Irene M Davies

Born in Rowley in 1918. Educated at Currall Road Infants School, Hawes Lane Church of England School, and then Siviter’s Lane Girls School, she did not begin writing until later on in life although storytelling was always a feature of family life. Following the death of Dad in 1975, Irene M Davies was encouraged to write the experiences of her childhood and youth down by the children in her family who had been brought up in that tradition where storytelling and music hall song was the norm.  In so doing she produced not only a family history, but also a history of her place, Rowley Village, and her time.  Originally entitled Milestones of Memory, the work was added to over the years.  The Christmas chapter in particular has been expanded to incorporate the six Christmas stories by Irene that appeared in The Black Country Bugle, one of which filled the front page.  Irene appeared on the Carl Chinn Show in May 2006. Milestones of Memory was used in schools as a valuable aid to understanding the social history of the Black Country.  Milestones of Memory was published by The Kates Hill Press as A Pocketful of Memories –Rowley in 2005.  Irene died in May 2006.