 8^th October 10:00am – 12:00

FREE (Refreshments provided)

Contact Perton Library for more information on 0300 111 8000 or at perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk

An evening with Andrew Lound at Perton Library

Sir Ernest Shackleton was the epitome of a polar explorer. His first expedition was with Captain Scott who in 1903 sent him home resulting in a rift between the two men. He made an unsuccessful attempt for the South Pole in 1907. He returned to the Antarctic in 1914 to lead an ambitious expedition to cross the Antarctic continent. His ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice resulting in the most incredible struggle for survival in history. Shackleton would lead 28 men to safety after an 800 mile voyage in a lifeboat.

Andrew tells Shackleton’s story, in his usual inimitable style, accompanied by music, images, video and sound effects. All the drama and fight for survival is here in an uplifting retelling of the famous voyage!

Perton Library

Thursday 12^th September

7:00pm – 9:00pm (Including an intermission for refreshments)

£4.00 (£3.50 Library members)

Please contact Perton Library on 0300 111 8000 to book a place or e-mail perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk

Codsall Library will be offering a FREE 5 week Family History Courses in association with Midland Ancestors, starting in September. Get help and advice to begin your journey into your family’s story.

Codsall Library

5 week course

Starting Monday 23rd September - 21st October

2:00pm – 4:00pm

The courses are absolutely FREE, but please book as places are limited. Look out for a family history course starting at Perton Library on Tuesday 5^th November.

The Royal Dutch Forces at Wrottesley Park 1941-44 – a talk from historian Angus Dunphy

A journey through the Second World War through the eyes of Wolverhampton’s Royal Dutch forces.

In May 1940 the Netherlands was invaded by Nazi Germany. In their homeland’s darkest hour, some of the Dutch forces escaped, making their way to Dunkirk and then to Britain. Swelled by volunteers from across the world they were organised into a mobile infantry battalion, in new uniforms of British khaki with a Dutch lion. Their Queen, Wilhelmina, gave them the name Koninklijke Nederlandse Brigade Prinses Irene – the Royal Netherlands Princes Irene Brigade. In 1941, they arrived at Wrottesley Park.

Historian Angus Dunphy has conducted detailed and extensive research about the Brigade and their time at Wrottesley Park, now part of Perton, near Wolverhampton. This fascinating talk introduces his book The Princess Irene Brigade at Wrottesley Park. 1941-44, which will also be available to purchase after the talk.

The talk will explore how the Dutch came to Wrottesley and what the camp contained, what it was like to be a soldier at the camp and what it was like to be a 1940s Wulfrunian and will highlight the friendships built up between the two peoples.

Angus will also look at camp artists and their humour, the local places mentioned by the troops, the distinction between the Dutch base and nearby RAF Perton and will tell the story of the Brigade’s eventual return to Europe.

This should be a fascinating evening for anyone interested in local history and the history of the Second World War!

Perton Library

Friday 4^th October

7pm – 8pm followed by a Q&A

£2.00 per person (Booking essential)

Refreshments available

Angus will be selling copies of the book at the event and you will be able to get yours signed. You can also meet Angus at the History Open Day at Perton library on Saturday 5^th October 11am-4pm.

Please contact Perton Library for more information or to book your place on 0300 111 8000 or e-mail perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk

Write your Memoir or Family History with author Tom Bryson

Take part in a fantastic workshop with local author of The Zeppelin of Kinver Edge. Tom Bryson's latest novel 'LOVING JEANIE' is now available from amazon or from the author on the day (Oct. 5th). An emotion-stirring "coming of age" story set in late 1950's Ireland that will appeal to all ages/genders. Tom will have copies available for sale on the day.

Perton Library

Sat 5th October

10.30 - 12.00

Free – booking essential

Please contact Perton Library via the Staffordshire County Council Contact Centre, on 0300 111 8000 to book your place

Brindley Village – A Legacy of the Great War

Explore this mini exhibition about the lost village of Brindley and the lives of the people who lived there.

Perton Library – Throughout September

Codsall Library – Throughout October

Free to view during normal open hours.

Contact Your Library on 0300 111 8000 for more information

Chase through Time – A talk from Shane Kelleher, County Archaeologist

This talk by Shane Kelleher, the Staffordshire County Archaeologist, will focus on the results of the Chase Through Time project, a HLF-funded project developed by Staffordshire County Council, the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Historic England, which was a historic landscape survey and research project with the aim of unravelling over 2,000 years of human activity across Cannock Chase. This work, which involved the use of cutting edge technology, non-invasive archaeological prospection, field survey, and archival research, was delivered through a combination of professional expertise and volunteer input from members of the local community, and identified over 400 new archaeological features (many of which relate to Great War training activity on the Chase), provided an excellent insight into the historical development of the Chase, and delivered enhanced interpretation including a ‘pop up’ exhibition which has toured the county’s libraries over the past year and will be at Wombourne Library in September and Perton Library throughout October.

Perton Library

Thursday 10^th October

7:00pm – 8:00pm

£2 per person (Booking essential)

Refreshments available

Please contact Perton Library via the County Council Call Centre on 0300 111 8000 or at perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk to book a place

Tolkien Trail—Great Haywood—A 10 mile walk in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien from Brocton Coppice to Great Haywood

The Staffordshire J.R.R. Tolkien Trail is a series of three linked walks that cover over 30 miles of the Staffordshire Countryside on and around Cannock Chase. The walks focus on Staffordshire’s J.R.R. Tolkien connection, but also offer lots of other local history interest, great Staffordshire views and are a fantastic way to stay healthy and enjoy Staffordshire’s cultural and rural environment.

Thursday 10^th October—Meet at Brocton Coppice Car Park at 9:30am (Departing at 10am)

£2.00 per person. Approx. 6 hours including breaks. Bring a packed lunch and wear sensible footwear and clothing for the weather conditions.

Some of the key locations visited on this walk include

• Brocton Coppice
• The Sherbrook Valley
• Shugborough Hall – Tolkien’s House of a Hundred Chimneys
• Essex Bridge – Tolkien’s Grey Bridge of Tavrobel
• Great Haywood

Please contact Perton Library for more information or to book a place, via the Staffordshire County Council Contact Centre, on 0300 111 8000 or e-mail perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk (Booking essential – few places remaining!)

Tunnelling Warfare in World War 1

An illustrated talk from Dennis Jackson and Peter Sidgwick from The Staffordshire Tunnellers Group on the 101^st anniversary of the end of The Great War.

Hear the story of an army of men who fought in World War One, not from the trenches with guns and bayonets, but from tunnels dug from their own lines under No-Man’s Land and below the enemy lines along the Western Front where lay their final objective – to blow them up.

Many of these tunnellers were Staffordshire men, born and bred, who had enlisted at the beginning of the war. They were later joined by colliers and other miners from the county who voluntarily left their protected jobs to use their mining skills to drive those tunnels at a time when the German Army had superior advantage. Without them, would the Germans have won the war?

This presentation complements the Tunnellers exhibition that will be at Perton Library throughout November.

Perton Library

Monday 11^th November

7:00pm – 8:00pm with Q&A afterwards

£2.50 (At the request of Dennis Jackson all proceeds from this talk will be donated to charity)

Copies of the book ‘Staffordshire Tunnellers of World War One’ by Dennis Jackson will be available for sale at £3 during the evening.

Please contact Perton Library to book a place via the County Council Call Centre on 0300 111 8000 or e-mail perton.library@staffordshire.gov.uk