OUR thanks go to former Oldbury wench, Jan Perryman, nowadays living on the Isle of Wight, for this photograph of a group of local cricketrs from around fifty years ago.
Can anyone tell us more about the team, as Jan’s information is rather scant? She wrties, “I hope all at the Bugle epicentre are well.
“This snippet is of a local cricket team. Unfortunately I don't know whether it is an Oldbury, Smethwick or West Bromwich team. It was taken during mid to late 1950s or possibly early 60s. The man second from the right is Edgar Bell who lived next door to us in 28 Bridge Street Oldbury. Nan (May Baker) used to wash his whites for him and I used to sit on the brew'ouse step and watch him putting the 'whitener' on his cricket shoes.
“It would be interesting to find out which team he played for.
“There may be some readers of my age and who lived in Oldbury or had relatives living in Bridge Street during that period, who may have known Edgar and in particular his father, Jack Bell , who spent his last years working for a local newspaper (Smethwick Telephone) as a printer. He was a colourful local character and well known in the area, for founding the Oldbury Independent Labour Party.
“When he died, observing the customs of the times, Nan was called in to his house to check that he had passed away and she prepared the food for 'folks to come back to' after the funeral”.
