THE BLOXIDGE TALLYGRAPH

Dateline: 27 February 2010

Today, on the anniversary of the removal of the iconic Bloxwich Fountain from the Promenade Gardens in High Street, The Bloxidge Tallygraph can finally answer some of local people's questions about the facts behind the missing metalwork's disappearance and the excessive delays in bringing it home.

The 16ft Bloxwich Fountain, which was paid for by public subscription and cost £170 in 1891, was removed for major refurbishment on 27 February 2009.  It was last moved, from its original location in Bloxwich Park (the old village green), in 1928 when it was transferred to the Promenade Gardens by horse and cart (see black and white picture, above).  The latest move was made by the more modern means of mobile crane and truck!

The Bloxwich Fountain about 1930

The work was supported by the Friends of Bloxwich Parks group, who witnessed the latest relocation (see colour photo, top) and without whose efforts the work would not have been arranged by Walsall Council, who have organised and managed the project.  The project was funded through cash from the Ibstock Corey Environmental Trust and Section 106 funding.  As part of its restoration, the fountain was intended to be re-cast and given a fresh coat of paint by specialist pump and restoration company Fordwater of Birmingham.

The Victorian fountain's original colour was a combination of marble and stone.  Over many years it has also been white and pale blue as well as white, blue, green and red and since it was last refurbished the existing paint had been a rather funereal black, gold and rust. The new colour was intended to be a shade of blue-green with gold.

Then Chairman of the Friends of Bloxwich Parks, Ken Worley, said at the time of the latest removal: "The people of Bloxwich are justifiably proud of the fountain after their ancestors paying for it through public subscription.  The sum of £170 was a tidy amount back in 1891 and the people of the town did well to raise all that money.  Records dating back to that era describe it as one of the finest in the West Midlands.  Over the years it has sadly suffered and I am pleased that it is finally going to be restored. It should be well looked after."

Councillor Louise Harrison, Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure, also added: "The Friends group has worked hard towards getting this landmark restored and I am pleased to see that it is being removed for a much-needed makeover."

However, the excited and positive mood of February 2009 has over the past year turned sour for many, with the fountain still not back home twelve months on.  The question The Tallygraph has been asked most in the intervening months by mystified Bloxwich folk is "Where's the fountain gone? When will it be back?"  Other (printable) questions have included "Have the tatters had it away with the fountain?", "Have the Council lost it?" and "What's going on? The mess on the fountain site is a disgrace!"

While the Edditer of The Bloxidge Tallygraph has had an ear to the ground about the progress - or lack of - this important project, not all the facts are clear, but we are informed by various sources that, at least in part, the delays have been due to several factors.  Firstly, there were delays in choosing and sourcing the paint following the sandblasting of the fountain, which also revealed that more work was needed than anticipated.  Then, we are told, there was confusion over the material in which the four cherubs at the base of the fountain were to be recast.  The contractors were planning to do this in concrete, but iron had in fact been specified, and this has now been done.  Did you know that for many years the cherubs had been fibreglass, due to the rusting away of much of the neglected original ironwork? 

We understand that there were other difficulties also, but late last year the biggest problem came to light: a new and much larger base was cast for the fountain by contractors, but the huge amount of concrete used for the base distorted the weak sides of the wooden mould, causing them to bell out.  Paving slabs on the corners of the then-dry pool were also dislodged by the various bits of wood which had been intended to support the mould.  This was not noticed until too late and the contractors appear to have simply hacked off the belled-out concrete sides, covered them up and dumped the rubble in the pool, which was by now full of other rubbish.  The whole was surrounded by an unsightly safety fence which, while well-intentioned, was unable to keep vandals out, it seems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disaster area: the botched base, rubble and rubbish (Picture: S. Williams)

This all led to a dispute between the Friends of Bloxwich Parks and Walsall Council officers about the size of the base, which the Friends believed to be much too large, and the poor quality of the work, which was obvious, leading to the latest extended delay.  

In a statement provided by Walsall Council's Press Office,  Councillor Anthony Harris, Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure and culture, said:  “We have unfortunately hit a delay with the project’s completion as some members of the Friends group are unhappy about the height of the plinth that the fountain was to rest upon.“This is an unexpected setback as there was wide consultation with everyone involved prior to the installation of the plinth.“We are hopeful of sharing the cost of lowering the plinth with the Friends group and are currently discussing this suggestion with its members.“As soon as this is resolved we can all look forward to seeing the restored fountain back home in Bloxwich where it will be appreciated for many years to come.”

Ken Worley, who is now no longer Chair of the Friends but retains a strong interest in Bloxwich parks, has been researching the history of the fountain in detail and an article by him on the subject will be published in The Bloxidge Tallygraph in due course.  He commented today: "I look forward to the return of the fountain after numerous delays. It is my hope that the Council and Friends of the park quickly resolve their differences. Many inhabitants of Bloxwich have been enquiring what has happened to their Fountain. The fountain has a long and interesting history going back to 1891 when it was purchased by public subscription by the people of Bloxwich. It can therefore be said it is truly the Bloxwich People's Fountain. It has gone through periods of neglect and pride by the council. It is hoped that it will be returned to its former glory as when it was described in the 1930s as one of the finest in the  Midlands. It is hoped that an appropriate return ceremony will be held in line of that original planned in June of last year involving the M.P. mayor and the children of Bloxwich. The work will not be finished as monies will have to be raised to put it in the landscaping it deserves. It is a feature that has caused controversy in the past but it has always been the symbol of Bloxwich, its people and the former members of the foreign."

Despite the refurbishment of the fountain itself apparently being completed last year, until this past week no agreement had been reached to enable remedial work on the botched base and thus enable the return of the fountain to its home.  The Bloxidge Tallygraph has today been informed that the Friends of Bloxwich Parks and Walsall Council will be sharing equally in the cost of making the concrete base fit for purpose.  It is hoped that the work will be done in March - at the completion of which Bloxwich folk will no doubt let out a "monumental" sigh of relief! 

Ken Worley's newly researched history of the Bloxwich Fountain will  be published this summer.  In the meantime, you can find out more about the Bloxwich Fountain and local parks on The Tallygraph's Friends of Bloxwich Parks pages, and you can also see a special album of Bloxwich Fountain - Past & Present pictures on Flickr.  The Edditer's latest Edditorial will also comment on this matter.

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