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THE BIRSTALL POST OCT 2015
Book reveals history of Birstall THE LATEST book by local historian Mike Smith is a celebration of our village’s unique history, and also marks the 30th anniversary of Birstall Local History Society.
Pics: (top) the petrol station next to Red Hill island & (inset) the same location today
Pic: the last passenger train to pass through Birstall station before it closed on March 4, 1963
Pics: (left) the village carpenter on Wanlip Lane & (above) the scene as it looks today
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Dedicated to the Society’s founder, the late Shirley Scott, Birstall Recalled in Picture and Story, is a record of people, places and events in Birstall. With more than 400 photographs and illustrations it ranges far and wide across the history of our village from the Saxons to Hallam Fields. Mike said: “I have attempted to convey to the reader not only a sense of the enormous and relatively recent changes in our village but also a tour of the landmarks in its historic past. The pictures, mainly photographs, show how Birstall has changed over the past century and a quarter, whilst the articles take the story back a further three centuries, with accounts of prominent families, places and events.” The first part of the book with its 50 pairs of now and then photographs, evokes feelings of nostalgia and surprise. They show us how most of the village, though much changed over the past 100 years, is still recognizable, although some parts, like the village centre and Whiles Lane, are altered quite beyond recognition. And we can only mourn the disappearance of so many early cottages, which today would have been carefully restored. The book, published by Birstall Local History Socie-
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Pics: (from top) the cover of the book; blacksmith Bert Smith; author Mike Smith
ty, costs £10 and is obtainable from Birstall Garden Centre, Birstall Library and Birstall Parish Offices. By post £10 plus £3.50 p&p from Michael Smith, 25 Holt Road, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4AQ
Bomb found in garden A BIRSTALL man digging in his garden uncovered a World War II bomb. Liam Curtis of Newton Drive and his friend Mark Edwards made the find while digging a trench in Liam’s front garden, on Friday September 11. After hitting metal with their spade they cleared the earth around it and pulled it out. The object, pointing downwards and looking like a bomb, measured 17 cm. They called the Police and the Army Bomb disposal unit arrived to cordon off the area. They removed the bomb to a nearby field and carried out a controlled explosion.