This 1942 booklet is one of many advising the Home Guard of training techniques, which appears to be all that they really ever did. There is no description of who the author Derek Whipp was or how he had come to learn such knowledge, but like many of the published literature of the time it fleets between information and outright propaganda

Opening his account Whipp writes

“Axis tanks must be smashed.

How?

Well, there are plenty of ways, but the censor is naturally reluctant to let me tell you all the devices which the British Army employs. Nazis also read.”

It is of course, like most of the Home Guard activity, supercilious bollocks.

Tank warfare originated in World War One at the battle of the Somme in 1916. Their effectiveness proved fairly poor in coping with the mud and they were practically useless. Although improvements were made by the end of that conflict, it was the second world war where their effectiveness became a major threat when invasion was feared imminent. One can perhaps forgive authors like Whipp at the time for churning out stuff of this type, they did not have the benefit of knowing what would happen, or what it was right to do, but from a modern perspective having read some of the booklets like this, one wonders if the Germans posed a bigger threat to civilians than the occupying uniformed natives.

We learn something of the weaknesses of the vehicle that was feared would wage such destruction on English villages.

Though they would soon be withdrawn at the time of writing, Whipp describes in detail how to use Albright and Wilson’s half pints against this steel menace. He also as with official literature offered at the time to Home Guard units describe how dangerous the AW bombs were to handle.

“PHOSPHORUS BURNS ARE WORSE THAN BURNS RECEIVED BY OTHER MEANS, BECAUSE THE LIQUID STICKS TO THE FLESH.”

Moving on from describing methods using the Northover projector, we have methods that the Ewoks of Endor may be proud of when tackling such destructive aggressors.

What a load of sheet!

Another “Russian tactic” offered was to improvise a false road leading into marshland, where the tank would become bogged down and vulnerable to be a stationary target.

The most interesting page concerning AW bombs is that concerning their storage. Here Whipp informs the reader

“So far, invasion has not reached some countries, and in Britain the Home Guard has used this postphonement to grow from a pitchfork parade to a steel-fisted heavyweight. But have local units decided where they will store their SI.P and thermos grenades? Have they arranged for two and possibly three alternatives?

It will be realised from the description of the S.I.P that it is folly to leave it about for the enemy to smash with lucky shots. Both the S.I.P and the thermos are dangerous when left in the open.

The safest place for storing the former is beneath water. They certainly must not be left in buildings lkely to be affected by enemy action. The cases in which they are delivered, twenty- four at a time, and partitioned, makes it possible to lower them with safety into streams or ponds where they are least likely to do damage if exploded.”

Of course men reading this in the 8th Worcester Home guard in the Langley/Oldbury area would have followed such advice and tactics. We know of course with hindsight that AW bombs would have been  utter rubbish for destroying tanks, and Whipp’s bravado was little more than typical patriotism of the time, but the legacy of such folly concerning the burial of such toxic material- that is less funny, and we are still counting the cost today of  absent minded guerrilla warfare.

From the aftermath of World War One to more modern times concerning the Trinity Street site. A couple of recent applications have been added to the continuing site development history page on this website. This series of pages are important given the nature of waste deposited at Rattlechain over time, given that “scrap machinery” was one of the many unknown quantities that were noted to have gone into the drink under water down John’s Lane.

It appears that Solvay want to try to leave the past behind them in terms of the pollution record associated with many of the old buildings at the site and has made attempts to demolish quite a few of them. Rhodia in some respects also tried to shake off some of the Albright and Wilson war horse stories. A WW2 phosphorus bomb casing found on the main car park in 1990 (allegedly a German dropped bomb), had pride of place in a prominent location for the remainder of the AW years, yet the French decided for some reason to remove it on their takeover. They were however involved in building on top of ground obviously still contaminated with white phosphorus, as this planning note from Sandwell council appears to confirm.

All this is of course development history. One series of plans replacing another generations, which as landmarks for the community just add to the fall and rise of new ones.

One of the more intriguing of late was the conversion of the former police station, (actually the last development of the AW era), into a temporary practice venue for the Langley band. I won’t explore any links between the site and the band, but perhaps the following orchestrations would be interesting to hear emanating from off this site in glorious stereo.

Toxic- Britney spears

Poison- Alice Cooper

Another day for you and me in paradise- Phil Collins

Hazard- Richard Marx

Gone with the wind (Tara’s theme) – Max Steiner

The tracks of my tears- Smokey Robinson

I almost had a little tear in my eye when I heard Danny Boy, or perhaps it was some phosphoric acid falling out of the sky from a certain chemical factory site.

 

“The only good thing that comes from war is the stimulation of scientific research, primarily with the object of killing human beings but incidentally in finding substitutes for age-old materials and methods.”

These are the opening words from chapter 11 of “100 years of phosphorus making”, the sympathetic PR tool released at the turn of the second half of the Twentieth Century by Albright and Wilson Limited. By then this British company had profited handsomely from both wars, despite the so called objections from the Quaker roots of the two founders.

Though Arthur Albright had been wary of using his enterprise for warlike purposes (or so we are supposed to believe in this well recited tale), his descendants and that of Wilson were not so pious.

1915 saw the direct manufacture of white phosphorus for killing people. Its use then was spun as “smokescreen”, (little has changed in 100 years there then), though the effects on the human body would have been fresh in memory involving match making and phossy jaw. Phosphorus pentoxide is of course an irritant and harmful, despite military protestations to the contrary. The battle of Loos saw the first artillery use of p4 and it would also be used by Albright and Wilson’s favourite service collaborator, the Royal Navy. Molten phosphorus falling on troops of either side seems to be forgotten in the account of the company history.

Threlfall reveals

“The 1914 output of two and a quarter million pounds rose in 1915 to three and a quarter, in 1916 to almost four, in 1917 to five and in 1918 to six million pounds.”

This production saw the creation of a sub factory at Heath Town in Wolverhampton which started production in 1917 and reportedly closed in 1920. We learn that at this site there was also a tip- though one has to wonder where that now lies and what it contains? Canal boats were also used between Wolverhampton and Oldbury carrying the toxic cargo. One also has to wonder just how far the AW legacy of pollution extended along the Birmingham canal under the direction of the British Governments war departments?

Other dangerous chemicals of death were also manufactured including mustard gas and phosgene. As well as this lachrymators, such as Sulphuryl chloride were also being produced but under the guise of what purpose? This chemical is used as a source of chlorine, which was of course used with devastating effects during World War one. With contact with water it releases hydrochloric and sulphuric acids.

We have looked at a canalside tip used by Albright and Wilson during their wartime production HERE.

WORKERS.

“One great change wrought by the war was the employment of women and girls in the works, at first without enthusiasm on the part of the management but by degrees with admiration for the variety of jobs they undertook. Most of them gave up the work at the end of the war, when Mrs Bate, the supervisor, and her welfare workers were present at a farewell concert given by the girls themselves at the Institute Hall in Langley. They and the company’s other workers received a war medal struck by A. & W.”

A figure averaging 900 workers were employed in the war years at Albright and Wilson which dropped to below 600 after 1920.

The company history volume is almost entirely satisfied with telling the story of those who made the money out of “100 years of phosphorus making” and not those who made it for them at Oldbury. There appear to be very few anecdotal accounts of what these workers were exposed to or health effects suffered as a consequence of war and dabbling with dangerous chemicals. Just as with match making, women would be likely to be less outspoken concerning such matters.

As for the medal spoken of by Threlfall, a small old penny size piece of brass, we have obtained one. For some reason its ribbon is the tricolour, ironic that it was a certain French company which took over and sank the Albright/Wilson ship for good at the start of the Twenty First Century.

But it is typical that the name of whoever received this object is omitted and all they received was a token coin bearing the name of the company and its logo on the reverse.

WWW. Miss or Mrs anonymous

Smells like unclean spirit

So nearly 100 years after these medals were issued, what price are they worth today for those who risked their health to manufacture dangerous chemicals for the pointless vanity war that cost so many lives? If you have one of these in your dusty drawers you might want to call Bargain Hunt or take them to The Antiques Roadshow.

£80, SOLD to the highest bidder, who will keep this medal with the other artefacts and use them to expose this company for what they really were which is parasites, profiting off the backs of ill informed chemically exposed workers.

One of the most prominent features at Rattlechain, and the symbol of waste expulsion was the giant discharge pipe, removed early on in the cover up works of 2013.

These were supported in the water by several large floating pontoons that held the discharge pipe in place. Some of these were saturated in the contaminated sediment, and were washed down by operatives wearing full PPE. The birds eating waste contaminated with white phosphorus would not have had such luxury or protection.

Oddly in the bad old days of waste dumping the pontoons actually supported life above the water in the form of nesting spots for common terns. They would have fed on fish from the canals, but the secluded nature of the site did make for unlikely residence for these birds. It also attracted the gulls as well as other birds, especially when the pipe began to start sagging.

Starting to twist

The deconstruction saw sections  dismantled, and systematically stacked like pieces of lego on the south embankment, but it is not clear from our observations at the time if these were taken off site, scuttled below the surface before the cutting dredger came into action, or if they were even buried in the embankments, to add shape. Another five card trick. Perhaps Solvay got a weigh in down the local tat yard?

What is clear is that one of the large floating pontoons that held the discharge pipe in place on the water was transformed into a temporary pump, before the construction of the new pier pump.  I acknowledged at the time that this was a stroke of ingenuity, but following the works and subsequently for the last year or so, the pontoon remained in the uncapped smaller lagoon.

In the last couple of weeks, the pontoon has moved into the main lagoon, and is anchored to the causeway path. Is it awaiting removal, will it go to scrap?- either way another reminder of the industrial history of the site. It may be an Albright and Wilson relic to some, but I remember what this carried, and it is not pleasant- their toxic poisonous crap that killed wildlife.

The last pontoon has moved back where it came from

Scum marks clearly visible

The founding chemical allies, Albright and Wilson

Correspondence from the above has been received where he took exception to the content and tone of a blog post entitled “The Rood End of Lord Langley”.

The original post he asserts was “defamatory and offensive.” A number of questions were posed in the original article which sort clarification. I am therefore happy to add these clarifications to the original post and they now have been. The substance of the post which will not be withdrawn, contains content relevant to the history of Rattlechain lagoon, the passing of the site waste management licence and the associated problems which it continues to cause today. This information is both informative, and previously unpublished material not widely available in the public domain.

The electoral history of the man in question was obtained using material written and published by himself which he has publicly posted for all to read. It therefore we assume is based on fact. The links to these posts were given for clarification at the bottom of the page, and we would add they have all been screenshotted. Statements concerning his wife’s tenure of employment at Albright and Wilson (she worked there “for 30 years”), were also written by himself. “Rhodia consumer Specialities limited” according to the London Gazette was one of a number of companies under the group which appointed liquidators on 5th September 2003. It is stated here that this company was a former name of “Rhodia UK Limited”- a name which appears to have been resurrected since.

“Company Number: 00182210. Name of Company: RHODIA UK LIMITED. Previous Names of Company: Albright & Wilson UK Limited, Rhodia Consumer Specialties Limited, RP Chemicals (Overseas Holdings) Limited, R.T.Z. Chemicals (Overseas Holdings) Limited, Tunnel Speciality Chemicals Limited, Hundred and Five Piccadilly Limited and Building & Insulating Material Company Limited. Nature of Business: 7499 Non-trading Company.”

data (1)

It is noted that in his declaration as a then Sandwell councillor in  May 2010 he states

“My Wife – Mrs Mary Prestidge is a pensioner of:- Rhodia Consumer Specialities Ltd “

Mr Prestidge has clarified in respect of the site licence and his serving on the committee at the time the licence was passed in correspondence-

“NO INTEREST WAS DECLARED BECAUSE NO INTEREST EXISTED. MY WIFE, MARY PRESTIDGE, COMMENCED EMPLOYMENT AT ALBRIGHT AND WILSON IN JANUARY 1980. HER DUTIES WERE PURELY SECRETARIAL AND SHE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN MATTERS SUCH AS PLANNING AND LICENSING APPLICATIONS OR WASTE DISPOSAL.”

Mrs Prestidge presumably then retired around  January 2010. We are happy to print his clarification here prominently to set the record straight and apologise if any suspicion of wrongdoing on his part or hers was implied at the 1977 meeting by the original post. For the record we sought clarification of the term of employment, based on the data above and that below.

We would note that the comment written on the facebook page “WE  WORKED FOR ALBRIGHT AND WILSON LTD” BY CAROL NICHOLSON AS STATED ABOVE READS-

“GIVE MY REGARDS TO MARY, WE USED TO CATCH THE BUS TOGETHER  SOMETIMES FROM ROUNDS GREEN TO WORK IN THE EARLY 70′s”

This must have referred to some other place of work that they shared, BEFORE  THEIR JOINT EMPLOYMENT AT ALBRIGHT AND WILSON LTD, WHICH MR PRESTIDGE HAS CLARIFIED COMMENCED IN JANUARY 1980. One can therefore perhaps appreciate some confusion here from a contradictory statement and why we inquired the time of his wife’s employment based on the comment above on a facebook page entitled “we worked for Albright and Wilson Ltd.” We note that he did not correct her statement or make any comment on it. 

On the wider issue of declarations of interest Mr Prestidge has advised the following

“IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER FOR A COUNCILLOR TO PARTICIPATE IN A DECISION IN WHICH HE OR SHE HAS A DIRECT PECUNIARY INTEREST, EG EMPLOYMENT (INCLUDING THAT OF A SPOUSE). I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN METICULOUS IN DECLARING ANY SUCH INTERESTS AND FREQUENTLY, IN THE INTERESTS OF TRANSPARNECY, WHEN THE SUBJECT MATTER WAS RATHER REMOTE.”

We note his comments and apologise unreservedly if the original post insinuated that he had not declared interests at meetings. For the record the post did not state that he hadn’t, it asked for clarification on a matter concerning why he had declared a non- pecuniary interest in The Accles and Pollock site.

On this he has made the following observation, which we are happy to publish here to add to his own well publicised employment record.

“SITE LICENCE SL32- ACCLES & POLLACK

THE SITE WAS OWNED BY ACCLES & POLLACK, WHERE I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN EMPLOYED SOME TEN YEARS OR SO PREVIOUSLY. NO PECUNIARY INTEREST EXISTED.”

We would note the correct spelling of the company to be “ACCLES AND POLLOCK. We did not state that he had any pecuniary interest in this company in the blog post, this is his insertion.

We would  note the recent high profile investigation into members of the Labour party serving in Sandwell council who have clearly not declared pecuniary interests in matters concerning financial affairs and their immediate family members. We hope that Mr Prestidge given his position within the party would not condone such activity, as he has explicitly stated above that he was never involved in such activities during his time as a Labour councillor.

Mr Prestidge has made the following clarification regards the SL31 licence

“THE WEST MIDLANDS COUNTY COUNCIL WAS CONSERVATIVE CONTROLLED IN 1977 AND THE LABOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE VOTED FOR A MORE LIMITED CONDITION THAN WAS GRANTED BY THE CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL MEMBERS.”

We would however point out that the Labour party  controlled the council from 1974–77, (during which site licensing was being formulated), with the Conservatives controlling it between 1977–81. It reverted to Labour control for the last term 1981–86. Therefore for the creation of the licence and subsequently after it had been passed, the Labour group made no changes to the conditions on the licence. This is factual and cannot be refuted.

On the matter of the committee on which he served “(Joint NEGOTIATING sub-committee (waste disposal) of personnel and administration)” Mr Prestidge has clarified-

“THE LATTER DEALT MAINLY WITH PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION MATTERS. AT NO TIME WAS I PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH ANY COMPANY CONCERNING THEIR APPLICATIONS. “

We are happy to print his clarification here of what this sub committee did, and that he played no part in negotiating with any company concerning their applications.  The wording of the title of this sub committee is ambiguous  and there is still issue as to what this committee dealt with in totality  and its terms of reference  and not what it dealt “mainly with”, which is a matter of conjecture without clarification of evidence.

ON THE MATTER OF THE FOLLOWING MR PRESTIDGE CLARIFIES

“LANGLEY RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

I ATTENDED MEETINGS AS ONE OF THE COUNCILLORS FOR LANGLEY FROM THE MID 1980’S ONWARDS TO REPRESNT THE INTERESTS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS. ALBRIGHT & WILSON/RHODIA/SOLVAY WAS, AND STILL IS, A MAJOR EMPLOYER IN THE AREA AND IT WAS USEFUL TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THEM IN ORDER TO RESOLVE ANY PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THEIR OPERATIONS AT THE FACTORY. THERE WERE PROBLEMS FROM TIME TO TIME AND I ACTED AS AN ADVOCATE OF RESIDENT’S INTERESTS. LOCAL TRADERS AND RESIDENTS ALSO ATTENDED. MEETINGS WERE ADVERTISED LOCALLY AND ANY RESIDENT WAS WELCOMED TO ATTEND. THIS IS A NORMAL REPRESNTATIONAL ROLE AND CERTAINLY I WAS FAR FROM BEING AN APOLOGIST FOR THE COMPANY AS IT IS IMPLIED IN THE BLOG. I STILL ATTEND MEETINGS AS A LOCAL RESIDENT, LIVING AS I DO ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM THE PLANT. I DEEPLY RESENT THE IMPLICATION THAT I HAVE ACTED AS AN UNPAID PR OFFICER FOR THE COMPANY OR THAT I HAVE ACTED IMPROPERLY IN ANY WAY.”

Given that he has stated the tenure of his wife’s employment with the company (30 years) and defines his definition of pecuniary interests, and also the role in which he attended the meetings and how he meticulously recorded all declarations of interest, we hope that he did record at these meetings at which he was purporting as a councillor, a pecuniary interest in the continued success of the company- a source of income into his household from his wife’s job.

We are not stating that he did not, but there is a conflicting interest is there not in attending “a residents meeting” in capacity as a councillor yet having a spouse who works in direct unison to the man responsible for all the issues surrounding the running of the plant, including dealing with complaints- THE WORKS MANAGER. I hope he can see this, and why with scrutiny one could take a different view of his attendance at such meetings to be ones which could be seen to be a friendly, loyal and sympathetic advocate and for ones of self- interest as regards this large industrial employer. Complaints could ultimately shut down company operations leading to loss of profits and also jobs. In what capacity did his wife attend the meetings; (the works manager you would have thought would have), and given her role as secretary to the site manager, who wrote minutes of those meetings? The observation cannot be ignored, but we have given him the freedom of speech to express his view of this.

Mr Prestidge’s advocacy of Solvay is clear to see in his facebook post below.

There is also the fact that he is happy to pose in a Rhodia branded T’ shirt- a company that “he never worked for”.

He cannot possibly deny that this does not advocate the Trinity Street Company- and of course he is free to do this if he wishes. But he should also accept the freedom of others who take a very different view of the company’s activities at Trinity Street based on personal experience. Whilst we accept that the use of the word “shillery” and its definitions used in the original article may be construed as implying some wrongdoing on the part of Mr Prestidge, it should be noted that his wife is a pensioner of the root company that operated at this site for many years.  We apologise to Mr Prestidge if he believes that we were asserting that he was a paid stooge for the company. We are sure that he declares at every residents meeting held at the site, as an honorary Alderman of Sandwell council, that his wife was employed at the site for 30 years and receives a company pension .

Mr Prestidge’s  promotion of Solvay, their funding of events in the Langley area and that of their predecessors should be set against their dire pollution record which is irrefutable. Mr Prestidge asserts that this is not as bad as it was, but is that not softening the fact that the area is still within a significant consultation zone which prevents certain developments? This organisation is a multi national multi billion pound company and serves as a corporate industry which has at times sought political influence from policy advisers. Questioning a former politicians motives for promoting a company and one who has had a significant pecuniary interest previously in a company making chemicals at that site is legitimate fair comment and we reserve the right to point that out.

IN CONCLUSION WE NOTE THAT ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LINKS AND EVIDENCE OF BIRDS BEING POISONED AT RATTLECHAIN (WHICH ARE IRREFUTABLE WITH SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE) HE MAKES NO COMMENT WHATSOEVER. NOR DOES HE MAKE ANY COMMENT CONCERNING THE TOXIC LEGACY OF THE SITE AND MANY OTHERS THAT THE WEST MIDLANDS COUNTY COUNCIL ALLOWED TO BE LICENCED TO RECEIVE WASTE, AND ARE STILL 40 YEARS LATER A BLIGHT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

WE WOULD ALSO NOTE FROM HIS CORRESPONDENCE THERE IS NO APOLOGY OFFERED ON HIS PART FOR BEING A MAJOR PART OF THE COUNCIL WHICH ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN. WE ARE TREATED TO THAT OLD CHESTNUT OFFERED BY MANY A DISILLUSIONED SOCIALIST – BLAME THE CONSERVATIVE ADMINISTRATION.

WELL THAT DOES NOT WASH IN THIS CASE- SANDWELL COUNCIL HAS BEEN LABOUR CONTROLLED FOR 40 YEARS FOR ALL BUT A VERY BRIEF PERIOD, AND THE WEST MIDLANDS COUNTY COUNCIL WAS  ALSO LABOUR CONTROLLED FOR MOST OF ITS EXISTANCE. THEY MADE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE SITE LICENCE FOLLOWING 1977. THE MISTAKE WAS NEVER CORRECTED.

THESE ARE HOWEVER INSIGNIFICANT POINTS, AND OBSCENE WHEN COMPARED TO THE SUFFERING THAT THIS SITE HAS CAUSED WITH ITS WHITE PHOSPHORUS DUMPING.

THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS VEXATION APPEARS TO BE COMMENTS RELATING TO HIMSELF ONLY. These have been either withdrawn or clarified based on his clarifications. I’m sure he has been called far worse in his career, though I accept some people take “offence” when it suits them to.

BUT THE POST WILL NOT BE REMOVED, AND NOR WHEN IT IS FAIR AND ACCURATE, AND NOT MISLEADING WILL HIS PART IN THIS COMMITTEE’S DECISIONS BE STRUCK FROM RECORD OF PUBLIC SCRUTINY. AND THAT GOES FOR THE OTHERS THAT WERE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AND WERE PAID TO MAKE DECISIONS. WE ARE AWARE FOR EXAMPLE THAT ONE WAS A FORMER MAYOR OF DUDLEY. IS IT NOT RIGHT THAT THE GENERATION THAT LIVES ON AFTER THEM DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO NAME AND SHAME OR CRITICISE THEIR DIRE DECISION MAKING IN PUBLIC?

HE MAY NOT LIKE THIS, BUT THAT IS JUST TOUGH- FREE SPEACH REMAINS JUST THAT, AND THERE ARE EXAMPLES WHERE HE ACCUSES MORE PUBLIC AND HIGH PROFILE POLITICAL FIGURES THAN HE ACHIEVED IN HIS POLITICAL CAREER OF SERIOUS WRONGDOINGS WHICH HE HAS PUBLICLY POSTED. THIS ALSO INCLUDES POSTS WHICH COULD BE SAID TO “RIDICULE” THEIR TARGET.

One without a thick skin could take such a comment to be damaging to the reputation of the subject targeted, as well as calculated to ridicule and be defamatory in nature. BUT THAT WOULD JUST BE NUTS.

I THINK THAT WE ARE TO ASSUME THEN THAT “DEFAMATORY MATERIAL” TO MR PRESTIDGE ONLY COUNTS WHEN YOU ARE NOT THE ONE IN THE FRAME.  WILL HE WITHDRAW THOSE? THOUGH HE MAY DRAW OFFENCE TO BEING ASSOCIATED WITH IMAGINARY WORKS OF FICTION, I HAVE NEVER DESCRIBED ANY IDENTIFIABLE POLITICAL FIGURE OF BEING “FASCISTS” or even “THIEVES”- (UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN CONVICTED AS BEING SUCH).

NOTE FOR HIS CLARIFICATION THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “THIEF”

thief

NOTE FINALLY THE FOLLOWING POST WHICH MR PRESTIDGE SHARED ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE ON 29TH JULY 2014.

I HAVE THE FUCKING RIGHT TO PUBLISH ANY LANGUAGE THAT I LIKE, THIS IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP YET, AND FREEDOM OF SPEACH IS NOT NOR SHOULD EVER BE CONTROLLED BY MINOR POLITICAL FIGURES.

I AM OFFENDED BY THE INJUSTICE OF A MULTI BILLION POUND CORPORATION BEING ALLOWED TO DUMP TOXIC CHEMICALS IN OLDBURY- BUT I DID NOT PLAY ANY PART IN THIS- ONLY THE EXPOSURE OF WHAT THEY DID YEARS LATER.

“KEEP IT REAL”- AS WITH THE FACTS.

Following hot on the heels of the previous post concerning The former West Midlands County Council Waste Disposal and Pollution Control Committee, comes another revelation from the same meeting 22nd December 1977 at which the Rattlechain site licence was discussed amongst others.

Let’s remind ourselves of the councillors serving on that committee at the time.

This item 8 on the agenda concerns the former West Midlands County Council tip off Sheepwash Lane Tipton. It is a report by the then West Midlands County waste disposal officer K. Harvey. Let’s just read on for now and discuss after……

The proposal is to treat the lagoon which it is stated is polluted and producing methane gas. It is identified as

“a liability to the council.”

The solution offered by the waste disposal officer is to import “calcium phosphate” onto the site. What is of concern and is paramount to this are the subsequent statements concerning an unnamed  source which has been identified being able to be supply it for nothing.

“Large quantities of this chemical are produced as a waste material at a factory nearby and arrangements have been made for this material to be diverted to the site at the request of the county at no cost.”

Though the supplier of the “calcium phosphate” is not named directly, It is quite obvious which company is being cited. Albright and Wilson up to 1974 were still delivering effluent waste sludge to rattlechain lagoon by canal barge. BUT THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOT JUST UNCONTAMINATED CALCIUM PHOSPHATE!!

Indeed calcium phosphate is unlikely to have ever been offloaded as a waste product as in itself it can be used and sold- that is if it is not contaminated with the other toxic crap that Albright and Wilson were making and disposing of- including white phosphorus contaminated material as effluent sludge.

Later Rhodia were to make claims about their waste material and calcium phosphate which we now know to be utter lies from the then site manager. I wonder who typed it out for him though?

Remember also that this agenda item 8 in 1977 was discussed BEFORE the rattlechain site licence had been agreed on- and it had not as yet been formerly approved.

The situation appears to be thus. West Midlands County council had a liability upon them to spend a great sum of money on getting rid of potentially toxic and acidic waste lagoon, at their own tip- the origins of what they allowed to be dumped here being highly questionable. We know residents who have stated that illegal dumping took place here regularly with few questions asked by the site operators.

Albright and Wilson had a liability to dispose of hazardous waste with a slightly alkaline taint, calcium phosphate (albeit contaminated with phosphorus) but were threatened by the prospect of having their main waste tip curtailed by new legislation and a plan developed by the County council to which “alternative disposal methods are likely to involve the company in considerable extra cost.”

Put the case therefore that in order to neutralise costs to both parties, Albright and Wilson’s waste was dumped in return for the withdrawl of condition 30. Is this what happened?  Though some may try to deny it, the incompetence and corruption involved in this possible trade off are clear to see. Dispose of a massive body of contaminated waste BEFORE LICENSING free of charge and at no charge to us and we will extend your tip’s life. A favour for a favour and a boon to both.

“It is hoped that a waste material will be put to a useful purpose in dealing with a serious pollution problem.”

In the hundreds of documents viewed in the course of compiling this website, this comment by Keith Harvey is the single most foolish, incompetent and dramatically ironic statement of all. By 1980 he had apparently died, thus leaving behind an oversight of allowing toxic waste into an area which the public can now access with unknown potential dangers and a toxic waste lagoon that should have had it’s licence ended in the mid 1980’s. THIS MAN WAS INCOMPETENT IN OFFICE AS A WASTE DISPOSAL OFFICER.

There are no further records available to confirm that this mad cap scheme ever materialised or was approved by the then committee in subsequent meetings. The report is merely “noted”.

Of course the site in question was developed into what became Sheepwash Urban park, and now Sheepwash Local Nature Reserve. But what was actually buried here during and after 1977, and what potentially now lurks beneath the pumphouse pool at this former tip site?

The West Midlands county council tip lagoon referred to in the report

SANDWELL COUNCIL IT’S OVER TO YOU……..

WASTE DIVERSION, ONE GOOD TIP DESERVES ANOTHER.

Shhhh. Tonight I’m here to surprise a man of esteemed local importance with my big red book.  He began his glittering political career as a trade unionist, became Mayor of Sandwell and is now an Honorary Alderman. Yes Tonight MARTIN JOHN PRESTIDGE, (LORD LANGLEY),

THIS IS YOUR LIFE.

At Trinity Street Towers they have special “friends”. It’s the way it’s always been- there are clear political associations.  One of them over the last 40 years has been one Martin John Prestidge- ex councillor, sometime Mayor of Sandwell and now Alderman Prestidge.

Mr Prestidge likes to detail his extensive local Government dealings and affairs via social media, and so it is possible to piece together his entire life story on the internet- all written by himself. THEY ARE HIS WORDS. We’ve been at this for some time before putting together this special tribute- Firstly he explains his distinguished career- please take note of the timescales as they are important to the life of Rattlechain lagoon- we’ll get to that in a moment. All words are his own, they have just been reordered.

Young Martin in 1963

“I first stood for election as a Councillor as a brash 24 year old in 1967. I stood for the Brandhall Ward of the former Warley Council. Warley had been formed in 1966 as an amalgamation of the former Smethwick County Borough with Oldbury ,a Municipal Borough in Worcestershire and Rowley Regis, a Municiplal Borough in Staffordshire.

We lost every seat.”

“Progress” is his middle name

I was first elected as a Councillor in May 1971 for the Rounds Green Ward of the former Warley County Borough Council which had been formed as part of the 1966 Local Government Reorganisation from the former Boroughs of  Oldbury ,Smethwick and Rowley Regis in the Black Country.

I was a member of the Sandwell Council from 1973  to 1975

Why did I decide not to continue? One reason was advancing years, I was 68 last birthday, mainly though  because I wansted  (sic) to retire while I was still making a useful contribution, but also because I wanted to spend more time doing some of  the  things in  the community ,which I wanted to do, without the responsibility of attending some of the meetings. In short, to have more time for politics as Tony Benn put.

Do I regret my decision? ,No ,Do I miss  it? ,not a lot . I continue as a Labour Party activist and hope to do so for many years into the future.”

 

Upsy daisy- On the knocker, up the Cakemore (Martin far right),

 JUST TO RECAP………

So that might be the end of the story, a distinguished career in Local Government, as well as 50+ year stint as a socialist Labour activist.  But that isn’t the end of the story. Let’s take a closer look at what MJP was doing in 1977 in The Queen’s Silver Jubilee year as part of the wretched West Midlands County council, which to reemphasise, he was part of for the whole of its existence between 1973-1986. WMCC was the waste management authority which passed the “contentious licence” SL31 for Albright and Wilson’s Rattlechain lagoon, as well as the equally contentious Gower tip, SL32 in 1977.

The Dodo WMCC logo

For not only was the younger Martin on the council at this time, but he was also on the Waste Disposal and Pollution Control Committee  that oversaw the creation and issuing of the said licences, as well as a string of others that continue in one form or another to blight the borough of Sandwell and beyond into the distant future- BY VIRTUE OF THEIR CONTAMINATED EXISTENCE.  He was also on a sub committee of that group (Joint negotiating sub-committee (waste disposal) of personnel and administration)-

NB. Martin Prestidge has clarified in writing

 “THE LATTER DEALT MAINLY WITH PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION MATTERS. AT NO TIME WAS I PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH ANY COMPANY CONCERNING THEIR APPLICATIONS. “

Minutes of the December 22nd 1977 committee reveal those councillors serving, as well as declarations of interest by those county councillors. MJP was at the meeting that afternoon. The Rattlechain site licence was on the agenda of the supplementary report of the county waste disposal officer as item 4b with the Gower tip on the agenda as item 4c. An non-pecuniary interest for item 4a only is recorded by Cllr Prestidge-

MARTIN PRESTIDGE HAS CLARIFIED

“THE SITE WAS OWNED BY ACCLES AND POLLACK, WHERE I HAD BEEN EMPLOYED SOME TEN YEARS OR SO PREVIOUSLY. NO PERCUNIARY INTEREST EXISTED.”

If anyone has any info on the other councillors on the committee at this time please get in touch.

Note, as we have pointed out before, the report clearly states that the site has been in use “since 1942”, when the production of AW bombs had ceased at Trinity Street, and the storage of these useless weapons would be an issue.

The Mitco lagoon site is another notorious HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE that was propagated by  West Midlands county council, and the fact that the licence appears to have been passed by just one person, the chair, shows just how  unscrutinised the process was. The site today is still largely unusable for anything concerning housing, despite the political class pouring fat on the fire regards building on “brownfield sites.”

In the report concerning rattlechain, the draft licence condition 30 limiting the life of the site to 1985 is waived in favour of being without restriction. At this point Councillor MJP is one of three declaring that their names be recorded against this decision.

MARTIN PRESTIDGE HAS MADE THE FOLLOWIING COMMENT CONCERNING THIS

“THE WEST MIDLANDS COUNTY COUNCIL WAS CONSERVATIVE CONTROLLED IN 1977 AND THE LABOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE VOTED FOR A MORE LIMITED CONDITION THAN WAS GRANTED BY THE CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL MEMBERS.”

We would however point out that the Labour party  controlled the council from 1974–77, with the Conservatives controlling it 1977–81. It reverted to Labour control for the last term 1981–86. Therefore for the creation of the licence and subsequently after it had been passed, the Labour group made no changes to the conditions on the licence.

So a former Sandwell councillor was on a committee that passed a dodgy site waste licence, in fact many of them.  Links that MJP had with Albright and Wilson’s and later Rhodia’s fortunes are relevant during this subsequent period of Labour control of the council- for clarity 1981-1986.  To explain, Councillor Prestidge celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary on  11th January 2015. He was therefore married to his wife in 1975.

His wife Mary was employed at the Trinity Street site as a secretary to the site manager at the company (Albright and Wilson) for many years (he states 30) before she retired.

In his final declaration as councillor dated May 12th  2010, the he states that his wife is a pensioner of Rhodia consumer specialities Limited. Rhodia of course taking over Albright and Wilson in 2001.

“My Wife – Mrs Mary Prestidge is a pensioner of:- Rhodia Consumer Specialities Ltd and is a Member of UNITE – AMICUS”

MJP DECLARES

MARTIN PRESTIDGE HAS MADE THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATION CONCERNING HIS WIFE’S EMPLOYMENT.

“NO INTEREST WAS DECLARED BECAUSE NO INTEREST EXISTED. MY WIFE, MARY PRESTIDGE, COMMENCED EMPLOYMENT AT ALBRIGHT AND WILSON IN JANUARY 1980. HER DUTIES WERE PURELY SECRETARIAL AND SHE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN MATTERS SUCH AS PLANNING AND LICENSING APPLICATIONS OR WASTE DISPOSAL.”

We would note that the comment written on the facebook page “WE USED TO WORK FOR ALBRIGHT AND WILSON” BY CAROL NICHOLSON AS STATED ABOVE READS-

“GIVE MY REGARDS TO MARY, WE USED TO CATCH THE BUS TOGETHER  SOMETIMES FROM ROUNDS GREEN IN THE EARLY 70’s”

This must have refered to some other place of work that they shared, BEFORE  THEIR JOINT EMPLOYMENT AT ALBRIGHT AND WILSON.

It is clear that the Trinity Street site has been a major polluter in the Langley area for many years- continuing under Rhodia which by acquisition is  merely now called “solvay”.  In a recent facebook exchange he stated the following concerning

“I’ve always found the company to be open and honest in their dealings and don’t attempt to cover up anything.”

Oh really Lord Langley, then how about in no particular order

• The toxic nature of the sediment at Rattlechain lagoon.
• The toxic effects of white phosphorus that they did not inform us of when entering the site and the water and also at meetings where they had the opportunity.
• Attempting to suggest that birds found with white phosphorus in them had not swallowed enough to cause their deaths, (because of the “small amount” found).
• We  know they were poisoned systemically– but this is a far cry away from the lies of Rhodia, that they were even trying to spin with dishonest PR journalists after the chemical had been found. Twelve wildfowl tested all found P4 in 5 different species. All were recovered from the lake, all had been poisoned there by its contents.
• Fires at the site and their cause.
•  mis-management by Albright and Wilson/Rhodia/Solvay  despite claiming that they were fully compliant with site licensing.

• We continue to ask the relevant questions about the Trinity Street site. The site is a cloud over Langley and Oldbury at large despite Prestidge’s claims to be otherwise.

OF COURSE THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT HE CLAIMS THEY HAVE NOT DONE- AND COVER UP NOT CLEAN UP RATTLECHAIN LAGOON WITH A SHEET AND SAND- ALL DOWN TO REQUIRED LEGISLATION, AND NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO.

SURGERY

As swanwatch, we once visited one of the three Langley councillors surgeries concerning Rattlechain around 2002. No one from their actual area had turned up to the surgery, one of only 2 held per month, which leaves one asking what the point of having 3 councillors per ward actually is when they are so not rushed off their feet?

At this point MJP did not reveal his wife’s employment with them, WE RAISED THE ISSUE OF BIRDS DYING AT RATTLECHAIN AT THIS SURGERY.  It would not be long before the spotlight of Legionnaire’s Disease would be linked to their site and brought the Langley area National attention.  The three of them sat eating a selection of cakes in between gulps of tea served with saucers, in addition to David Hinton, councillor for Tividale and husband of Pauline. The whole time Hinton (Mr) yawned repeatedly and loudly as I spoke, which left me not only feeling that he was the rudest man I had ever met, but that it was perhaps a novelty to get someone actually turn up at one of their gigs and they wanted shot to eat more cake. We didn’t even get offered a crumb of French Fancy- I would even have eaten the brown ones.

Incredible, there appears to be one every couple of years. The latest is a plastics factory located near to the BIP chemical works and adjacent to Trinity Street on the opposite side of the Titford canal.

I could see plumes of smoke from where I was and from the direction could guess that it was somewhere around Langley or the M5 area. Not another Rhodia fire I thought, but then the lack of air raid sirens going off counselled  that it must be someplace else on fire on this occasion.

A fire engine on route to the scene

Large plumes of thick black smoke were billowing out as a police cordon closed off the road. With a diesel storage yard as well as the chemical factories nearby I would certainly not want to live on this road. A platform appliance hosed down on the roof of the building which is quite apparent has been a write off, if not the whole factory.

Unfortunately this scenario appears to be one repeating itself all too frequently in this area. You cannot mix industry with housing like this- it just doesn’t work, and one day  people are going to be killed. As one set of amateur politicians serve their turn upon another they appear incapable of solving this issue, and for all the back slapping and talk of resilience working , one can only wonder where the next fire will be. It is beyond a fucking joke.

On the cut

Image from Bing Maps

A few images of life trying to survive around this toxic waste site.

Keep out ducks

pigeons on the pier

A pair of geese mating at the site.

Further to the recent new sign in the North East corner of the site, the North West is now represented with another identical one.

And another at the main entrance.

Other additions include a warning sign on each of the life buoys, including the one on the pier.

“DANGER DO NOT ENTER WATER.  

DEEP WATER

RISK OF DROWNING”

It’s not clear to whom these signs are addressed given that they face inwards towards the pool and not outwards to potential trespassers. The seagulls or squirrels perhaps?

Additional razor wire notices have also gone up. Something tells me someone has been over the fence or tried to. It’s all starting to get AW BOMBS of a sudden. What are the Oldbury rogues up to?