STOURBRIDGE OLD EDWARDIAN CLUB

ED-WORDS NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2026

I could have declined the invitation for this second two year stint; but am so glad I didn’t.   It too has passed quickly, my having thoroughly enjoyed leading this wonderful Club whilst having made new friends along the way.

Thank you to all who have helped me, not least Tim and Tracy our wonderful stewards, their admirable helpers and all Committee members and Office Holders.

My very best wishes to Alf Edwards as he succeeds me in this most worthwhile position.

Arnold.

As communicated recently, a significant fire at the Club in early September has necessitated temporary closure of the Club building although the car park is still fully operational.

This has impacted events in the short term but we will advise when the Club is able to reopen in the near future.

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! 

Sadly, due to the fire in the Club, the talk on Chance Glass scheduled for 18th September had to be postponed and we will advise when it may be rescheduled. We are hopeful that the Club will be reopened in time for the following talk:

• Friday 20th November: Evolution of Motor Car Design 1910-1950 (Kenneth Wright)

Membership renewals are due on 1st October. Many thanks to those who have already renewed (completing the form AND sending their remittance). For others please CLICK HERE>> and follow the instructions.

For those widows who are members but whose spouses sadly passed away some time ago, Andrew Taplin will be in touch directly.

Please note that any correspondence or queries on fees or car park fobs should be addressed to the Hon. Membership Secretary (not to the Hon. Secretary). He may be contacted via the Contact section on the website. CLICK HERE>>. 

• As already stated, we are progressing and resolving the complications arising from the fire in the club and hope to reopen the Club in a matter of weeks (not months).
• We currently have about 200 members 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.
• Andrew has also successfully rented some 5 car park spaces (in the bottom level of the car park) to various local businesses. More are available if you know of anyone who wants to rent one. 
• The Club is in a good financial state under the capable stewardship of our Hon. Treasurer, David Burrows and the continuing external revenue obtained through venue hires (mainly owing to the efforts of our stewards Tim and Tracey).
• 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.

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

On Saturday 26th September, KEVI College welcomed past generations of students, staff and families to celebrate shared history and memories and rediscover the campus and changes. 

The College now provides advanced education to some 2,700 students (as compared to about 700 in the previous KEVI Grammar School - which many of us recall going back to the 60s and beyond).

The current campus is illustrated below.

A magnificent mural of the college had been created by previous student Stacy Hammond on the back of what used to be the "B Block" - now the Daisy Druller building named after that lovely lady who taught many of us years ago. Those of us who attended investigated how other buildings had been created, previous ones re-used for other purposes and a clear shift towards skills appropriate to the modern world.

What some of us knew as "A1" is now the board room - in which various historical maps had been displayed.  A room now called "Chambers" was used to display a comprehensive range of articles from the College archive. Some of us recall the same room (the old library) being used for our annual appraisals by head master R L Chambers - wherein whose old chair (in which he sat for morning assemblies in the main hall) is now housed.

Further upstairs was a magnificent display of artwork while various panel discussions progressed in the main hall (now named Hayley Hall in line with its history).

Various refreshments, craft stalls and music (in what used to be the old bike shed and where the previous pupils from the 60s queued for  their milk and snacks during breaks) were on hand outside.

Many old acquaintances were renewed by  those who attended.

At around 2pm, a ceremony took place to bury a "time capsule" containing various  relevant items in the garden behind what was known by those of us of a certain age as the "P" Block.  The process was introduced by Principal Holly Bembridge before the capsule was buried with shovels of earth courtesy of Holly, Chair of Governors Jules Singh and the Mayor of Dudley - Pete Lowe.

More information on the event can be found on the specific and informative website created by the College. CLICK HERE>>.  It is a "good read".

The College should be congratulated on organising such a professional, historic  and well attended event.

"I have mentioned elsewhere my decision to mix private practice with an academic life and how I went about achieving it by learning on the job at the lowest grade of teacher in the adult education system, whilst being alert to opportunity.

So having learnt about life through two years within the Royal Air Force, a further invaluable two years were occupied in the self-discovery of whether I could teach.   Others were watching without my realising it, such that one whom I might describe as a whispering Welshman (and a visiting lecturer at Dudley Technical College) quietly said to me, “There is a lecturing position for you at Birmingham College of Commerce.   I will arrange for you to go in”.   So he did; so did I and found myself in the  perfect position to carry out specialist professional work alongside and within a top class academic environment.

I was content!

I should have known better.

There were two predators in the wings.   The first being the Institute of Chartered Accountants sensibly deciding that a College Foundation course of one academic year should be available to aspiring trainee Accountants.   The second was that the lecturer in Revenue Law who prepared would be solicitors for the Law Society examination in that subject sought pastures new, such that a replacement was needed.

The finger of suspicion pointed at me in respect of both situations; resulting in the teaching into which I had blissfully drifted becoming a 3 hour per week session with the young ladies and gentlemen aspiring to qualify as solicitors and having to get through the subject they most hated – Revenue Law; and the rest of my academic duties being the organisation and administration of Chartered Accountant education in the Midlands.

BUT serendipity was on the prowl.   Those on the Law Society course occasionally included mature students who stood out because of age and an uncanny wish to sit in the front row in the lecture theatre.

Thus it was that on two separate occasions I found myself acquainting  retired Inspectors of Police (albeit only in their early 40s) with the mysteries of Revenue Law.    Two entirely different characters, the first becoming a police prosecutor after qualifying as a solicitor.

I was once having problems with a trading partnership the participants in which had fallen out, some of them threatening me with dire consequences should I not meet their wishes in winding up the business.    The result of my asking my erstwhile mature student for his recommended course of action was “Tell them to piss off”, which I did; and so did they!

The second was of an entirely different nature and character; such that upon his qualifying as a solicitor and with some help from my colleagues and myself he was able to set up his own legal practice.   A wonderfully considerate man, he would take on as a client anyone who was in need, regardless as to whether or not they could pay him; and seeking the best ancillary advice for them as was available.   This resulted in his hosting wonderful Christmas parties to which all who had helped him were invited, together with some of those whom he had helped.   He had a quiet sense of humour such that as a young police constable in Lichfield, he described how on night duty he had ‘crowned’ the statue of Samuel Johnson with a lavatory seat .

A more personal story was his visiting two ladies of mature years who had asked for police assistance and whilst with them noticing in their grounds a somewhat neglected Standard 9 car his being told it was to be passed on to their son/nephew.   Nonetheless he left his details with them should there be a change of mind.   There was and he acquired and nurtured the car for some 50 years.    Upon his saying to me some months ago that he felt he would donate it to the Motor Museum I responded by saying I would rather he sold it to me.

And so he did.   Consequently I am now the proud owner of this wonderful 1934 Standard 9 Saloon, the provenance of which is in no doubt; with my friend despite being retired, continuing to be of assistance to those in his local community who find themselves needful of the comfort he can provide.    

As a young man, he was sponsored by Rotary International on a one year overseas sabbatical.

A wise choice the motto of Rotary being – “Service above Self” which his life epitomises".

Arnold Homer.

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.