THE BLOXIDGE TALLYGRAPH

Dateline:  4 June 2009

It seemed like a good idea to publish this year’s Summer Edditorial at a time when not only has the weather warmed up, but UK politicians are in hot water! 

The current fevered debate in the media and the country over the alleged claiming of extravagant expenses by a minority of Members of Parliament and the resulting political fallout is set to run for some time to come, especially with the results of today’s European and (in some other parts of the UK) local elections bound to add to the controversy.  The perceived lack of confidence in MPs of all parties may have severe consequences for the standing of those parties, deserved or not.

Inevitably, this will have its effect on local politics as well, albeit not this time around in Walsall Metropolitan Borough.  I have always felt the best way to decide on voting is to consider who has done the best for the town, and to consider the consequences of change.  Sometimes change is necessary to improve things, but be careful what you wish for – you may get it, and be stuck with it!

I do know that we have always been able to count on our Labour MP for Walsall North, David Winnick, who has done a good and conscientious job locally over many years and has conspicuously stood up for what is right in Parliament.  And for the most part our Bloxwich Councillors of whichever party affiliation have worked hard for us under difficult circumstances for many years.  

None of these good people are standing in the Euro elections, which offer a very different selection of parties and candidates, but these elections are still being seen as a referendum on mainstream politics, so who knows who will get in?  However things turn out, European decision-making does have an (often unwanted!) effect on us locally and nationally, and it is likely that there will be dramatic changes in the political landscape for years to come.

I am not going to tell you who to vote for, that is a matter of personal conscience, but if you have the vote, then I would strongly urge you to use it, and decide carefully, for without your efforts our ancient democracy will be made even weaker than some in Westminster have made it already. 

The Edditer

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Spring has finally sprung in Bloxwich (in between the showers of rain!), and as always the many parks and green spaces in and around the town are a delight to the eye and to those of us who like to get out and about.  Walsall may have its grand (if rather dilapidated) Arboretum, but we Bloxidge folk are well-blessed for greenery ourselves, what with Bloxwich Park (the old Village Green or Short Heath), Elmore Green, King George V Playing Fields, Leamore Park and last but not least the Promenade Gardens, scene of so much carnival history.

Speaking of the Promenade Gardens, hopefully it will not be too many weeks before we see the return of the famous Bloxwich Fountain which has been spending time in Birmingham for restoration, repair and repainting.  What colour it will turn out to be next remains to be seen, so keep an eye on the Tallygraph's front page for the first pictures!  More importantly, it is to be hoped it will be properly looked after in future, and not neglected as has been past tradition. 

Of course this leads on to the thorny topic of Bloxwich Carnival and the likely loss of its traditional parade this year due to a lack of sponsorship in the way of trucks and lorries for floats.  One can of course understand hard-pressed companies wishing to save money, but this kind of thing can only reflect badly on those who appear to have lost their community spirit and are also missing an opportunity to advertise themselves to a large audience of appreciative Bloxwich folk. 

Bloxwich Carnival Committee have not lost their community spirit, however - and they will be doing their very best this year as always to make carnival day (Saturday 1st August) the best possible day for us all.  I hope you will continue to give them your every support, as will The Bloxidge Tallygraph - see you there!

The Edditer, 30th April 2009

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To download a copy of the first issue of the original single page 1874 Bloxidge Tallygraph (reduced to A4 from the original broadsheet size, colour jpeg, 2.2mb), click on this link.

To download a copy of the later descendant of the Tallygraph - 'The Bloxwich Telegraph' (21 January 1886, reduced to A4 from the original broadsheet size, colour jpeg, 1.7mb) - click on this link.

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WANTED:  PHOTOS OR POSTCARDS OF OLD BLOXWICH POLICE STATIONS, THE OLD BLOXWICH RAILWAY STATION AND OLD BLOXWICH LIBRARIES   Do you have any photographs of the above buildings?  If so, please get in touch as we need more to add to our forthcoming features, and also, with your permission, to the archives at Walsall Local History Centre - you could help us make history!

Link to some past Edditorials

Past Edditorials

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Stuart Williams is The Edditer of  The Bloxidge Tallygraph.

Email:  the.edditer@thebloxidgetallygraph.com

Published by The Little Bloxwich Press, Little Bloxwich, Staffordshire.  Copyright 2006, 7, 8, 9 - All Rights Reserved.

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