News .. January and February
Last autumn a group of our members planted yet more daffodils, this time on ‘The Green' in front of the Clough Hall Hotel. However, due to the exceptionally cold weather this year they are not showing much sign of life. I expect they know better than to poke their heads up and are waiting for some sunshine ... just like us!
Again we ask you not to pick them; they are there for everyone to enjoy and not just to brighten up your own home.
The guest speaker at our January meeting was Philip Leese and his topic for the evening was ‘Poor Laws and the Workhouse System 19th & 20th Century'. We learnt that Poor Laws came into effect in 1597 and 1601, to ensure that people too poor to keep themselves were provided with food and money; their children were then apprenticed to a trade. During the 18th century, due to population increase, the Industrial Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the agricultural poor moving from farms into towns, the parishes became unable to cope with the demands made on them and in 1834 Parliament passed the Poor Law Amendment Act which created the large workhouses developed by Poor Law Unions.
Philip gave a very expressive reading of the poem written by George Sims, ‘Christmas Day in the Workhouse' ; this illustrated the manner in which people were treated during that period.
The workhouse system continued until 1929 when pensions were introduced and a Mental Health Act was passed.
Philip took the opportunity to show us his new book ‘The Best of Kidsgrove Times .. Volume VI', which can be purchased from Kidsgrove Library ... having received a copy as a Christmas present, I can highly recommend you read it.
Philip Leese
Our chairman provided an update on ongoing projects and local issues, which could not be progressed without the help and support of Community Police, Trading Standards and the Borough Council, for which we are extremely grateful. We will be working more closely with Trading Standards in the coming months to find ways to address a few problems in the Clough Hall area and no doubt our annual litter pick will be arranged shortly.
During the spell of cold snowy weather I have been working on our WEB site, making it more interesting (I hope !) and introducing a pictorial element to the written articles. Along with a general update, a new Gallery and Photograph of the Month page have been added.
The Photograph of the Month page was added to enable us to show ‘The World' that Kidsgrove is an attractive place to live, a town which we should be proud of and one worthy of being cared for by all of us.
If you have a photograph you would like to submit, see our WEB site http://www.cloughhall.co.uk/ for details ... pictures are welcome from all Kidsgrove residents.
Meetings are held at Hollinwood Sheltered Housing, Hollinwood Road starting at 7.15pm.
Date for next meeting ..
Tuesday 4th. May ... Joint meeting with 50+ forum (Open meeting)
"The Cost of Care" Susan Fisher, County Manager for Finance and Performance, Staffs County Council.