Clifford Willetts OBE
CLICK: the arrow icon to play sound
Clifford Willetts was a life long member of Two Gates Ragged School. He was scholar, teacher, leader or secretary of almost every sector of chapel life and from 1924 Superintendent.
One of his favourite quotes, ‘In the playground of the local primary school, whilst I was talking to the headmaster a little girl came up and said to the head, “This is Mr Willetts. He goes to my Sunday School.”
In 1979 a letter arrived bearing the royal coat of arms informing Cliff that he would be awarded the Order of Officer of the British Empire in the coming Royal Birthday Honours List. Unfortunately, within weeks of the good news he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was unable to attend the September ceremony at Buckingham Palace. His medal arrived by special courier just weeks before his death in January 1981.
Always being mindful that people should know what had gone before in their locality, Cliff would say, “Schoolteachers can teach history, only a local person can teach heritage.”
Whatever the event Cliff would be there Sunday school, Sunday or mid-week services; anniversary or harvest; weddings, baptisms and funerals; religious or social occasions, he was always part of the Two Gates community
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VISIT: old Cradley Links website to find outmore about the life of Clifford Willetts OBE
CLICK on the below movie image to watch a 'taster' low res short movie entitled 'Chainstriker'. The movie is a story written and narrated by Barry Willetts (Superintendent) that tells a story about his father Clifford who worked as a chainstriker at various chain shops in the south of the Black Country. The original film can be viewed in HD on the 3x box set entitled Cradley Then & Now (Work & Play), part of the 54 DVD movie series about Cradley's history.