The Sons of Rest is a social organisation that has provided leisure facilities for men of retirement age in and around Birmingham and the

Black Country The Black Country is an area of the West Midlands county, England covering most of the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall. Dudley and Tipton are generally considered to be the centre. It became industrialised during its ro ...

in the English West Midlands since 1927, and more recently for women. The movement was established when a group of retired working men, veterans of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, met in

Handsworth Park Handsworth Park (originally Victoria Park) is a park in the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. It lies 15 minutes by bus from the centre of Birmingham and comprises 63 acres (25 hectares) of landscaped grass slopes, including a large boat ...

, Birmingham, in 1927. One of them, Lister Muff (1852-1938) proposed that they form a club. The name was suggested by W. J Ostler recognising that they had been "sons of toil" during their working years. They originally met in an old cab drivers' shelter in the park in summer and the park's bowling pavilion in winter, but appealed for funding for their own building, where they could meet and play games such as cards,

draughts Checkers (American English), also known as draughts (; British English), is a group of strategy board games for two players which involve diagonal moves of uniform game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces. Checkers ...

and dominoes. Their appeal succeeded, and the first building was opened in Handsworth Park in 1930. Birmingham City Federation of the Sons of Rest - membership badge (1930’s - 1950’s)

The appeal was supported by the chairman of Birmingham Corporation Parks Committee, Councillor George F. McDonald, who became the first president of "The City of Birmingham Federation of The Sons of Rest", on its inauguration in August 1932. The organisation's anthem, ''Sons of Rest'', was written by one of the early members, Charles Smith, who was aged 81, and blind: At its peak, the organisation had 3,000 members and 29 buildings, located in parks. A number of the buildings survive and are still in use. Lister Muff plaque - Handsworth Park, Birmingham, England

Lister Muff plaque - Handsworth Park, Birmingham, England

The Handsworth building was replaced in 1937. A public campaign prevented its demolition in the 1990s and it was subsequently refurbished. It is now managed by The Friends of Handsworth Park A 2018

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

mural by Claire Cotterill, on an external wall, commemorates the movement. Some branches such as that at Darlaston, rebranded as Sons & Daughters of Rest, and admit women.

Buildings

and others at: * Coleshill * Willenhall * Hill Top, West Bromwich. Lightwoods House 2018

In addition to the above, other branches meet (or met) in hired premises. These include: * Hamstead, Great Barr * Eli-Fletcher, Oak Road,

West Bromwich West Bromwich ( ) is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is north-west of Birmingham. West Bromwich is part of the area known as the Black Country, in terms of geography, ...

Lightwoods House Lightwoods Park is a public park in Bearwood in the West Midlands, England. It lies on the north-west side of Hagley Road, which here forms the boundary between Birmingham and the borough of Sandwell. History of Lightwoods House The park was ...

, Smethwick

Buildings

References

Further reading