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Percy Shurmer

thanks for your reply hope i can find out more and get in touch with
tony
 
Hi Chris

I will pass on your email address to Tony Hazell, I have no doubt he will be in touch with you direct. If I were you I would edit out your email address on you post. Its never a good thing to put things like that on an open post. That is the reason I asked to to PM or IM me.

You will have everybody and his uncle spamming you.

Phil.
 
My memories of Percy Shurmer begin with seeing a little Austin 7 pull up on the Moseley Road, just past the Vincent Street corner, a small man got out took what looked like a pair of decorators steps off the top, set them up and began his electioneering for the 1945 General Election, before long he had quite a crowd listening because he was a very good speaker, later in the same campaign, he introduced many of the Labour Parties leaders , (Clement Attlee, Nye Bevan, etc.) at "The Black Patch), Calthorpe Park, just a few days before the election itself.
Barney Martin
 
Barney

He must have been coming up in the world then, being little as he was he normally begged or borrowed a chair to stand on.

Phil
 
A FRANTIC search is on for Sparrows in Birmingham.
But this is no localised birdwatch hoping to find a specific type of “feathered friend”.
The Sparrows in question were all underprivileged children from the city who were treated to Christmas parties by former Birmingham councillor and Sparkbrook MP, Percy Shurmer, a benefactor of the poor throughout his political life.
Now, to mark the 50th anniversary of Mr Shurmer’s death in 1959 at the age of 71, the .Birmingham school named after him is planning a reunion event.
Angela Lane, a teacher at Percy Shurmer Primary in Longmore Street, Balsall Heath, is appealing for former “sparrows” to attend the reunion, which is due to take place on June 5.
The day will also see the unveiling of a blue plaque at the school by Birmingham Civic Society to mark Mr Shurmer’s life and achievements.
She said: “Percy Shurmer was a councillor, Alderman and MP for the city of Birmingham who improved the lives of ordinary working class people.
For 37 years, he held children’s parties at Birmingham Town Hall for poor children. These children became known as Shurmer’s Sparrows.”
The school has planned a day of celebrations, with an assembly, lunch for visitors and a party in the afternoon for the children which will end in the release of balloons.
Angela added: “Percy Shurmer’s grandson Tony, together with his great grandson and great granddaughter, will be coming along, and there are one or two who got in touch with us when we had our 40th anniversary of the school in 2005.”
Mr Shurmer, who was born in 1888, worked for the Post Office and served with the Birmingham Territorials in the Great War before being elected to the city council in 1921.
He was Labour MP for Sparkbrook from 1945 until his death in May 1959. With thanks to the Birmingham Mail. Len.
 
Have spent the last half hour or so listening to Carl Chinn and guests talking about Percy. I was very interesting and what a wonderful gentleman he was. Jean.
 
thats what i thought jean...a remarkable man was percy...i still hoping to get to the unveiling of his commemorative plaque....

lyn
 
Percy was a remarkable man, a prince among his peers. I personally think if he had tried to get into Parliament earlier or had been able to stay longer he would have risen to the heights of the Labour Party.

Percy's biggest handicap in politics was himself, his fault was he said what he thought and not what might have been the party line. For this reason a lot of his own party thought him suspect so advancement was slow coming.

I thing that given enough time his personal popularity would have pushed him to the fore.

Phil
 
Because of a death in my wife's family and having to attend the funeral. I was unable to attend Friday's ceremony of the unveiling of Percy's memorial plaque.

Last night and today I have scoured the Birmingham Mail and there is not one mention of this event. Did anybody from this site attend that can do a report? I would love to know how the day went.

Phil
 
hi phil...unfortunately i could not attend either as i had a prior engagement at 10.30 yesterday morning...i will also have a search for any reports...very sorry to hear of your bereavment....

lyn
 
Lyn

Unfortunately I didn't see last nights Midlands news either, I wonder if it was mentioned on there?

I have emailed Percy's grandson Tony and apologised for not being there and asked if he can find a little time to jot down a few words about the day for us.

Phil
 
phil...i didnt get back till after the news so i dont know either...hope someone may know as i would like to see how it went....

lyn
 
My Mum attended the unveiling of the Blue Plaque in memory of Percy Shurmer yesterday at the Percy Shurmer School .
She has an enjoyable day and met some interesting people.
Don Maclean was there along with the new Lord Mayor and Mayoress of Birmingham and of course Carl.
A buffet was laid on and she said the children were helpful and polite.

I understand Percy Shurmer will be featured in Carl Chinn's Brummagem Magazine ( July Addition ) and Mum will be in in too.

Bo
 
hi bo..thank you so much for that update...so glad carl made it as he was not too sure that he could..will look forward to julys brummagem....

cheers..

lyn
 
I see todays Birmingham Mail have at last printed a story about the unveiling of Percy's Blue Plaque last Friday. It looks like a quickly cobbled together second thought article to me. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions, such as who is Mr Hazell and what was his connection to Percy.

I have posted the article in its entirety.

Phil

Percy Article B.ham Mail 06.06.09.jpg
 
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phil you know tony hazell dont you...would he have been there.. he is percys maternal grandson i beleive....

lyn
 
Lyn

I know that of course, but how many people reading the article would and it doesn't explain.

Phil
 
i know phil...its a rubbish article... and wheres the pic of the plaque.... wish i could have got there....

lyn
 
I only found out about this site last friday at the unveiling of the blue plaque for Percy Shurmer.
I organised the blue plaque event at the school. I sent all the information about Percy and peoples' memories to the Civic Society in 2005 asking if he could be considered for the plaque.
He helped my family in Deritend and was a friend of my great uncle. I did try to get Midlands Today involved. Unfortunately, they didn't seem interested. I sent a letter in January, did 2 emails, even phoned them on Wednesday 3rd and was told it would be put in the diary. I phoned back on the day itself only to be told "sorry we have a full programme today" so I did try.
The editor of the Balsall Heathan came to cover the day. This should be in the next edition of their community magazine.
 
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