Category: Solihull

Arthur Stokes (1871-1953), signalman

Arthur Stokes was born in Birmingham on 19th February 1871 and was the second of the six children of parents, Peter, a carter, and Ann (née Humphreys) who had married in Bordesley in 1867. He started work on the railways at the age of 13, and spent 44 years as a signalman at Solihull Station. In 1936, he published his memoir, the proceeds of which went towards the Solihull Methodist Church Building Fund.

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Solihull Volunteer Infantry

In the face of rising fears of invasion, an association for the defence of Solihull, Knowle and Elmdon was formed in 1797. The association offered to the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire a troop of horse at least 50-strong, with volunteers comprising local tradesmen and farmers who agreed to serve only within the bounds of Solihull, Knowle and Elmdon. Unlike the militia, which was raised by public ballot and administered by the War Office, the volunteer forces were self-regulating and would only come under the control of military authorities in the event of an invasion.

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Mayer Society

The Mayer Society evolved from the Solihull branch of the British Federation of University Women, which was established in 1973. In 1993, the Solihull association decided to separate from the national group and take the name of the branch’s second president – Marjorie Mayers (1898-1982) – whose widower, James (“Jack”) Bowen Mayers (1901-1990), bequeathed £250 to the group. For the sake of simplicity, the ‘s’ was left off the group’s name. The Mayer Society closed in October 2021.

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Solihull Gas Works

aerial view of Solihull Gasworks

The first general ordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Solihull Gas Company Ltd was held at Solihull Town Hall, The Square, at 10am on 20th October 1869. The limited liability company was formed by a number of local people who wanted gas and the company started with capital of £2,500.

Land was purchased in Wharf Lane and the gas works was built on this site adjoining the canal – presumably to keep the smell and smoke away from residential areas. There were very few houses in the vicinity at the time – the whole area around Lode Lane and Elmdon Heath was farmland.

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