Wall Heath and Kingswinford War Memorial Group

04/08/2026

13/06/2026

The local fields look splendid. Have a great weekend everyone! ☀️

Please join our page and support our blue plaque campaign to honour the 108 servicemen whose names appear on the war memorials in Kingswinford and Wall Heath. ❤️

26/05/2026

🌹FROM KINGSWINFORD TO CANADA 🌹

🇬🇧 FREDERICK RUPERT COLLINS 🇨🇦

1890-1916

Frederick Collins was a young man with a promising future when, in 1913, he made the courageous decision to leave his family home on Market Street, Kingswinford, and emigrate to Canada at the age of 23.

Tragically, within only a few years he would be drawn back across the Atlantic to fight in the Great War, where he ultimately gave his life.

This week, students from our partner school, Summerhill School, visited Frederick’s former home in Toronto, Ontario, to pay their respects.

In a remarkable gesture of support, the current homeowner has agreed to the installation of a blue plaque at the property — the first plaque placed outside the Wall Heath and Kingswinford locality.

Frederick was born in Gornal Wood in 1890, the son of Isaac Collins, a coal dealer, and Agnes Collins (née Price).

Sadly, Frederick lost his mother when he was just nine years old.

After emigrating to Canada in 1913, he found work as a machinist and settled in a handsome terraced house at 90C Beverley Street in central Toronto.

However, the outbreak of war changed the course of Frederick’s life forever.

He enlisted with the 4th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment), which in 1916 was preparing for action on the Western Front.

On 8 October 1916, the battalion occupied assembly trenches near Le Sars, in front of Courcelette, France.

At 4:50am, the whistle sounded and the order was given for the men to go “over the top” and advance towards the D**e Road under enemy fire.

During the assault, Frederick was initially reported as missing and presumed dead. In due course, after his body was recovered from the battlefield, his status was officially changed to Killed in Action.

He was just 26 years old.

Frederick is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, near Miraumont and Albert in France — the cemetery’s name formed by reversing the word “Canada” in tribute to the fallen Canadian soldiers laid to rest there.

Among Frederick’s personal belongings was a handwritten note which read:

“Dear Father, I have left a little money in a bank in Canada to buy some clothes when I get back and am sending you the book to keep for me in this registered letter. Also an order for £1. Fred.”

The Summerhill students, currently taking part in a sports tour of Ontario, were eager to visit Frederick’s Canadian home.

They were warmly welcomed by the current owner, Tim Hughes, who has lived at the property for the past 20 years.

The students presented him with a biography of Frederick’s life and service, and to the delight of the group, Mr Hughes enthusiastically agreed to the installation of a commemorative blue plaque at the house.

As a result, Frederick Collins will become the first soldier named on the local war memorials to be honoured with two blue plaques: one already situated at his former home on Market Street, now The Chilled Curry Company, and a second to be installed at 90C Beverley Street, Toronto — the home he built for himself in Canada before war intervened.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Frederick’s Toronto plaque, at a cost of £150 plus postage, is invited to contact Summerhill School on 01384 816165.

Together, we remember a fallen hero whose story now links communities across two continents.

18/05/2026

A MASSIVE ‘thank you’ to our plaque sponsors. Without you it would not be possible to carry out this project to honour these local heroes and we are grateful for your support. Our plaque sponsors are:

Rob Newey Butchers, Shaz Saleem Foundations and Clubs (four plaques), Summerhill School (Three Plaques), Dawn Rides and Family, Claire Cook and Family, Ryla Combustion Services/Neil Hunston (Two Plaques), Pauline Botfield and Family, Jonathon Bennett, Bob+Bernie Townsend, Royal British Legion Kingswinford Branch, RevenueRich/Richard Grosvenor (Three Plaques), Tim Harris and Family, Joy and Guy Marshall, Neil Thomas, Sharon+Steve Osbourne (Three Plaques), Natasha Jones and Family (Four Plaques), Craig Holden and Family, South Staffs Water (Two Plaques), Donna Cummins and Family, Rachel Smith and Family, Michelle Hammond and Matthew Hammond, Tom Bullock/Thermofax, Friends of Summerhill School, Dean Banner and Family, Wilkes Tranter Accountants, James Wollerton and Family, Carol Evans and Family, G&T Properties/Dean Gregg, Friends of Kingswinford Library, Parents of Summerhill School, Ed Kimpton and Family.

Anyone wishing to sponsor a plaque or make a contribution towards the project please contact reception at Summerhill School (01384) 816165. Thank you. 🌹

16/05/2026

We are the Wall Heath and Kingswinford War Memorial Group and in our work with Summerhill School we have one simple aim - to honour the men on the local war memorials.

Our blue plaque project means that each serviceman who lost their lives in war will be recognised, remembered and commemorated through the siting of a blue plaque in the local community, often on their old family home.

Furthermore, we aim to bring this local heritage and history to younger generations by setting up a treasure hunt style walk, where families can walk the local area and find and tick off the plaques in a booklet.

We need your help! Each plaque costs £150 and we still have over 50 to site in order to complete this stage of the project.

Please consider making a small donation so that we can get these plaques in the local community to remember the sacrifices made by these brave heroes.

To make a donation please contact reception at Summerhill School (01384) 816165. Thank you. 🌹

09/05/2026

This week we are proud to remember and commemorate William Deeley, who is now honoured with a blue plaque on the outer wall of Kingswinford Library.

Born in Dudley and raised in Pensnett, William left school to work as a coal miner before joining the 4th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. He later served with the Worcestershire Regiment as service number 3268.

William’s military service took him to the West Indies, Malta and Bermuda before he saw active service during the Second Boer War, earning the Queen’s South Africa Medal for his contribution.

Following his return home, William rejoined the Worcestershire Regiment at the outbreak of World War I.

Due to his age or physical condition, he was later transferred to the 648th Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps, carrying out important forestry and agricultural work alongside local farmers, which may have involved working with German prisoners of war.

Sadly, William died of pneumonia in Bristol on 25th March 1918.

His half-brother, John Beddard, listed as his next of kin, chose to have William’s name commemorated on the Kingswinford War Memorial.

This plaque has been kindly funded by The Friends of Kingswinford Library and parental donations from Summerhill School.

We would also like to thank Patrick Harley for supporting the plaque being placed on a public building, and Dudley Council for granting permission for its installation.

Special thanks also go to Pete and Guy from our group for fitting the plaque.

Anyone interested in sponsoring a future plaque can contact reception at Summerhill School on (01384) 816165.

02/05/2026

🔵 New Blue Plaque Unveiled 🔵

Clarence Crook was born in Summer Street, Kingswinford in 1897 and baptised shortly afterwards at St Mary’s Church.

By 1901, his family had moved to Wall Heath, where Clarence attended Church of the Ascension School.

After leaving school, he worked first as an errand boy and later tried his hand as a gardener—an ordinary young man with his life ahead of him.

When war broke out, Clarence answered the call, joining the Army Reserve and serving with the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment.

Following the devastating losses of the Somme, he was sent to the front lines at Squastre and Fonquevillers.

Tragically, towards the end of 1916, Clarence was killed in action in the field.

He was just 19 years old.

Today, we are proud to honour Clarence’s life and sacrifice with a blue plaque placed beside the Crook family home on New Street, Wall Heath—ensuring his story is remembered for generations to come.

We are deeply grateful to Patrick Holden, who generously funded the plaque and has family connections to Clarence.

Our thanks also go to Guy from our group for installing it, and to the current residents for kindly allowing us to place it at their home.

If you would like to support our plaque project and help us continue telling these important local stories, please contact reception at Summerhill School on 01384 816165.

Donations can be arranged via bank transfer.
Let us remember Clarence Crook — and all those who gave so much. 🌹

26/04/2026

DONATIONS NEEDED - BLUE PLAQUES

We are a local organisation working with Summerhill School. We wish to honour the fallen soldiers of Wall Heath and Kingswinford by placing Blue plaques on local buildings where or near to where they used to live.

Each plaque costs £150 but any smaller donation will be appreciated and thankfully accepted.

So far we have completed 49 out of 108 plaques and we are keen to honour the remaining men. If you wish to make a donation to this worthy cause please contact reception at Summerhill School and this can be easily arranged. Thank you 🙏 🌹

25/04/2026

To commemorate Anzac Day 🇦🇺 we remember Daniel Fereday of Water Street and Cottage Street Kingswinford. Daniel born in Kingswinford in 1893 attended St Mary’s school.

He emigrated to Perth, Australia in 1913 to start a new life working as a farm labourer along with other family members.

At the outbreak of war Daniel joined the Australian Imperial Forces along with his younger brother John.

He served in Gallipoli where he died on May 2nd 1915.

There are two blue plaques on the Union pub in Water Street in honour of Daniel and John who was killed at the Somme in August 1916. Lest We Forget. 🌹