The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-29 00:00:00

DUDLEY.

iiOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY AND FIELD
CLUB. —The first field meeting of this society for the
pre, ent season was held on Wednesday, when the
nit nlbers visited Tamworth, Poleswortia, and Meri -
yak. Upwards of thirty members and friendi in •
elticiing many ladies, were present, together with
6 rine of the members of the Tamworth Natursli,t,'
Club, On arriving at Tamworth the party first
vi,i•ed the parish church, where they were met by
t•a• Vicar, the Rev, W. MacGregor, who pointed
oat the architectural features of the church, per-
on4 of which belong to the Norman, Decorated,
and Tudor styles. The registers, which date frem
:-v6otit 1.00 were also inspected. The church also
~.-eat ins some monuments, supposed to belong to
the Freville family, who succeded the Marmions as
ewners of the Tamworth lands; they are, however.
too much mutilated for identification. The journey
was then resumed to Tatnworth Castle, where, by
the;d.uciness of Mr. T. Cooke, the party inspected
the grounds. Carriarees then conveyed the morn.
under the guidance of Mr. E. de Hamel, to
Po:esworth, where the remains of the Nunnery,
saiti by Dugdale to be the earliest religious este b-
lishelent in the country, were visited, and also the
little church which contains a nave of Norman
ches with clerestory of deeply splayed windows.
'foe refectory of the Nunnery is now the drawing
roam of the Vicarage, and contains an old stone
fireplace and the oak-roof beams of the old build-
ing . A beautiful drive through the green War-
m itithire lanes brought the party to Merivals,
wn, re the Rector (the Rev. Hugh Bacon) described
tile achitecture and history of the little church,
v•hi !h adjoins the rnins of the Abbey. By per.
miesion of the tenant, Mr. Isaac Smith, the party
the:- visited the remains of the Abbey, which was
at 4-,:e time of some importance, and was occupied
'ny Cistercian monks. The party then drove to
A t rersttone, and after luncheon proceeded to WU-
cote Station.
Tifs Towsr Cousrcin.—At the next meeting of
the Town Council the utilisation of the portion of
tie site of the "Old Glass House" not required for
the improvement of Stone Street and Priory Street
will be considered and the purpose for which it
si.all be appropriated decided upon. One part of
the ground it is expected will be sold for a drill
ball, and there is still a favour in setting the rest
iLpe,rt for a wholesale vegetable market. As a. re-
sult of the suggestion of Mr. H. C. Brettell the Gas
Committee recommended the lighting of additional
out tiller lamps in the Birmingham Road. The
SanAary Committee recommend 'legal proceedings
against a baker for selling adulterated bread, and
that other pet/sons be cautioned from whom samples
were obtained containing alum on the crust. The
Officer of:Health's report gives the death-rate as
15-17 per 1,000 as against 23-32 in the correspond-
ing period last year. The Estates Committee re-
commend. the Council to give the Ladies' Swim-
ming Club an extra day per week.at the public baths
SERIOUS FlRE.—Shortly after twelve o'clock on
Thursday Sergeant Staines was attracted to soma
back premises in Hall Street, by the smell of burn-
ing wood, and upon going to the rear of the pre-
nil- es occupied by Mr. Henry Rowtoe, chemist, he
discovered a wz,,,rehouse to be enveloped in flames.
He immediately despatched information of the
occurrence to the Police Station, and live minutes
after the alarm had been given Chief-Superintend-
ent Burton and the members of the Fire Brigade
were at the scene of the fire with a hand reel, and
aftei playieg on the burning building for about an
hour succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The
goods, consisting of drysaltery and drugs in tee
warehouse, were entirely destroyed. The total
amount of damage is estimated at about £2OO. Had
it not been for the timely discovery of Sergeam
Staines the flames must have extended to adjoining
warehouses.