TOPIC:

DARLASTON TOWN HALL,
VICTORIA ROAD,
DARLASTON,
WALSALL,
WEST MIDLANDS,
WS10 8AA.
ENGLAND.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SP9781296751.


Entrance to the Town Hall. The memorial is mounted on the right hand wall immediately you have stepped through the red doors.


The memorial shield.

The town of Darlaston was historically part of South Staffordshire before the reshuffle of boundaries in the 1970s redesignated it to be within the West Midlands.
It was an industrial area which forms part of the English midlands known as the Black Country, though most of the heavy engineering has long since disappeared.

The memorial shield is to be found just inside the entrance doors of the Town Hall and appears to be of brass construction with inscription in black lettering with red highlights.

The inscription thus:

"SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
1899 TO 1902
ON THIS TABLET ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF OFFICER,
NON COMMISSIONED OFFICER AND MEN OF THE DARLASTON
COMPANY OF VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVED WITH THE 1ST
BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT DURING THE
SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN:-

MAJOR VINCENT J. MAGRANE.
COLOUR SERGEANT JESSE MARTIN.
SERGEANT ARTHUR D. ROBINSON.
SERGEANT GEORGE ASHMORE.
SERGEANT HENRY SELF.
CORPORAL DAVID HARTSHORNE.
CORPORAL PERCY TYLER.
CORPORAL RICHARD WATSON.
LANCE CORPORAL JOSEPH JONES.
LANCE CORPORAL THOMAS SMITH.
PRIVATE WILLIAM CARROLL.
PRIVATE HENRY CARTWRIGHT.
PRIVATE LAWRENCE CHORLEY.
PRIVATE SAMUEL COSTIN.
PRIVATE SAMUEL PARTRIDGE.
PRIVATE JOHN TYLER.
PRIVATE RICHARD WADE."

A total of 17 men served and returned.

Access to the Town Hall is possible during business hours. It also doubles up as a cafe!

That was well found, Steve. Many thanks.

Steve - I presume you have a SatNav - I have found it an essential piece of equipment on my recent (brief) returns to the West Midlands.

Vincent John Magrane 1858-1927 - two obits the first from the BMJ:





I think he made several contributions to the BMJ including a 1900 one on "Arsenic in Beer". Wikipedia has the following to say on the matter: "In 1900, more than 6,000 people in England were poisoned by arsenic-tainted beer, with more than 70 of the affected dying as a result. The food safety crisis was caused by arsenic entering the supply chain through impure sugar which had been made with contaminated sulphuric acid. The illness was prevalent across the Midlands and North West England, with Manchester being the most heavily affected."

The Obits do not mention that in 1878 he sought his fortune in Boston, Massachusetts and started the ball rolling on applying for USA citizenship - he obviously had second thoughts.

He appears on the 1901 Census living in Darlaston with his family and occupation - "Registered Medical Practitioner". His contribution to the Boer War was minimal. as the 3rd Volunteer Service Company he commanded did not sail for SA until 15th March 1902 and four months later started the return journey. I am interested in the mention of two clasps to his QSAM as the only medal roll I can find him on implies he received no clasps. This is the same for the 8 Smethwickians he commanded but their service records show they were awarded the "South Africa 1902" clasp.

His son served in WW1 and was wounded and I think one of his grandsons, with the same name, was killed in WW2 whilst serving in the RAF.

Regards, David.

David,

Many thanks for getting the ball rolling with the good doctor Magrane. It sounds like they got to South Africa, disembarked and then reembarked again shortly afterwards!
I have managed to get background on another five men on the memorial at the moment. The lack of service numbers, as always, causes a few headaches!

Wouldn't like to drive in the area without the SatNav on my phone, it makes life easier when trying to find an out of the way church, old town hall etc.
Cheers Steve

Steve - pages 109, 118 & 125 of Jeffrey Elson's book gives all their service numbers although Percy Tyler appears twice with different service numbers. I am wondering if there is an obscure upstairs/downstairs connection between the good doctor and Henry Self as on one census return the good doctor has a female servant named Self. David.

Jeffrey's book will be a great help. I just happen to have one!
Cheers Steve