TOPIC:

WEST BROMWICH TOWN HALL,
HIGH STREET,
WEST BROMWICH,
WEST MIDLANDS,
B70 8AY.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SP00239141.

I have attempted numerous times to gain access to the building, but find that the front entrance is securely locked and chained, a brass tablet is just visible through the glazed doors. It could possibly be the tablet, but I am unable to get a picture.
Maybe because of the renovation work evident by the scaffolding, this access is temporarily closed?
Access to the building is via a rear entrance from the car park, but there is an intercom system and nobody in reception.
So all I can offer for the time being (04/10/2022) is the inscription and Roll of Honour as detailed on the internet.


Major renovation work ongoing.

"THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE MAYOR ALDERMEN AND BURGESSES OF THIS BOROUGH TO COMMEMORATE THE DEVOTION OF THE MEN OF THIS TOWN WHOSE NAMES ARE HEREAFTER INSCRIBED TO THE SERVICE OF THEIR SOVEREIGN AND COUNTRY IN VOLUNTARILY OFFERING THEMSELVES FOR SERVICE AND SERVING WITH THE FORCES IN THE FIELD IN THE BOER WAR WHICH COMMENCED THE 11TH OCTOBER 1899 AND ENDED 31ST MAY 1902. CHARLES JOHN CADDICK M.B."

"ANSTEY, JOHN IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.

BAYLISS,, ERNEST 1ST E&K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

BEALE, GEORGE H. PRIVATE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

BUNN, THOMAS 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

CALLEAR, THOMAS 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

COLE, WILLIAM HENRY 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

DARBY, SYDNEY PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

DEWSON, CHARLES P.LANCE CORPORAL BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

EDWARDS, WILLIAM JAMES PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

HABLE, THOMAS LANCE CORPORALBUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

HAMMOND, HENRY WILTSHIRE YEOMANRY.

HASSALL, ALLEN PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

ILWRAITH, JON CLIFFORD M.C. MIDDLESEX YEOMANRY. DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.

KIDDLE, FREDERICK WILLIAM IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.

MANIFOLD, SAMUEL HERBERT PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

NAYLOR, FRANK 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

NEALE, GEORGE ERNEST LANCE CORPORAL BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

PARISH, THOMAS MAJOR 1ST EAST KENT YEOMANRY KILLED IN ACTION.

PARKES, D.J. CORPORAL BRABANT'S HORSE.

PARSONS, PERCY J. 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

PHILLIPS, WILLIAM ALFRED PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

QUANCE, HORACE CLEMANCE 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

SHINTON, ALBERT 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

SIDDENS, FREDERICK JOHN WARWICKSHIRE YEOMANRY.

SMITH, ARCHIBALD PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

SMITH, WILLIAM M. SERGEANT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

TAYLOR, THOMAS 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

THOMAS, JOHN P. PRIVATE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY.

WARD, JOSEPH 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT.

WOODHALL, WILLIAM C. 1ST E & K COMPANIES 1ST VOLUNTARY SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT."

30 names in total, with 28 served and returned, 1 killed in action and 1 man died on active service.

Steve - I have all the names on my to do list as I might be able to make a partial claim on some.

The one that particularly attracted my attention was Horace Clemance Quance because I wondered if he was related to my Grammar School PT Master - Ernest Raymond Quance. Turns out there is a sort of relationship as Ernest's aunt, born a Quance, married a Quance who was the brother of Horace.

Horace is well covered on Public FT's on Ancestry although none of the creators have realised he served in the ABW. Born (1881) & brought up in West Brom he moved to Sheffield after the ABW and married a Yorkshire lass there in 1910. 1911 census & 1939 Register show he owned a garage. He died in 1958 but his widow lived to 1977 when she was aged 90. The year before she died she was awarded the Bristish Empire Medal for her voluntary support of the Sheffield Blood Transfusion Service. 7104 Horace received 5 clasps to his medal - CC, OFS, Tr, SA1901 & SA1902.

Hi David,
Good to hear that you are on the case with the West Brom blokes. I have a bit of a backlog to catch up on regarding research of men named on memorials I have posted!
There aren't too many with the surname QUANCE on the internet search engines (remember when we used to say "in the phone book" for unusual names?). It's a small world as they say.
Later today, I hope to be visiting the Guildhall in Darlaston, which was once part of Staffordshire . There is a memorial shield inside the building naming men of Darlaston who served in the ABW. I will post later today, you might find some names of interest thereon.
I just hope that I have better luck with access than at West Bromwich Town Hall. I have yet to even find an image online of that one, assuming that it still exists.
Cheers Steve