As a new academic year begins, history will be on the curriculum for many youngsters. Some will enjoy it whilst for others it will be a chore, but either way the importance of learning about the past and how it shapes our present and our future can never be underestimated.
Like many people across the Black Country, I was left saddened and angered last month when I heard the news that the Crooked House pub had been devasted by fire, with the remains then bulldozed a couple of days later. I was fortunate enough to visit the pub back in my student days, and as anyone who went will remember, the leaning nature of the building was enough to make you feel dizzy before you’d even had a drink!
The building’s wonky shape was the result of subsidence in local coal mines and formed a key part of local Black Country identity. Whilst I won’t comment on investigations that are continuing, the anger that was shown by residents highlights what a special place it had in the hearts of many, as over 250 years' worth of history was destroyed in just a matter of days.
The preservation of history is key to understanding where we come from, and how it shapes people and places. As an MP I regularly walk into the Palace of Westminster, and even 13 years into the job I am still amazed by the weight of history that my colleagues and I are surrounded by, and how the quirks and traditions of our Parliamentary system continue to shape our political culture today.
Of course, we are surrounded by history in Halesowen & Rowley Regis, whether that be the Grade 1-listed Leasowes Park, Cobb’s Engine House in Warren’s Hall Nature Reserve, or our extensive canal network which I learned more about recently when I attended Coombeswood Canal Trust’s open day.
Perhaps the most important lesson to learn from the Crooked House fire is that we cannot take history for granted and assume that key aspects of heritage will remain in place if they are not properly cared for. As history books are re-opened for the new academic year, let’s hope that younger generations will be inspired to learn the lessons of the past, and ensure it is preserved for the generation that follows them.
This article first appeared in the Halesowen & Dudley News on 7th September 2023.
