Jake Jacob: “nothing was easy”

Born in Trinidad in 1925, Prince Albert Jacob left his homeland at the age of 17½ to serve with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Returning to Britain after being demobbed, he worked hard and overcame enormous difficulties, including discrimination and racial abuse, to have a successful career with the Post Office and represent Great Britain in athletics. After living in various Midlands towns since 1948, he and his wife settled in Knowle where they have lived for almost 50 years.

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3 October 2022 0

Northmede

Northmede was a Victorian house that stood in grounds between Station Road and Warwick Road, Solihull. Built in the mid-19th century as a private house, the building became Solihull Nursing Home in the early 20th century before being demolished in the late 1950s/early 1960s.

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29 September 2022 0

Marston Green Centenary Clock

To mark Bickenhill Parish Council’s centenary (1894-1994), a 14-foot clock tower was installed in August 1997 at the top end of Marston Green’s Garden of Memory between Station Road and Elmdon Road. The clock was inaugurated at 3pm on 14th September 1997 and has since become an iconic part of Marston Green.

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14 September 2022 0

SOL 1: Solihull’s Mayoral Limousine

mayoral limousine SOL 1 parked on a road

The history of Solihull Council’s Mayoral vehicle (“SOL 1”) is a long and interesting one and coincides with Solihull becoming a Borough in 1954. Being a Borough meant that Solihull would also have a Mayor for this first time. It was usual practice for Boroughs to have a Mayoral limousine in which the Mayor would be driven to official engagements.

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8 September 2022 0

The Last Farewell

Ronald A. Webster (1944-1994), a silversmith and amateur songwriter living in Solihull in the early 1970s, wrote the lyrics for what became Roger Whittaker’s biggest-selling single.

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28 July 2022 0

Bombing raids in Solihull Urban District

Although suffering only a few bombing raids compared with Birmingham, Solihull Urban District did sustain some bomb damage and dozens of people were killed in air raids.

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27 July 2022 0

25th July 1922

William Henry Clark, a former Air Mechanic with the Royal Air Force, died in Shirley on 25th July 1922, aged 36, leaving his widow, Lilian, with three young children aged seven, five and two.

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25 July 2022 0

Marston Green VAD Hospital

Many local men and youths went away to war and the local Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital set up at Prospect Villas in Marston Green served to provide all too necessary care for the wounded who returned home. Sadly 13 were never to return from this conflict.

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21 July 2022 0

Marston Green: Coronation Day 1937

In 1937, there was to be a celebration in Marston Green with the Coronation of King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth. A Coronation Celebrations Committee was made up of many of the local public figures and between them they organised a day of events starting at 9.30 in the morning and closing with a bonfire and fireworks display at 10.00 that night.

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8 July 2022 0

Solihull & The Commonwealth Games

boxer, Galal Yafai, stands in front of the NEC during the launch of the site as a venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

As a number of the Birmingham 2022 events are being held within the Solihull borough, it seemed timely to have a look at people with a connection to Solihull who have competed in the Commonwealth Games since it started in 1930 as the British Empire Games.

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4 July 2022 0

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