STOURBRIDGE OLD EDWARDIAN CLUB

ED-WORDS NEWSLETTER SPRING 2026

Thank you also for having supported our events during my first Presidential year when  we had a full and varied programme, with my hoping that what remains of my forthcoming year will be equally fulfilling.

At the first of our two major events, my Presidential Evening on 22 August I shall be sharing with you my “Desert Island Discs”, enabled by my protégé and colleague, Adrian Jackson, upon whose broadcasting experience I am fortunate to be able to rely.   In the meantime, you can hear him each Saturday evening by tuning in to  his regular spot on Serenade Radio from 6 to 7 p.m.

Our lunchtime talks have continued with my thanks to Mike Aston and Roger Stephenson for arranging the programme.

I am in the process of arranging the speaker for our Annual Dinner on 2 October but with several of my probables being otherwise committed, there is a possibility that you may be left with yours truly.

My thanks as always to your General Committee whose willingness and efficiency adds to the pleasure of my being your President, with the efficiency and dedication of our Club Secretary Alan Roden, Club Treasurer David Burrows and Club Membership Secretary Andrew Taplin being of so much benefit to us all with the excellence of David Trewin in his seating plans and events board in danger of being taken for granted . . .  not so; whilst Tim and Tracy continue to support us with their excellent stewardship.

My very best wishes.

Arnold.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS are visible on our Events Calendar>>. That section has been updated to clearly identify those occasions that are open to Club Members.

This includes any dates for Mussels lunches and Fish and Steak evenings.

Please phone the Club directly on 01384 395635 for details of any event (do not respond to this email as responses will not be monitored).

A comprehensive list of all bookings (including venue hire) may be viewed within the Events Calendar section>> . 

PAST EVENTS write ups are on the website HERE>> but specifically the following are worth a mention since the last newsletter:

Our "now famous" lunchtime talks with buffet have been outstandingly successful - some have been sold out within 24 hours of advertising! The more recent talks are as below:

To ensure, you don't miss out, please consign the following dates to your diaries for future lunchtime talks with buffet and look out for (and act upon) the booking advice about a month in advance:

• 29th May: History of Bigamy (David Cox)
• 18th September: Chance Glass (Henry Chance)
• 20th November: Evolution of the Motor Car 1910-1950 (Kenneth Wright)

• We currently have about 200 members (exact figure will be known when we ascertain the status of a few members who still have not paid) thanks to the efforts of our Hon. membership Secretary,  Andrew Taplin. Application forms are downloadable from the website CLICK HERE>> for anyone interested in membership.
• The Club is in a good financial state under the capable stewardship of our Hon. Treasurer, David Burrows.
• The overall "fabric" of the Club premises is in good shape, closely monitored and actioned by our head of House Committee, David Trewin. 

We are sometimes requested to provide information on previous newsletters. You may access these simply by going to the website www.oldedclub.org.uk  then click on the Newsletter Archive subsection of the "Members" tab in the top level menu bar. For rapid access CLICK HERE>> and then just click on the date of interest.

In recent weeks we have been made aware of the sad loss of some long serving members and good friends:

• T.G. Witts-Hewinson
• A.P. Hingley
• J.L. Ryder
• A.P. Lynch

With less than 90 numbers, and 3 wins per month the chance of winning is probably the best of any regular lottery.

I was consulted some 35 years ago by two young Oxford graduates who each, having qualified as Architects, had immediately established themselves in the property world.

A continuing friendship developed such that I was recently able to take a small party of friends including some from the Stourbridge Old Edwardian Club to the premises where one of them has established a remarkable military museum with he, his wife and the other friend of theirs hosting us splendidly, such that lunch took about 3 hours beginning with his explaining some of the exhibits and the source of the cutlery and crockery such as plates from the Titanic.

Each of my friends have become International personalities; one becoming an Arbitrator settling disputes worldwide and the other becoming the World Inshore Speedboat Champion alongside having acquired and developed the trading estate housing the military museum.

The help which each along the way quietly provides to others is humbling leading directly to one of them having been invited to become a Liveryman and Freeman of the City of London such that he and I (who find myself there by different circumstances entirely) are entitled to drive our sheep over London Bridge without paying the toll charge.

That tradition is continued to this day but neither he nor I have felt an inclination to take our sheep to London.

As to the other, his providing generous educational hospitality to military cadets illustrates what we are each able to contribute to the maturity and welfare of others.

There is a tendency in such an environment to forget the humble beginnings and sacrifice along the way in which regard I recall after first meeting my friends their telling me that whilst at Oxford they could not afford the text books such that ingenuity was needed to support their studies.   What shines through their story is the reconciliation of success with a willingness to help others.

My use of the word ‘sacrifice’ is appropriate as I complete this short ramble on Good Friday; my also being able to share with you a heartwarming story of an immature teenager who often joins one of my friends at services in Lichfield Cathedral.   We do not often see the Bishop at services in his flagship, his duties taking him far and wide throughout the Lichfield Diocese (Kinver being the nearest to us in Stourbridge), albeit he did officiate on Palm Sunday with my friend saying that her young companion would love to be photographed with him.

I found myself able quietly to ask him with his at once providing the young lady with a lifelong memory.   She will at present have no idea of the importance of the Bishop within the Established Church and our Parliamentary System, albeit with the memory no doubt becoming more meaningful as time goes by.

With my thanks to all of you for your continuing support at the “Old Eds” and my very best wishes for a happy summer, including the joys of the sound of leather on willow for those of you who share my cricketing passion.

AJH – 03/04/2026

In order for you to keep abreast of the news of KEVI College Stourbridge, then rather than ask them for specific articles to spoon feed to you,  we have thought it is best for you to explore their latest missives directly as relevant. Their website is included at the foot of this email but for convenience CLICK HERE>>  .

Please consult the CONTACT section of the website where you will see clear directions of which electronic from to complete under which circumstances to get responses addressed in the fastest and most efficient way. In particular, ensure any issues affecting membership (fees, fobs, applications etc) are addressed by completing the Membership Issues form and they will be sent directly to the personal email box of the Hon. Membership Secretary for prompt response.

Please do not reply to this newsletter email directly as responses will not be monitored.