For over two centuries after the Norman Conquest, the de Handsacre family helped shape the history of Handsacre and the wider parish. Drawing on charters, legal records and surviving medieval documents, this article follows their rise from Norman lords to knights, rebels and landowners, before tracing the disputes, inheritances and political struggles that brought one of the parish’s most influential families to an end.
Jack Whitehouse lied about his age to serve in the First World War and went on to earn the Military Medal for rescuing a wounded comrade under fire. Returning to Armitage, he spent the rest of his life working down the pit, serving as a parish councillor and becoming a leading figure in the British Legion. His story reflects both the courage of a decorated soldier and a lifetime of service to his community.
Never goo to weddin’s is a humorous Staffordshire dialect poem, but it also offers a fascinating glimpse into nineteenth-century village life. Through local speech, colourful characters and a wedding that descends into chaos, the poem captures the humour, customs and language of the Black Country and Staffordshire. This article explores its origins, meaning and enduring appeal as a piece of regional social history.
Derek Spencer‘s life spans almost a century of extraordinary change. From childhood memories of pre-war Rugeley and wartime service across the world to a long career at Armitage Shanks, his recollections offer a rare first-hand account of village life, work, family and the changing fortunes of the local pottery. More than one man’s story, it is a living history of the parish during the twentieth century.
Gifford Foote‘s life of service began far from Handsacre, in rural Suffolk, but found its fullest expression in the village he came to call home. Teacher, Christian, volunteer and community organiser, he helped strengthen local church life, supported ecumenical work and, with Celia, founded Meeting Point to combat loneliness and offer practical help. His British Empire Medal recognised decades of quiet, determined service to others.
The award of the British Empire Medal recognised more than two decades of outstanding voluntary service to Handsacre, but Gifford Foote‘s commitment to others stretches back much further. This article explores the work that led to the honour, from founding Meeting Point and supporting local charities to helping isolated residents, strengthening community life and becoming one of the village’s most respected volunteers.
William Conway spent much of his working life in the Armitage pottery industry during a period of rapid expansion and change. Drawing together census records, employment evidence and family history, this article traces his career, explores the skills and occupations of a nineteenth-century potter, and places one local man’s life within the wider story of Armitage’s growing industrial community.
Samuel Morecroft was a man of many parts – basket maker, cycle manufacturer, inventor, undertaker, postmaster and local preacher. Written by one of his descendants, this richly illustrated article traces the life of a remarkable Victorian entrepreneur whose energy and public spirit left a lasting mark on Armitage. It explores not only his many businesses but also his family, community service and the changing life of the village he called home.
Born in France during the eighteenth century, Antoine Albena Mountsoy survived capture during the Napoleonic Wars, served in the Royal Navy at the bombardment of Algiers and spent much of his life at sea before settling in rural Staffordshire. Researched by local historian Roy Fallows, this remarkable biography traces the adventures of a man whose extraordinary journey eventually brought him to Armitage, where he spent his final years.
In 1912 the Lichfield Mercury told the remarkable story of John Bailey, an Armitage-born chorister whose supposed career took him from Lichfield Cathedral to aristocratic kitchens, royal patronage and eventually life as a wandering tramp . But how much of the tale was true? This article follows Bailey’s extraordinary claims, comparing them with surviving records to separate fact from fiction and uncover the life behind a fascinating newspaper story.