THE KATES HILL PRESS, DUDLEY, ENGLAND
STORY OF THE WEEK, #10. AUTHOR; DES STOKES
A SHORT HISTORY OF BLACK PUDDING
Black pudding (pronounced puddun by the natives) is a most nutritive delicacy produced and consumed mainly in a small
industrial area of the midlands known as the Black Country. Other areas
sometimes claim to be the inventors of this much sought after food. Especially
certain areas of industrial Lancashire, but these claims can be dismissed as
mere jealousy and probably originated when that County was introduced to Black
Pudden in later years when Workmen from the Black Country began to visit the
resort of Blackpool on their Bank Holiday charabanc tripS] and took their own
Black Pudden Sandwiches in preference to eating the Lancashire tripe. Many
historians believe that the area now universally accepted as being the
"Black Country'was originally called the "Black Pudding Country"
with the "Pudding" being dropped with the passage of time. This view
is not accepted by other well-known historian~on the valid assumption that
people of those days would never intentionally drop a Pudden because of the
potential damage to one's feet.
Black Pudding was one of two products
produced in the Black Country which achieved W orld- Wide acclaim. The other
being heavy Chain and Anchors for largest" Ironships" that were being
made in all shipyards in Britain (including the Merseyside yards in
Lancashire!). Asked why the Black-Country had to make such vital parts for
ships when it was situated as far from the sea as any part of Britain, the
Chain strikers would reply "It's corse nobody con mek Chern or Black
Pudden like we con".
The discerning reader may well ask where is the
connection between making heavy Chains and Anchors and Black Puddings? The
answer lies in the Heavy Manual Labour entailed as the most used equipment available
in those days was a heavy sledgehammer requiring a great deal of physical
energy for it's successful manipulation, which, in turn, requires a plentiful
supply of highly nutritional food, in a diet that also had to include a high
fluid intake to replace the perspiration used during their labours. The fluid
part of the diet was solved by copious supplies of ale, usually Home Brewed,
while Black Pudding provided the nutritional requirements. Though machinery has
now replaced the Chainmakers the local populace has retained both the Ale and
the Black Pudding, and to a lesser extent the strange dialect which the
Chainmakers used. Black Pudding has changed very little over the years, though
there are now more of the white fat included. Since the introduction of more
white fat Local Hospitals have reported a dramatic reduction in the number of
amputated fingertips.
Strict Dieticians need have no fears that this change in any way
detracts from the suitability of Black Pudding in their daily diets. Reputable
Black pudding makers always insist on using Low Fats only which the)Obtain from
the bottom of the pans (you wont get any Lower Fat than that) in the in the
neighbouring cooked meat or scratching factories.
As for other ingredients these are
closely guarded secrets of the Pudding producing families thus like all quality
Whiskeys each can claim to be unique and can also dodge the issue of what's in
it, in case any ingredient may not be to your taste, again like whiskey, it's
the blend what counts. Should there still be any discerning readers left with
us they may wish to be advised of the best method of purchasing. The first rule
like most other commodities is beware of imitations! It is unlikely you will
find genuine Black Pudding on sale in other areas especially from Supermarkets
with Branches Nationwide, Parts of Birmingham have begun to import it in the
City Centre but outlying salubrious suburbs (such as Sutton Coldfield) may
claim to never have heard of it. Remember appearance can be deceptive! Some time
ago unscrupulous traders tried to impart a polish to the appearance of genuine
Puddings by polishing the skins with a mixture of Cherry Blossom Boot Polish
and a quick rub with an oily rag. This ploy was soon discovered by the astute
Black Pudding Consumers society and few instances have been reported lately,
but it is worth remembering that the shiniest aint always the Best.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS!
It is usually only in later Years When our Schooldays are looked back
upon as the '"Best Years of Our Lives", we rarely recall those days
at school when we fervently wished we hadn't got to attend, and thoughts were
only on the next school Holiday, Which I am sure did not come around so
frequently as they do for the present day scholars. Apart from a short time at
Kates Hill Infants, (which in those days was known locally as "The Board
School",) My Schooldays were spent at the Baylies Charity School. It was
many years before I discovered that "Board school" did not imply that
Kates Hill formerly took in Boarders or had been constructed of Timber, but was
instituted by a body named The Board of Education prior to being under the
jurisdiction of the Local Education Authority. It was this later Authority who
decreed, that as the Family had been rehoused from '"The Huts"
(properly named Municipal Dwellings originally built for workers at the
National Munitions Works during the 1914-18 War) to the Watsons Green Area, it
was not possible for my further education to follow the same path as my Brothers'
(I was the Youngest of 5). "You must understand Madam, that you no longer
dwell in the catchment area of Baylies Charity School" was the view of the
L.E.A., A view not shared by My Mother who offered the Ultimatum "If you
can find me a School with better Teachers and a Better Headmaster than Mr.
Perry, - then me Youngest might go there, otherwise he goes where 'is Brothers
'ave gone."
Very few People won an argument with my mother (a sentiment with which
I'm sure my late father would have agreed) so Circa Spring 1931 I was having my
first lesson in the Front playground of the School in Tower St, the first
lesson always took place in the playground! '"Learn about the School"
said Mr. Perry. "Look at those two Stone statues of boys who came' here
before you. And look at that row of Letters Reading MDCCXX11... Yes! They are
called Roman Numerals and they show that this School has been here since the
Year 1732.
'"Now, about those two Boys, they are wearing the School Uniform of
those days, when the School became known as the Round Cap and Long Coat School,
Notice that one Boy is wearing His Cap, The other has his cap in his hand. Just
over there is the Church of St. Edmunds, with it's Striking Clock. Now! Every
time those boys hear that clock strike Midnight they change the positions of
their Caps - one puts it on, the other takes his off" Having carefully
checked the positions of the Caps before entering School during the next few
days, I suggested to my elder Brother who was in a Higher Class, that even a Headmaster
could be Guilty of telling Fibs. '"
Of Course He isn't was the Reply, the only reason they
haven't changed their Caps is, they haven't heard the Clock Strike ever since
they've been stuck up there"
As was the case of all new comers, I was duly assigned to Miss Davies'
Class. How Miss Davies came to be connected to this otherwise all male
establishment was never made clear. Some of the Boys said it was because she
was even older than the School, but she continued to be 25% of the Teaching
Staff until she eventually retired in the Mid Thirties. A male teacher with the
appropriate Name of Mr Newcombe was appointed to restore the Staff to it's full
Establishment of 4 Teachers. - Mr. Lee and Mr. Harvey (who was generally
recognised, if perhaps not officially appointed as Deputy Head)- are the other
long-serving incumbents. No one who dared to compile a Staffing List of the
school would be brave enough to omit the name of the Formidable Mr. Hampton,
the School Caretaker who lived in one of the Small terraced houses in Tower St.
His responsibilities appeared to comprise mainly of maintaining the strict
discipline required from all Pupils, in addition to dealing with the many
problems associated with the ancient coke fired boiler which often failed to supply
sufficient hot water to the cast iron Pipes and Radiators to make much
difference to the Temperature in the Classrooms.
The Number of classrooms equated to the Number of Teachers (of Course?)
with the "Big Room" (Mr. Harvey's) doubling up as the Hall or
assembly room. Each room however contained two Classes, usually four Rows of
desks with only a Wider Aisle between the second and third rows to define the
Upper and Lower Classes. Though these terms were never used, classes were Numbered
1 to 8, with Miss Davies taking land 2, up to Mr. Perry's - always known as
"the Gaffers Class- comprising 7&8.
A decision to be taken by all Pupils (or more Likely their Parents) was
if they were' going to take the Clothes'. The School by this time was under the
control of the Local Education Authority, but still retained in part, it's
Charitable Status. This was achieved by the supply of Clothing to Pupils free
of all charge with the expense met from the Schools own
resources. There was no obligation to ' take
the clothes' and there was no Means Test applied. There where however some Strictly Applied
Conditions on those who decided to take advantage of this facility which must
have been unique in Dudley and certainly not available in many other areas.
The first rule was that all Pupils taking the Clothes would attend the
Unitarian Chapel for Morning and Evening Service, - Every Sunday for the
Year in which the Clothes were issued. In no circumstances were the Clothes to
be worn at any other time than when attending Chapel until the next year's
outfit had been supplied. The old" uniform" then became the property
of the Pupil, and could be worn for School or Play.
Certain measures were taken to ensure that these rules were adhered to. First
Mr. Perry always attended at the 'Old Meeting house Chapel' to take the Roll
Call and inspect the 'Turnout' of the recipients. In the Earlier Years it was
the practice for the clothes to be parceled up and taken to school Every Monday
Morning and returned to the Boys on the following Friday to be available for
wear on the Sunday! This method usually meant that several Boys would be seen
on Monday mornings with a bulging Pillowcase slung over their shoulder
containing their Sunday Best. Thus ensuring that not only would their School
uniforms not be worn during the Week, nor would they be deposited in the local
Pawnshop to be redeemed for the Weekend! This Requirement was discontinued
about 1932 when it was permitted to keep the Clothes at home. Parents generally
were able to enforce the non-wearing of the outer garments for 'forbidden usage
but shoes and underwear seemed not to last so long when the rules were relaxed!
I left the School (aged 14) in 1937 when it was still very much the same
as when I first joined it. Mr,.Perry was still Headmaster. (though Headteacher
would be a more accurate description) as Headmasters were then expected to
actually do some teaching. I believe he served his last few years as the
Headmaster of Wolverhampton St School, but found some time in the Early War
Years to run a Bayliss' Old Boys Club.