Community notice board

Information Request from Vicky Thorley

ROUGH CLOSE AND LEADENDALE AREA, COMMENTS ETC
Vicky Thorley, information request,I belive my great great,grandad John Grundy came from Rough close,he lived in a bungalow behind the Swynnerton Arms around the turn of the century,he had two sons named William (Bill) Grundy and John Henry(Harry) Grundy,I was wondering if anyone knew where the Bungalow was or knew of them as I belive that new buildingsare there now.I have a great picture of my great uncle Bill outside the Bungalow on his 'belt driven'motobike,those were the days.

Reply to Vicky Thorley

Vicky Thorley used to live in Meir Heath, and contacted the Meir Heath Windmill website in the hope of tracing family members. I am happy to say that Mr John Banks also contacted the website with some information regarding the 'Grundy's'.

Please see his response below from an email dated 18/12/2008:

"...Elsewhere on the web site one Vicky Thorley asks about the Grundy's. The Grundy family I knew lived not behind the Swyynerton Arms, but in the last bungalow on your left as you leave Rough Close in the direction of Stone. I suspect they would have been descendants of Bill or Harry, though Mr Grundy's name I do not know, in those days it was impolite for children to know elders by their Christian names." - Mr John Banks.

A Poem for the Meir Heath Windmill

Poem Alan Mountford

SITED ATOP A VERY EXPOSED HILL
STANDS THE BRICK CLAD MEIR HEATH WINDMILL.
BUILT IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY,
IT WAS AN IMPOSING SITE TO SEE.
THREE STOREYS HIGH FROM BASE TO CAP,
RICHARD ASH BROSTER A CLEVER CHAP.
COMPLETE WITH BOAT-CAP, WHEEL AND TAIL,
DRIVEN BY THE FOUR WOODEN SAIL.
HARNESSING MOTHER NATURES POWER,
TURNING THE GRINDSTONE HOUR BY HOUR.
ITS DAILY CHORE WAS GRINDING CORN AND WHEAT,
PRODUCING FLOUR THAT WAS HARD TO BEAT.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY FAR AND NEAR,
THE MILLER'S WIFE PRODUCED THE BEER.
IT CEASED PRODUCTION IN ABOUT 1895,
AND SINCE THEN HAS STRUGGLED TO SURVIVE.
DURING THE WAR YEARS - EARLY 1940'S
IT SERVED AS A BASE FOR HOME GUARD SORTIES.
LATER CONVERTED TO STORING WATER,
SUPPLYING MAN, WIFE, SON AND DAUGHTER.
SOON THE SMALL-BRICK ROTUND EDIFICE,
BROADCAST MESSAGES ABOUT THAT AND THIS.
NOW IT REMAINS A SORRY SIGHT,
WILL NO ONE RALLY TO ITS TRAGIC PLIGHT?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Research Maps of Meir Heath Windmill & Ex Foundry

The Shed by Alan Mountford

A special place to call my own,
To which all others must never roam,
A small sanctuary when I'm at home,
At the end of the garden- all alone,
A little retreat from modern life,
A refuge from trouble and strife!
A haven to think and contemplate,
How did it get in its present state?
Somewhere to sit, ponder and muse,
Time to tinker and mend that fuse?
Sometimes I wonder and stop to think,
Now where's that stopper for the sink?
Shelves with boxes, jars and tins,
There's even one labelled panel-pins,
It's well equipped with a bench and tools,
But not a place for naves and fools,
Spades, forks, trowels, shears and rakes,
Bits and bobs for whatever it takes,
I sometimes wonder, and its often said,
"That every man deserves a shed."