Aldridge Manor – a building with a remarkable history
I’ve just noticed that there’s a unique event happening this coming Friday afternoon (15th January 2016) in Aldridge at the Manor House, marking this fine building’s unique history as a military hospital.
On the day it will be precisely 100 years since the building was opened as a medical facility, and those remarkable historians Sue Satterthwaite and Len Boulton who have done so much work to reveal and record the hitherto hidden history of the Manor will be there to see a blue plaque unveiled to commemorate the hospital.
Sue and Len’s book ‘A Patriotic Endeavour: Aldridge Manor House as a Military Hospital 1915 – 1919’ has been a huge success and is a fascinating and engaging history that has been selling very well – you can get a copy here.
I’ve taken the liberty of reblogging Linda Mason’s post about the event, as she explains much better than I would.
Linda Mason wrote:
Sue Satterthwaite’s book about the history of The Manor House during World War 1 ‘A Patriotic Endeavour: Aldridge Manor House as a Military Hospital 1915 – 1919‘ became a bit of a best seller in Aldridge over the Christmas period and no wonder, it is fascinating.
As a result of Sue’s and Len Boulton’s hard work and their excellent badgering skills, The Manor House is to receive a blue plaque to commemorate its role as a military hospital. The blue plaque will be officially unveiled by Sue and Councillor Tim Wilson at 3 pm on Friday 15th January 2016, which to the hour, is 100 years on from the day that the hospital was officially opened. The unveiling will mirror that of the ceremony 100 years before as far as possible. There are no limits on numbers attending the unveiling, so I hope that as many people as possible will be able to attend to witness this historic occasion in the history of Aldridge.
The Manor House will not be a publicly owned building for too much longer so it is fitting and right that the Blue Plaque will be there permanently on the front of this much loved house acknowledging part of the role that it has played in Aldridge village life. The people of Aldridge owe a debt of gratitude to Sue and Len for their hard work and persistence in helping to preserve and fully acknowledge the history of our village and in particular The Manor House.
Looking forward to seeing you there for the great unveiling!
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My name is Pete Nash, a member of Brmingham CHA Rambling Group, and it was with some interest that our walk leader, Peter Stokes, on Sunday 24th January included a visit to see the Manor House, and the Blue Plaque,on Aldridge Manor House. That .Aldridge played a part in the and care and rehabilatation of First World Soldiers is really heartwarming, and residents of Aldridge must be justly proud.
I was fascinated to hear that the Manor House now has a plaque recording its role as a convalescent home during WWI. My grandparents, Ernest and Ellen (Nell) Jones, were the resident doctor and matron, and my father, born January 2,1913, spent his early childhood there. During his lifetime he didn’t mention that his home had been a convalescent home, but I guess he was very young at the time. His three older brothers would have had more vivid memories, I guess. I do have in my possession here in Canada some memorabilia from my grandmother’s days as a suffragette, including the medal she was awarded following her imprisonment and hunger strike, as well as some of the letters to her family that were scribbled on toilet paper and then smuggled out of prison.
wow!!!!
would love to see this, if at all possible, please Susan….This blog never ceases to amaze me!
kind regards
David
Susan, can I pass your email on to the Great War Project in Aldridge please? I’m sure Len and Sue would be very interested to speak to you!
Cheers
Bob