More on the formation of the Birmingham Branch HQ from The Birmingham Daily Gazette of 7 February 1928:
“A branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association has been inaugurated in Birmingham, with headquarters at the Albion Hotel, Livery-street. The Association is open for membership from all ranks who served in France or Belgium from August to November, 1914, and who are in possession of the 1914 star and clasp. The next meeting will take place at the branch headquarters on 21 March. The secretary is H. Turner, The Post Office, Walford-road, Sparkhill.”
The Albion Hotel continued to serve as the Headquarters of the Birmingham Branch and in January 1953 this link was further enhanced when Mitchells & Butlers renamed the pub in their honour. The ceremony, took place on 31 January 1953 and was reported in the April/May 1953 edition of the company’s magazine “The Deerstalker”:
“History was made on 31st January last when the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Alderman W. T. Bowen, performed a re-naming ceremony at “The Albion” Livery Street. As a compliment to the members of the Old Contemptibles’ Association who have been meeting here for the past 25 years, it was decided to rename the house “The Old Contemptible.”
A sign, designed by Bruce Bairnsfather, and depicting a typical British Tommy of the Kaiser’s War, was unveiled by the Lord Mayor to the strains of “‘Tipperary” heartily sung by the assembled company of old soldiers, whose lungs of brass, trained on the barrack square, proclaimed them to be very far from fading away. Mr Lawrence Mitchell, who presided, revealed that the change of name was the suggestion of Councillor E. H. Richardson, Secretary of the Old Contemptibles’ Association, and said that the Company was proud to institute a permanent memorial to a grand body of men.
The timing of the renaming ceremony was particularly appropriate, as it coincided with the Silver Jubilee of the foundation of the Association, and the house had been its headquarters during the whole of that period. Mr Lawrence said that so far as could be ascertained, this was the first house to be called “The Old Contemptible.”
After the unveiling of the sign, Mr. Bruce Bairnsfather gave an amusing account of the events that led up to the creation of “Old Bill” during his service in the front line trenches. His short breezy talk revealed that, had he not become a successful artist, he might well have topped the bill at “The Hippodrome.”
Not the least impressive part of the proceedings was the inspection by the Lord Mayor of a Guard of Honour provided by members of the Association. While spectators huddled together in the biting wind, the parade of old comrades, many without hats or coats, stood stiffly to attention, disdaining the whirling blizzard as unworthy of their notice. Five of our colleagues from Cape Hill, who were in the parade, Hoppy Walker, Charlie Matthews, Mickey Austin, Harry May and Tom Conniff were joined by an ex-servant of the Company, Billy Hart.
On the conclusion of the formal part of the proceedings, the members of the Association enjoyed a grand spread, and over a pint or two of good honest beer, were able to re-live many of the good old days way back in 1914. It was a memorable day for these grand old veterans, and enabled them to realise that their deeds of valour in the very early days of the First World War had earned enduring remembrance.”
Here is a report on a trip to Mons from the Birmingham Evening Mail (25 April 1974):
“Birmingham’s old soldiers need cash to mount a last pilgrimage to their 1st World War battlefields. The “Old Contemptibles” all now in their 80s, hope to revisit Mons where the British Expeditionary Force lost 5,000 men in their first day of its first battle of the war. Thirty survivors of the “Contemptible Little Army” which stood up to an army ten times its size, meet every month in Birmingham. They intend to fly to Belgium for the last time on the sixtieth anniversary of the battle – August 22. Mr Edwin Farley, of Conway Road, Chelmsley Wood, is President of the Birmingham Branch of the Old Contemptibles. He said they had launched an appeal for £3,000 and had been given about half so far.”
Preparations for the visit had begun in November 1973 and it was decided that the Birmingham Branch would present a miniature version of their Branch Standard to the Mons Memorial Museum, which was to be framed and would have an inscribed plate: “From the Birmingham Branch to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee Year 1914-1974.” The Branch also agreed to purchase Old Contemptibles’ Association ties for those Chums who did not possess one. The Birmingham contingent would be led by the Branch Chairman and President, Chum Edwin ‘Ted’ Farley M.M., late 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
The arrangements for the pilgrimage were finalised in May 1974, and at 5.45 p.m. on 21 August the Chums and their wives flew from Birmingham Airport to Brussels. On the afternoon of 22 August the Chums of the Birmingham Branch, together with their comrades from the Edinburgh Branch and The Middlesex Regiment Old Comrades’ Association, took part in a parade through Mons. The order was given to ‘Advance’, as ‘Quick March’ was deemed inappropriate for Chums, and led by a Belgian military band they marched into the Grand Place and stood to attention in front of the Hotel de Ville, where they were addressed by the Burgomaster before marching past him to a rapturous reception from the people of Mons. A civic reception was later held in the Salon of the Hotel de Ville and the Chums enjoyed refreshments before returning to their hotel.
On 23 August the Chums of the Birmingham Branch paraded again at the Belfry in Mons, where they presented their commemorative framed Branch Standard to the Memorial Museum. Following this ceremony the Chums from Birmingham left Mons to catch their return flight back home. Writing in his Branch Report published in The Old Contemptible of October 1974 the Branch Secretary, Chum Arthur Freeth, who on 23 August 1914 had been in reserve positions near Hainin with the 2nd Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, described the visit to Mons:
“... our pilgrimage to Mons was praised by all Chums and wives who went there. The arrangements were excellent and all this was due to our worthy Patron, Miss M. Murtagh, who had made a special journey to book the hotel and arrange meals, etc. Everyone said they enjoyed the trip, and they did not forget those that were left behind. Each one received a cheque of ten pounds to celebrate at their own leisure.”
Born at Ladywood on 13 July 1894, Chum Edwin “Ted” Farley M.M., who led the Birmingham Chums on their pilgrimage to Mons in 1974, was the son of William Edwin, who had formerly served with the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues), and Emily Louisa Farley. He attended Barford Road School and was living with his parents at 4 Stafford Place, off Gillott Road, and apprenticed as a jewellery case maker at Hockley when he attested for the Coldstream Guards at Birmingham in 1912. Issued with the regimental number 9777, after completing his training at the Guards Depot at Caterham Private Farley was posted to the 3rd Battalion at Windsor, and was stationed at Chelsea Barracks on the declaration of war.
Farley disembarked with the 3rd Coldstream at Le Havre on 13 August 1914, and was wounded during the fighting at Reutel Wood, near Ypres, in October. He later recalled his collarbone had been broken in two places, and he was taken by horse-drawn ambulance to a dressing station in the Cloth Hall, where he lay on a stretcher for nearly fifteen hours before being attended to. When asked in 1981 about his experiences during 1914, Edwin stated that: “A man who got through those days deserves to live to be 100.”
On recovering from his wound, he returned to the 3rd Battalion and was appointed a Lance Corporal. For his gallantry while fighting on the Somme during September 1916 was awarded the Military Medal, the announcement being published in The London Gazette on 16 November. He continued to serve with the 3rd Coldstream and was at Criel Plage, near Le Treport, when the Armistice came into effect on 11 November 1918 and went on to serve with the Army of Occupation at Cologne.
Farley was presented with his 1914 Star on 31 May 1919 and in 1920 was issued with a new regimental number: 2646627. He was transferred to the Reserve in 1921 and was discharged on the termination of his twelve years’ period of engagement in 1924. Edwin went on to work for the Birmingham Small Arms Company as a security officer, and later for G.K.N., and eventually retired when he was aged 72. He also served as a Captain in the 15th Staffordshire Battalion of the Home Guard during the Second World War. Farley was also a member of the Birmingham Branch of the Old Coldstreamers’ Association. He was Chairman of the Birmingham Branch of The Old Contemptibles Association when the Chums commemorated the 50th anniversary of the start of the Great War in 1964, and was instrumental in recruiting new Patrons in order to raise funds for the Branch. - Chum Edwin Farley M.M. died in 1983 aged 89.
Photos - (1) The original Bairnsfather sign, (2) part of the current display within the pub & an external plaque explaining the association (3).
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