The Melville Club

Albrighton's community centre for over 55s

The Melville Club Parish Magazine March 2024 ~ No. 51

Well, are you ready for Spring ! Hopefully winter is now on the way out & Spring will soon be here. I definitely felt the cold this year, at times quite bitter. Have you noticed all the Spring flowers are popping their heads up, mainly to cheer us up & make us all smile. !!

Melville Club ~ Golden Years

Mrs. Niccy Cottle is holding ‘The Melville Club “Golden Years” every Tuesday from 13.00 to 15.00 for light entertainment & light refreshments. You do not need to be a member of the Melville Club to attend. Interested: ring Niccy on 07449 167116. You never know you may enjoy yourself !!

Part 2: Dr. Melville Legge {DJML}. 

Happy Reflections of Mr Mick Perry about DJML.
Mick is the oldest of 4 children & he lived in the bungalow opposite the old Post Office in Station Road. Mick’s parents were Charlie {born on the 15th January 1911 & died 1995} & Sylvia {born 1910}. Charlie was born in Newhouse Lane & Sylvia was born near Ludlow.

Initially Charlie worked for Garnett-Botfield family before WW2.

Later he made contact with DJML & was employed as a chauffeur & gardener at Cloverly House, again this was before WW2.  Charlie was called up in WW2 & was in the Service Corp as a Driver. He served 2 ½ years in India & returned to the UK. Mick recalls many tales from the sub-continent about his dad’s travels. After WW2 he returned back to Albrighton & continued his employment. DJML  would attend Church most days, generally early in the morning before he would start his medical rounds. When he first arrived in Albrighton he would travel around on a motorbike. DJML  was stopped for speeding on his motorbike by the Police near Tong {place called Timlet Hollow}. In those early days Charlie would drive Mrs Constance {Rosemary} Legge around the village & further. Constance was affectionately called Betty by DJML. Both Constance & DJML were very kind to the young Perry family & they paid for at least 2 Holidays, then ‘Billy Butlins’ in Pwllheli, Wales.

Mick recalls the old Cloverly House & bungalow in the same grounds. The entrance to Cloverly house is still in existence  & the huge gardens ran parallel to Shaw Lane. There was a massive green house, boiler house, stables, potting sheds, coal sheds {this is where the Surgery now stands}. On the corner of Station Road & Shaw Lane was a sweet shop run by Miss Turner, Charlie would send Mick up to Miss Turners & collect ‘fags’ {slang for cigarettes}. Charlie would settle his account at the week-end {credit even in those days !}. Further down the huge gardens  there was very large trees & large lawns, these lawns would take days to cut. Mick also recanted the memories of a very large pond at the bottom of the large garden, in the winter months DJML would zoom around ice-skating. Not every day you will see a GP ice-skating. It seems the winters were a lot colder & the pond froze up for weeks at a time. When Mick was old enough, he would cut DJML’s hair, he did remark it was getting less & less as the years advanced, DJML would say, ‘just do your best’ !. Eventually DJML moved out of the large Cloverly House & into the bungalow & Dr Jackson then moved into Cloverly House.


Friends of Albrighton:- Based at the Melville Club & Sponsored by ‘Homestead’

Siobhan Davies is holding ‘Friends of Albrighton’ with future meeting{s}  for 1st, 15th & 22nd March,  12th & 26th April at 14.00 to 16.00. We offer warm room, Tea/Coffee, cakes etc & activities. Melville Club members & guests welcome. This facility is for you to enjoy: Siobhan {07903 175997}.

Mandy:-           Melville Club Committee Chairman:-            Mob: 07817 417314.
Richard:-         Melville Club Committee Member:-                Mob: 07889 573306.     

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