Stourbridge Fire: Why didn't King or Wills visit?

I am glad and somewhat relieved that Andy Burnham visited the awful fires in Stourbridge, West Midlands recently.

He described Britain as a "tinder-box" right now and I attest to that: it is. I have never seen it like this. Every field is so dry! It is no wonder things are catching fire so easily.

That is how the fire in Stourbridge occurred, I believe. Initially it started on an open grassy area. The fire went on to catch the dry grass on a golf course. It rapidly spread from there to a collection of inhabited houses.

In total, nineteen - Nineteen - houses were completely gutted by the fire. The figure 19 is worth saying more than once in my opinion. It's a lot of properties and it is shocking. Eighteen other properties have also been damaged.

It is a massive tragedy in terms of damage and destruction. Thank goodness no body died! However, six people were injured, three of them were from the fire services. Fortunately, no one had serious injuries.

For all this and Burnham's visit, I am glad. He did the right thing. And I like that he is a more "hands on" type of PM. It's a contrast from the previous one (Keir Starmer).

However, there is one thing that annoys me and it's nothing to do with Andy. It's the Royals, in fact. Now, I have to say: I am a royalist. But when they don't do the right thing, I do get 'vocal' about it. As I'm about to do now.

At least one top Royal - be it King Charles or Prince William - should have taken the time out from whatever they're doing right now to visit Stourbridge at this time. Frankly it's outrageous not one of them has. It's not disappointing; it's just Wrong! They are wrong to not go there even now, as I write. Perhaps some of you are in agreement with me about this.

Nineteen houses in ashes, nothing left, all those people, families, having lost everything, every item that they once owned - absolutely everything - all gone and homeless now - not to mention the other eighteen houses. That's a lot families suddenly made homeless from this disaster. And not one Royal shows up with even a grain of sympathy!

Yep, damn straight: I am annoyed.

That aside, I can tell you the last time any Royal did visit Stourbridge: it was way back in April 2023 when the Duke of Gloucester visited the glass museum.

To the present Royals I remind them: You have a Duty to the people of Britain. You serve the people. That's your job in return for a privileged life. You should have visited Stourbridge and everyone affected by the fire. Where the hell is your heart?

Wolf Winship

Comments

Heatwave!

There have been Red weather warnings and schools have had to close as temperatures hit over 35C around the UK today and much of the same is expected tomorrow - only more so. That's right; it's gonna get hotter. I am astonished at the number of people out and about in this heat! I can only think that there are only four reasons so many of you are out there. 1. You're ding-bat crazy. 2. You're testing your heat tolerance levels because you get a kick out of that... And because you're also a bit crazy. 3. When the Earth is boiling and more like the Earth depicted in the film "Interstellar", you can tell your grandkids all about the good old days when the temperature was only 35C. And 4. Maybe you're that rare type of person that actually likes the heat. Whatever your reasons, I'm reminded of that phrase that comes tinged with admiration: "Only mad dogs and English men/women go out in the midday sun." ...

Solar Eclipse! (12th August 2026)

I had never seen a partial solar eclipse in my life before - let alone a full one. Then yesterday for the first time, I saw a 96% solar eclipse and it's made my year. Really. I just happened to be here in West England; right place, right time. Lucky me. And it was spectacular. I was bowled over. However, at the end of the most beautiful and wondrous day of probably my whole life (to date), a couple of older guys I was with told me they were actually "disappointed". They actually used that word: Disappointed. Their word not mine. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. "Why??" I asked. Turns out they'd seen the solar eclipse in 1999. "It was way better," they said. I must say, I was a bit miffed by that. I mean, come on guys, you're not judging a light show or a firework display!! 1999. Some of us weren't even alive back then. Here, I have to interject with an existentialism moment. I mean, to think that all of life and the universe wa...

Cloud and Rain!

I have written about the recent hot spell of weather in UK and Europe. I know a lot of people are still affected by the heatwave and even wildfires. You have my sympathy. As do the farmers, whom I feel for the most. But in my part of England we have had cloud and even rain for a couple of days now. I tell you: it's delicious. So please excuse me while I enjoy it for a bit longer and bask in the joy of taking a long walk in the cool of the afternoon. It's a pleasure to feel the wet of the spattering rain on my bare arms and face. It's also refreshing and freeing to not have to wear sunglasses or a hat or even sun protector cream. It isn't a down pour but rather a soft gentle wispy on-going rain - the kind that regularly falls in Ireland and the lovely locals stand around outside in it, chatting to one another without a care in the the world. I'm enjoying this weather change now, while I can, because I suspect it is but a brief interlude and we will soon enou...

Wolf Winship

Search This Blog