St. James Church Cleaning

Click to enlarge Yampy reader Jim has sent us this unusual photograph of St. James Church in Lower Gornal, taken by the Wolverhampton Chronicle around fifty years ago. The accompanying headline was "Volunteer Scrubbers", not a phrase that would be first choice for the sub editor these days! We can only name two of the ladies (there's a chap in there somewhere too), Mrs. Davies back row second left and Sally Bradley (nee Guest) front right. Sally married Alf Bradley in 1926. Vicar at this time was the Rev. R.N. Timms, well known locally for a number of reasons. He had returned to St. James some time after World War II ended, his Gornal ministry having been interrupted by Army service. He described the ladies as a "grand cheerful crowd" who carried out the chore every Friday. The same team also undertook the traditional Gornal spring-cleaning of gravestones and statues. Can you name more of those pictured? Or do you have memories of St. James and its sparkling church and graveyard? Please email us at admin@yampy.co.uk

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