MOSELEY March 2023 Issue 538 The Riverside Food Pantry Social Supermarket Moseley for Ukraine One Year On Moseley B13 Magazine at 50, Moseley C.N.D March of 1982 Moseley Society History Group Bomb Alley A Farewell from the vicar of Moseley New life in Scotland LOCAL & VOCAL Since 1973 £2 B13 Magazine +BH B12 & KH B14
2 EDITOR Mark Baxter ([email protected]) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sahel Vaezi [email protected] THE TEAM Ian Cook, David Isgrove, Stephanie Silk, Maria Arroja Ferreira, Tipton, Debbie Aldous, Max Jalil, Martin Jeffers, Jobe Baker-Sullivan, Izzy Knowles, Alex Jenkins, Jenny Gwynne, Mitch Schofield CONTRIBUTORS Katerina Chamberlian, Terry McGrath, Bevely Ann, Ian Bobbie/ Moseley Society History Group BUSINESS MANAGER Martin Jeffers SOCIAL MEDIA Maria Arroja Ferreira TREASURER Leanne Holloway ([email protected]) PROOFREADER Pam Rutter ADVERTISING Position Vacant DISTRIBUTION Izzy Knowles, Martin Jeffers BOARD David Isgrove (Chair) Stephanie Silk (Editorial) MAIL Moseley Publishing House Ltd.Moseley B13 Magazine, c/o: Moseley Exchange, 149-153 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8JP. ONLINE instagram.com/moseleyb13mag facebook.com/MoseleyB13Magazine twitter.com/MoseleyB13Mag COMPANY SECRETARY Position Vacant LEGAL STUFF Moseley Publishing House Ltd is a non-profit voluntary run company based in England and Wales. Company No. 07786560. No part of this magazine may be reprduced, in whole or part, without express permission..All material is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. COVER IMAGE Courtesy of David Isgrove Welcome to March! Anyone else starting to sense the first lovely signs of spring? Or have I put my foot in it and we’ll all have our feet in deep snow by the time this magazine is released? Let’s stay hopeful! In this issue we have cover stars The Riverside Food Pantry (pages 12- 13) on their ‘social supermarket’ offering food at a more affordable price, while Izzy Knowles writes about Moseley for Ukraine - One Year on (16-17). Izzy reflects on the illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and how Moseley pulled together to provide support. We remember former Company Secretary of this magazine Jim Armour (18-21) after the sad news of his recent passing. Our look back at the archive of the magazine continues in anticipation of our 50th birthday this May. This month we remember Moseley B13 Magazine in the 1980s with a piece on the Moseley C.N.D march of 1982 (23). I’d also like to welcome our temporary designer Sahel to the magazine. Sahel has designed this issue and will also work on our next one. Thanks for the bostin’ designs, Sahel! Onwards and upwards! Mark Baxter Next Issue Publication Date Issue Copy Sale April 13Mar 25 Mar OUTLETS Farmers’ Market (Village Green) A and R News (320 Yardley Wood Road) Aiden McDonnell Hair (56 St Mary’s Row) Drinksville (23 Woodbridge Road) Greenhill Garage (89-91 Billesley Lane) Indigo Foods (50-52 St Mary’s Row) Maison Mayci (148 Alcester Road) Moseley Post Office (149 Alcester Road) Newslink (3 Alcester Road) One Stop (117 Billesley Lane) Oxfam Books and Music (101 Alcester Road) Palmyra (13 St Mary’s Row) , Stoney Lan O.A.K Superstore Ladypool Road 5 a day fruit and veg stall, Old Print Works (Moseley Road) Moseley Exchange (147-153 Alcester Road) WORDS FROM THE EDITOR 5 29 MOSELEY B13 MAGAZINE BH B12 & KH B14 FEBRUARY /MARCH
3 IN THIS ISSUE 4-10 Newshound 12-13 The Riverside Food Pantry 14 Eureka Funeral Jazz 15 From Moseley To Dubai 16-17 Moseley For Ukraine One Year On 18-21 Jim Armour Obituary 23 Moseley B13 Magazine at 50 Moseley C.N.D March of 1982 24 A Farewell From The Vicar Of Moseley 26-29 Moseley Society History Group Bomb Alley Moseley B13 Magazine is Looking for a Talented and Creative Designer! Would you like the opportunity to become the digital designer for Moseley B13 Magazine? Then we need you! The candidate would work with the editor each month to design the latest issue and the role can be completed working remotely at home. The post is voluntary and it is a great way to gain experience in design, journalism and involvement with the local community. Full training can be given from the outgoing designer. If you think this sounds like you then please contact the editor at: [email protected] the Bohemians of B13 will return next month. 14 25 15
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 The Balsall Heath neighbourhood council, independent from Birmingham city council, has been spearheaded by a number of community organisations in the area who wish to take “hyperlocal decisions” in their area. The neighbourhood council will be able to make its own decisions and can also raise funds by adding a little extra to the council tax - called a precept - to help run its affairs. A cabinet meeting at Birmingham city council on January 17 revealed over 2,374 votes had been cast on the propo sals - a turnout of only 22% for 10,764 voters in the Balsall Heath area. A total of 1,839 people voted for the proposals - 77.7% - while 529 individuals voted against the creation of a parish council - 22.3%. While documents discussed at Birmingham city council noted the result showed a large majority of those who voted support the proposals, the turnout failed to hit the minimum threshold to validate the proposals. It means Balsall Heath residents will have to wait until October this year at the latest to cast their vote. Liberal Democrat councillor Jon Hunt told cabinet members moving to a second round of ballots would be “sensible and fair”. Balsall Heath residents will have to wait until the end of the year to cast their vote a second time on proposals to create a new parish council. Moseley Road Baths – a key community facility in Balsall Heath 4 Second ballot for proposed new Balsall Heath parish council
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 As we were going to press, Moseley Road Baths announced it has a reopening date of Monday February 27. The replacement calorifiers, which heat the water, were finally installed on Wednesday February 1 with further testing on Thursday 2. There was a slight setback as there was a new steam leak in the basement and one of the new calorifiers had to be isolated from the steam system. Baths announces imminent re-opening date Viv Harrison Running the boilers on Friday 3 showed that it is possible to reheat the pool using one and this needs to be done very slowly to avoid damaging the pool but reheating the pool has finally started. The swimming timetable is being finalised and will be shared with members of the public shortly. For further details check out the website https://moseleyroadbaths.org.uk/ 5
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 www.moseleyinbloom.org.uk/ open-gardens-2023/ When all the submissions are received, organisers will need to determine a mixed spread of gardens based on type, location and size. This means that your garden might not be included this time but please do submit the form, as the more submissions the greater variety there will be for event visitors. If you would like to open your garden, please get in touch by 31 March and organisers will then get in touch after the decisions have been made. Organisers of Moseley in Bloom’s Open Gardens event (Sunday June 25) want those interested in showcasing their gardens to submit applications by March 31. Organisers are looking for a good variety, large or small, traditional or modern, formal or quirky, neat or wild. Moseley in Bloom would especially like to have some gardens that have not opened before, or have not done so for several years. If you would like to express your interest in opening please fill in the form on the website Open Gardens – deadline for application looms 6
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 Local “Litterbusters” collect 17 tonnes of litter in just one year operates in partnership with local businesses and also works with three local schools. Moseley Litterbusters is an amazingly active group of people but they do need more volunteers so check your diary! The group meets most Sundays on Moseley village green 9am -10am. Everybody is welcome. Equipment, sacks, grabbers, gloves are all provided and health and safety support is given, too. To find out more email: [email protected] A total of 2,791 bags or 17 tonnes of litter was collected by Moseley Litterbusters in 2022. Among this 17 tonnes of litter were 660 very large canisters of Nitrous Oxide or ‘laughing gas’ collected from local streets. Perhaps it’s not surprising the group is on the lookout for new members to help them with their heavy workload. Moseley Litterbusters was set up in 2017 after it was realised that Moseley Village was not receiving any street cleaning from the Council over the weekend, which left the Village in a sorry state following Friday and Saturday nightlife. More than 40 volunteers, including three students doing the Duke of Edinburgh award, actively work in groups or individually in streets they have adopted. They mainly focus on Moseley but members do venture into surrounding areas like Balsall Heath and there is a sister group in the Moor Green and Highbury Park area. The group reports fly tipping and unblock street drains clogged with leaves and litter. They liaise with the council to report “litter hotspots” and request street cleans. As well as working with the council the group Litterbusters tackle dumped litter next to Moseley Road in Balsall Heath (Moseley Litterbusters ). 7
of Springfield Road befriended his female victim at a bus stop in Acocks Green in April last year. She had consumed half a bottle of vodka and was described as ‘extremely drunk’. Edwards took advantage of her vulnerable state and sexually abused her on Olton Boulevard East, where concerned witnesses alerted the police. He cynically claimed she had consented but following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court a jury found him guilty of rape, assault by penetration and three counts of sexual assault. Edwards was given a sentence of nine years. Judge Roderick Henderson ruled that Edwards was ‘dangerous’ due to the risk he posed of further offending towards women. He imposed an extended licence period of five years. The judge said: “This complainant was vulnerable in two ways. Firstly, as it would be obvious to anyone who saw her, she was extremely drunk and obviously drunk and well over the line from being truly able to consent to sexual activity into the category where that would have been completely impossible for her. NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 Moseley rapist jailed for sex attack on vulnerable woman “You were with her for a long time, you couldn’t have missed that. Secondly, something you would not have been aware of, she was a particularly vulnerable person by virtue of her own psychiatric problems. Prosecutor Grace Ong summarised the impact the attack had on the woman. She said: “It makes her quite depressed. She feels like she should have known what she was doing and blames herself. “Since the incident she doesn’t drink in public anymore. She doesn’t drink as much as she did. Her level of alcohol has actually reduced. “She only drinks a bottle of vodka once every three weeks. She is scared to go out at night. The incident has effectively shocked her into doing something about her life.” Edwards had approached the woman who was sitting with her friend at a bus stop around 7.15pm on April 13 last year. He talked her into leaving with him and they went for a walk around the area for around an hour. Edwards was observed sexually abusing her on Olton Boulevard East by witnesses, one of whom could see the attack from her own home. The victim was described as being ‘collapsed on the ground’ in one report to the police who were called at 8.51pm. Curtis Myrie, defending, stated Edwards ‘maintains his denial’ but added he was ‘motivated to engage with offender behaviour work’. He stated his client had not committed sexual offences in the past and had psychiatric issues which had warranted a hospital order in 2005. A 37 year-old Moseley man who raped a vulnerable woman in the street, in full view of local residents, has been jailed. 8 Kelvin Edwards
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 Rusty tow truck left in street for several years is removed A tow truck parked on the corner of Woodhurst Road and Queenswood Road has finally been removed - after it was left at the busy street junction for a period believed to be eight years. Mystery surrounded the circumstances of the ‘abandoned’ truck. Moseley councillor Izzy Knowles said it was not technically ‘dumped’ because the owner kept re-taxing the vehicle, so it could not be removed. Cllr Knowles said: “I was pretty certain it had been there for eight years. I couldn’t quite understand - whenever I see a vehicle like that if they’re taxed and have their MOT, you know that when it runs out they’re going to have to remove it. “This is how whoever owns it was clearly re-taxing it every year. They must have been declaring it as MOT exempt to re-tax it. The police said they couldn’t do anything and the councils said it was taxed so it wasn’t abandoned. “There was fly-tipping all around it.” Cllr Knowles said she tried to track down the owner over the last five years, with no luck. “A resident with a disabled child would struggle to get out if something else was parked there - it was just never quite on the boundary where police would consider it an obstruction, so they couldn’t take proceedings for unnecessary obstruction.” However, at the start of 2023, the truck had not been re-taxed, so Moseley neighbourhood police alongside Cllr Knowles swooped in with a removals vehicle to take it off the streets. Police removed the vehicle on Friday, February 3, notifying the owners. If the truck isn’t collected it will be destroyed, Cllr Knowles said. “Thank you to Moseley police and Sergeant O’Keefe especially, he knew all the things I’d been trying to do. They moved in and they were really good,” Cllr Knowles added. Photo: Thanks to Cllr Izzy Knowles 9
NEWSHOUND Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter:@B13Newshound/ Instagram: @tiptonb13 Draft timetable for Moseley Village Station A draft timetable for trains travelling from Moseley Village Station to New Street seen by Newshound shows that the first city centre bound train will depart from Moseley Village Station on weekdays at 06.12 arriving at New Street nine minutes later at 06.21. City bound trains will run every 30 minutes during the daytime and evening although less frequently early in the morning and later at night. The last city centre bound train will leave Moseley Village at 23.59 and arrive at New Street at 00.11. Those travelling from the city centre to Moseley Village Station will find the first train leaving New Street at 06.22 and arriving at Moseley Village Station nine minutes later at 06.31. The last train from New Street will leave at 23.27 arriving in Moseley at 23.35. Draft timetable Final times may vary 10 West Midlands Rail Executive has appointed VolkerFitzpatrick as its principal contractor to design and build the three new stations on the Camp Hill line – Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road. Work has begun on the stations and the Executive are targeting the opening date of the end of 2023.
Handyman Marius Reliable Services • Domestic repairs • Plumbing • Decorating • Tiling • Odd jobs • Electrical • Joinery Happy to help with small garden & DIY projects. Mobile: 07849315649 / Email: handy[email protected] 11
The Riverside Food Pantry How is it different from a Food Bank and where does the food come from? The Pantry works like a cooperative: it has a membership base and is modelled on a type of ‘Social Supermarket’. For £5 the members can do a weekly shop worth between £15-£20, thereby enabling you to stretch your food bills. It operates as a local shop; the food being provided by partnering with local and national businesses and charities like FareShare. One of its aims is to bring dignity to people who need help. What are the principles behind the Pantry? The Pantry model is based on the following principles: • Giving people a hand-up, not a hand-out. • It is not a foodbank or crisis provision – but aims to prevent people from reaching this point. • It is a place that provides access to holistic, wrap-around support linked to areas such as money advice, housing, health, employment and skills. • It is a place that promotes access to nutritious food and healthy meals, offering fruit and vegetable and fresh dairy and meat items, including chilled and frozen foods. • The Pantry is local and personal. The Riverside Pantry is one of almost 100 that have opened in recent years across Britain, the first Pantry being set up in Stockport. In Birmingham there are now just under 20, with the other nearest ones being in Warstock and Sparkhill (St Edmunds). Times are very difficult at the moment. We hear in the media of the very real struggle for some, just to put a meal on the table for the family. On the border of Moseley and Balsall Heath a new Pantry project has opened to address the issue of a lack of food which is affordable for people in the local community. Satpal Boyes (seen here in this photo) has had for years the idea of a ‘Social Supermarket’ growing in her heart that counters the normal supermarket structures by providing food at a more affordable price and tackling the huge food waste that we see around us. After exploring different models, she is now heading up this project for Riverside Church. 12
The Riverside Pantry works with local agencies and partners and also offers to help with other specific by signposting members to other services within its building such as Stay and Play for young families, a free café where people can come and have a chat and a cup of tea, Riverside Money Advice for those struggling with debt and free Open Lunches on Sundays. It is a space that recognises the needs of the whole person whether physical, emotional and spiritual. What happens with a ‘Food Pantry’? Every Thursday, doors open at 10am and close at 12pm. Members come into the free café, are helped to complete an online registration and then wait their turn to use the shop. Every time the members want to do a shop, they simply bring a cool bag, their membership card and £5. Members have a personal shopper who can guide them through the ‘best before dates’ and ‘use by dates’ on packaging. The personal shopper also points out foods that might go well together for a nutritious meal, the special offers available and free items. The Riverside Pantry is supported by volunteers, and it is because of their generosity in giving up time that it can give such a personalised service, at the heart of which is to build relationships and build local community. Pantry volunteers can also be Pantry members. If you would like to know more about the Riverside Pantry and are interested in volunteering or if you are a local business in Moseley able to help with food provision. Please get in touch with Satpal Boyes at Riverside Pantry. (Pantry@ Riverside-Church.co.uk) Finally When I spent some time talking to Satpal about the Riverside Pantry project that she helped to shape, I was very impressed with the compassion and passion that flowed from Satpal, her team and the whole organisation of this venture to help our community through these difficult times. If you’re finding you can’t feed yourself or your family, see if you can join this Food Pantry. If you want to know more details look at https://www.yourlocalpantry.co.uk/pantry-listings/birmingham-riverside-pantry/ or phone Riverside House on 0121 449 3156 David Isgrove 13
Eureka Funeral Jazz From Moseley to Dubai - with just a Violin Since the 1970s Moseley has had its own New Orleans-style parade Jazz band playing for funerals around the Midlands. There has been a long tradition in N.O. Louisiana (as featured in the Bond film ‘Live and Let Die’) for live parade bands to accompany the coffin to the chapel or graveside. Trombonist/saxophonist Terry McGrath runs the Birmingham UK equivalent, playing tuneful melodies, mainly from the 1920/30s, joyful or mournful. These can include spirituals like Old Rugged Cross, Amazing Grace, The Saints go Marching In, Just a Closer Walk with Thee. Or for the non-religious, popular tunes from the Great American Songbook. A four-piece band is usual, to lead the cortege from the gates of the cemetery to the door of the chapel or graveside. However this could range from just a solo sax player through to a full parade band. If needed, a female Grand Marshal can lead the procession. The band sometimes plays at the house of the deceased or at the wake afterwards. Eureka Jazz also plays for many other functions such as Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Jazz Festival, Edgbaston Cricket, Motor Racing events, opening supermarkets, street parties, weddings etc. We have the advantage of being mobile or static, acoustic or amplified. sized trio to septet, with/without female vocalist, and can do most requests at the drop of a hat! What’s that big brass instrument everyone asks about? It’s a sousaphone. See/hear us at funeraljazz.co.uk or eurekajazz.co.uk. 14
We’ve all heard of the song ‘An Englishman in New York’, but do any budding songwriters want to write ‘A Polish Girl in the United Arab Emirates via Moseley’? Probably not. It’s a mouthful. But it’s a veritable adventure that’s happening right now for Moseley’s own Roksana Grobelna, well loved teacher at Shades Music school. Roksana gives us a little insight into her exciting life, as she works as a professional musician at a swanky restaurant for five months in Dubai. First I ask her how the view from the Jumeirah Beach, which hugs the Persian Gulf, compares to the Alcester Road. She wryly catches on and responds with “the view over here is beautiful but not as beautiful as Moseley. *Love heart emoji* *Winking Face Emoji*” On a serious note, she adds: “The views are beautiful, both of the sand, sea and impressive skyscrapers. A lot of the activity happens in ‘private’ or ‘corporate’ settings. Activity is not organic here, like Moseley, which is something I miss. It doesn’t have the punk, ‘let’s make this happen with no budget’ attitude. Money is king, though, that might change over time, maybe even in my lifetime.” Roksana is now part of the all-female Josette Quatoor String Quartet, eponymous with the Parisian-themed restaurant that the group play at every week as a residency. She applied on a whim for the position when it was advertised online and within a week she was on her way to Dubai international, cramming sheet music into her head on the plane as she flew over Europe. From Moseley to Dubai - with just a Violin The Josette Restaurant is one of Roksana’s favourite places, though her number 1 spot when not at work is “Hatta-exclave of Dubai located In the foothills of the Hajar Mountains. It’s an absolute natural beauty.” Her favourite meal is “definitely a salad. Weather here is very hot so salads are the number one choice for lunch!” Her favourite song to play with the group is Billie Eilish’s ‘Bad Guy’, arranged by the Vitamin String Quartet. The group often play pop tunes and ‘songs played in Bridgeton’. And she reliably informed me that she does indeed miss her violin and piano students at Shades, Moseley and will return in July. 15 Violin lessons still available: you can contact Shades for private music lessons at: 0121 449 8181 Jobe Sullivan/Ceol Agency
16 Moseley for Ukraine One year on Host families and community gro- ups were well ahead of the authorities and by the time the council had their support systems in place a network of guests and hosts had already established a package of support, from how to sign up with the DWP to finding local schools and searching for jobs. Huge credit goes to Moseley resident Simone Schehtman who has given hundreds of hours of her time both supporting and advocating for guests and hosts across Birmingham and beyond. As a H4U host to a family of three generations, I have been working closely with other hosts and the council to improve their On February 24, one year ago, we all watched with horror as Vladimir Putin’s Russian army rolled in to illegally invade their peaceful neighbours, Ukraine. The following weeks saw Moseley and the wider community pull together in our hundreds to collect two lorry loads of donations to send to Poland and onward to Ukraine to help the civilians who had found themselves the victims of this appalling act of unprovoked aggression. As the invasion intensified and the tanks rolled to the outskirts of Kiev the citizens of Ukraine began leaving in their tens of thousands. In late March the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened. In the absence of governmental or council advice the Moseley for Ukraine volunteers turned their skills into recruiting hosts, matching them with guests and supporting them through the visa registration process. April / May saw the first arrivals in Birmingham and by the end of the year 665 guests had come to live with host families in Birmingham, over 100 of them in Moseley ward, more than any other ward in the city. Moseley Community Development Trust led by Lorna Brewster once more stepped up to the challenge, providing a weekly drop in at Moseley Hive where new arrivals could meet each other, sign up for free ESOL lessons and get a range of advice. response to the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The scheme has not been without its challenges. Encouraging large numbers of people to share their homes with complete strangers, some of them very traumatised, and with language and cultural barriers, is not something we have done before in this country. Inevitably there have been breakdowns with some guests having to be given temporary emergency hostel accommodation, but although we would prefer it to be none, these numbers are relatively small. Despite the challenges most hosts and guests report how rewarding the experience has been, with many close life-long friendships being forged. In December a motion was taken to council by the Liberal Democrat group in support of the scheme and recognising it as a blueprint of how to support all refugees and asylum seekers seeking sanctuary in our city, which is after all, proud to be a City of Sanctuary, while also ensuring scrutiny and transparency of the use of government
17 Moseley for Ukraine One year on funding provided to support our Ukrainian guests and hosts. In 2022 over 150,000 Ukrainians arrived in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and approximately another 50,000 on family or other visas. Compare that to the Afghan resettlement programme which in 2021 saw a mere 1500 refugees admitted to the UK. In a world where we are seeing people displaced from their homes and families through no fault of their own but through acts of aggression and persecution, as well as climate change and natural disasters, it is important to remember how much more powerful kindness is over hostility to overcome the fear of change. One year on, our Ukrainian guests are thriving. A few have returned home, but most do not yet have that option. Many have found work and are looking to move into their own accommodation. The council has offered a package of support to help them with this and we are now seeking landlords who have a property available in Moseley or nearby and would be interested in renting to a Ukrainian family. More information on the move-on package is available on the BCC website, including information for landlords. https://www.birmingham.gov. uk/downloads/download/5673/homes_for_ ukraine_%E2%80%93_move_on_funding We also need more host families for those guests who need to move but do not have private rented accommodation to go to, as well as for new arrivals. If you are interested in knowing more about hosting a family and what it involves, I or one of the other hosts would love to talk to you. Christmas and New Year was especially difficult for many of our guests, who desperately missed their families left at home. As the first anniversary of the invasion arrives, with no end in sight they need our continuing friendship more than ever. The following poem written by a Moseley host sums it up. Two families, One roof Two families, one roof. No. Not quite right. One-and three-quarter families, one roof Correct but never right. First connections, made online, First evening, first breakfast, watchful eyes, Ukrainian cake, turned vegan for me, Tours of parks, and shops and trip to GP. Games without words, or watch Mr Bean, Russian subtitles on the screen Cake for breakfast well, why not, Salad with roast, but it’s not hot! Family meals-more laughter each day Playing “Tig” the Ukrainian way. School places hard to find, but when they come all are kind Kyiv safe for a trip back home? Yes and back again, but still he can’t come. Busy house, joyful play, Sometimes sadness, but not spoken today One rescue dog, we all choose the name Loved in Russian or English, to her it’s the same Who’ll walk her now, what do you prefer…? Connections so deep some boundaries blur. Lifelong relationships whatever’s to come, Practical challenges- of course there’s some. But regrets about hosting? Not even one. Two families one roof No, not quite right One and three-quarter families remembering who is missing Correct but never right. Izzy Knowles
Jim Armour Obituary 18
Right from the beginning, searching through profiles on a dating site, Bev said that she was attracted to and kept on going back to this man, James Armour. She liked his face and his profile and that his values matched with hers. Bev eventually plucked up the courage to make the first contact. Jim also said that he had kept going back to her profile too, and could recognise a ‘very strong woman’ but he was a little afraid. They started to chat online and then exchanged phone numbers. She liked his voice and found that they shared the same sense of humour. Jim had just lost his wife of 30 years, then his mother and then shortly after they connected, his favourite dog died unexpectedly from cancer. He himself had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s stage 4 cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and got it into remission. It was in 2017 Jim and Bev first connected. He then got the dreaded flu going around at the time. She was very concerned about him and called him everyday to check he was OK and they would chat for a long while. Often he would say, “I have to go to work”. She knew he was a retired teacher, so could not understand this ‘work’. The work turned out to be unpaid such as his time as a volunteer for the ‘Family Fund’. He would go out and assess families who needed help with their children who had learning issues such as ADHD, ADD, Autistic and some with very awful situations. Many were women who had two or more children and where the father had left. He spent extra time and effort helping them with knowledge and information about where and how to get help. He always went the extra mile. Each assessment took him nearly five hours. Bev and Jim eventually had lunch on Friday 13 April 2018. They moved to Bexhill on Sea in October that year. Bev recalls him telling how he wanted to become a teacher, how his father did not support that and nor did his teachers and councillors at school. But he proved them all wrong. He went on to get his Bachelor of Arts and full teaching degree. He taught commercial subjects, including typing. It was the constant noise of those earlier typewriters clacking away that gave cause to him being hard of hearing and probably caused the tinnitus as well. Jim taught at schools for the blind and the deaf. From letters and what has been said about Jim, he made huge positive differences to those children. Not only that, he also made huge differences to disabled adults as well. He regaled so many stories of students he had helped and encouraged and what a positive impact it had on so many lives. He really did understand the challenges of so many different disabilities. It is clear that he was always such a kind and caring man. Jim still has a braille writer. He could still transfer words into braille and decipher braille back into words! He was also sent to Greece as the British expert in the Modern Office for the Blind as part of a delegation sponsored by the EU. He introduced the first technology for the blind in the country. Jim was also at the forefront negotiating with Manpower Services to acquire very expensive equipment for blind students, successfully. He was also instrumental in getting the first guide dogs to be accepted at schools so the dogs could remain all day. He was one of the first to network 27 computers in his school when they first came out. He was a passionate ‘techno junkie’ and he was in his element when computers arrived. He worked with many people with different types of disabilities, and if they could blink, he could set them up with a computer where they could become more independent. 19
Jim sourced and arranged a radio switch, before Bluetooth, that allowed a Cerebral Palsy man to be able to drive his own wheelchair and possum equipment. He was quick to recognise passions and interests in his students and guided and encouraged many into seeking out vocations that interested them and many went on to lead very successful lives. Jim often worked as an advocate and employment officer and trainer for the RNIB. Jim worked continuously for and with various charities. Many were animal sanctuaries, who rescued all types of animals and birds such as the donkey sanctuary and was always a huge supporter of the Cinnamon trust. This is a charity trust where people can sign up if terminally ill or elderly, and the trust sets up volunteers that pair with these folk. The volunteers help the elderly take care of the pets if they are ill and when they pass away, the volunteer then uplifts the pet which is then taken to the retirement sanctuary and where they are taken care of until they themselves pass away or get rehomed. This is the charity that Jim has nominated for donations in lieu of flowers. Jim worked closely with the Moseley B13 Magazine. This is still ongoing. He was awarded the prestigious Birmingham Hero’s award for all the work he did with various charities. After Jim experienced pancreatitis, and finding little help and understanding about the condition, he started a charity called The Pancreatic Support Group. He connected with leading pancreatic specialists and doctors and collected white papers and information that he formatted and created a website where people can go and find good and accurate information. He also offered a free telephone service where people could call him. Right to the end he spent many hours talking to people to calm their fears that just because they were diagnosed with a pancreatic condition they were not necessarily going to die. After all, he had survived it for over 30 years. The website is still up and running and has mostly been sponsored by himself. There have been so many grateful comments posted from people who Jim had helped and assisted after the notice of his passing was posted. Jim was also an advocate for Coeliacs and again, spent a great deal of time educating many, that included hospitals and many restaurants about the difference between being just gluten intolerance and Coeliac. He was an advocate for all. Jim lived his life with the sound turned right up and that’s how he listened to his music in the bathroom in the mornings! He was always smiling, no matter what. He loved to take part and be part of all sorts of festivals and was always happy to dress up and be fully part of it all, from Pirates Day to 1960s events. He loved heavy rock and Pink Floyd was his favourite. Jim was interested and enjoyed the full variety in life and another was Steam punk and his skulls! He was definitely more than just a dash eccentric and a bit of a ‘closet goth’. As a Gemini, he definitely had the 13 facets! The skulls he adopted and collected represented equality - a skull is neither male, nor female, nor black, nor white, nor of any religion - which is part of his value system, and it is the trade mark of the bikers. And of course Jim bought a Harley trike after his mother died and left him some money. He said he needed to spend it on something she would never approve of . . . but oh how he loved that trike and he went on to do his advanced driving skills. He was also part of the Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association. He also rode 250 miles with the Ride for Rupert Charity supporting Prostate cancer. That took a heavy toll on his body at the time but he was adamant. To say that Jim was an interesting and passionate man with energies that were not always easy to keep up with is an understatement. He collected many things, and even managed to accumulate more health issues than most and the doctors described him as a most complicated man. Lucky for him, with Bev’s interests in herbs and natural healing, together with her interests in cooking food from all over the world, and knowledge of physiology and anatomy, she fully understood him and his health challenges. Bev managed to keep him happy and they were happy together. Sadly, being wheelchair reliant, he found out how much people overlook the disabled and especially people in wheelchairs. People just saw a little old grey man in a wheelchair and ignored him. They never met his eyes and spoke over him and about him rather than 20
to him. He experienced what it was like to be disabled and the many challenges that he now faced. Once again, Jim took it upon himself to try to educate as many as he could to bring to the attention of ‘normal life’ styles vs the many challenges of the disabled. He has written copious notes about suggestions of improvement while at care homes, highlighting the challenges and some dangers the disabled, and especially wheelchair users, face. Most able bodied people have no idea of the little things that can be changed and that can have a positive and add quality to the life of disabled people. Sadly, many of these suggestions are still ignored and seen as ‘complaints’, rather than ‘suggestions of improvement’. One of the most recent interventions Jim loved being involved with was as a volunteer for the Digital Inclusion Group, part of NHS East Sussex in Lewes. They held regular zoom meetings and the discussions were about the support and development of inclusive digital practice and systems and efficiency. The head of the group is completely devastated by Jim’s passing and that he will never know how much or how many hundreds of blind and learning disabled people have already benefited from all the knowledge and experiences that Jim has shared. He said that Jim was a true hero and irreplaceable. He was a happy man, never wanting to appear as needy or demanding and was kind and generous. He was always smiling. That being said, he could equally ‘lose’ it if he became overwhelmed or there was injustice and when he felt that he was not getting the support he desperately needed. Jim’s passing came too soon and very unexpectedly and was a result of a most unfortunate situation. Bev is totally devastated. She describes him as the love of her life, soul mate and best companion. He also leaves behind a son with three grandsons and a daughter with a granddaughter. Bev says this is a poem she has carried all her life in her heart. She and Jim lived their best years and though now devastated, knowing she gave her all everyday, there can be no regrets. When loved ones pass beyond our reach Or good friends go away There are often many things That you would like to say But missed the moment. Lost the chance To say the reconciling words And make the first advance Everyday bring us an opportunity Of giving love, help and sympathy It’s useless to regret when time has closed the gate The saddest words you ever utter Are the words “too late”. 21
22 Green Lane Masjid have launched an appeal to provide relief to the survivors of the earthquake. They have sent aid workers to the area to assist with relief efforts and to distribute urgent medical supplies, mattresses, blankets, shelter and cash grants to help survivors meet their immediate needs. • £50 can provide vital medical supplies to hospitals • £80 can provide a cash grant for a family to purchase food and other essentials in an emergency • £168 can provide two families with shelter in an emergency Please donate at: https://www.taskforceglm.org/product/earthquake/ Turkey & Syria Emergency Earthquake Appeal Residents of Turkey and northern Syria were abruptly awoken by a strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The quake caused buildings to collapse and those who managed to evacuate faced harsh cold temperatures outside. A second earthquake, measuring 7.6, struck later in the day, causing further damage to weakened structures and splitting roads apart. According to latest reports, a combined total of more than 40,000 people have already been confirmed dead across both Turkey and Syria. Time is of the essence for those impacted by the earthquake. International aid is essential to reach and save lives and care for the survivors.
5 23 showing two thirds of the British population to be opposed to Trident and Cruise the CND campaign is clearly attracting massive support. People marched behind street banners: ‘School Road says “No” to Nukes’; ‘Clarence Road - Stop Cruise’; ‘Grove Avenue - Nuclear Free Zone’; ‘55 Ascot Road says “No” to Nuclear War’; a local GP carried a banner: ‘When you’ve seen one nuclear war you’ve seen them all!’ Moseley shop keepers had advertised the march in their shop windows; residents had put posters in their gardens and whole streets had organised themselves into poster making groups calling on neighbours to invite them to join in. Moseley B13 Magazine at 50 Moseley C.N.D Marches! As we get closer to the 50th anniversary of the magazine this May, we take a look back at the different decades in the life of Moseley B13 Magazine. This month we focus on the 1980s, taking a trip back to when ‘birmingham 13’ (as the magazine was originally named) ran the front page headline ‘Moseley C.N.D Marches!’ The corresponding article is a time capsule of the concerns of many people around the world in the 1980s. The text from the May 1982 article is republished below in its entirety… “Where did they all come from? One moment there was a small group of thirty people clustered at the end of Mossfield Road, the next twelve hundred were on the march from Kings Heath to Moseley protesting against Cruise and Trident missiles. They were your neighbours, your friends, maybe you. Youngsters, families with toddlers, the elderly. Brogues and kicker boots walked side by side - a cross section of Moseleyites on the march! The glorious spring sunshine must have helped the turn out but with the opinion polls now o At the end of the march Peter Watkins, maker of ‘The War Game’’ - the film banned by the BBC - spoke to the marchers. He told them that he would be making a new film on the same issue this summer - part of it being set in Birmingham. The crowd’s warm response to him was an indication of the enormous influence The War Game has had in alerting people to the horror of nuclear war. The police were delighted with the good humour of the demonstration. ‘The best organised march we’ve seen’ was one comment. Within a week the local MP Anthony Beaumont-Dark was expressing his own doubts about Trident and land-based Cruise weapons to a local group of Conservatives. The link between public opinion and politics is made!” - Reprint of birmingham 13 article from May 1982 (name of original writer was not included with the article. John Williams was editor at the time) . Mark Baxter
A Farewell from the vicar of Moseley I don’t think there is anywhere quite like Moseley! It is a unique place within a unique city and the thing that makes it so exciting - its people! There is never a dull moment in Moseley and certainly never a dull moment in our two parish churches - St Anne’s and St Mary’s. After seven and a half years as vicar of Moseley I am moving on to share in the life of two church communities near Perth in Scotland. Moseley has such a strong sense of its identity. I first knew of Moseley in the 1960s as I had a season ticket at Bristol Rugby Club who would play against Moseley each year. How the fortunes of the two clubs have changed - but that doesn’t diminish the great work that Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club does in developing youngsters and investing heavily in the local community. The music festivals, Farmers’ Market, Community Development Trust, Moseley Society, Moseley Historical Society, Moseley in Bloom, Moseley Forum and so many more community groups all weave their magic to produce a richly coloured tapestry that helps to make Moseley the place it is. With St Mary’s geographically in the heart of Moseley it has been affirming that through community consultation, many Moseley folk also place our churches at the heart of our community. Whether it’s providing a Warm Space or Coffee and Company on Saturday mornings, the spectacle of the Christingle service with a congregation of 600 or welcoming dozens of friends from Clifton Road Mosque to our Midnight Mass at Christmas, the church has always found a way to offer something to help enliven the Moseley vibe. St Anne’s church hall is used by many local community groups for their activities and by the parish for regular events - including the Moseley Iftar each Ramadan. 24
There are eight schools within our parish, all of which engage with the church in some way - not to mention some of the local nurseries and special schools and our weekly Stay and Play at St Anne's. Moseley C of E Primary School has been around for nearly 200 years and is an excellent example of the church working with the local community in providing education and formation for local children within an Anglican context. It has been a rewarding experience to have worked closely with Mrs Gallagher and her team. I have greatly enjoyed our time in Moseley and this great sprawling city of Birmingham and the West Midlands conurbation. Swapping it for a small country town of 8000 will be quite a contrast. It will be the people of Moseley that will remain brightest in my memory. Those who worship faithfully in our parish churches, those I pass on the street or meet in Wetherspoons, those I have journeyed alongside in the painful times of loss and celebratory times of marriage and baptism. The team of folk who have worked alongside me in our churches also merits special mention for their creativity, support and commitment to serving the local community. I look forward to hearing great things about Moseley as time passes by and wish everyone in our community the very best. May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Reverend Duncan Strathie We wish Duncan well in his new venture – he’s returning to the area where he originally came from – and thank him for his active contribution to the life of Moseley. We’re sorry to see him go. Our thoughts and prayers go with you, Duncan! David Isgrove 25
Eighty years ago, the British Empire was involved in a truly worldwide conflagration: the Second World War. However, for many the war was much closer to home. For almost a year, from the summer of 1940, Britain was under attack from the air. Many know of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz when the German air force, the Luftwaffe, attempted to gain air mastery and force the U.K. to surrender. Luftwaffe bombing killed more than 40,000 civilians during the war, almost half of them in London, where more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged. The Germans also targeted Birmingham. The second city was a significant industrial and manufacturing location. From 9th August 1940 to 23rd April 1943, around 1,852 tons of bombs were dropped on Birmingham, making it the third most heavily bombed U.K. Moseley Society History Group Bomb Alley city in the Second World War, behind London and Liverpool. Seventy-seven air raids destroyed many buildings and damaged thousands more. Over 2,000 local inhabitants lost their lives and many more were injured. The Germans had identified a number of targets including the BSA factory in Balsall Heath. At the start of the war, night navigation was rudimentary. We know that some German bomber pilots flew over Birmingham, searching for what we now know as the Camp Hill railway line. They planned to follow the line and drop their bombs on specific targets. They often dropped them earlier, in Kings Heath, Moseley and Balsall Heath, and these areas together became known as ‘Bomb Alley’. 26 Photo: “Press photo of an Anti-aircraft gun in Birmingham. Courtesy of Matt Felkin”
Many local people lost their lives or suffered injuries. There was much damage to private and public buildings, and many local residents became homeless. As with most parts of the U.K., the war significantly affected our area. Many of the population were mobilised to do vital war work or to join civil defence organisations such as the Home Guard and ARP. The military or governmental authorities often took over offices and workshops. German and Italian prisoners were housed locally. Air raid defences such as anti-aircraft batteries and barrage balloons were prominent features. Much of the above will be familiar to readers. Individuals and groups have researched this area and many excellent publications are available. Members of the Moseley Society have spent many years studying the local area during World War I but research into local events and experiences during the Second World War is relatively new. Following a well-received Zoom talk on Moseley men killed serving overseas between 1939 and 1945, this year’s presentation will be on the Blitz. It is entitled Bomb Alley: the World War Two Blitz and Home Front in Moseley, Balsall Heath and Kings Heath. Local historians Ian Binnie, Peter Streets and David Vaux will host their one-hour talk twice: live and on Zoom. 27 Photo: “Damage to properties in Mosley Road, Balsall Heath. Courtesy of Balsall Heath Local History Society”
Tuesday 21st March, 2.00pm at the Moseley Exchange, 149-153 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8JP This will be the live talk. There will also be a display, produced by Matt Felkin, which includes many unique photographs and documents about the Blitz in Birmingham and the local area. There is no need to register in advance. Tuesday 21st March, at 7.30 pm, a Zoom repeat of the above talk To register for the Zoom talk email Ray Tier on [email protected]. Both talks include recent research by Ian, Peter, David and Matt, as well as details from the mass of work done by groups and individuals, including the Balsall Heath Local History Society. If you have researched this topic, have personal knowledge, or just want to find out more about the impact of World War II on the local area, do join our talks, either live or virtually, and contribute to our research. We look forward to meeting you. 28 Photo: “Number 6 Ashfield Avenue was destroyed during the Blitz. A new house is currently being built. Courtesy of Peter Leadbetter.”
We try to conserve and enhance Moseley’s heritage and environment by: * Monitoring local planning applications * Maintaining the 18th Century Dovecote, Garden and Icehouse * Opening the Dovecote and Icehouse from 1.00 - 4.00pm on Farmers’ Market days March - September * Actively researching Moseley’s History * Arranging a Programme of Talks and Events JOIN US! Founded in 1979 with the objective of “Caring for an historic area of Birmingham.” Please join The Moseley Society and help us to continue to care! £10 per year Household Membership Lucky 13 Tipton & Ike Once upon a time there was a dog, a lovely dog and a very friendly one that was named after a Black Country town but actually came from an Italian island. She was an economic refugee you see but that is a different story for another time. Our furry friend lived in a leafy suburb of Birmingham surrounded by parks, big houses and a stream. Tipton had a lovely cosy house - the type you see with stainedglass windows and nice front gardens with hanging baskets. Everyone knew her; small and friendly but also fierce and assertive. An excellent combination all in one lovely package. On sunny days Tipton would go out in the garden to chase the odd squirrel here and there. This was one of her many pastime activities. 29 To find out more and join us see https://moseley-society.org.uk/.
One day out of the blue, she spotted a puffy, furry tail behind a tree and heard a prolonged noise which was something between miaowing and squeaking. Tipton approached carefully - due to her small posture she had to be extra careful - and spotted a ginger cat. I know what you are thinking - that cats and dogs don’t get on - but this is a myth. Tipton realised straight away that the cat - who introduced himself as Ike - was in distress. Tipton saw something of herself in Ike and Ike spotted something of himself in Tipton. They shared their life stories and they discovered how much in common they had. Tipton and Ike were both abandoned at birth and they were both rescued by kind hearted humans. They were both from somewhere else both new to this place. Ike was from London and Tipton from Italy of course but cultural differences don’t play a part in the animal kingdom. Tipton asked Ike what the problem was and Ike explained between miaowing and squeaking - being a nervous type of cat – that his teddy was lost. His teddy, the teddy he had had from kittenhood. Tipton explained that she was an expert in locating lost property and that she had a speciality in finding items that were either buried or covered in the overgrowth. She fully understood the emotional turmoil such an ordeal can cause particularly to somebody who had feelings of abandonment. Tipton explained to Ike that finding Teddy should be considered a big deal. So on she went though every garden, driving the owners mad, looking through leaves and bushes, sniffing every wall in the neighbourhood. Tipton did find Teddy and Ike was ecstatic, the happiest cat in Moseley. Ike and Tipton became friends for life; It was a match made in heaven. No matter what their differences they promised to stay together united as one. Neither of them ever left the leafy green suburb , their friendship lasted a lifetime. They seemed different but were they? So if you ever see a dog sniffing a wall or moving leaves around with its paws don’t get impatient as an owner or annoyed , give it time. It is probably a dog like Tipton helping a cat like Ike to find his lost teddy. Katerina Chamberlain 30